Barbecue Buds Preparing for annual fundraiser
The literal world of Ellie Newbauer Education improves boater safety
A Reflection of Life on Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake
WE WILL BUY YOUR VALUABLES!
t s o m l A BIG TIME PAWN
1581 E. 10th St., Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870 252-541-2385 | www.bigtimepawnshop.net Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm 2 | Lake the Magazine
Gold & Platinum Diamonds All Fine Watches Old Coins & Currency All Fine Jewelry
XNLV198682
e W
y u B
g n i h t y r e v E
XNLV208058
Story Properties
REAL ESTATE SALES & VACATION RENTALS
MLS 114080 $564,900
MLS 113027 $499,900
MLS 96609 $899,900
MLS 113864 $620,000
MLS 113011 $725,000
MLS 112161 $355,000
MLS 113846 $389,000
MLS 113717 $475,000
XNLV208737
gmtanglewood@bitbroadband.com
Need a Gift? Visit the LKG Store for Hoodies, T-Shirts, Stickers, Caps, & License Plates.
1245 NC Hwy 903 • Littleton, NC | 888-800-3002 • 252-586-0888 |www.storyproperties.com
Lake the Magazine | 3
PUBLISHER Titus L. Workman publisher@rrdailyherald.com 252-410-7065
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Baretta Taylor btaylor@rrdailyherald.com 252-410-7042 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matt Lindberg
mlindberg@rrdailyherald.com 252-410-7054 AD EXECUTIVE Rhonda Irby
rhondairby@rrdailyherald.com 252-410-7047 DISTRIBUTION 252-537-2508
Contributing writers Jenny Gray, Khai Hoang, Erin Carson, Carol Moseley, Mary Sherwood and Christina Wells.
8
Contributing photographers Khai Hoang, Jenny Gray and Erin Carson Graphic Artist Hope Callahan
For more Lake Country events, stories and where to pick up future editions, visit RVLakeMagazine.com
Like us on Facebook, search Lake the Magazine
On the cover...
14
Longtime friends and neighbors Myron Grueneich and John Schaech enjoy volunteering at the Battle of the Barbecue, an event fundraiser for the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce. The story on page 8.
18
Cover photograph by Erin Carson Cover design by Hope Callahan
Lake the Magazine 916 Roanoke Ave., Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 P.O. Box 520, Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 252-537-2505 Copyright 2015 Lake the Magazine No portion of Lake the Magazine may be reprinted in any form or posted on the Internet without the permission of the publisher.
30
24
8
Lake the Magazine | 5
A Mortgage You Will Love...
People You Can Trust Great Customer Service Quick Turnaround, No Runaround Variety of Options Low Fees Call Today to Apply!
NANCY BULLUCK VP, Branch Manager NMLS #723179
SPEC202418
Great Rates on Personal Loans & Home Equity Lines of Credit Flexible Terms | Friendly Service | Fast & Easy Application
Help Manage Your Accounts with Our Mobile Banking
Lake Gaston’s COBALT Dealer 4200 Gasburg Road Gasburg, VA 23857
434.577.9774
nancy.bulluck@ccbsite.com NMLS #685453
www.ccbsite.com 6 | Lake the Magazine
Lake and dock service to Lake Gaston
336.599.0135 3400 Durham Road Roxboro, NC www.sportshopltd.com IN BUSINESS SINCE 1968 • COBALT DEALER SINCE 1984
Education improves boater safety
B
oater education is a subject in great upheaval throughout the country. There is proof positive that education bearing on boater safety has a dramatic effect on safety. Most boating safety funding is provided by the federal boat gas tax and is passed on to the individual states for implementation. While each state has its own program, they all adhere to guidelines established by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators. Boating education is moving toward mandatory status. Some states already require a level of education BY JANE TEASLEY before a boater can operate a watercraft. Many others are moving in that direction. In addition, various other organizations, such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, conduct boating safety classes. The Auxiliary on Lake Gaston conducts a one-day course, “About Boating Safety” once a month from March through September. At various times during the year, the Coast Guard Auxiliary also conducts a GPS class and more advanced boating
WATER SAFETY
classes, such as navigation and communications. On Lake Gaston, these classes are conducted at Flotilla 93’s headquarters building 252 River Road in Henrico. Another boating safety service provided by the Auxiliary is the Vessel Safety Check Program. We inspect boats, with the owner’s permission, to make sure it meets the minimum federal and state equipment requirements. The Coast Guard has its own fleet of aircraft, ranging from helicopters to Falcon Jets. These aircraft respond to search and rescue alerts mostly on the coast and high seas. If you remember Hurricane Katrina, you got to see first hand the Coast Guard’s air mission. In addition, the Coast Guard has authorized its Auxiliary to use members’ personal aircraft for patrol work, logistics support and VIP transportation. Like boat patrols, the Coast Guard reimburses fuel, meals and provides a maintenance payment. We are always looking for volunteers who have an aircraft, and will be willing to offer this service to the Coast Guard. Finally, the Auxiliary is working to establish a marine radio net for Lake Gaston and Lake Kerr. Once this net is operational, we need radio watch standers to operate the radios and alert the appropriate authority to launch search and rescue operations. More on this subject will follow, as the system becomes a reality. If you have any interest in these activities, please contact me to learn more. Jane Teasley is former Flotilla commander and current Public Affairs officer and treasurer of Flotilla 93 on Lake Gaston. Teasley has been in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for nearly 15 years. For more information, contact Teasley at janek@bitbroadband.com.
Boat safety class The Coast Guard Auxiliary on Lake Gaston offers a boating safety family course on the third Saturday of each month through September. To register, contact the Chamber of Commerce 252 586-5711.
Lake the Magazine | 7
Barbecue buds
2 neighbors enjoy participating in annual Lake fundraiser together
T
STORY BY ERIN CARSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN CARSON and JENNY GRAY
here are thousands of people who have come through the serving line during the Battle of the Barbecue on Lake Gaston, and there are two men partly responsible for making sure that grub gets on their plates. Neighbors and longtime friends Myron Grueneich and John Schaech, both of Lake Gaston, began volunteering for the Battle of the Barbecue about a decade
8 | Lake the Magazine
ago for the love of the Lake and to support the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce, which they noted does a lot for the area and its residents. The Battle is an annual fundraiser for the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce in which contestants cook up their pork for it to be judged. It kicks off the start of the summer on Memorial Day weekend, the busiest time of the year on Lake Gaston, according to residents. “It’s a big fundraiser for the Chamber,” Grueneich
2015 Avalons in stock now!
Family Owned and Operated for 44 Years
1847 Eaton Ferry Road
252-586-3593 www.overbymarine.com
XNLV203238
at Eaton Ferry Bridge Littleton, NC
WE MAKE EVERY
Seasonrable Memo Call Us:
252-823-1008
www.SeasonsUnlimitedInc.com
SPEC203306
Licensed Landscape & Irrigation Contractor
Lake the Magazine | 9
said. “I think they do a lot for the Lake area in terms of supporting businesses and letting people know what’s going on around the Lake. They make it a better place to live and shop and that’s why I support them.” Grueneich said he first got involved with the big weekend about 10 years ago when his wife, Nancy, who is a member of the Chamber, said volunteers were needed. He said he loves to be a part of it with Schaech and the other volunteers and see the people of the area come together. “It’s a good community event and it brings a lot of the community people out, and it’s the start of summer,” he said. “You get to see a lot of friends and neighbors you haven’t seen for a long time and support community activities to make the Lake Gaston community a better place to live.” According to Schaech, he and Grueneich got paired together as volunteers and have found a good system that works well for making the serving line run smoothly. He called it an assembly line of sorts. Schaech said it is a lot of work, but worth it. “We keep the tradition going,” he said. Added Grueneich: “We work well together on a number of different projects (in the community), so we spend a lot of time together.” He noted it takes about 10 people inside the small hut at the Lake Gaston Lions Club to make the serving line run smoothly. “It’s a group effort,” he said. “We’ve got it where it works very well, but it was trial and error.” Grueneich said he and Schaech get there at around 10 a.m. to start setting up so when the pork is ready at around noon and the organizers say “go,” they are ready. The two then work nonstop until all of the pork is sold. “The best part is the end,” Schaech said, jokingly. “You’re so tired by then, you just want to go home and relax.” Before the barbecue reaches the plates of the crowd, though, there are a lot of other moving parts
10 | Lake the Magazine
that have to come together. “Until you’re hands on like I have been for a few years now, you have no idea what goes into that barbecue the next day,” said Marcia Kerr, one of the organizers. She oversees the massive event along with Mary Lou Kellogg and Christina Wells, executive director of the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber. “It takes a large effort of volunteers. We’re going to have at least 20 volunteers that day to make it all come together.” The Battle begins when the cookers arrive at around 11 a.m. on the Friday before and start setting up their tents and cookers. Each one is given a whole pig and begin cooking it around 9 p.m. they slow cook them through the night. “I call it the brotherhood of the cookers. There’s a special camaraderie between them,” Kerr said. “When I first started, I helped out and I couldn’t believe all of the things that happen during the evening hours and all it takes to get it ready for the public at noon Saturday.” At night, while the pigs cook, some of the cookers decorate their booths and around 8:30 a.m. Saturday there are first-and second-place awards for showmanship. Following that, three judges from the North Carolina Pork Council come around and assess the cooked pork to pick the best one. The pork is all topped with the same sauce, loaded into coolers and taken to the serving line, where Grueneich and Schaech take over the operation. “Myron’s the runner (in the serving area). He keeps everything stocked as we go,” Schaech said. “We get along great. We’re good neighbors.”
Lake the Magazine | 11
10 REASONS to visit WILDWOOD NURSERY & GARDEN CENTER INC.
1. Our hand poured candles 2. Unique gifts 3. Flags & yard decor 4. Concrete statuary 5. Memorial flags & stones 6. Hummingbird feeders 7. Wide variety of plants 8. Wind chimes 9. Our friendly staff 10. We are worth the drive!
Full Service Garden Center & Gift Shoppe
Nursery & Garden Center, Inc.
847 Lizard Creek Road • Henrico, NC 27842 • (252) 586-3685
LIKE US ON XNLV202817
WILDWOOD
Summertime fun on Lake Gaston “It’s summertime, summertime, sum-, sum-, summertime…” I have always loved that 1958 song by The Jamies. Here we are in the month of May, and we will soon welcome summertime into our midst. Where better to spend those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” (another musical favorite of mine when sung by Nat King Cole) than here in the Lake Gaston region? How does the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce welcome summer? We hold a fantastic barbecue bash on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, of course! You just can’t miss our 23rd Annual Battle of the Barbecue on May 23, this year. We anticipate approximately 20 cookers to battle it out for trophies and cash prizes for the best barbecue in North Carolina and Virginia. New this year to the Battle of the Barbecue, and brought to you by request from previous Battle of the barbecue attendees, will be a limited number (only 50 sold) of Tasters’ Choice tickets. For $10 you will get to taste the individual cookers barbecue right after the judges have been through before the barbecueis mixed to serve by plates and pints. As I said, only 50 of these tickets will be sold at the LKG Regional Chamber office. There are so many other fabulous summertime offerings around Lake Gaston. You won’t want to miss any of Adam Fields’ excellent wakeboarding events happening throughout the summer months. However, you don’t have to just sit on the sidelines and watch; you can even get a taste of
12 | Lake the Magazine
Wheel of Fortune Day is back!
LAKE GASTON ACE HARDWARE EST. 2007
Saturday, May 9th Pay $1 to spin the wheel to receive 10-50% OFF your ENTIRE purchase All proceeds go to the John 3:16 Center! Some exclusions apply. See store for details.
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8-6 • Sunday 9-5 144 Elams, Rd. • Littleton, NC (Next to Food Lion Shopping Center)
252-586-0330
We are proud to offer flags and many other items that are MADE IN THE USA!
XNLV208396
the action yourself by enjoying a wakeboarding lesson at A.F. Wake. July 4 is on a Saturday this year, and there is no better place to be to celebrate our nation’s independence than on the water at Eatons Ferry Bridge to see the phenomenal fireworks display presented by Longbridge Volunteer Fire Department. Seeing the brilliant colors of the fireworks reflected in the water is breathtaking. Don’t have a boat (I don’t either)? No worries! Gather at one of our waterfront dining establishments like Watersview Restaurant or The Pointe, located at either end of the bridge. August brings the annual Crossing of Lake Gaston on the second Saturday. The nonprofit O’SAIL organizes the event, which attracts nearly 500 people with participants and spectators from all over to cross the one-mile stretch of Lake Gaston at Eatons Ferry Bridge with any non-motorized conveyance – swimming, paddling, floating, pedaling (a paddle boat), even walking. This event is great fun and extremely well-organized. Labor Day weekend brings the annual Littleton-Lake Gaston Festival, which is a twoday street festival that takes over the Town of Littleton with craft, art and flea market vendors, fabulous festival food, live entertainment, antique cars and so much more! These are just a very few of the highlights of summertime around Lake Gaston. There are many other events, live bands, karaoke nights, festivals, musicals, plays and more, happening all around the WHAT’S HAPPENING region. We can’t forget that sumIN LAKE COUNTRY mertime at Lake Gaston is also about pure relaxation as well. BY Christina WELLS Get out on the boat or personal watercraft. Ski. Wakeboard. Swim. Make s’mores (my favorite). Spend quality time with your family and friends. There is no better place to make summertime memories than Lake Gaston. We at the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce look forward to welcoming you and helping you make those memories. Visit our office to learn more about our vibrant local business community and be sure to Shop Lake Gaston 1st while you are here. Thinking about part-time or full-time Lake Gaston living? We’ll help you find our many professional real estate offices and builders around the region. Check out our website – www.lakegastonchamber.com – for information on the region, and sign up for our twice weekly email newsletter, so you won’t miss any of the great things happening around the region! Christina Wells is the Lake Gaston Chamber of Commerce executive director. For more information about the chamber and Lake Country, visit www.lakegastonchamber.com.
Lake the Magazine | 13
Mix & match without sabotaging the visual 14 | Lake the Magazine
M
ix and match combinations can be challenging in many areas ... clothing, making-up, gardening and home decorating. Here are some tips to help you pull it off, primarily related to home decor. But keep these same ideas in mind whenever you are working with mixing and matching in general. These five elements go hand and hand. They overlap and come together to create a visually pleasant and inviting interior space. Ideally you should incorporate as many of these as possible, but here is the catch. Too much of anything becomes too much chaos for the brain to take in visually. So, too much or too little has to be balanced. Contrast: For me, contrast is one of the most important elements. If you were in a room and everything from
ceiling to floor is the same color, the eye just sees a blur. There is nothing that will stand out. Take that same neutral color and add a few elements of contrast and the eye begins to focus. These elements may be a rug, art, furniture or accessories. With this, the mind and then the eye relaxes and feels more settled. Mix colors: “Do not be afraid”! As they say, “Variety is the spice of life.” Here is a collage of a mixture of fabrics. Some were existing pieces, some new. Not only did we mix colors, but also the scale of the fabric patterns. We incorporated one large scale fabric (floral), one solid (sofa), several small/medium scales and one stripe. This rule of thumb helps when combining lots of fabrics and not creating too much busyness. We could mix it up in this space with this amount of variety because of the distance of the multipleseating groups.
Lake the Magazine | 15
On shelves June 3rd 16 | Lake the Magazine
P
Texture: Texture adds visual weight which helps to ground a room so it doesn’t appear to be floating. A space can be grounded with an interesting rug, furniture piece or contrast in color. Mix patterns: Mixing patterns can get scary! Limit your mix to three to four for the major fabric elements — upholstery, bedding, window treatments and pillows. Mix in neutrals: Always add a neutral, whether it is a neutral wall, a large piece of furniture, draperies or an area rug. The neutral or “clear space” will help the eye relax and focus on the highlights.
Mary Sherwood is owner/designer at Mary Sherwood Lake Living, 326 Lizard Creek Road in Littleton. She has been practicing interior design for more than 25 years. Mary is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and is nationally certified.
Photographs by Kris Smith
DESIGN SENSE BY MARY SHERWOOD
Lake the Magazine | 17
18 | Lake the Magazine
The literal world of Ellie Newbauer 90-year-old finishing third book; organizes creative activities
I
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNY GRAY
nside the walls of Ellie Newbauer’s gigantic house are relics she’s planted to create positive energy. “I wanted a homey house, so in the walls I put crystals, and letters that people have written to me,” she said. “And there are figurines, and John’s eyeglasses and his watch.” John is her late husband, a career railroad man who passed away in 2000. “I wanted to put energy and love into the house,” Newbauer added. “This puts love into every room.” Newbauer calls her six-bedroom home, on the shores of Lake Gaston, “The Gathering Place.” It’s huge, but she generally keeps to her cave, a wing with space arranged for writing and relaxing. Ellie’s lakeside cave has huge windows that let in a wonderful amount of light. Curled up on her pastel plaid sofa sleeps her cat, Charlie Brown. On the door is a sign that reflects her unlimited sense of humor: “The Queen Is (or Is Not) Accepting Visitors Today” (although she does make exceptions). Newbauer said she doesn’t believe in happenstance. “There are no accidents,” she said. “Everything that’s supposed to happen falls into place.” And that’s how she’s lived her life for 90 years. Newbauer is a writer and a poet. Available at Amazon. com are two of her books, “Water Under My Bridge: A Reservoir of Uncommon Common Sense,” and “Life in a Nutshell And Ways to Crack It.” She is working away on her third tome, “The Drunken Petunia: Illegitimate Poetry and Other Loose Thoughts.” “I’ve been scribbling, probably since about 30 years ago, but my first book came out in 2000,” she said. “I was 75. I wrote the second one three years ago. I’m 90 now, so pfft.” The older one is, the better one written, Newbauer explained. “Younger people don’t have anything to say,” she said. “Until you’re 50, it’s a training ground.” Training, as in learning about oneself, she clarified. “Writing is one of the greatest outlets in learning who
you are,” she said. “It teaches you a whole lot.” Newbauer’s early years were in Erie, Pa., coinciding with The Great Depression. “We had a little fruit farm,” she said. When Newbauer was 8, her family moved to Washington, D.C., where her father obtained work at the Washington Navy Yard. “He got $25 a week, and we thought we were rolling in clover,” Newbauer said. “He was a machinist, gearing up for World War II. Hitler was rising up in power.” Newbauer’s family was large. “I’ve lived the longest,” she said. “There were nine kids in my family, and I’m the only one living.” When the war broke out, her father was transferred to Alexandria, Va. “I lived there until 1955,” she said, adding by then she was married with children. “We got married in 1943, when I was 17 and John was 19,” she said. “We were married 58 years.” John and Ellie had four kids, and now Newbauer has six grandchildren. “In April, I’m expecting a great-granddaughter,” she added. John, the railroad man, is much missed. “He was always on time,” she said, then laughed. “I don’t live ‘on time.’ If I’m hungry, I go eat. If I’m tired, I go to bed.” Changes Newbauer said when her defining moment came in 1977, it involved retail. “It was the strangest thing,” she remembered. “I had taken Jill, my daughter, to ballet lessons, and walked down the street to a gift shop. I told her I loved it, and she said, ‘Why don’t you buy it?’ I didn’t buy that shop, but I did buy a shop and ran it for eight years, and that’s what bought my house (at the Lake). And I had the best time. I met so many great people.” She changed her name halfway through life.
Lake the Magazine | 19
“I was Eleanore until I was 48,” she said. “I was having lunch with friends and I said, ‘I’m so bored with life; I want to change my name.’ We started passing names around the table and came up with Charming Ellie.” She snickered, but in a nice way. “The only people who call me Eleanore anymore I knew before I was 50, and they’re all dead now,” she said. Changing her name changed her whole personality, Newbauer insisted. “When I was Eleanore, I was very queenly; I really was,” she said with a laugh. “Eleanore is my higher self. Ellie is social.” After her husband died, Newbauer decided to build on to their Lake cottage. “I designed it and built it,” she said. “Oh my gosh, it was the coolest thing. I always wanted to build my own house.” The couple had bought the Lake house as a vacation spot, and moved in permanently in 2004. “John loved the water,” she said. “We just saw this property and thought it would be a great getaway. I love looking at the water, but I don’t like getting in it. I don’t like water higher than my ankles. But this Lake is beautiful; it’s always changing.” She is considering selling her home, however, and perhaps building another closer to Bracey, Va. “Bracey has wonderful energy fields,” Newbauer said. “I
20 | Lake the Magazine
love Bracey; I could be very comfortable there.” Newbauer enjoys her friends, groups in which she coordinates and participates, and her family. “I don’t have any friends over 70,” she said. “Older people sometimes lose interest in life.” Newbauer finds it impossible to be stagnant. “It’s just so much fun to think of different things to do, rather than the same old same old,” she stressed. The good life Newbauer said she has lived life on her own terms. “I guess I just found out who I was and lived that life, rather than the life other people thought I should be living,” she said. She said she could be defined as a rebel. “My dad called me Bullhead because I was so stubborn,” she said, laughing. “But (life) is either going to work or it’s not. A lot doesn’t work out, but a lot does. I will never accomplish everything I want to accomplish, but that’s okay; I’ll do it in the next one.” Newbauer said she has her next life mapped out. “I decided in my next life, I will become a rock singer and John’s going to be my PR person,” she said. She realizes her current singing voice is nothing to rave about, and remembered singing in church with John. “He would lean over and say, ‘Just mouth the words,’” she
XNLV207927
Amy’s Hallmark 283 PREMIER LANDING Roanoke Rapids, NC
252-535-9171 • Monday - Saturday 10 am - 8 pm • Closed Sunday for worship
Lake the Magazine | 21
A Best Seller for over a DECADE
2015 VX Deluxe
2800 N. Wesleyan Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC 252-977-2191 www.twincountymotorsports.com XNLV208231
Anniversary Sale!
XNLV208592
Special Savings throughout the Store!
Elite TEMPUR-PEDIC Dealer Ask about FREE Delivery to the Lake!
252-977-2325
Hwy. 301 between Wilson & Rocky Mount at Sharpsburg M-T, Th-F: 8:30am - 7pm W, Sat: 8:30am - 5pm • Closed on Sundays
22 | Lake the Magazine
said. “So I would sit in the front row so no one could hear me.” Much of Newbauer’s time is spent with her friends, and the groups they share. Many of these groups meet at her home, thusly named The Gathering Place. The Women’s Open Forum, inspired and created by Newbauer, meets the third Saturday of each month. “The most fun thing I’m doing is the Women’s Open Forum,” she said. “We started it six months ago. We have so many interesting speakers. ... It’s women inspiring and empowering other women.” A member of that group, fellow writer Arlene Bice, said she met Newbauer about three years ago and since then, her life has changed. “Of course, I feel like I’ve known her all my life,” Bice said. “When I have a problem I can’t work out, I know I can go to Ellie. She doesn’t give you answers, but she can point you down the avenue. She’s just opened up my life. ... When I’m around here, I just feel lighter and brighter.” At February’s Forum, the presenter was Sandra Martin of Bracey, a literary agent and former talk show host who expanded into the documentary film industry. Bice, author of nine books and a Lake Gaston resident, also recently spoke. In June, author Aila Accad will come, Newbauer said. She is the author of “The Call of the Soul: A Path to Knowing Your True Self and Your Life’s Purpose.” “Oh my gosh; that is a good book,” Newbauer said. “We’ll have to find another place (to meet) because this won’t be big enough.” Early each month, Newbauer hosts “First Sunday” where people come for an open discussion. “Occasionally we have a speaker,” she said. “It’s a spiritual discussion; it’s not religious and it’s not political.” And then, Ellie’s Writers Group meets every other week, she said. “We have poets and general writers,” Newbauer added. “They are serious writers; we don’t play.” Bice also is a member of that group. “We’ve bonded; this group has really bonded,” Bice said. For information about these activities, contact Newbauer at ellienewbauer@gmail. com. “When you live a long time, you learn a lot,” Newbauer said of her experience. “You learn what’s important, and what’s not important.”
Lake the Magazine | 23
M
How to garden smarter
ay is the time to plant so I decided to share tips on how to garden smarter by selecting healthy plants, how to plant them once you get them home and how to make your beds and containers more appealing to the eye using The Rule of Threes-design technique. Before shopping for plants, spend time preparing beds making sure they are weed free and ready for planting. This allows you to see which perennials survived the winter and what needs to be replaced. Is the bed in the shade or in the sun? Remember to group plants according to their growing needs. Don’t mix sun-lovers with plants that require shade or ones that are drought-tolerant with ones that require a lot of water. If you do, one will thrive and the other will most likely die. The Rule of Threes is a time-honored technique that artists use in paintings and it works just as well in the garden. When plant-
24 | Lake the Magazine
ing, always put in groups of three or maybe five of the same plant, but never even numbers. Arrange plants according to height. Place taller plants in back, medium height ones in the center and low ones in the front. Mix it up by including plants with a variety of leaf colors and textures so your bed will look good all season long. Whatever the grouping, only one plant group is the star or focal point of the bed. Choose a color scheme and stick to it for a more cohesive look. Armed with this knowledge, it is time to go shopping for plants. Before buying, check plants to make sure they look healthy and are bug and disease free. Look at the roots — are they well developed? Pull out the plastic plant tag and read it. Is this the best plant for your growing conditions? Leave behind any that have a mass of tangled roots coming out of the bottom of the container. Tangled roots can rob the plant of nutrients. Also steer clear of ones with underdeveloped roots.
GASTON MARINE 1591 N.C. Hwy. 903, Littleton, NC John Stefura, Jr., Owner (252) 586-4002 | Open: Tues.- Sat. 8am-5pm
XNLV202814
LAKE
BOAT REPAIR & ACCESSORIES
Debbie’s Cleaning Service The Professionals
Residential & Commercial
252.532.0583
XNLV203031
Hands & Knees Cleaning
We don’t cut corners we clean them! Debbie Pittman, Owner
Reader’s Choice for Cleaning Service in the Roanoke Valley and Lake Country!
Lake the Magazine | 25
26 | Lake the Magazine
For best results, plant flowers right away by following these easy steps. Before planting, set plants in the bed so you can arrange them. Once you have done this, soak the plants while they are still in their pots. Use a garden hose or dunk them in a bucket of water. Remove the plant from the pot and use your finger to gently pry apart matted roots so they will spread into the soil and not remain in a ball. Dig hole and gently place the plant, then smooth soil in place. Afterward, water the plants well with a solution of liquid plant food. Carol Moseley learned the love of gardening from her mother and father. Both were avid gardeners, his focus was vegetables and hers were flowers and shrubs. Carol has been gardening since 1969, and in 1999 completed the Master Gardening Training Course through the N.C. Cooperative Service. She said she was very fortunate to learn how to grow and use herbs from her dear friend, the late Diane Morris, the Herb Lady.
PRACTICAL GARDENER BY CAROL MOSELEY
Lake the Magazine | 27
11
1 9 6 13 8
Business & Shopping 1. ACE Hardware of Lake Gaston 144 Elams Road Littleton NC 27850 252-586-0330 www.lkgacehardware.com 2. The Daily Herald 916 Roanoke Avenue Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 252-537-2505 www.rrdailyherald.com
28 | Lake the Magazine
3. Collier Harley-Davidson 316 Premier Blvd. Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 252-537-6493 www.collierhd.com
6. Overby Marine 1847 Eaton Ferry Road Littleton NC 27850 252-586-3593 www.overbymarine.com
4. Daughtridge Gas Co. 1728 East 10th St. Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 252-533-0101
7. Halifax County Visitor Center & Dog Run 260 Premier Blvd. Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 1-800-522-4282 www.visithalifax.com
5.
Edward Jones Bonnie Caudle, financial advisor 195 Old Farm Road Roanoke Rapids NC 27870 252-537-1728 www.edwardjones.com
8. Interiors By Design 1565 N.C. Highway 903 Littleton NC 27850 252-586-2583
10
2 9
5 4 3
9. Mary Sherwood Lake Living 326 Lizard Creek Road Littleton NC 27850 252-586-2437 www.marysherwood.com
10. Sanders Super Stop 6328 Gasburg Rd. Valentines VA. 23887 434-577-2202
11. ReNew Crew Bracey VA 434-636-5540
lakecountry@renewcrewclean.com www.lake-gaston.renewcrewclean.com
7
12
12. Riverside Mill
Antique Mall • Art Gallery • Designer Outlets
200 Mill St. Weldon NC 27890 252-536-3100 www.riversidemill.net
13. Story Properties Real Estate Sales & Vacation Rentals 1245 N.C. Highway 903 Littleton NC 27850 888-800-3002 or 252-586-0888 www.storyproperties.com
If you would like to advertise your business on the regional map of Lake the Magazine, call 252-410-7047 and ask for Rhonda Irby.
Lake the Magazine | 29
Spot it early, treat it early
30 | Lake the Magazine
S
BREAKFAST SERVED IN SOME LOCATIONS
ons Club has purchased a SPOT vision screener. This handheld vision screener, resembling a Polaroid camera, is able to take an auto-refractive image of the eyes and quickly detect indications of many vision issues including near and far sightedness, blurred vision, eye alignment, eye structure problems and pupil-size deviations. What makes this screener so remarkable is it doesn’t require a child to read a chart or look into a machine and report if the “E” is facing left or right. All it takes is the child looking for one second at the camera. This camera has low-flashing lights and sounds that capture the child’s attention for one second and the screening is done. This makes it ideal for use with children as young as 6 months old, children who are nonverbal, disabled or don’t speak English. A print out result is immediately available and can indicate if a follow-up eye exam is needed. While the vision screener can be used through teenage years, we’re going to start our program with a focus on children 6 months through 6 years old. We’re planning to provide vision screenings at local schools and organizations, as well as holding vision screening events at various locations in our area. Our goal: SPOT it early and TREAT it early.
XNLV207650
ince 1983, the Lake Gaston Lions Club has focused its efforts in supporting the needs of the blind and print impaired through its fundraising efforts and activities. Now the Lake Gaston Lions are embarking on a new, exciting project that will enable us to bring vision screening right here to our community to those who need it the most, our children. Research has shown many vision problems can be corrected if caught before the age of 6. After that age is when problems can be treated, but not corrected. Failure to detect and treat vision disorders in children impacts among other things, issues such as child development, learning performance and achievement, self-esteem, behavior and dropout rates. Twenty-five percent of children in school have a vision problem, only 10 percent of those who need glasses actually have them. Less than 15 percent of preschool age children get eye exams. Vision disability is the single most prevalent disabling condition among children. Through donations and fundraising the Lake Gaston Li-
ROANOKE RAPIDS, BRACEY, EMPORIA, GOLDROCK, OXFORD, CREEDMOOR, AHOSKIE, & OUR NEWEST LOCATION ROCKY MOUNT Featuring Our First Drive Thru 12-14 Vegetable Bar: Including Best Collards in Eastern NC Dessert Bar Featuring: Pecan Pie, Lemon Pie, Chocolate Cake, Carrot Cake, Banana Pudding, Our Famous Strawberry Shortcake and much, much more!!!
INCLUDING THE LARGEST SEAFOOD BUFFET IN THE AREA!!
We have bunk bed mattresses in stock.
Warrenton Furniture Exchange, Inc. Appliances, Mattresses & Furniture 115 E. Franklin St. • Warrenton, NC • 252-257-3693
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat 8:30–5:30 • Wed. 8:30–12:30
Lake the Magazine | 31
How you can help The Club also needs to be prepared to help families that can’t afford to go to the eye doctor for a needed follow-up exam or aid in purchasing glasses. We plan to use the profits from our Daily Cash Calendar sales to establish a fund for those in need. The Daily Cash Calendar is a “win-win” for everyone. Each calendar has a Lucky 3-digit number. Cash prizes are awarded daily. Calendars can be purchased from any member of the Lake Gaston Lions Club. We’ll also be selling calendars over
32 | Lake the Magazine
the next two months at locations around the Lake, including Ace Hardware of Lake Gaston, Pit Stop, Wildwood Nursery & Garden Center, Washburn’s Marina and Food Lion. Sales will continue through June. For more information, call 252-5869866. Thank you for your support, together we can make a difference.
Rosalie Cahill is the a member and secretary for the Lake Gaston Lions Club, 139 Stanley Road in Henrico. The Club’s phone number is 252-578-7889.
Summertime Food, Fun, and Entertainment!
We are NOW A Moomba Boats Dealer!
The Shady Shack Grill & Flip Flops Bar
We service, sell & Rent all types of watercraft & water toys! XNLV203556
Located on 903 at Poplar Creek Bridge
183 Hendricks Mill Rd. Bracey, VA
LIVE Acoustic entertainment
XNLV208056
434-636-2175
Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials! Saturday evenings 7:30-10:30pm
(434) 636-2175 903 at Poplar Creek Bridge 183 Hendricks Mill Road, Bracey, VA
Lake the Magazine | 33
COME TRY OUR VA HUNTING & FISHING LICENSES DELICIOUS BURGERS, FISHING TACKLE • GAS • DIESEL • PROPANE HOT DOGS & BEER • WINE • SOFT DRINKS • GROCERIES FRIED CHICKEN
Tender USDA CHOICE steaks, pork, and chicken for your grill!
XNLV202818
Ask us about our She-Crab Soup!
6328 Gasburg Road • Valentines, VA 23887 Open 7 Days A Week • 434-577-2202 • Call in Orders Welcome!
Furnishing homes in the Roanoke Valley and Lake Gaston since 1904
252-537-2528 www.shellfurniture.com
34 | Lake the Magazine
XNLV166700
931 Roanoke Avenue Roanoke Rapids
OUR ADVERTISERS TO JOIN US, CALL 252-537-2505 EXT. 266
ACE Hardware of Lake Gaston ................................................13 Affordable Heating and Air Conditioning ..............................25 Amy’s Hallmark ...............................................................................21 Big Time Pawn ...................................................................................2 Carolina BBQ & Chicken ............................................................31 Citizens Community Bank ............................................................6 CMH Orthopedic Service, LLC .............................................. 36 Coldwell Banker Advantage New Homes ...........................33 Commonwealth Exterminators ..............................................38 Daughtridge Gas Co. ...................................................................16 Debbie’s Cleaning Service ..........................................................25 Fred’s Boat Sales & Service .......................................................38 Halifax Regional Medical Center ..............................................22 Hardee’s Furniture .......................................................................22 Interiors By Design ........................................................................21 Lake Gaston Marine ......................................................................25 Lakeland Pier & Boathouse Co. ...............................................32 Lakeview Log Homes ..................................................................10 Lassiters’ Plant Farm ....................................................................25 Mary Sherwood Lake Living ........................................................6 Mid-Atlantic Eye Physicians ........................................................21 Mosquito Squad ..............................................................................5 Overby Marine .................................................................................9 Pamela Hale, Realtor .....................................................................12 Poplar Pointe Marine .......................................................33 Renew Crew ........................................................................5 Riverside Mill .....................................................................16 Roanoke Rapids Savings Bank ........................................21 Sanders Super Stop ..........................................................34 Seasons Unlimited, Inc. ....................................................... 9 Shady Shack .......................................................................33 Shell Furniture ..................................................................34 Story Properties ...............................................................3 Tanglewood Shores Golf & CC ......................................3 Tar Heel Tire .....................................................................34 The Bayberry Retirement Inn .......................................25 The Sport Shop ................................................................... 6 Twin County Motor Sports and Marine .....................22 Ultimate Boat Lifts ...........................................................25 VCU Community Memorial Hospital ..........................40 Warrenton Furniture Exchange ....................................31 Wildwood Nursery & Garden Center .......................12
Learning the ropes Father teaches his son how to filet a fish STORY BY KHAI HOANG
C
atching fish is fine and dandy, but some people may be perplexed on what to do after reeling in some big ones. Although many Roanoke Valley residents release the fish, there are others who enjoy eating them. But preparing them properly to eat and enjoy was a recent experience for 17-year-old Roanoke Rapids resident Dalton Smiley. Dalton’s father, George Smiley, led by example and was the first to carve in and through a rock fish one sunny afternoon. Through quick flicks of the filet knife, George carefully extracted a large piece of rock fish, and though Dalton was nodding his head, he still looked a bit confused. Dalton stepped up to the plate with a bit of hesitation armed with the knowledge his father provided just moments ago, and went deep into the fish. “Start with a diagonal cut,” Dalton and his father said. George Smiley explained using a diagonal cut initially allows the knife to get
Lake the Magazine | 35
Dalton carefully carves out a filet from the rock fish
TAKE THE FIRST STEP
BACK TO AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE!
Have you always enjoyed an active lifestyle - until chronic hip or knee pain began to limit your movement? When pain in the knee or hip severely limits your ability to walk, work or perform even simple activities, a joint replacement may be an excellent option for you.
If you think you're too young or too old for a joint replacement, think again! It's never too late (or too soon) to get back to an active lifestyle. Our team of orthopedic specialists; orthopedic surgeons, nurses and therapists provide a comprehensive array of services, all aimed at getting you back to doing the things you used to do.
CMH Orthopedic Service, LLC Our Orthopedic Surgeons are members of VCU Medical Center’s faculty practice group, MCV Physicians (MCVP).
www.cmhorthopedicservice.org
140 E. Ferrell St. 36 | Lake the Magazine
South Hill, VA
(434) 447-7375
underneath the scale without dulling the knife because the scales are going horizontally. After it was all said and done, Dalton too carved out a filet from the rock fish, albeit a bit smaller, which brought about laughter from him and his father. “I have learned how to filet a fish,” Dalton said bluntly, smiling. “I always watched Dad when he did it.” One of the tricks Dalton said he learned while filleting a fish was to run the blade as close to the scales as possible inside the fish to get the absolute most amount of fish possible. He said learning how to prepare fish is important for numerous reasons. Some examples he gave were if a person’s budget was low, that person could go catch a fish and easily prepare it for a cheap meal. One of Dalton’s favorite ways to prepare fish of any kind is to coat it heavily in Old Bay Seasoning and flour, then deep fry it. He noted the Old Bay Seasoning gives it a real kick. George Smiley said his family likes using House-Autry Mills flour, adding each person has their own preferences. But one thing he definitely recommended while preparing fish was a Rapala-brand fillet knife because a normal knife is too stiff to bend while inside the fish itself, such as near the rib cage. He also said he likes using an electric knife because the power it provides allows for quicker preparation due to being able to cut directly across and out of the fish, but he still prefers the classic variety of fillet knives. Now that Dalton knows how to prepare fish, George Smiley said he’s definitely going to make his son do more around the kitchen, which brought about anguish and laughter from Dalton.
Lake the Magazine | 37
Call the company Lake Country residents have trusted their homes to for over 30 years
Call the X-Perts
www.pestfreelkg.com Voted Reader’s Choice 2014
38 | Lake the Magazine
XNLV208062
1-800-734-1724
PARTING SHOT PHOTO BY TIA BEDWELL
Taken at sunset at the Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam.
Lake the Magazine | 39
TOGETHER WE’RE BETTER. FAMILY-CENTERED
OB S T E T R IC A L C A R E
Community Memorial Hospital 125 Buena Vista Circle | South Hill, VA | VCU-CMH.org Call (434) 447-7765 for an appointment
For the full range of childbirth options, we have the team for you. Once again expectant moms from Southside Virginia and Northern North Carolina can have their prenatal care right here at VCU Community Memorial Hospital in the expert hands of nurse-midwife Terry Wootten. And then have a wonderful birthing experience in the beautiful new Labor and Delivery Unit at VCU Medical Center in Richmond—guided by an obstetrician or a nurse-midwife. Good things really do happen when we work together.
Photo (left to right ): Amber Price, Certified Nurse-Midwife, VCU Medical Center; Terry Wootten, Certified Nurse-Midwife, VCU Community Memorial Hospital; and Christine Isaacs, MD, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Medical Director of Midwifery Services, VCU Medical Center