Mountain Messenger Media presents...

Apr 2008


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Stories from the Aprril 2008 Appalachian Journal 

Mountain Messenger | News Archives | Classifieds | Jobs |
Appalachian Journal Archives

 

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Wohlfahrt haus dinner theatre

Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre

Stargate
Fast, Reliable Internet Service

www.stargate.net

South Charleston
Antique Mall
"The area's largest Antique Mall"
1-800-999- MALL
Hours: Mon - Sat 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sun 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Take I-64, Exit 54
Approx. 1-1/2 miles w.
4800 MacCorkle Ave (Rte 60 West)

Durbin & Greenbrier R.R. Inc.

Visit The Virtual Depot of The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad

P.O. Box 44
Durbin WV 26264
1-877-MTN-RAIL

Ease on down the upper reaches
of the Greenbrier River on a leisurely 1½ hour, 10 mile round trip. 


Celtic Connection

Fine gifts from Ireland, Scotland 
& the British Isles

Featuring Music, Foods, Crystal, Linens, Prints, Knitwear, Fine China, Tartans, Jewelry & Books
19 W. Nelson Street,
Lexington VA 24555

(540) 464-6545 or toll free
(877) CELTIC-2


For reservations call:

1(800) KOA-9497

Harpers Ferry KOA
& Conference Center

Rt. 5, Box 1300
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

A cool place to visit -
It's always 58°


New River Park
Beckley West Virginia

Open 10am - 8pm   
Tours 10am - 5pm

(304) 256-1747



Framing specialist for 26 years.
Celebrating 26 years of art
1013 Bridge Road
Charleston, WV 25314

Tel: 304-345-1038


West Virginia's
Pre-Eminent Gallery 

for Contemporary American Art

Lee Street Inn B & B
200 North Lee Street,
Lewisburg WV 24901

Amenities include: a/c, cable TV, Jacuzzi, Pinball machines, porches, DVD and laser disk movies, 24 hour coffee, perennial flower garden, and Arthur the parrot

e-mail the innkeepers: 
Brian and Jeff

Call toll-free:
1-800-228-7000

Professional Association of Innkeepers International
Inn Member


Fort New Salem

A West Virginia Frontier Settlement
(1792 - 1901)

Living History - Folkways -
- Music -
Educational Programs

Located in Salem, WV, at Rt. 50,
12 miles west of Clarksburg, Juction of Rt.23;
Fort New Salem Exit at
Salem-Teikyo University.

(304) 782-5345

Visit Picture Perfect
Hurricane, WV

18 Unique Specialty Shops
Lodging Restaurants
Shopping just
minutes from I-64,
exit 34


304 562-5896

www.hurricanewv.com

 

 

Chocolate Festival - Apr. 12

Tasting Locations - Downtown Lewisburg

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.- $3 per packet of 4 tasting tickets

Aggie's - Mark Avenue Chocolates (chocolate caramel pecan patty, dark chocolate solid candy, white chocolate raspberry cream cheese truffle)

Ann Bell & Company - chocolate peanut clusters

The Bakery - triple chocolate brownie delights

Cecilia's

Cooper Gallery - Marcel Desaulnier's Golly Polly's Doodles & Black Gold Cookies

Del Sol Lounge - chocolate martini

Edith's - Dogoba chocolates

Food & Friends - chocolate s'mores by the campfire (served on the patio of Corner Market)

General Lewis Inn - orange cheesecake stuffed brownies

Greenbrier Valley Baking Company - "All Things Chocolate" featuring chocolate almond cherry bark

Harmony Ridge Gallery - Joseph Schmidt truffles served with white hot chocolate

Hazel - dark chocolate pretzel bark by Jagielky's Chocolate

Honnahlee

Irish Pub - chocolate stout

North House Museum - old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies

Old Hardware Gallery - chocolate covered rasp & blackberries & chocolate mint bars by Paulette's Pastries

Plaid Eagle Antiques - chocolate cherry drops

Plants Etc. - Scribner's Chocolates

ReMax - chocolate fountain

Robert's Antiques - port selection served in chocolate cups

Serenity Now Outfitters - Crazy Baker

Stonehouse General Store - Sweetie's

Sunflower Soul - chocolate bread pudding with vanilla sauce

Tansy Shop - chocolate lace cookies

Washington Street Gallery - Ghiradelli chocolates

Wild Bean - espresso brownies

Wolf Creek - Godiva

Woody's - earthquake cake by Rudy's Corner Grill

Yarid's - chocolate shoes from The Greenbrier Candy Shop

Tickets may be purchased at Harmony Ridge Gallery, North House, Honnahlee or on-line at www. lewisburgchocolatefestival. com.


Chocolate Festival Activities

Apr. 12 in Downtown Lewisburg

New 3-D Art by Connie Desaulniers - at Cooper Gallery, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., FREE

A Delicious Journey: The History of Chocolate - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at North House Museum, FREE

Children's Story Telling of "The Chocolate Cat" by Colleen Anderson - at New River Community & Technical College, 2 p.m., FREE

"Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory" - at the Lewis Theatre, time TBD, FREE

Chocolate Bake-off - at the Lewis Theatre, noon to 2 p.m., $1 for 5 entry samples

Chocolate Mousse Eating Contest - at Tavern 1785, noon adults/12:30 children, FREE

Book signing by award winning cookbook author Marcel Desaulnier - at terrace of Greenbrier Valley Theatre, 1 to 3 p.m., FREE

Demonstration by The Greenbrier's Executive Pastry Chef Frederic Monti - at Harmony Ridge Gallery, 11:30 a.m., FREE

Live music by Evolver - at The Wild Bean, 3:30 p.m., FREE

Demonstration & Chocolate Celebration with award winning cookbook author Marcel Desaulniers - at Greenbrier Valley Theatre, 8 p.m., $25 per person

Chocolate Entrees & Desserts - at downtown restaurants throughout the evening, $ various.


The Appalachian

By John Wyatt

Mountain Ramps

For some of you who experienced cabin fever this past winter and are truly thankful for these warm spring days, put my name in the hat. The older I get, the less I enjoy our fourth season. I can vaguely remember how in some past life I waited eagerly for that first measurable snow—snowball fights, Fox and the Goose games, tracking all the wild animals around the farm and learning to know their own distinctive signs, the fox, bobcat, rabbit, mink, possum, coon, skunk, white tail deer, and an occasional bear who had not started his winter nap. There was so much for a mountain boy to do. We would cure meat, burn brush, and have late-night sleigh rides. February usually meant making maple syrup.

Then came those first warm days of spring. The robins suddenly appeared again; the crocuses and Easter lilies popped through the ground. The old folks had their seed beds with tomatoes, peppers, and so forth, growing on the porch. The frogs began to croak after those first warm showers. The newborn calves were running and kicking up their heels in the meadows. The feed stores and department stores had a fresh array of seeds of every sort. Early onion and lettuce beds were planted. Asparagus sprouts were bursting through the warming earth; and deep in the still-barren forest, most of the trees still stood leafless, stark arms reaching upward with only a hint of what was to come in their faint red hue, and here and there and occasional Mountain Sarvis (Service tree) with its white bloom stood out, seen, it seemed, for miles in contrast to its surroundings.

But on the forest floor a right of spring was taking place. The Mountain Ramp was being reborn after lying dormant through the deep snows of winter. The first tiny white, red, and green shoots came pretentiously through the leaves; and ramp lovers, young and old, began cleaning the rust off the ramp hoe, sharpening their Barlow’s, breaking out the fishing gear, from cane poles to Zebcos, greasing up the iron skillet, and preparing for the Feast of the Rampson.

Now if you happen to be from some other planet and have no idea what I’m talking about, read on. For the true ramp connoisseur, only puberty or the birth of your first born son could compare to ramps in season. This pungent herb of questionable nutritional value has attained an almost supernatural reputation in the mountains as a cure-all for ailments from rheumatism to high blood pressure, from migraine headaches to acne. One source swears that ramp leaves when mature and placed in and worn in the insoles of shoes or boots will cure athlete’s foot. Lord, who could tell? My great-aunt and uncle used canned ramps for birth control. They only had 19 children—thank God for the ramps!

But for you who have never experienced this edible delight, my advice is go to a ramp feed, many are being held locally, and try for yourself this wonderful mountain delicacy.

When the Maple buds turn red on the hillside

And the Sarvis trees are blooming in the lane

And the ramps begin to grow in the mountains

Then I know that it’s springtime again.


Back Roads

By Jack D. Ballard

The Saturday afternoon audience at Alderson’s Alpine Theatre was burst into laughter as a small child could be seen climbing onto the stage then attempting to grab the cowboy’s gun from the projected image. So was my mother until she looked over and saw the empty seat beside her. Pauline Kael, writer for the New Yorker magazine, wrote a best seller, "I Lost It At the Movies," so I guess that it would only be fair to say "I Found It At the Movies"

It would be many years before I would learn that the famous movie studio owners Warner Brothers lived for a time in Bluefield, WV. Dorothy, the sister to Lillian Gish, attended boarding school in Alderson, WV. The only film directed by Charles Laughton, "Night of the Hunter," was written by West Virginia author Davis Grubb, began in Moundsville, WV, and the motion picture maker chosen by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Pare Lorentz, came from Clarksburg, WV.

So it’s time to go over to the depot and wait for "The Sportsman" as it journeys east, we can grab a window seat and watch the passing scenery. When the Conductor makes his rounds you paid your passage, when you bought your copy of the Mountain Messenger. In the meantime, until "George" calls us to the air conditioned dining car, we can relax.


The Garden Diary

A Guide to Gardening in Southern West Virginia

April Gardening Idea

Even though Swiss chard has been around for centuries and is considered high in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, iron, potassium and fiber, it is not likely to be found in the average American vegetable garden today. Chard is in the same family as beets and spinach, but only the leaves are consumed. It can be cooked using various methods, i.e., boiling, steaming, braising and sautéing. Generally speaking, you would treat the leaves as you would spinach, and the stems as you would asparagus. You can serve it as a side dish or add it to soups, salads, sauces, etc. Here’s your chance to be creative in the kitchen.

There are mainly two types sold in our local supermarkets —red chard and green chard. But since you are just starting your garden this year, why not buy seeds of a different variety and impress your friends and neighbors. Or experiment a bit with a few different types. Seeds sown directly in the garden once the soil has warmed to 50 degrees F grow easily and are ready to harvest in about 60 days.

If left to grow beyond the "baby greens" stage, the leaves can grow as tall as two feet, so plot your garden accordingly. Chard does not store well once picked, so try to use it quickly, although it can be stored in a plastic bag for up to three days in your refrigerator.

April Gardening Calendar:

2 Seed Swiss chard and carrots outdoors
3 Seed onions and radishes outdoors
4 Plant cabbage and kohlrabi
5 Plant potatoes and raspberries
7 Seed beets and kale outdoors
9 Seed or plant broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
10 Seed parsnips outdoors
11 Plant blackberries; plant fruit trees
12 Plant or seed Swiss chart
13 Plant peas and seed radishes outdoors
14 Apply crabgrass control; treat lawn for white grubs
16 Seed leaf lettuce outdoors
17 Seed late tomatoes indoors
18 Fertilize lawn
19 Seed or plant collards; plant perennials
20 Start compost pile
21 Loosen mulch on strawberries
23 Plant peas outdoors
24 Transplant leeks; seed new lawn
25 Put out hummingbird feeder
27 Seed carrots
28 Plant sweet corn
28 Apply pre-emergent landscape weed control
30 Begin spraying fruit trees after petals fall

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

—Henry Van Dyke, Fisher-man’s Luck, 1899

(Monthly column by Greenbrier Valley Master Gardeners sponsored by WVU Extension Service)


Speaking of Music

By Fran Belin

The Piano Repertoire, Part VIII

The Russians

Serious piano composition in Russia made little progress until the so-called "Russian Five," Balakirev (1837-1910), Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Borodin (1833-1887), Cui (1835-1918), and Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)—the first group of Slavic composers, gathered their inspirational material primarily from Russian folk songs and legends. The five produced a meager amount of works with sound workmanship and genuine inspiration. From Balakirev, the oriental fantasy Islamey, from Borodin, Petite Suite, a collection of seven short pieces, and from Mussorgsky, the Pictures at an Exhibition. From Cui, some mediocre salon pieces, and from Rimsky-Korsakov, a fine piano concerto.

Anton Rubenstein (1829-1894), a spectacular pianist, wrote some 200 individual piano pieces, but audiences paid to hear him play the music of other composers, not his own. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), one of Rubenstein’s pupils, was a composer famous for his orchestra-symphonies and ballet music, not necessarily his piano music, which seldom rises above the level of fairly adequate salon music.

Compared with his predecessors and contemporaries, Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915), emerges as an important composer for piano music, with the exception of six symphonic works, he wrote Preludes, Etudes, Sonatas, Poems, and other short pieces for piano. In between Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, were some minor Russian keyboard composers: Anatol Liadov (1855-1914), Anton Arensky (1861-1906), and Alexander Gretchaninov (1864-1956).

Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was a spectacular pianist, and because he knew his way about the actual physical keyboard, his compositions are pianistically sound. His finest music for solo piano are the Preludes Opus 23 and Opus 32. Like Chopin and J.S. Bach before him, he wrote altogether 24 preludes, one in each major and minor key, as well as 15 Etudes-Tableaux, as well as two Sonatas, the second one Opus 36, the preferred. There are Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Opus 42, and various short pieces. Nicholas Medtner (1830-1951), a Russian of German ancestry wrote almost exclusively for piano. Thirteen of his large scale keyboard compositions are entitled Sonata, Opus 11. In his 33 Fairy Tales, one finds his inborn musicality.

Sergi Prokofiev (1891-1953) began his career as a concert pianist. He wrote more than 100 short piano pieces, as well as nine Sonatas. Prokofiev sought freedom from typical 19th-century techniques, and used the piano’s full sonority, sometimes to the point of extreme percussiveness. I’d like to put a word in for Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904-1987), whose many compositions have been an invaluable addition to teaching piano students about the fundamentals of playing the piano in a delightfully musical way.

Some suggestions for listening:

Sviatoslav Richter (may be available) BBC legends/MG Artists BBCL4082-2

Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky Sviatoslav Richter Philips two-disc set 4569462PM2

Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and others; Horowitz-Rachmaninoff Sonate #2 and Piano Concerto #3 Horowitz plays Scriabin, both RCA

Weissenberg, Rachmaninoff Preludes

Richter, Etudes-Tableaux, Rachmaninoff, Olympia OCD 337

Rachmaninoff plays Rach-maninoff, The Ampico Recordings, London 425964-2

Next Month: The Piano Repertoire; Part IX, The Northern Countries.


Great Backyard Bird Count sets new records

Bird watchers outdid themselves during the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Participants submitted more than 85,700 checklists during the four-day event, Feb. 15-18, surpassing last year’s all-time record by several thousand. Participants also identified a record 635 species and sent in thousands of stunning bird images from around the continent.

Birders who had heard about the massive seed production failure in trees across northern Canada were expecting a huge influx of northern finches coming south to look for food. "As predicted, there were record numbers of GBBC reports for Pine Grosbeak," says Rob Fergus, Senior Scientist with the National Audubon Society. It was also a banner year for Common Redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks, reported in their highest numbers in several years.

In this year’s GBBC, Yellow-billed Magpie numbers hit a new low. Magpies, crows, and jays are especially susceptible to the West Nile virus. For the past few years the population of Yellow-billed Magpies has declined following the spread of the virus to California. Nationwide, American Crow and Blue Jay numbers appear to have stabilized somewhat, but bear continued monitoring as the populations of these birds continue to adapt to the presence of this new disease.

The GBBC charts the explosive geographic expansion of Eurasian Collared-Doves. The species has spread aggressively since it was introduced in Florida in 1980 and made new inroads this year. For the first time, GBBC records of this bird came from British Columbia, Manitoba, and Oregon.

Some species showed up in Great Backyard Bird Count reports for the very first time, including a Masked Duck in Texas—a bird that is usually found in the tropics. An Arctic Loon, seldom seen outside Alaska, was spotted in California. An Ivory Gull wandered down from the high Arctic to show up on a checklist in South Dakota.

"Each year, awareness of the GBBC seems to spread," says Cornell Lab of Ornithology Citizen Science Director Janis Dickinson. "Committed individuals, nature centers, parks, and schools adopted the GBBC as their own in an unprecedented way this year. They held bird walks, ID workshops, and many other events tied to the count." Preschoolers built feeders out of milk jugs. An artist painted a mural of urban birds in Hollywood. One participant commented, "Participating in the bird count has given my children a little taste of what it is like to be a scientist."

For an even more detailed summary of this year’s results, visit the GBBC web site at www.birdcount.org. You can explore maps, see beautiful photos, prize-drawing winners, and the list cities and towns that topped their state or province for the number of checklists submitted our "checklist champs."

The Great Backyard Bird Count returns Feb. 13-16, 2009!

Top 10 most-reported birds

in the 2008 GBBC:

1) Northern Cardinal
2) Mourning Dove
3) Dark-eyed Junco
4) Downy Woodpecker
5) American Goldfinch
6) Blue Jay
7) House Finch
8) Tufted Titmouse
9) Black-capped Chickadee
10) American Crow


Governor encourages West Virginians to plant trees during ‘Arbor Month'

State Arbor Day is set for Apr. 11

Gov. Joe Manchin once again has proclaimed April "Arbor Month" in West Virginia, and is encouraging communities, organizations and schools throughout the Mountain State to recognize the important roles trees play in daily life.

"Healthy forests improve our quality of life by providing clean air and water for all West Virginians," Manchin said. "Trees contribute to West Virginia’s natural beauty, making it one of the most beautiful states in the nation. Our forests are an important source of jobs and forest products, and provide much-needed habitat for our state’s wildlife."

Manchin encouraged all West Virginians to actively participate in tree-planting projects such as Mountaineer Treeways, a program that solicits volunteers to plant tree seedlings on public property.

West Virginia’s Arbor Day is set for Apr. 11 this year, but Arbor Day celebrations and tree plantings are scheduled throughout the month in communities across the state. Some of the participating communities include Bath, Charles Town, Follansbee, Hinton, Lewisburg, Moorefield, Morgantown, Parkersburg, Petersburg, Ronceverte, Shep-herdstown, Summersvilie and Williamstown.

National Arbor Day is the last Friday of April (Apr. 25 this year). Many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to the best tree-planting times.

For more information about Arbor Day, Arbor Month and the Mountaineer Treeways program, visit www.wvforestry. com.


Three WV sites featured on National Geographic Driving Tours: Visit Appalachia map

West Virginia’s Midland Trail, Coal Heritage Trail and the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike are among the many driving tours featured on the new National Geographic map of Appalachia. The map, a specially-produced, full-size map of the Appalachian region is featured in the April issue of National Geographic Traveler, and in addition to reaching more than 900,000 subscribers, also will be available at the accompanying Web site, www. visitappalachia.com.

"The Visit Appalachia map highlights three of West Virginia’s premier cultural and heritage tourism offerings with the Midland and Coal Heritage Trails and the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike," said Gov. Joe Manchin. "These attractions and the great small businesses near them should benefit from visitors that have access to this map."

Tourism Commissioner Betty Carver said it’s an honor to be among those sites chosen by National Geographic’s editors and featured in the national publication. "We have a great tourism product in Appalachia, especially here in West Virginia, and it’s just a matter of getting more people to discover it," Carver said. "We’re proud to be listed on the map with all the other great attractions and hope that we’ll see more visitors to the state."

The map features 28 driving tours throughout the 13 states of the Appalachian region, including the historic National Road. This route, which runs from Maryland through Pennsylvania and West Virginia to Ohio, was the nation’s first federally-funded road, Thousands of settlers used this route in the 18th century as they moved westward, across the Allegheny Mountains and the Eastern continental divide. Today the road is known as U.S. Route 40, and one of the featured stops along the route is Wheeling’s Oglebay Park.


Trees can help reduce energy costs —and more

(NAPS)-Trees can provide a home with more than shade and shelter. They can also add value and curb appeal to a home, help cool it and break the cold winds to help lower heating costs.

Consider these economic benefits from the Arbor Day Foundation:

• In one study, 83 percent of realtors believe that mature trees have a "strong or moderate impact" on the salability of homes listed for under $150,000. With homes over $250,000, this perception increases to 98 percent.

• Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent.

• Properly placed, trees can reduce air-conditioning needs by as much as 30 percent and can cut 20 to 50 percent in energy-related heating costs.

Selecting trees and proper positioning are keys to putting more money in your wallet. For example, a row of evergreen trees can help block wind. Consider cherry laurel, Eastern red cedar, hemlock, Japanese black pine, Monterey or Norway spruce, Southern magnolia, and white or spruce pines. Check with your local nursery or cooperative extension office for the best species for your area.

Place trees strategically in the yard, such as on the east- and west-facing sides of the home. Shading windows is important. Give yourself plenty of growth space between tree and house—10 feet or more.


Make your home energy efficient

(NAPS)-The purpose of green building is to reduce energy use, conserve water, improve indoor air quality and reduce reliance on nonrenewable natural resources. Thanks to two new books in the popular "For Dummies" series, you’ll now find the process more approachable and easy to understand.

"Green Building & Remodeling For Dummies" (Wiley) covers everything from examining construction sites and working with green professionals to choosing sustainable materials and reducing waste. The user-friendly guide is filled with basic information and simple instructions that anyone interested in green building will find useful—homeowners, architects, interior designers and contractors alike.

The second book, "Solar Power Your Home For Dummies" (Wiley), details the environmental and economical benefits of using solar energy and takes readers step-by-step through the process of building small and large systems into new and existing homes.

Written by design engineer Rik DeGunther, the guide is filled with helpful illustrations and tips that explain the nuts and bolts of designing solar projects—including lamps, fans, fountains, small-capacity solar water heaters and radiant floors. It covers the different types of solar panels and available technology, pinpoints ten smart solar investments, and provides instruction on how to do a complete energy audit of a home.


Cleaning Green? Be Smart About It

(NU) - Choosing green as a personal color code for "environmentally responsible" living was a New Year’s resolution made by about half of consumers polled in a nationwide survey.

They expressed their resolve in different ways: to become more "green-aware," to go natural and to promote eco-friendly activities that are good for the planet.

And with spring just around the corner, green awareness undoubtedly will guide consumers’ cleaning product choices. But with so much that’s being said and written about green cleaning, it’s important to educate yourself about it. To help you do just that, and in time for spring cleaning, a new Web site, www.aboutcleaning products.com, was created by the Consumer Specialty Products Association to provide a better understanding about cleaning products.

This fact-filled, fun and easy-to-use site explains the cleaning process and different product types for bath, kitchen, laundry and general household applications. A section on "Alternative Mixtures" compares the advantages of commercial formulations to homemade cleaning solutions. A "Fact and Fiction" page helps sort out myths about cleaning products.

Aboutcleaningproducts. com also takes a look at the green phenomenon. It poses helpful questions such as: What does it mean to be green? Does green mean safe for people and animals? Does it mean that a product is made from plants and not petroleum? Is it biodegradable and recyclable?

Green means all that and more. Thinking green should include selecting cleaning products that work effectively to kill disease-carrying bacteria and are good for the environment. A product that does not work will be tossed into the trash and create more litter.

And thinking green should definitely take safe use into consideration. In well-meaning attempts to clean green, some consumers mix ammonia and bleach, a harmful combination that produces toxic gas. Mixtures like this are a common mistake and an example of good intentions gone bad.

For more information, visit www.aboutcleaningproducts. com.


First Pearl S. Buck International Writers’ Workshop comes to Hillsboro

Acclaimed West Virginia writers Denise Giardina, Edwina Pendarvis, and Kirk Judd celebrate world-famous author Pearl S. Buck at the First Pearl S. Buck International Writers Workshop. The Workshop events will be held at the birthplace of the award winning author in Hillsboro on June 26, 27 and 28.

Buck gained international attention for her moving portrayal of Chinese farmers who struggled to survive at the turn of the 19th century. The Good Earth won her the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1932; in 1938, she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for her impressive body of work.

Everyone has stories to share and to tell. Many people have a desire to write about their own life or those around them. "Wanting to write and doing so are two different things," says Ruth Taylor, host of the workshop and member of the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Board of Directors. "Often we get stuck on the immensity of such a project. This workshop series will help to make that desire a reality."

The event begins on Thursday afternoon, June 26, as Gail Hyer, accomplished genealogist and marketing specialist for Pocahontas County Tourism, conducts a session on using the works of other writers, legal issues, getting published, etc. On Friday morning, workshops will be held by Edwina Pendarvis and Kirk Judd, with Denise Giardina joining the group in the afternoon.

Giardina is a West Virginia native who is known for her novel Good King Harry (1984), a historical novel about Henry V, and Storming Heaven (1987) her second novel based on the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Like Pearl S. Buck, Edwina Pendarvis has written about life in China in her book of poetry Like the Mountain of China (1988). The award winning book compares the people of the mountains of China with the people of the Appalachians. Eddy Pendarvis was born in eastern Kentucky, and spent her early childhood in southern West Virginia coal towns. Her creative writing has been published in journals and magazines, in three anthologies: A Gathering at the Forks, Guyandotte Poets, and Getting By: Stories of Working Lives, and in the book Human Landscapes. Her poetry collection, Coruscations, won first place in the 1995 WV Writers Competition.

Award-winning poet Kirk Judd may be best known for his unique Appalachian poetry project "My People Was Music." His first volume of poetry Field of Vision (1986) and follow-up book Tao Billy (1996) provide a distinct commentary on life in Appalachia. Kirk is one of the founding artists of what has come to be known as the premier music and writers’ workshop in the east—Allegheny Echoes.

The Little Levels Heritage Fair will be the backdrop for the acclaimed First Pearl S. Buck International Writer’s Workshop. Thursday’s dinner for participants will be at the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace with a live concert of Allegheny Echoes students at the Opera House. On Friday evening, June 27, participants will want to attend an old-fashioned pork barbecue with local musical groups or attend the second concert of Allegheny Echoes which will feature the talented instructors at the Pocahontas County Opera House.

Saturday, June 28, is open to enjoy the Little Levels Heritage Fair. The Pearl S. Buck Birthday Celebration and Writers’ Fair will kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Student writers and musicians will present a portion of the program which will be followed with birthday cake and punch for all. The final dinner is a Chicken Barbecue sponsored by Marvin Chapel United Methodist Church.

One scholarship to the Writers’ Workshop will be awarded to a WV high school or college student who submits the best original story (500 words or less) about the influence of Pearl S. Buck on the Chinese/American connection. Entries must be submitted no later than May 1.

Participant cost for the workshop is $90 and covers all meals, entertainment and tours.

The workshop is designed for approximately 20 participants, so register early.

Contact Ruth Taylor, director, at littlelevelsheritage fair@yahoo.com or call (304) 653-8563 for additional information and to register for the workshop. Make checks payable to Little Levels Heritage Fair, and mail to HC 64 Box 423, Hillsboro, WV 24946.

Participants will be responsible for their own lodging for the workshop. Visit the lodging options available at the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site at pocahontascountywv. com or call 800-336-7009 or (304) 799-INF0.

 

 

   
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Last Update April 07, 2008
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