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The End

By Linda H. Barnette

Near the end

I kissed his head

And held his hand

As always.

I could see him relax

And sense his comfort

At that time I did not know

It would be the last.

God called him home,

Leaving me alone.

And now I just have

Memories of our days together.

I will remember also

Kissing his bald head

And his sweet, bruised hand

Until we meet again.

Vale

By  E. Bishop

Approximately an hour away from Mocksville is the small community of Vale in Lincoln County.  It is nearly all rural with farming being the predominant industry.  However, one wonderful point of interest in Vale is the Hart Square Village which held its 37th Living History Festival on October 22nd.  The drive there was pleasant until we had to inch along to the parking area while thinking “is this going to be worth it?”

Well, I have to say, once we got into the village, it was well worth the wait.  It is only open for special events like this one, but they do offer school field trips and classes in wood carving, survival skills and leather working.  The classes generally focus on teaching pioneer skills that face extinction to ensure these skills are passed on to future generations. During this festival, many volunteer artisans and living historians passed along their knowledge to show visitors what life would have been like in the early 1800’s.  Here, you will not find glass cases or roped off areas.  Visitors are invited into a space that feels like a family or craft person just got up and walked out momentarily.   As their vision statement indicates, they wish to instill a pioneering spirit in the next generation.

Hart Square Village was founded in 1973 by Dr. Bob Hart and his wife Becky. He was a local physician who loved sharing his Early American historic passion with others, especially children.   There are over 100 structures with most being over 200 years old which have been preserved and maintained by the Hart Square Foundation. Some of these structures are the last of their kind; the village is the world’s largest collection of historic log structures. You will see a Groundhog Kiln which produced folk-pottery, the Holstein Cotton Gin (circa 1820) which was mule-powered for cotton ginning and even one building that came from Mocksville.

The Byerly Drying Barn (circa 1800s) was donated by Dr. Grimes Byerly of Mocksville and moved to Hart Square in 1983. It is the only structure moved to Hart Square from outside of the Catawba Valley area. Most structures were generously donated and moved to their current location with an inscription on each detailing what type of building it is, how it was used and where it came from.   

While in the valley (Vale), my husband and I had a pleasant visit with my cousin, Sylvia, and her family. So, we’ll probably be coming back for more visits to this area. The upcoming holiday season would be a good time to check out Hart Square. They have several events planned surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may have to wait a bit to get in, but it will be worth it.

Autumn Sky Pegasus, The Winged Horse

By David R. Moore

High overhead in the autumn night sky is the Great Square of Pegasus: The Winged Horse.  Look for the neck and head of Pegasus emerging from the upper right-hand corner of the square.  From the star at the lower right-hand corner, you will find a crooked line of stars outlining the front leg of Pegasus.  At the upper left corner of the square, you will see a bright curved line of stars that make up the giant wings of Pegasus.  If you look carefully, you’ll see a nearly parallel line of faint stars above the horse’s wings.  That is Princess Andromeda catching a ride on Pegasus.

The companion to our Milky Way Galaxy is the Andromeda Galaxy.  Although the spiral galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away, this misty patch can be seen with the naked eye.  Use binoculars or a small telescope to see the spiral-shaped beauty.  It is found just above the wings of Pegasus.

Pegasus is one of the best-known creatures of Greek mythology.  He was a winged stallion who struck his hoof into the soil of Mt. Helicon and brought forth the Hippocrene, a sacred spring to the Muses.  The Greek hero Bellerophon rode Pegasus to battle many monsters, including Chimera.  Eventually, Pegasus was brought to Mt. Olympus by Zeus, where one of his duties included carrying Zeus’ thunderbolts.  Pegasus was immortalized by being turned into a constellation that all can view in the Autumn sky.