Plantation Landscape and Memory - Free Seminar and Tour

The Historic Hope Foundation will present the 9th Annual Elizabeth Stevenson Ives Lectures on Friday, April 8th, 2005 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. This annual event in the Roanoke-Chowan Heritage Center at the Historic Hope Plantation in Windsor, North Carolina focuses on scholarship in the fields of the decorative arts, history, and historic preservation.

This year's topic, "Plantation Landscape and Memory," examines our attempts to understand and re-create historic landscapes. We will look at the development of plantation landscapes and ways they have been imagined, remembered, and reconstructed. Speakers will include:

Vanessa Patrick, Architectural Historian, NC Dept of Transportation
"Reconstructing the Landscape at Carter's Grove Plantation"

John Michael Vlach, Professor of Folklore, George Washington University
"The Creation of Plantation Landscapes: From 17th-Century Virginia to 19th-Century Liberia"

Emily Herring Wilson, Writer, Winston-Salem, NC
"Elizabeth Lawrence: Landscape, Memory, and Imagination"

There will also be an open discussion section and special tours of the historic site grounds.

The program is FREE and open to the public. Box lunches will be available for a small cost. You can pre-register and reserve a lunch here.

For additional information, please contact Glenn Perkins or call (252) 794.3140.

Paddle For The Border - April 30th

The annual “Paddle For The Border” event has been enlarged this year in celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Paddle the historic waterway from Chesapeake, VA, to South Mills, NC, in the 2nd annual PADDLE FOR THE BORDER on April 30, 2005.

"Paddle For The Border" participants in last year's event

This event between two states will be hosted by the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center and Dismal Swamp State Natural Area, South Mills, NC; the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Suffolk, VA; and the City of Chesapeake Parks & Recreation Department, Chesapeake, VA;

Approximately 150 boats (canoes/kayaks) will participate on a first-come basis from the launch point at the Great Dismal Swamp boat launch in Chesapeake, VA, paddling 7.5 miles to the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center in South Mills, NC. Lunch for all participants will be provided at the Welcome Center by the Great Dismal Swamp Coalition following conclusion of the event.

Legislators and media representatives from both states have been invited to ride this beautiful waterway aboard the pilot boats.

All boats must be pre-registered. Deadline for registration is April 16, 2005. A Registration Fee of $30.00 per person (add $5 after deadline) will cover all costs, including an event T-shirt and hat, lunch and shuttle service. The Registration Package download will be available at the following websites: dismalswamp.com and cityofchesapeake.net. You may also contact the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center at 252) 771-8333 or the City of Chesapeake, Parks and Recreation Department (757) 382-6411

Relay for Life - February 25th

The First Baptist Church of Ahoskie, will sponsor a Relay for Life - Corned Herring Dinner on February 25, 2005. Please put it on your calendar, for great corned herring, great people and a great event!

The location will be the Kiwanis Building in Ahoskie from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Eat in or take out.

Tickets are $6.00 per person. For information or tickets please call 332-4003 or 356-2501.

Colerain's Seagull Cafe Opens

The famous Colerain "Seagull Cafe" opened with the usual enthusiastic crowd. The first customers through the door as the Seagull opened at 11:00 were smiling.

First Customers This Year!

The Seagull will be open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM for lunchtime. The view from the Seagull shows the Chowan River at its best. The small Cafe is located by the river near the end of River Road, close to the Colerain Beach Club.



View is spectacular!


The Cafe will remain open through April as it does annually. The food is unique and I highly recommend it. The menu includes herring specially prepared as they only do it here. This town had the first herring fishery in the new world, before the United States even existed. It also includes white perch prepared incredibly, and the most delicious shrimp you will ever taste. The cooks are simply the best.

The Seagull Staff

The crowd, as usual filled with regulars, was large and enthusiastic, and this year included people from Virginia who came down especially for the opening.

The Happy Crowd.

Irish Souper Bowl - Real Irish Fiddling

Great night - Great food - Great Art - Great Music!

The Bertie County Arts Council is having its annual Irish Souper Bowl on March 12 at 6:00 PM. The event will feature the Hunt Family Fiddlers. It also features an authentic Irish Dinner of corned beef and cabbage, potato soup, homemade bread and dessert. This is a great way to get in the mood for Saint Patrick's Day.

Each participant will receive a handpainted ceramic bowl created by Bertie County Arts Council members! The bowls are on display at the Bertie County Arts Center, 124 S. King Street, Windsor, NC.

Kiln Fired Bowls by Local Artists

The Irish Souper Bowl begins at 6:00 PM, on March 12th, 2005. The location will be the Bertie Senior Center on School Street in Windsor. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children age 8 and under. Anyone interested may contact BCAC by telephone at (252) 794-9402 , or email to bertiearts@earthlink.net.

Bobbie Cobb (left) and Cleo Warlick, were Bertie County Arts Council's Featured Artists of the Month for February. The wall is filled with their work. (Photo by Jeanette White)

The Bertie County Arts Council also has additional artwork from local artists on display at the Bertie County Arts Center. Although work by multiple artists is on exhibit at the Arts Center all the time, work is featured by one or two artists every month. Other recent artists featured have been Barbara Sant of Windsor, Ken Attkisson of Edenton and Margaret Attkisson of Windsor. Artist for March is Carolyn Dail of Windsor and other upcoming shows will feature Dr. J. Fred Saunders of Aulander, Nancy Spruill of Windsor and Jacquelyn Perry of Colerain.

Bertie County Arts Center offers the work of numerous local artisans, including fine art, jewelry, ceramics, photography, needlecrafts, books, handpainted glassware and other select items.The Council has public classes and workshops throughout the year that offer such crafts as stained glass, guitar, piano and knitting.

The Arts Center is open free of charge Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.at 124 South King Street in Windsor.

Ash Wednesday Services - Church At The Crossroads

Last night there was a joyful celebration as Pastor David Lewis hosted people from several local churches for a special service at the Church At The Crossroads.

Pastor David Lewis

The service was packed and the worship music was joyful.

Church At The Crossroads

Pastor Wallace Phillips from the Carpenter's Shop Church gave a powerful message about unity, and the need for Christians' to come together to do good works. Pastor Phillips and Pastor Lewis are strong supporters of the local movement to get greater unity amoung all of those who are striving to live a life exemplifying Jesus.

Pastor Wallace Phillips and wife Joy

Condi - The Person We Need For America!

Condoleezza Rice is one of the most amazing Americans we have ever seen. World class musician. Outstanding figure skater. Brilliant educator. Expert on football. Fluent in French and Russian. She is a master of English, tough as nails and a world class debater.

Condoleezza Rice - Secretary of State

The following article proves that Condi is impressing people all over the world.

Condoleezza Rice Brings Morality To Realpolitik
Editorial Opinion - Daily Telegraph (U.K.) - 05/02/2005

"There cannot be an absence of moral content in American foreign policy," she (Condi) says. "Europeans giggle at this, but we are not European, we are American, and we have different principles."

An expert in political science who is a master of military tactics, she has a command of facts that impresses the heavy weights in both fields. She is known as a quick wit, is well liked generally and thought of as a pleasant if blunt spoken individual.

In 1993 she became the youngest Provost in Stanford history, a post she held for 6 years until she left to support George Bush for President. She succeeded as a conservative in an arena and school that is dominated by liberals. That skill alone is significant.

A very moral person, Condi is close friend and confidant of the President. With hard work and dedication she has acheived an amazing amount already. It seems impossible that anyone could find time to become as accomplished in so many different fields. I nominate her for President in 2008.

A Tradition of African-American Spirituals

“Follow the Drinking Gourd”
February 24th – Columbia Theater - Columbia, North Carolina

African-American music is the overwhelming influence in all American music. From the influence of "Blake and Sissle" on Broadway, Big Joe Turner on "Rock and Roll" and Scott Joplin on Jazz, the genres of music that bear the marks are legion; gospel, soul, rap, minstrel, Broadway, ragtime, jazz, blues, R&B, rock, samba, reggae, salsa and calypso. Nothing displays this better than spirituals.

Traditional African-American spirituals, originally referred to as slave songs or prayer songs, often spoke of a journey. These songs were an expression of feelings, heritage, and also a way of communicating messages. Not being permitted to learn directions for travel, songs like “Follow the Drinking Gourd” were coded.



To learn more about this genre and hear some great music, come join us at the Columbia Theater. Columbia, NC - 27925, on Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 7:00 PM in the evening.

There will be many returning participants from previous years including the choirs from: Alligator Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Piney Grove Disciples Church, Salem Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Randy Bryant, Gateway to Heaven Church of Elizabeth City, NC and members of the Columbia High School Black History Club. There will be a few surprise presenters as well.

For information or questions contact Brenda Mixon (252) 796-1000 or Helen Craddock (252) 796-0723