Spring 2010
Welcome to North Carolina‟s Inner Banks! This new smartphone app for film and TV producers also helps you promote Inner Banks towns and businesses. A special report from IBX Lifestyles and the ENC Film Commission
“Taylor‟s Creek”
Aedan Williamson Reid on the C.B. Fisk Organ at Greenville’s St. Paul’s Church
By Julie Ann Davis
Finalist, Doris Betts Fiction Prize for 2010
Also inside:
Harvey S. Wooten remembers Kathy Taft, friend, champion of education, force of nature
IBX Gourmet: Ralph Scott reviews Kinston‘s Chef and the Farmer Restaurant
Diana Dalton on Dr. Ruth Kempf and Biodynamic Agriculture in the Inner Banks
IBX News, Page 4: UNC’s Kenan Institute and
Kenan-Flagler Business School Lead Two Inner Banks Economic Development Efforts: NE Broadband & Hertford Waterfront Redevelopment!
Dear Readers: We mourn the loss of one of North Carolina’s finest and most beloved citizens. Kathy Arnold Taft, formerly of Kinston, North Carolina, resided in Greenville. She died on March 9, 2010. Kathy was avid in her pursuit of excellence in education for all children across the state. She had served with distinction on the Pitt County Board of Education and she was the longest serving member on the North Carolina Board of Education—over 15 years—at the time of her death. Kathy Taft was tireless in her efforts to expand and enhance educational opportunity at all levels and in every precinct. Kathy was a true friend in every sense. Always smiling, always ready to help whenever and however she could. She will be missed so very much by her countless friends and colleagues and she will be remembered for all that she accomplished for North Carolina and its citizens. I was honored to be her friend. Sincerely, Harvey Sharp Wooten CEO, IBX Homes and Land LLC Publisher, “IBX Lifestyles” magazine
IBXlifestyles.com
Volume 2, Issue 1
Spring 2010
Welcome to North Carolina‟s Inner Banks!
CONTENTS
North Carolina‘s Inner Banks towns and counties offer 4 these unparalleled assets:
Inner Banks News
IBX Opportunity
—————
Doddle a Winner for
Promoting the IBX 6
Investors Seek IBX Properties
11
Fiction
Betts Fiction Prizes 12
―Taylor‘s Creek‖ by Julie Ann Davis
Features C.B. Fisk Organ
12 16
Healing IBX Land 18 IBX Gourmet
20
Blackbeard at MoA 24 IBX Tourism Info
34
20,000+ square miles of lush landscape—three times the size of New Jersey 3,000 miles of largely undeveloped inland coastline (the Inner Banks) Inexpensive real estate, relative to many markets Temperate climate Pristine rivers Albemarle and Pamlico sounds Intracoastal Waterway: ICW Two deep water ports State Ferry System 29-county hospital network of University Health Systems 36 universities, colleges and community colleges
~Enjoy an IBX Spring~ In this issue you‘ll enjoy being introduced to our friend Dr. Ruth Kempf, who brings the healing powers of Biodynamic Agriculture to the Inner Banks; to the 2010 Doris Betts Fiction Prize Competition Finalist Julie Ann Davis, who offers her moving story set in a very special IBX location; to Blackbeard and his crew, who once again invade the Museum of the Albemarle; and to Aedan Williamson Reid, who, at nine years old, is our youngest staff writer. Happy Spring!
4 NE Inner Banks Broadband Proposal Gains Broader Support A proposal to bring broadband services to northeastern North Carolina has expanded and gained supporters as the deadline approaches for submitting the second round of proposals for stimulus funding. A proposal put together by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill‘s Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise now has a new lead partner in the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina. Read more: http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/broadband-proposal-gains-broader-support-16271
Hertford Downtown Waterfront Plan Updated Can Hertford‘s waterfront become a boating destination for folks wanting to spend a leisurely day in a historic town? A group of mostly post-graduate students attending the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina are working on a broad visionary plan of what could be done on Hertford‘s riverfront area to attract boaters from near and far. Read more: http://www.dailyadvance.com/news/hertford-downtown-waterfront-plan-updated-17528
Foundation Awards $24 Million to NC Rural Broadband Project The Golden LEAF Foundation announced today that it has awarded a $24 million grant in order to help secure $78 million in federal funds and leverage other private and public resources to bring broadband fiber to 69 counties across North Carolina. Sixty-seven of the 69 counties are currently underserved or partially underserved for broadband connections. ―The expansion of broadband access in rural counties is critical to jobs, economic investment, education and communications,‖ said Governor Bev Perdue. ―The Golden LEAF Foundation has provided the critical matching dollars which will make this project possible. More than 1,000 jobs are associated with just the installation and creation of the network, and the lasting benefits to homes, schools and businesses will be significant.‖ Read more: http://clicks.skem1.com/preview/?c=1339&g=577&p=2158b684df64c7b3e3827c57695c0c1b
What's in a Name? Graveyard of the Atlantic Legend has it that Alexander Hamilton, the early American statesman, gave the Outer Banks its colorful moniker, one that over time came to romanticize what mariners once dreaded. According to author Ben Dixon MacNeill in "The Hatterasman," published in 1958, Hamilton "passed Cape Hatteras on a summer night in 1773 and thereafter remembering the night's terror, he spoke of that portion of the sea as the Graveyard of the Atlantic." Over the years, "Graveyard of the Atlantic" has come to broadly describe the area where an extraordinary number of shipwrecks are scattered off the waters of the Outer Banks, or more correctly, off the coast from Cape Henry to Cape Fear. Read more: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/03/whats-name-graveyard-atlantic
Plow Shares: NC Crop Mob Plants New Seeds in Sustainable Farming Bobby Tucker, the 28-year-old co-owner of Okfuskee Farm in rural Silk Hope, looked eagerly at the 50-plus volunteers bundled in all manner of flannel and hand-knits. In five hours, these pop-up farmers would do more on his fledgling farm than he and his three interns could accomplish in months. It‘s the beauty of being Crop Mobbed. The Crop Mob, a monthly word-of-mouth (and -Web) event in which landless farmers and the agri-curious descend on a farm for an afternoon, has taken its traveling work party to 15 small, sustainable farms. Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28food-t-000.html
Film Shines Spotlight on Black Surfmen of Pea Island It has all the elements of a compelling action drama: violent storms, heroism in the face of danger, triumph over tremendous odds. But the saga of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station on the Outer Banks and its all-black crew - the nation's only one - has never been told in a full-length feature film. Until now. Read more: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/01/film-shine-spotlight-black-surfmen-pea-island
New Bern: In 2010, North Carolina's Second Oldest Town Will be 300 Years Old To honor this milestone and our rich history, we‘re hosting a year-long celebration and you‘re invited. We‘ve planned events and activities throughout the year to appeal to a wide variety of interests. Whether you‘re a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast, a lover of the arts, a fan of architecture and historic sites, or you simply enjoy strolling quaint streets and a scenic waterfront, New Bern has something to offer you every day. In 2010, we‘ve added an extra element of fun and festivities to celebrate our heritage and share it with others. New Bern derives its name and its arms from our mother city, Bern, Switzerland, home of our founder, Christophe de Graffenried. Honoring those Swiss and Palatine settlers who arrived in 1710, as well as the people who settled here from many places, before and after founding, is important to acknowledge the debt we owe them. We also know that this place of enchanting rivers was special to many Native Americans over many centuries. New Bern holds a special place in the history of North Carolina and our nation. The number of ―firsts‖ is remarkable. Among them, we are especially proud of being the first permanent, colonial capital and the first capital of the State of North Carolina. The opening of the new North Carolina History Education Center at Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens will be one of the great highlights of the year. This celebration of the 300 years since the founding of New Bern is truly a celebration of the history of our state and nation.
www.NewBern300.com
6
Smartphone App for Filmmakers Offers IBX Opportunity Inner Banks towns and businesses can take advantage of free listings on doddle
What‘s a doddle? Well, by definition it means a job or task that‘s easy to complete. And that‘s exactly what this new smartphone application delivers. Imagine that you‘ve taken all the production guides from around the world—the indispensable books that list technicians, location scouts and service providers—and put them in the palm of your hand. Doddle promises to transform the lives of film and television professionals by giving them the unique ability to identify and communicate with everyone they need for their productions from smartphones. It‘s a doddle! No more wasting countless hours frantically searching through antiquated and cumbersome production guides for just the right technician or business. This extraordinary app revolutionizes the production industry by letting professionals spend less time with the drudge work and more time in the field, where the magic is made. Doddle was created by Mobile Imagination, LLC, which was launched in 2009 by principals and founders Richard Kwiat and Jim Robertson. ―Doddle is for anyone in the production industry. Doddle is especially great when you go and shoot on location where you don‘t know anyone. Doddle allows you to find all the resources that area has to offer, and it‘s at your fingertips,‖ said Jim Robertson. ―There are online production directories, but doddle goes light years beyond those to give professionals the tools—and refreshable data access—to make their jobs swifter and saner, giving them more brain cells to devote to creating better art.‖
“To optimize performance, we are populating doddle with constantly updated resources and contacts,” said Mobil Imagination’s Richard Kwiat. “For this reason, we are offering production industry professionals at all levels the option to post a listing for free. Moreover, doddle is an amazing marketing resource for vendors, crew and talent, as well as production service providers such as caterers, lawyers, retail shops, consultants, food and lodging providers, transportation providers, equipment rental companies and regional film commissions. It takes just five minutes and it’s free. It’s one of the few instances in life where you really get something great without spending a dime.”
Get doddle: doddle is FREE to register for a basic listing as Vendor , Crew, or Talent by going to www.doddleme.com The production directory portion of the app is also FREE to download right from the iTunes app store starting April 12th, 2010. Also available mid-April is the use of the FREE web-based version of the guide by clicking on doddle online at www.doddleme.com doddle PRO adds killer productivity tools such as digital interactive call sheets, an internal note sharing system, and other bells and whistles to present a truly transformational application to the world of production. doddle pro is coming soon and will be available for a mobile download at the iTunes app store for a one-time fee of only $9.99 or at www.doddleme.com for only $24.99 per year for the desktop version.
That’s right. Basic listings on doddle are free, and premium listing opportunities are available for a nominal advertising fee. To post a listing, visit www.doddleme.com and complete the simple form. Doddle executives encourage production industry professionals, vendors, talent, film commissions and anyone working or hoping to work in the industry to post their listings as soon as possible so that they are included in the doddle database. Jim states, “If you want people to know who you are, where you are and what services you offer, get your free doddle listings.”
What doddle does for film & tv producers Doddle allows industry professionals to search for vendors and freelancers instantly with their growing comprehensive interactive production guide, initially throughout the U.S., and eventually throughout the world. Once a user has located the listing(s) of their choice, they are able to communicate and collaborate with that entity using all the technology the mobile device has to offer. Doddle also offers a customizable ―favorites‖ list so you can organize all the companies and crew you love to work with, and offers a ―recents‖ section to ensure you won‘t have to search all over again for listings you‘ve already looked at. Film Commission info is never too far away, because you just hit a hot button from any page to take you right to the doddle‘s world film office listings. Producers can plan and manage their own creative workforce through the creation and instant distribution of their interactive ―call sheets.‖ Doddle call sheets function can be created on your smartphone as well as on the doddle online platform, and they will always remain synced together.
Doddle call sheets can be scaled up from a two person crew to a big budget feature film and everything in between.
Doddle call sheets are interactive so you can tap on any entity and instantly learn more about it.
As you create a call sheet and enter a location for the day, doddle will automatically update: the weather forecast, sunrise and sunset times, UV index, winds and atmospheric conditions and much, much more.
Doddle also automatically offers all the emergency information a film crew might need on location, including the nearest police station and a choice of hospitals.
The doddle call sheets function even has its own internal note system, so you can send a note to an individual, department or the entire crew.
Learn more: www.doddleme.com
―As a comprehensive smartphone app designed to streamline the production process, doddle offers a tremendous array of vital services and information,‖ said Frank Dooley, director of the Eastern North Carolina Film Commission. ―As a tool for businesses to use to alert film and tv crews who and where they are and what services they offer, doddle is a peach. Because film and tv crews have to eat and sleep; they need many common everyday services—a hardware store, say, or a dry cleaner—and these needs translate into economic opportunity for Inner Banks businesses. More and more, film and tv production teams are discovering the Inner Banks—its lovely towns, its vast natural resources, its temperate climate—and doddle creates a great new marketing opportunity for us.‖
Haley Sullivan Metal Designs http://haleysullivan.com
Greenville Museum of Art www.gmoa.org
Come home to North Carolina‟s Inner Banks IBXHOMES.com brings you comprehensive, up-to-date real estate offerings from across
North Carolina‘s Inner Banks region, including resort and retirement homes, town homes and condominiums, commercial properties, raw land and office and manufacturing facilities. North Carolina‘s Inner Banks region offers more than 3,000 miles of largely undeveloped coastline; two deep water ports; numerous rivers, estuaries, lakes, the Albemarle Sound and the Pamlico Sound; the Intracoastal Waterway; rail; the state ferry system; the 29-county regional hospital network of University Health Systems; and, 36 institutions of higher learning.
Learn more about North Carolina‘s Inner Banks at www.IBXlifestyles.com.
IBXHOMES.com.
Discover your dream at www.
www.YouTube.com: search ―Inner Banks-IBX Lifestyles‖
Private Equity Investors Seek to Purchase Inner Banks Commercial, Governmental and Professional Properties Sale & sale-leaseback opportunities available on desirable properties IBX Homes and Land LLC of Greenville, North Carolina, represents an international private equity fund seeking to purchase properties in the following classes:
Commercial; Office; Medical; Institutional/Town & County Governmental; Mixed-Use; and, Industrial.
As a result of the international marketing efforts of IBX Homes and Land LLC (dba www.ibxhomes.com and www.ibxlifestyles.com), private equity investors and real estate investment trusts are discovering opportunities for long-term investment appreciation in the eastern North Carolina Inner Banks market as well as in leisure and resort markets across North Carolina. These long-term investors seek to purchase commercial, governmental and professional properties—e.g., retail centers, mixed-use developments, hotels, medical, dental and legal practices—at or near current appraised values. If you, your clients, associates and/or friends are interested in selling commercial and/or professional properties, including the option of sale-leasebacks, our client wishes to evaluate qualifying properties and, in the case of those properties that meet its criteria, to finalize offers in an expeditious manner. Contact: Harvey S. Wooten at info@ibxhomes.com
IBXHOMES.com
12 Doris Betts Fiction Prize Competition Winner and Finalists Announced Margaret D. Bauer, NCLR Editor The North Carolina Literary Review Fiction Editor, Liza Wieland, has named Robert Wallace as the winner of the 2010 Doris Betts Fiction Prize competition for his story ―As Breaks the Wave upon the Sea.‖ Wallace will receive a prize of $250 from the North Carolina Writers Network, and his story will be published in the North Carolina Literary Review‘s 2011 issue. Dr. Wieland describes Wallace‘s ―As Breaks the Wave upon the Sea‖ as ―a beautifully woven, deeply affecting story (I wept as I read it, and so did my husband). The language is simple and direct; the relationship between a returned Iraq War soldier and his wife is depicted in all its wrenching complexity, from both points of view, in short sections that sing like prose poems. The result is a pitch-perfect whole, and one of the best stories I've read in a long, long time.‖ 82 stories were submitted to this year‘s competition. Wieland also noted Susan Snowden‘s ―Revenge‖ and Wayne Johns‘s ―Where Your Children Are‖ for honorable mention. Seven other stories were finalists in the competition: Joseph Francis Cavano‘s ―Soldiers,‖ Carol Cooley‘s ―Jude and Ms. Martha,‖ Carol Roan‘s ―The Streetwalker,‖ Merry Elrick‘s ―The Rhubarb,‖ Doris Monica Iarovici‘s ―Among The Ruins,‖ Thomas Wolf‘s ―The Neighbor‘s Dog,‖ and, appearing here in IBX Lifestyles, Julie Ann Davis‘s ―Taylor‘s Creek.‖ A two-year subscription to NCLR will include the 2010 issue, featuring the winner and two finalists from the 2009 Betts competition, as well as the 2011 issue, featuring Wallace‘s 2010 winning story. Go to www.nclr.ecu.edu/subscrip.htm for subscription information. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2010 Betts competition finalist Julie Ann Davis grew up in North Carolina, but left for a short time to obtain her MFA in theater from the University of Texas in Austin. Upon returning to North Carolina, she lived for a while in Chocowinity, a small town near Greenville, where she worked for a small TV station and filmed the "Farm Report" every morning. Her husband introduced her to the Beaufort/Harkers Island area in 1995, and they continue to visit that region almost every year, staying at a bed-and-breakfast or renting a house and slowing down to a more relaxed pace. She says she loves the smell of a salt marsh and has spent many hours exploring Carrot Island and Shackleford Banks. After reading an article about the decline of the fishing industry in North Carolina, Davis began working on a novel about three generations of a fishing family in the Harkers Island/Beaufort area. ―Taylor‘s Creek‖ is adapted from an excerpt of that work in progress.
Taylor’s Creek
By Julie Ann Davis
Lily surveyed herself in the mirror of her stepmother Nan‘s dressing table. Her coppery hair was twisted into a French knot that felt like it might fall loose any minute, despite being anchored by what felt like a thousand hairpins. She didn‘t look like herself at all, but strange and grown up. Her sprigged green dress had a slender waist and slightly flared skirt, like the picture in the Sears Roebuck catalog. Nan had figured out the whole design herself, just by looking at the picture; she and Lily worked on the dress every evening after supper. Daddy stumped into the room, easing himself into the rocking chair by the bed. ―You look real pretty, child. I just don‘t see why you‘re getting all dressed up, just to go to a tent meeting. Do you know the difference between a Baptist and an Episcopalian?‖ ―Tom!‖ Nan exclaimed. ―Now, hold still.‖ She poked another hairpin into Lily‘s head. ―You want to look nice tonight, don‘t
you?‖ ―An Episcopalian will speak to you when he sees you in the liquor store.‖ Daddy laughed and slapped his good leg. Lily heard Nan sigh. Poor Nan was a cradle Episcopalian and played the organ at Saint Paul‘s. She‘d had to listen to Daddy tell that same old joke ever since they got married. He never got tired of it. ―I never thought I‘d see the day you‘d let anyone in this house set foot in a Baptist church, Nan, let alone go to a tent meeting. All that hollering and foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues.‖ ―Becky says they don‘t do anything like that,‖ Lily protested. Nan shoved her glasses back on the bridge of her nose. ―Tom McIntyre, quit teasing the child. I‘m glad she‘s making new friends. And the Weavers are quality people.‖
―Meaning we aren‘t?‖ ―Meaning some members of this family are giving the McIntyres a bad name,‖ Nan snapped. Lily caught her father‘s eye in the mirror; he shrugged and kept silent. Nan stepped back to survey her handiwork. ―Not bad for an old maid school-teacher, if I do say so myself.‖ ―Them Weavers!‖ Daddy snorted. ―That family‘s not cut out to live in Beaufort. Don‘t even own a boat! Mark my words, they‘ll move back inland as soon as the first hurricane hits.‖ Lily turned to her stepmother. ―My hair looks really nice, Nan.‖ Nan kissed her cheek. ―Go on, now, you don‘t want to be late.‖ Grabbing his cane, Lily‘s father hauled himself out of the rocking chair. ―Try to have a good time, Lily. Just don‘t let them convert you. I don‘t want my own daughter preaching at me about the evils of liquor and dance.‖ He grinned at his wife. ―And other things.‖ ―Tom!‖ Nan blushed, but Lily could tell she was pleased. They walked downstairs with her and stood on the front porch, their arms around each other. Lily marveled anew at the difference in their heights. Nan, with her plain features and schoolmarm glasses, barely reached Daddy‘s shoulder. He was well over six feet tall, broad-shouldered and blue-eyed, with red hair people said you could see from miles away. ―Hey there!‖ Lily‘s cousin Red sauntered down the sidewalk towards them. He had just turned 17, broad-shouldered and long-legged like Daddy. He wore a white shirt and a nice pair of pants, not his usual dungarees, which meant he had a date. Auburn curls framed his face, making him look like cherub on the back of a church fan, but his grin was far from angelic. Daddy waved. ―Hey, stranger. Long time no see!‖ ―Hello, Red.‖ The smile faded from Nan‘s face. ―What brings you to town this evening?‖ Daddy asked. ―Thought you‘d be back home.‖ ‗Home,‘ was Harkers Island, a small green jewel just to the northeast, accessible to Beaufort only by boat. Even after two years in Beaufort, Lily still longed for the small white house surrounded by live oaks, the lap of waves on the shore, the setting sun‘s glow on the fishing boats as they made their way home from a day at sea. ―I‘ve got a date,‖ Red explained, ―but I thought I‘d drop by and see how you-all were doing.‖ He surveyed Lily. ―Look at you, all grown up and beautiful! ‗Bout time you had a beau.‖ He glanced at Nan, whose mouth narrowed. ―I‘m going to a revival with Becky Weaver.‖ Red raised an eyebrow but refrained from comment. ―Well, I‘ll just walk into town with you, seein‘ as how I‘m headed in that direction. I‘m taking Patsy Turner to the picture show.‖ ―Stop back by on your way home,‖ Daddy urged. ―Catch us up on everybody back home. How are the boys doing? And your mama?‖ ―I‘m sure Red has better things to do with his time,‖ Nan replied. ―Enjoy your evening.‖ Turning on her heel, she marched into the house, slamming the door. Lily glanced at her wristwatch. ―We‘d better hurry.‖ Kissing her father, she hurried down the stairs to join her cousin. They walked along Taylor‘s Creek towards town. Strictly speaking, the creek was simply the narrow end of Core Sound, which widened gradually into Beaufort Harbor. Carrot Island, a sandy dune covered with low bushes and wind-twisted scrub oaks, lay across the water from them. At this point, they were so close could see a graceful white egret wading carefully through the water on its long black legs. Some evenings, a wind blew in from the Atlantic, over the island and into town, but this evening was a ―slick cam,‖ when both the air and water were still. Anyone who had a boat was out on the water, hoping to catch a sea breeze. ―So, you‘re goin‘ to get saved, eh?‖ ―I promised Becky Weaver I‘d go with her.‖ ―Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes?‖ Red rolled his eyes. ―What do you see in her anyway? ‘Member that time I tried to get her out in the skiff to go over to Carrot Island? She got sea-sick before we were 20 feet from shore.‖ ―She‘s just never been out on the water before.‖ ―Course, it doesn‘t hurt that her Daddy‘s President of the First National Bank, does it? I‘ll bet Nan loves that.‖ ―You just quit picking on Becky!‖ Lily stopped in the middle of the street, hands on her hips. ―It‘s not like back home, Red – nobody talks to me at school, and Becky‘s nice to me!‖ Continued on the next page
Taylor‘s Creek, by Julie Ann Davis
―Okay, okay, I give. Truce?‖ He looked so contrite that Lily‘s anger wilted. ―Truce.‖ They turned up Turner Street, towards the Baptist Church. In spite of the heat, the church grounds swirled with energy and motion. It seemed as if half the town was headed for the white tent pitched on the vacant lot next to the church. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best – women in flowered dresses, many of them in hats and gloves, men in freshly pressed pants, their starched shirts wilting in the heat. Lily searched the crowd for Becky. Through the open tent flap, she glimpsed a string of light bulbs, lit up like Christmas, and more people milling about like fish in a net. ―Here she comes,‖ Red chuckled. ―You can see her halo all the way from here.‖ ―Shh!‖ Lily hissed, as a girl hurried towards them, arriving out of breath. Becky had a pleasant, plump figure and dark brown eyes that reminded Lily of a puppy. She wore a white seersucker dress with a lace collar; it was store-bought, Lily could tell, feeling suddenly gawky in her own homemade frock. ―Hello, Lily.‖ Becky kissed her friend and turned to Red, dimpling and blushing. ―Hello, Red. Will you be joining us this evening?‖ Red grinned. ―No ma‘am. I‘ve got a date with Patsy Turner.‖ ―Oh.‖ Becky bit her lip. ―Well, perhaps you could come tomorrow. With Lily and me, I mean. The revival will be going on all weekend.‖ ―I‘d like to, Miss Becky, but I‘ve got to work. There‘s a full moon tonight, and that means good fishing tomorrow.‖ ―Fishing? On Sunday?‖ Becky looked as shocked as if Red had taken the Lord‘s name in vain. ―Some folks are fishers of men, Miss Becky, but the Good Lord made us McIntyres to be fishers of fish.‖ Red winked at Becky. ―Send your cook down to Bogue‘s fish house on Monday, and I‘ll have a nice piece of bluefish saved for you. Y‘all have a good time tonight.‖ Giving them his best smile, Red strolled down the street, singing, Halleluiah, I’m a bum Halleluiah amen! Halleluiah, give us a handout And revive us again. Lily groaned inwardly, but Becky just sighed. ―I wish he‘d come with us. I hear Patsy Turner is fast. Can‘t you talk to him, Lily?‖ ―Of course,‖ Lily promised, although convincing her cousin to do anything he didn‘t want to was like rowing against the incoming tide. All McIntyre men were stubborn like that. Daddy was the same way; he refused to set foot inside St. Paul‘s, saying Episcopalians didn‘t know how to sing, and the sermons were so boring they put him to sleep. Lily secretly agreed with him, but she dutifully attended every week because Nan needed her to sing in the choir. Becky continued to gaze after Red. ―That poor boy needs to be saved! I hear he plays pool and drinks beer over at Vic‘s.‖ Lily had heard all of this from Nan, many times, so she simply said, ―Then we‘ll have to pray extra hard for him.‖ ―We will!‖ Becky took her friend‘s arm. ―Come on, we‘ll be late.‖ Lily sighed. The last thing she wanted to do on a Saturday evening was sit in a sweltering hot tent and listen to some boring preacher. It would be much more pleasant to sit on the porch with Nan and Daddy, the electric fan whirring, listening to the radio, or reading Jane Eyre. Lily had just gotten to the point where Mr. Rochester had been attacked by the crazy lady in the tower, and it just about killed her not to find out what happened next. But Becky had invited her, and Lily had accepted. That‘s what friends did. And Becky was about the only real friend she had. Ever since they‘d moved to Beaufort, she‘d felt like a stranger in a strange land at the local high school, where some girls snickered at her behind her back, calling her ―beanpole,‖ or ―loon eater,‖ which was how high-and-mighty Beaufort folk referred to anyone from Harkers Island. Daddy just said they were afraid of her because Nan was the new principal. ―They‘ll get over that soon enough.‖ But even after two years, things hadn‘t improved.
Becky had started school back in January, when her father moved down from Goldsboro to take over as President of the First National Bank. Even though her people were rich, she didn‘t give herself airs. She‘d taken to Lily from the day they first met, when she came into the grocery store where Lily was minding the counter while Daddy did the accounts in back. Lily was grateful to have someone who wanted to eat lunch with her or walk home from school, and talk about books or things that really mattered, not boys or fashion magazines. Besides, ever since Becky found out Reverend Jeremiah Collins of Smithfield was bringing the Word of God to Beaufort, she had talked of nothing else. ―Oh, he is the most wonderful preacher you‘ll ever hear,‖ she told Lily now, as starry-eyed as if Clark Gable himself were coming to town. ―He‘ll just fill you with the Holy Spirit.‖ Becky secretly yearned to be a missionary and go to China, although Lily wondered how somebody who was too scared to go out in a rowboat could manage a long ocean voyage to the Far East. They joined the stragglers hurrying across the lawn to the tent. Rows of folding metal chairs crushed the grass underfoot. A makeshift platform had been set up at the front, where Mrs. Abbott, the church organist, was playing ―Rock of Ages‖ on a piano that needed tuning. Reverend Dailey, the regular preacher, sat next to her on a metal folding chair. He looked uncomfortable, and Lily wondered if he was jealous that the crowd was more excited over this revival than they‘d ever been by a regular Sunday service. It was hard to hear over the buzz of excited voices. Almost all of the seats were taken, and Lily and Becky had to squeeze into the back row. ―At least we‘re on the aisle so we can see him.‖ Becky shouted over the noise. ―Goodness, it‘s warm, isn‘t it?‖ The air inside the tent was thick with the smells of Lifebuoy soap, hair pomade, talcum powder, and rosewater cologne. Lily shifted in the uncomfortable chair. There was a sudden stir at the front of the church, like the beginning of a wave, as a large man in a white suit strode onto the platform. He was the fattest man Lily had ever seen. His white suit looked as if it would pop any second; his neck and chin had merged into a roll of flesh that quivered when he walked. ―Brother and sisters!‖ His voice was higher than Lily expected from such a big man, but he spoke with authority. ―Before we hear the word of God, let us pray.‖ Everyone bowed their heads. Sweat trickled down the back of Lily‘s neck. ―We thank You for the power of Your almighty Word. We thank You for the precious blood of our Savior Jesus, spilled on the cross for our sins. We thank You for Your promise to those who rest their hope in You.‖ He seemed in the mood to go on praying for a while, so Lily put her elbows on her knees and rested her forehead on her hands. It was a trick Red had taught her when they were little, so you would look like you were praying even if you wanted to think about other things, or catch a little nap. Back on Harkers Island, they all went to the Methodist church, Lily‘s family and Red‘s family and all their kin. The preacher used to joke that half the congregation was made up of McIntyres. Lily usually managed to sit next to Red and his brother, Cole. Red was always getting them in trouble, imitating the preacher or making up lyrics to hymns; Lily and Cole would giggle so hard people turned around to glare at them. But those days were long gone. Cole had drowned in the wild waters off Cape Lookout, in the same boating accident that shattered Daddy‘s right leg and put an end to his fishing days. When Nan was offered the job of principal at the Beaufort High School, she‘d convinced him to move there with her and helped him get the job at the grocery store. If he missed home as sorely as Lily did, he never let on; he was cheerful and helpful with his customers and listened to other folks‘ fishing talk with eager interest. But Cole‘s death had changed Red somehow. He‘d stayed behind on the island to fish with Lily‘s brothers, who were grown men and had their own business. Lily hardly ever saw him anymore, because the only way to Harkers Island was by boat, and Red didn‘t even have his own yet. When he could borrow a workboat from one of his cousins, he came to town to chase girls or play pool with his buddies at Vic‘s. Nan said he had ―gone downhill,‖ but Lily missed him almost as much as she missed the island. Clamming, mending nets, playing pirates, telling each other stories late at night when the others were in bed, Red had been as much a part of her life as the sun and the ocean. ―Amen!‖ The crowd surged around her, and Lily stumbled to her feet as everyone began to sing ―Amazing Grace.‖ Becky smiled at Lily. She took the alto line, and Lily sang along, liking the way their two voices blended. Becky was sweet, even if she was a little bit of a Goody-Two Shoes. ―Please take your seats,‖ the preacher intoned. ―I‘m glad y‘all turned out tonight. It does my heart good to know that so many people in this wicked generation are hungry for the word of the Lord.‖ ―And what is God‘s word to you tonight? The wages of sin is death. That‘s right, my friends. It‘s a wicked and sinful world we live in, and everywhere you turn the devil has laid traps for the unwary! Radio! Moving pictures! The purveyors of filth would tell you it‘s ‗innocent entertainment,‘ but I call it the lure of Satan!‖ Brother Collins strode up and down the aisle; with every step his chins quivered with indignation. He looked like an old tom turkey with his wattle shaking. Lily stifled a giggle. He pointed a pudgy finger at the crowd. ―Recognize these ‗entertainments‘ for what they are, my friends – the whirlpool that will suck you down to the molten fires of Hell!‖ Continued on Page 26
C.B. Fisk Organ Field Trip
16
Aedan Andrew Williamson Reid The Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ is located at St. Paul‘s Episcopal Church in Greenville. The church and organ were both designed at the same time. It took eleven years to plan the organ, build, disassemble and transport and install it in Greenville. The organ builder was C.B Fisk. The company is located in Gloucester, MA (north of Boston). They build each organ by hand and smelt the metal for the pipes themselves. I visited the organ shop in Gloucester and was able to see the organ as it was being built. When the organ was completed it took two 18-wheeler trucks to bring it to Greenville and seven months to install it. The organ is built in the French Romantic style. It has 56 stops and 3119 pipes. The organ‘s smallest pipe is about as big as your thumb! Its tones range from bass to tuba to cello to reeds to angel bells. The organ is used for church services, teaching students and concerts. The organ‘s real name is The Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ Opus 126, but we call her ―the Duchess‖. —————————————————————————— I organized a field trip to visit the organ because I wanted to show my class at the Greenville Montessori School this amazing instrument. To organize the field trip I had to set the time and date. I also had to prepare a short presentation on the organ and prepare a field trip form. To learn about how an organ works we watched a TV program from Mr. Rogers! The day of the visit we had to bolt down our lunch in order to be on time. Mr. Andrew Scanlon, the Choir Master and Organist at St. Paul‘s, told us all about the organ and played several pieces to show the musical range of the instrument. The organ sounds magnificent! It is the only one in town of its size. I recommend going to hear it being played. If you go, listen intently –it‘s worth it!
Aedan A. Williamson Reid is nine years old. He is a student at Greenville Montessori School. This is his first article for ―IBX Lifestyles‖.
EAST CAROLINA MUSICAL ARTS EDUCATION FOUNDATION The vision of the East Carolina Musical Arts Education Foundation is to promote collaborative ventures among the East Carolina School of Music, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the Greenville community and the eastern region of North Carolina. The Foundation's focus is on arts and education, particularly with regard to pipe organ music. Recognizing the role that music plays in cultural development, the goal of the Foundation is to support activities that bring excellence in music to as wide and diverse an audience as possible. Annual contributions to ECMAEF through our Friends of the Fisk program will help us achieve our mission of promoting sacred music throughout North Carolina, as well as helping to ensure the longevity of The Perkins and Wells Memorial Organ. Friends of the Fisk receive invitations to and reserved seating at events and will be guests at special receptions honoring our internationally acclaimed guest recitalists. Friends of the Fisk 2009-2010 Annual Membership Form
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Thank you for returning this form and your contribution to the address listed below. We recommend that you consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your contributions, whether in cash or any other form. ECMAEF is a 501 (c) (3) organization. EAST CAROLINA MUSICAL ARTS EDUCATION FOUNDATION Post Office Box 1924 Greenville, North Carolina 27835-1924 For more information, please contact: Jon Shaw
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18 Healing the Land By Diana Dalton Something fresh is afoot in the Inner Banks. It‘s very new, yet very old; it‘s quite subtle, and quietly powerful; it is at once deeply profound, and delightfully simple. Change is in the air, and if we can allow it and receive it, then our tiny spot on the global map can become part of a planet-wide, earth-healing network which seeks to restore the broken link between a nourished and a nourishing earth. What is emerging here in North Carolina‘s Inner Banks is a powerful method of healing our damaged earth, known throughout the world as Biodynamic Agriculture. To our good fortune, this opportunity comes to us with a very dedicated champion attached. Meet Ruth Kempf, PhD., whose day job is professor of physics at East Carolina University. No, Kempf is not "from around here," but she is here now and she intends to stay, placing her spare time, personal energy, all of her hard-won professional savvy and her home (38 acres with several gardens, compost piles, and two pet sheep), squarely behind her efforts to bring the benefits and healing forces of Biodynamic (BD) Agriculture to the land and people of the Inner Banks. If you ask about her professional background, or the experiences that brought her to this biodynamic way of living, Kempf ticks off some intriguing facts:
a lifetime career devoted to the responsible handling of nuclear materials, from nuclear energy‘s radioactive wastes to nuclear weapons;;
international involvement in nuclear security (IAEA in Vienna, Austria) and arms negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland;
15 years working on a multi-billion dollar U.S. Government-funded program to secure Russian nuclear weapons, highly enriched uranium and plutonium, culminating in her heading a team of experts responsible for technical oversight of the program.
After experiencing so much activity in so many nations and organizations, assisted by many devoted and earnest government officials and by so many smart and capable scientists, Dr. Kempf feels that she has a pretty good view of the big picture. The technological ―machine,‖ an established paradigm with its waste, environmental impacts, widespread personal harm and unintended, often unacknowledged by-products (from the Industrial Revolution to the Nuclear Age), is largely beyond our ability to grasp. In her own words: "I was lunching with a friend, discussing possible nuclear terrorism and its probable impacts, when my friend remarked that the only method she had ever heard of that might be able to reclaim radioactively contaminated soil in a fairly short time, was the method of Biodynamic Agriculture, taught by the great German scholar and natural scientist, Rudolf Steiner. This was unfamiliar territory for me, but I already knew that, as long as our search for solutions remained within the conventional boxes, there wasn't much hope. So I decided to take a look."
Dr. Kempf explains biodynamic preparation and treatments to eager student helpers.
Shortly thereafter, in 2004, Kempf attended her first Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Conference in Durham, NC. Her business suit and professional demeanor were regarded cautiously by the denim-clad farmers in attendance, but it was the first slide projected on the screen that really told her that she had indeed stepped out of her familiar world of hard science, politics and government, and had entered a new reality, where the earth is alive, not owned. What was on that first slide? A simple drawing of the earth, a tree with its roots deep in the soil, its trunk straight and its limbs toward the sky. And next to the tree was the figure of a man, with his head, like the tree roots, deep in the soil, his trunk and legs, also like the tree, reaching for the sky. Point? That our thinking, our physical bodies, indeed, our ―being‖ is more connected with the earth than we realize. If we destroy the power of the earth to nourish and sustain us, we may destroy ourselves as well. After that conference, Kempf began to study the works of Rudolf Steiner, some in English, some in the original German. Six years later, she is still studying, still calling herself a beginner, as she explores this deep and provocative material. Study and understanding are not enough, according to Kempf; DOING is crucial. Fortunately, Steiner knew this also, and the instructions he left behind for treating the soil, with very special herbal and mineral preparations (now called biodynamic preparations), could be followed effectively even by the unlettered, if correctly instructed. To all the European farmers who asked for his help in 1923 because of the serious problems they were already seeing with chemical farming and other practices, Steiner‘s recommendation was: "Apply these compost preparations in as many places as possible so that some green oases remain in Europe." Scattered over the world, in Israel and Egypt, India and China, England and the USA, (and many more countries), are tiny oases of a living earth, restored through biodynamic treatment, one small plot at a time. Ruth Kempf is one of those restorers: she is applying BD preparations, treating properties with them, starting tiny oases all around Greenville and Pitt County and wherever else she is invited in the region. Here is how it has happened: 2004—BD Conference in Durham; 2005—Kempf‘s 38 acres receives its first BD treatment; 2006—the first Greenville community BD treatments at properties in Brook Valley, Ironwood and River Crest; 2007—Kempf is invited to talk to the Pitt County Master Gardeners Class, followed by audience sign-ups requesting property treatments with about 20 treatments given throughout the Greenville area. This year also saw the beginning of a volunteer group to assist with applying treatments; 2008—more treatments in both Pitt and Beaufort counties; the network spreads to Southern Pines, Pinehurst, Burlington and Charlotte. The Little Willie Center and the Lucille Gorham Intergenerational Center properties in Greenville are treated, with participation from several parents and their children; 2009—Winterville Montessori School grounds are treated; Teakwood Development, treated; several more Greenville and Washington, NC area properties, with the total now at more than 50 places, and more than 100 acres scattered all over the area; and, 2010—the saga continues. Maria Thun, one of the leading applied agricultural researchers of the BD movement, writes: "As we can no longer guarantee or expect natural soil fertility, in view of environmental pollution caused by technology and the use of chemicals, we are called upon to treat the soil and plants in a way that can still salvage something from the Earth on the basis of real spiritual insight. [Rudolf Steiner]...has bequeathed the biodynamic preparations to sustain and regenerate the fertility of the soil." Ruth Kempf is a bridge between the old (dead science and technology) and the ageless (a living, natural world). With one foot in academe and the other on the farm, she is inviting her neighbors (us), to reclaim and nurture our only home. Let's say yes. Dr. Ruth Kempf can be contacted at kempfr@ecu.edu. Left: Montessori students assist in stirring biodynamic preparations. Right: Karen Wagner applies biodynamic preparations to Pitt County property
20 Inner Banks Restaurant Review: Kinston‘s Chef and the Farmer By Ralph Scott Vivian Howard, a native of Deep Run, NC, along with her partner Benjamin Knight, are running an outstanding restaurant in a converted mule stable in downtown Kinston. Both Howard and Knight are veterans of recent upscale New York City restaurant experiences. The walls of the restaurant are decorated with art created by Knight. Overall, the conversion of the stable into a fine dining establishment works very well. There is a handicapped accessible ground level dining area, an elevated dining platform section and adjacent bar. The platform and bar can be accessed via wheelchair ramps. Native hardwoods form the floor of the dining areas. There is also limited seating at a viewing window where you can watch the finishing chefs at work. This location is often a popular option among regular customers. Outdoor seating is available for use during clement weather. For special events, a private dining room can be booked. Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 5:30 – 9:30PM; Friday and Saturday 5:30 – 10:30 PM. The menu consists of small and large plates made from locally grown ingredients. Small plates which feature local seasonal dishes run around ten dollars. Large plates range from twelve to thirty dollars, depending on your choice of item. On Wednesdays, there is a special thirty-five dollar tasting menu. This is an excellent value and enables the diner to sample a four course menu. The tasting menu can be accompanied by appropriate beverage pairings at a modest extra cost. (See a sample tasting menu on the next page.) A recent tasting menu sampling started off with individual monkey bread stuffed with a local cheddar, roasted red pepper, bacon and country ham butter. This was paired with a local Belgian Wit type beer made a block away at the Mother Earth Brewery [motherearth.com]. The monkey bread was fun, and brought back many fond memories. The second plate was pan-seared orange and fennel-dusted tuna served on a bed of spinach accompanied by aioli, pickled squash/kalamata salad and quinoa. While everything about this dish was excellent, the spinach was a bit too strong for the delicate flavor of the tuna. The wine accompanying this dish was a light semi-dry French Chardonnay. The main offering was rack of spring lamb accompanied by field peas, sweet potato and fresh mint. This was paired with an excellent Argentinean Malbec. Local honey was used for basting the rack and it was simply the best dish of the night! The dessert for the evening was a light shortbread with a ruby red grapefruit curd accompanied by broiled grapefruit slices. Chef and the Farmer has one of the most impressive and wide ranging wine lists in the state. The restaurant‘s servers were always prompt and attentive, but not imposingly so. The Chef and the Farmer is an excellent restaurant by any measure. When you want to eat beautifully prepared dishes that are also as creative and original as you‘re likely to find anywhere, this is the place.
Chef and the Farmer Tasting Menu: Week of March 8th 1st Course: Monkey Bread, cheddar, roasted red pepper, bacon, country ham butter 2nd Course: Orange & Fennel Dusted Yellowfin Tuna, aioli, pickled squash/kalamata salad, quinoa, spinach 3rd Course: 8-Hour Lamb Ribs, field peas, sweet potato & mint relish 4th Course: Mado‘s Shortbread, ruby red grapefruit curd
120 W. Gordon St., Kinston, NC 252.208.2433 www.chefandthefarmer.com
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Welcome to North Carolina‟s... Inner Banks? Here are a few reasons why Inner Banks towns are becoming magnets for retirees, entrepreneurs, artists and crafts persons from around the world...
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Blackbeard’s Crew Returns to the Museum of the Albemarle May 14 & 15 in conjunction with the North Carolina Potato Festival Blackbeard‘s Crew will create an encampment and entertain with living history exhibits by accurately portraying the lifestyle, manner of dress and speech, common knowledge and skills, weapons, tools and crew organizations of both pirates and ordinary seamen afloat and ashore during the Golden Age of Piracy. On Friday, May 14, beginning at 5:00 p.m., visitors can belly up to the table with members of Blackbeard‘s Crew while feasting on buccaneer burgers, hot dog telescopes, gold nuggets (tater tots), shiver-metimbers chilled fruit, and land-lover‘s seaweed (cole slaw), iced tea and water. A $10.00 donation covers each dinner and tickets may be purchased at the Museum of the Albemarle. Reservations are required and there are two seating times from which to choose: 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. After dinner, listen to sea chanteys from the children‘s musical duo C-Shells in the Gaither Auditorium. Blackbeard‘s Crew will return on Saturday, May 15 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. with an encampment set up on the Museum‘s Green, offering interaction with the pirates and crew, live cannon firing and a number of other activities. These weekend activities are perfect for all ages! For more information, contact the Museum of the Albemarle‘s Education Department at 252-335-1453, www.museumofthealbemarle.com or the North Carolina Potato Festival at 252-338-4104; or email us at elizabethcitydowntown@embarqmail.com. The Museum of the Albemarle is located at 501 S. Water Street, Elizabeth City, NC. (252)335-1453. Find us on Facebook! Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Sunday, 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and State Holidays. Serving Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington counties. The museum is the northeast regional history museum of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums, within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. Information is available 24/7 at www.ncculture.com.
From the New York Times Real Estate section, two articles from an ongoing series entitled ―What you can get for…‖ “...$150,000 in Edenton, NC” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/ greathomesanddestinations/12gh-what.html?_r=1
“...$400,000 in Kitty Hawk, NC” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/ greathomesanddestinations/26gh-what.html
See for yourself what fantastic properties can be found in North Carolina's Inner Banks at:
www.IBXhomes.com
2010 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing the nation, Congress has passed legislation that grants a tax credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers.
Learn more here: httpwww.realthome_buyers_and_sellers/2009_first_time_home_buyer_ tax_credit
Taylor‘s Creek, by Julie Ann Davis, Continued from page 15 People stirred uneasily. The heat inside the tent intensified, as if the preacher were sucking up all the air. Lily felt light-headed, a little nauseated. ―The torments of the damned, my friends. Think on it! This summer heat is nothing compared to the fires of Hell. Your lips are cracked, your throat‘s parched, but there‘s nary a drop of water to quench your thirst! And worst of all – worst of all – the deep, deep chasm that separates you from heaven, from your loved ones, from Our Father himself!‖ Brother Collins paused to wipe his forehead with an immaculate handkerchief. ―No sweet word of God to comfort you, only demons, laughing, mocking your loneliness and despair. ‗Save me, Jesus,‘ you cry out. ‗I repent, save me.‘ But He has set His face against you, and that pain is worse than any devil‘s pitchfork.‖ Brother Collins loosened his tie. ―Those aren‘t my rules, little children. It‘s in the Good Book. Tell me now, I won‘t judge you – how many of you here read the Bible every day?‖ Becky‘s hand shot up. A few more timid hands waved in the air. Everyone else coughed, or looked down at their shoes. Brother Collins shook his head sadly. ―And what do the rest of you do? Read the newspaper? Listen to the radio?‖ He raised his hands in the air. ―Lord, forgive these Thy children, and help me, teach me what to say, like you did Moses and Peter. Help me to bring them to their knees, to bend their will to Yours, so that they can avoid the perversions of this world. Help me save them from the torments of Hell!‖ He spread his arms wide as if he could embrace them all. ―The Bible tells us clear enough the torments that await us there. ‗For as ye sow, so shall ye reap.‘ Gluttons will starve, tempted by visions of food, just out of their reach. The greedy, those who keep the money for themselves instead of sharing it with the church, will be weighed down by chains of burning gold. The idle will roll great rocks up hills of fire, only to have them tumble back down, so they have to start over. Demons will laugh and taunt you – you‘ll struggle to breathe in the sulphurous air that burns your lungs with every breath.‖ Lily could imagine the sweating people around her were lost souls, chained together as they struggled through a dark, fiery chasm. The hairpins pricking her scalp could be the red-hot pokers of demons. Doubt assailed her. She went to St. Paul‘s dutifully, but her mind usually wandered during the sermon. When was the last time she‘d opened a Bible? She‘d rather read the latest book from the library, or make up stories in her head, stories that usually involved a tall, handsome man like Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre, a tormented, wind-swept figure with haunted eyes, whose mere touch would send her into shivers of longing. As if he could read her mind, Brother Collins pointed a finger straight at Lily. ―Worst of all is the torment reserved for those who lust after the flesh! You ache, and ache, but your want shall never be filled! Hot coals will burn the vile, secret places where lust and filth abide! You long for the cool touch of God‘s hand to ease your pain, but He will cast you aside, because you have turned away from His holy Word!‖ All around Lily, people moaned and swayed. Becky sobbed. ―Save me, Jesus,‖ shouted a man up front. Lily‘s stomach contracted. Tearing off his white jacket, Brother Collins continued his restless prowling. Great patches of sweat stained his shirt. His raw voice strained to be heard above the increasing cries of the crowd. ―As the Bible says, ‗How is a man to keep his heart pure in this wicked and sinful generation?‘ No man is safe from temptation! Women wearing short skirts, curling their hair, painting their faces. Our very own daughters dress like harlots! It‘s Satan, my friends, Satan who has them in his powerful grip!‖ His gaze fixed on Lily. He knew every awful thing she‘d ever done, every dark secret in her heart. ―He‘s going to lay hands on you!‖ Becky whispered, as the preacher bore down on them. ―Don‘t be afraid! He‘ll cast the Devil out of your heart!‖ Brother Collins loomed over Lily. The reek of his cologne made her gag. She glanced up at his red, sweating face. He clamped one meaty hand on her forehead, the other on the back of her neck. In spite of the heat, his hands were cold; they pressed down on her until she thought her neck would snap. A terrible wave of nausea swept over Lily. She tried to focus on the ground, on the preacher‘s shoes. They were new, with pointed toes, polished to a high sheen. ―Lord Jesus, heal this daughter of yours who has strayed from the Way! Cast the demons from her snow-white breast! I command You, by the power of Your own precious Blood, to heal this worthless sinner!‖ Lily‘s stomach rebelled. Vomit splattered the preacher‘s glistening shoes, the cuffs of his white trousers. Grey-green bits of collards, pale corn, orange yams – the smell was enough to make her sick all over again. In a frozen moment, the crowd held its breath. Lily glanced up at Brother Collins. His scarlet face swelled until she could see nothing else. He looked as if he were going to smack her. Then he turned towards the crowd, raising his arms in the air. ―Praise the Lord! The demons have been cast out!‖ ―Thank you, Jesus,‖ Becky sobbed, throwing her arms around Lily. Pushing her friend away, Lily stumbled out of the tent. Outside, the humid air seemed fresh and clear. Without looking back she ran, faster and faster, ignoring the stares of passers-by. Finally, out of breath, she reached the public dock. By now the sun had set, but everything was still clear in the blue twilight. Across the water, only half a mile or so, lay Carrot Island. If only she could get over there! She‘d climb over the dune and down to the ocean side, lie down in the sand and let the clean waves wash over her.
―Lil? That you?‖ She turned to see Red hurrying down the dock towards her. ―What‘s the matter?‖ Lily collapsed on a wooden bench and burst into tears. ―Oh, Lord, Red, it was awful!‖ Lily shuddered. She could still feel Brother Collins‘s heavy, clammy hand on the back of her neck. ―The preacher laid hands on me, and I threw up on his shoes.‖ Red laughed. ―Good for you!‖ Lily sniffed, fishing in her pocket for a handkerchief. ―Do you think I‘m a bad person, Red?‖ ―You?‖ He sat next to her. ―Shoot, no. What gave you that idea?‖ ―Then why did Brother Collins lay hands on me?‖ Red ruffled her hair, which was falling out of its elaborate ‗do. ―It‘s that hair of yours, little cuz. Pretty as a sunset, and just as bright. I‘ll be he wanted to – ‖ Red scowled. ―Damn bastard. I‘ll lay hands on him.‖ Lily blew her nose. ―What are you doing here? Where‘s your date?‖ Red shrugged. ―When I got to Patsy‘s house, her Daddy met me at the door and told me she was ‗indisposed.‘ I was inclined to believe him, seeing as how he had a shotgun in his hands.‖ ―Oh, Red, he did not!‖ Her cousin chuckled. ―No, but he sure looked like he would use one if he had it. So I came down here to head for home while it was still light.‖ He leaned over to study her face. ―You look like you‘re going to be sick again. Do you want me to take you home?‖ ―I guess. Nan will have a hissy fit when she sees me. I messed my dress, too, and she worked so hard to finish it for tonight.‖ Red sniffed. ―You don‘t smell good, that‘s for certain. Come on. You need a co-cola. Mama says that‘s the best thing for a sick stomach.‖ Leaving the docks, they walked slowly down Front Street, past the darkened shops, the fish houses, finally reaching the dark quiet of Taylor‘s Creek. Silver trembled on the edges of Carrot Island; the moon would rise soon. Lily sighed. ―I guess Becky won‘t want to speak to me ever again after this.‖ ―She‘ll just be mad she didn‘t ‗bring you to salvation.‘ She probably gets a point for every person she drags down to altar call.‖ ―Red! That‘s mean.‖ ―Sorry, Lil, but I can‘t help it. Look, if she really likes you, she‘ll call tomorrow to see how you‘re doing. And if she tries to drag you back to that revival, she‘s no friend.‖ He took Lily‘s elbow. ―Here we are. Don‘t be scared, I ain‘t about to abandon you to Nan.‖ The streetlights flickered on, and they could just glimpse Daddy and Nan on the porch. Nan ran down towards them. ―Lily! What‘s the matter, child?‖ ―I got sick in church and threw up on the preacher.‖ Lily burst into tears again. ―Oh, Lily!‖ Nan put an arm around her shoulder. ―You come inside with me. Red, thank you so much for bringing her home.‖ ―My pleasure. D‘you mind if I visit for a while?‖ ―Of course not.‖ Nan led Lily up the steps, where Daddy struggled to his feet. ―You stay here and keep Tom company; he‘ll just be in the way.‖ ―What happened?‖ Daddy demanded. ―I‘ll tell you about it,‖ Red replied, as Nan led a sobbing Lily into the house. Five minutes later, Lily had changed back into her old clothes while the green dress soaked in the tub. She leaned back against the pillows on her bed as Nan handed her a glass of cola with fresh ice. The comforting syrup fizzed in Lily‘s mouth and slid cool and sweet down her throat. Nan sat on the edge of the bed, listening as Lily told her about the evening‘s disastrous events.
―Good Lord,‖ Nan exclaimed, when Lily had finished. ―If I‘d known you were in for something like that, I never would have let you go. I‘ve heard stories about those revivals, but I always thought people were exaggerating.‖ ―You‘re not mad about the dress?‖ Lily sniffed. ―About the dress? Heavens, Lily, that can be cleaned up. But your hair is a mess. Do you feel like sitting at the dressing table?‖ Continued on the next page
―Yes.‖ Soon Nan removed the hateful hairpins, brushing Lily‘s hair out to its full length. The feel of the bristles against her scalp, the rhythmic stroke of the brush, lulled her. ―Why do you think you got so sick?‖ Nan asked. ―I don‘t know. I mean, I‘ve been to church with Becky a few times, and Reverend Dailey is just as sweet as can be. But Brother Collins – ‖ She shuddered, feeling as if the fat man‘s cologne still clung to her. ―Becky says he‘s full of the Holy Spirit, but he just kept talking about hell and he gave me the whim-whams. I know you‘re not supposed to say that about preachers, but honestly, Nan, he was just – just like some big bloated slug. And people just sobbed and cried and –‖ ―Slow down honey, or you‘ll get upset all over again. Do you want to lie down? I can make a cold compress for you.‖ Lily shook her head. She didn‘t want to be alone just now. ―Do we even know this ‗Brother Collins‘ is a real preacher? Has he been to seminary?‖ Nan began to braid Lily‘s hair. ―I‘ll have a word with Reverend Dailey on Monday. What was he thinking, inviting that man to preach?‖ In spite of herself, Lily smiled. Whenever Nan ‗had a word‘ with anybody, the person on the receiving end usually got the worst of it. ―I guess I should read the Bible more,‖ Lily sighed. ―You should,‖ Nan replied. ―Your father told me you learned how to read from it when you were a child.‖ ―That‘s right. Mama taught me.‖ Lily glanced at her stepmother, but Nan just patted her shoulder. ―Why don‘t I make an appointment for you to talk with Father James? He can recommend some passages for you to read. He‘s a good man, even if his sermons are a little boring.‖ She laid the brush aside. ―Why don‘t we go join the men on the porch?‖ Daddy sat in the porch swing, while Red lounged in the rocking chair. Seeing Lily, he jumped up. ―You feeling better?‖ Lily nodded as her cousin helped her into the chair. Nan disappeared and returned with another cola. Red and Daddy already had theirs, while Nan sipped a glass of water. Red sat cross-legged on the floor next to Lily‘s chair. Tree frogs and crickets sang their little songs. Voices drifted from the porches down the street – low talk, a murmur of laughter. Someone was playing a ukulele. The rich, salty smell of the ocean wafted to them on a light wind. ―Tide‘s coming in,‖ Red commented. ―Maybe the wind will turn.‖ ―Well, Lily, you still fixin‘ on becoming a Baptist?‖ Daddy asked. ―Tom!‖ ―No sir,‖ Lily replied, with a catch in her throat. ―I don‘t know what I want to be.‖ ―That makes two of us, then. But I reckon I‘ll make it to heaven someday, the Good Lord willing. Don‘t believe those old hellfire and brimstone preachers, Lily. My daddy always used to say, ‗Do the best you can, son, and leave the rest to God.‘‖ ―What do you think Heaven‘s like?‖ Lily asked. Anything other than thinking about hell. Daddy laughed. ―Mark Twain said, ‗Singing hymns and waving palm branches through all eternity is pretty when you hear about it in the pulpit, but it's as poor a way to put in valuable time as a body could contrive.‘‖ He put an arm around Nan‘s shoulder. ―So, no offense to Father James, I hope Heaven ain‘t like being at the ‗Pistiple church.‖ Red spoke up. ―When I‘m out in the boat, and it‘s a pretty day, you know, when the sky‘s real blue and there‘s a good breeze? Or when you just set by the creek and listen to the wind in the grass? Cole used to say that would make a better heaven than one where you‘ve got marble halls and angels singing hymns all the time. If I do make it there, I sure hope heaven‘s like Harkers Island, and my brother‘s waiting for me with a fishing rod and a cold drink.‖ ―Amen,‖ Nan replied softly. ―Red, your mama told me a while back that you haven‘t been to church lately,‖ Daddy remarked, as if he were commenting on the weather. ―What say you spend the night here, and then you, Lily, and me head over to the Island in the morning and go to church? I‘ve had a hankering for some good old Methodist hymns and Delia‘s cornbread and collards.‖ ―Yessir.‖ Red sounded abashed. ―I know Mama will be glad to see y‘all.‖ Daddy cocked his head towards Nan. ―If you think – ‖ ―I think it‘s a fine idea. ―I‘ll fix up the spare bedroom for you, Red. It will be nice to have you here.‖ A stronger breeze gusted across Taylor‘s creek, caressing Lily‘s cheek, setting the wind chimes to joyful ringing. The tide was coming in, and the moon rose over Carrot Island like a benediction.
Enjoy past issues of ―IBX Lifestyles‖ (and its earlier incarnation, the ―IBX Newsletter‖) by following this link:
http://www.ibxlifestyles.com/page.php?25 Here‘s a sample of what you‘ve been missing: Winter 2010 ―IBX Lifestyles‖ magazine We are pleased to present short stories by three talented Inner Banks writers: Erica Plouffe Lazure, Brian Lampkin and Dean Marshal Tuck. Also, ―IBX Lifestyles‖ celebrates the work of three successful IBX film productions, two on the wildlife sanctuaries at Lake Mattamuskeet and Pungo Lake as well as a documentary on one man‘s struggle to invent a new career for himself in ―Beyond Burlington.‖ There‘s much more: Emerge Gallery and Art Center; Swan Quarter; ChooseAneed.org; Long‘s Brigade, a Civil War Tour; and, Inner Banks news and tourism information. Fall 2009 ―IBX Lifestyles‖ magazine Featuring: Alex Albright on Fountain, NC; Ralph Scott on Edgecombe Community College‘s new Historic Preservation Curriculum; NYC chefs relocate to the Inner Banks; IBX Fiction; IBXarts.org; Soul Food Celebration in Columbia; Magnolia Arts Center; Inner Banks news; Inner Banks tourism information.
Summer 2009 ―IBX Lifestyles‖ magazine Featuring: sculptor Jonathan Bowling; enamellist/metalsmith Linda Darty; metals and jewelry master Robert Ebendorf; painter/collagist/assemblage artist Aleta Braun; filmmaker Bernard Timberg; jazz maestro Carroll Dashiell; artist/entrepreneur Tom Kilian; blues master "Lightnin'" Wells; sister musicians/writers Anna and Amelia Dietrich; writer/scholar on the American South Margaret Bauer; Magnolia Arts Center; historian/author Ralph Scott; and, some of the Inner Banks‘ rising stars in art--Haley Sullivan, Judd Snapp, Lisa Beth Robinson and Owen Sullivan.
Spring 2009 ―IBX Lifestyles‖ magazine Enjoy the new issue of the "IBX Lifestyles" newsletter, featuring: an interview with New York-to-Inner Banks transplant Ingrid Lemme; the 29 Inner Banks historical sites and towns of the Historic Albemarle Tour; Inner Banks film news; Inner Banks calendar of events and tourism resources; and, some of the best Inner Banks photography you‘re likely to see anywhere.
Summer 2008 Paddling the Inner Banks Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River Roanoke River Jean Guite Creek Lumber River Northeast Cape Fear River White Oak River and Bear Island Building a Water Trail Economy Feature Film Shoots in New Bern: ―Death, Taxes and Chocolate‖ Written and Produced by Inner Banks Filmmaker Spring 2008 Interview with Celebrated Inner Banks Artist Robert Ebendorf Pocosin Arts Folk School Documentary Film Shooting in Hertford Handmade in America: Drawing Inspiration from Western North Carolina Inner Banks Mourns Loss of Goldsboro Native and ―Honorary Mayor of Hollywood‖ Johnny Grant: January 9, 2008 Winter 2007 Columbia: Honoring Our Past; Designing Our Future Currituck County: Rich in Heritage; Full of Adventure Manteo: Linking the Inner Banks to the Outer Banks South Mills: A Town and a Canal Forever Linked Fall 2007 Vineyards and Wineries of the Inner Banks Duplin Winery County Squire Restaurant and Winery Bannerman Vineyard and Winery Lu Mil Vineyard Martin Vineyard Summer 2007 Wilson Botanical Gardens Hollister‘s Medoc Mountain State Park Roanoke Canal Museum and Trail Confederate Civil War Drum Returned to New Bern Merchants Millpond State Park Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park and Eco-Center Paddle for the Border: Paddling Event Links Inner Banks Great Dismal Swamp to Chesapeake, VA Spring 2007 Interview with NC Community College System President Martin Lancaster Interview with Author/Journalist Willie Drye Expanding the ―Fourth Utility‖ in Warren County Williamston: Crossroads of Northeastern North Carolina Mattamuskeet Foundation Releases Film: ―A Winter Day‖ Inner Banks Media Corporation Launches Enjoy more past issues at: http://www.ibxlifestyles.com/page.php?25
Inner Banks Tourism Resources Beaufort www.originalwashington.com
Gates www.gatescounty.govoffice2.com
Northampton www.northamptonchamber.org
Bertie www.windsor-bertie.com
Greene www.greenechamber.com
Onslow www.onslowcountytourism.com
Camden www.camdencountync.gov
Hertford www.hertfordcounty.com
Pamlico www.pamlicochamber.com
Carteret www.crystalcoastnc.org
Hyde www.hydecounty.org
Pasquotank www.discoverec.com
Chowan www.visitedenton.com
Jones www.co.jones.nc.us/recreation.htm
Pender www.visitpender.com
Craven www.visitnewbern.com
Lenoir www.kinstonchamber.com
Perquimans www.visitperquimans.com
Currituck www.visitcurrituck.com
Martin www.visitmartincounty.com
Pitt www.visitgreenvillenc.com
Duplin www.duplintourism.org
Nash www.rockymounttravel.com
Tyrrell www.visittyrrellcounty.com
Edgecombe www.tarborochamber.com
New Hanover www.cape-fear.nc.us
Washington www.visitwashingtoncountync.com
The Wilmington Shipyard: Welding a Fleet for Victory in WWII Ralph Scott‟s new book, featured in the Summer „09 issue of “IBX Lifestyles” magazine! Copies are available at your local North Carolina book seller, from Amazon.com and from The History Press.
The History Press 18 Percy Street Charleston, SC 29403 843.577.5971
Next Issue: Summer 2010 Special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for providing photography, copy and graphics for this issue: Thomas Spagnol @ Museum of the Albemarle, Tom Kilian @ IBXarts.org, Tyler Sminkey @ doddle, Laura Williamson, Aedan Williamson Reid, Dr. Margaret Bauer, Julie Ann Davis, Ralph Scott, Ray & Susan Ellis @ Footpath Pictures, Susan Benson, Dr. Ruth Kempf, Diana Dalton, Ingrid Lemme, @ Scuppernong Gazette & SwanQuarterly, Josh Armstrong @ Magnolia Arts Center, Chris Schwing, ENC Film Commission, IBX Foundation, Inc., NC Division of Tourism. If we have missed anyone, please accept our apologies and contact us at:
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ENC Film Commission www.filmeast.net
IBXhomes.com markets a comprehensive listing of up-to-date real estate offerings from across the Inner Banks region: homes and condominiums, commercial properties, raw land, office and manufacturing facilities.
The Eastern North Carolina Film Commission provides an array of services to make film and television production across the Inner Banks as trouble-free as possible. In coordination with the North Carolina Film Office and the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the ENC Film Commission offers all the information and access to services that film and television producers need to mount production here in North Carolina‘s Inner Banks.
―IBX Lifestyles‖ is a publication of the IBX Foundation, Inc., IBX Ventures, the Eastern North Carolina Film Commission and IBXhomes.com and IBXlifestyles.com.