The Frescoes at St. Paul's

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, has many unique aspects, including an interesting history (see my blog of Aug, 12, 2015) , but the most noted feature is its frescoes. Ben Long painted the two scenes, which show the apostle Paul and are so appropriate for this church named after him.

Roger Nelson and James Daniel assisted Long on the paintings. A large fresco stands in the commons area, on each side of the doorway to the old chapel. The one to the left shows Paul's conversion based on Acts 22:6-11. The one on the right is entitled Paul in Prison, based on Philippians 1:3-8.

The parish and the Cultural Arts Council for Wilkes County joined together to have Long paint the two frescoes. Long is an internationally know artist from North Carolina, who specializes in fresco painting using the ancient technique from the Renaissance. It's a drawn-out process that involves applying three separate layers to the wall. The first layer includes a base coat of plaster. Next comes a finer coat to which a red outline drawing is added. The final layer of plaster is applied in small sections, so the water-based pigments can be added before the plaster dries. In this process, the painting becomes part of the wall.

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Corner Cabinets

Corner cabinets were common in Early America. They were practical and offered a wide area for display and storage in a small amount of space. Families often placed their best dishes and curios in the cupboard, and social status could often be told by what was on exhibit there.

The style and workmanship varied greatly, because they were used in simple cabins, large mansions, and everything in between. Some of the top cabinetmakers build them. Farmers and unskilled homeowners might also try their hand. Some were more adept at carpentry than others. The better furnishings proclaimed the family's wealth.

Today, those corner cupboards still in good condition are highly sought after, even the rustic ones. Reproductions are also available, but, of course, the antiques are preferred. When touring historical sites, it is quite common to find a corner cabinet among the collection. They usually hold a lot of history.

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The Presbyterian Church in Wilkesboro

In my newly released novel, Sown in Dark Soil in the Appalacian Roots series, the Presbyterian Church in Wilkesboro appears twice. The first time, Luke is showing Ivy, Leah, and Patsy the town for the first time, as they make their way to the mountain farm. They meet Reverend Pharr, who was actually one of the early pastors there. He gives them information about the churches and town and invites them to attend the Presbyterian services anytime they can.

The second time, Leah, Luke, and Clifton are returning to the mountains, when a group of criminals take their wagon. Luke accompanies the sheriff to try to get it back, while Leah and Clifton return to Wilkesboro. Since it's Sunday, they decide to attend the Presbyterian Church service. (As with all my books, all my profits from Sown in Dark Soil will go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.)

The Presbyterian Church was founded in Wilkesboro in 1837 and was the first Presbyterian church in Wilkes County and one of the first in the western North Carolina region. At first, the congregation met in homes until they could afford to purchase land and raise a building.

The builder is listed as simply "Dameron," and he also built St. Paul's Episcopal Church on a hill behind the courthouse to the west of the Presbyterian Church. But the two churches are very different in style. The Presbyterian is Greek Revival and is more in the style of a Greek temple. St. Paul's Presbyterian is Gothic in style. The Presbyterian Church still owns the original pulpit Bible donated by Ellen Tate Finley in 1851. I enjoyed visits to both churches.

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Daily Bible Study

For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth (Psalm 33:4).

Recently, an adult couples Sunday School class admitted that they didn't read their Bibles unless at church - not one out of the whole class. I'm afraid they're typical of Christians today. Not many take the time to study the Bible on a regular basis. The Bible is where God reveals His character and will, so why would Christians ignore it?

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).

Throughout the Bible God gives us His proclamations, principles, and promises. Aren't those important? The Bible reveals God's plans for mankind in general, and it directs us individually in the way we should go at different times in our lives. I always hear people saying they have a hard time discerning the will of God. How often do they read their Bibles? Knowing the Bible will get you a lot closer to knowing the will of God, and it'll bring you into a much closer relationship with Him, as well.

But he [Jesus] answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

I've heard some people complain that the Bible is hard for them to understand. I can remember when I had some thoughts like that a long time ago, but the more I've read the Bible and prayed for understanding, the easier it's become to understand. God rewards perseverance, and He answers prayers. 

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon his house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock (Matthew 7:24-25).

Bible study makes life meaningful. Life is short. In fact the brevity of life is one of the the Bible's themes, and, although we don't like to think about it, we know that it's true. Why do we often choose to spend our time in meaningless activities soon to be forgotten? How often do you read your Bible? If it's not daily, make plans to change that.


Since life is so brief, we cannot afford merely to "spend our lives," and we certainly do not want to "waste our lives." We must invest our lives in those things that are eternal (Warren Wiersbe, Be Mature, kindle loc. 1617-1618).

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The Writers' Retreat at Lake Tahoe

Besides the fact that I was up for 25 hours straight on Wednesday for the trip out and the start of the retreat and 21 hours on Sunday for the return trip, I had a wonderful experience. It's going to be hard to cover it all in my blog space, so I may continue some of the story in later blogs.

The gourmet level food was wonderful, the friendships formed were heart-warming, the place was picture-perfect, and the writing information was worth the trip. Since I didn't have a car, I was limited where I could go, so I generally wrote in the afternoons. I am nearing the end of my first novel in the New Mexico series, Second Choice Bride. I did manage to get out and take some photos of the lake once, but the smoke drifting in from the fires in California made it hazier than usual.

The most practical advice for my writing came from learning how to make sure I'm showing and not telling. I had struggled some with that through brief sections of my books. Now I'm clear on how to write the sentences to have it happening from a characters perspective and not told from their perspective. It's actually a subtle change, but it makes a world of difference. If any of my writing friends would like to discuss it, they can contact me.

I came home tired from the time zone changes and long days of travel but relaxed and pleased. When I saw the prices of rooms and food elsewhere in Tahoe, I think I got a good deal, too. I'll show you more of the place and the other authors in upcoming blogs. For now, just suffice it to say the retreat left me feeling greatly blessed.

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The History of the Blount House

While houses in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area were made of logs in 1792, William Blount began constructing his out of milled boards. The prestigious home would serve as the territorial capitol, as well as his family's home. In fact, his wife Mary insisted that he build her a proper house if he expected her to move. He shipped the nails from his family's nailery near Tarboro, North Carolina, and the windows came from Richmond, Virginia. 

At first, the house wasn't so large. A west wing was added in 1810, and the east wing was built sometime prior to 1820. The detached kitchen has been reconstructed on the original site. There was also a common cooling shed and the governor's office, which looked like a typical law office of that time.

Before he settled in Tennessee, William Blount had served as a member of the North Carolina House of Commons, North Carolina's paymaster in the Continental Army, a congressman under the Articles of Confederation, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. George Washington appointed him as governor of the Territory of the United States South of the Ohio River. Blount governed from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, for a while, until he signed the Treaty of Houston. Then, he decided to move his capital to Knoxville, a city that had yet to be built.

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The Odd Beginning of Play Doh

Play Doh didn't begin as a type of modeling compound or art and craft material at all. In the early part of the 1900's, it was used as a wall cleaner, especially to remove soot stains coming from fireplaces and stoves. At that time, many homes burned coal. which left a dark residue on walls. Noah McVicker of Kutol Products, a soap maker based in Cincinnati, Ohio, had formulated the reusable putty-like cleaner at the request of Kroger grocery stores.

After World War II, however, many homes transitioned from coal to natural gas, and there wasn't as many stained walls. Therefore, the demand for the pliable wall cleaner diminished. Joe McVicker, trying to save his Kutol company, discovered that a teacher was using the wallpaper cleaner for her students to make Christmas ornaments. He took the same ingredients: flour, water, salt, boric acid, and mineral oil and added coloring to sell in the toy market.

Play Doh was marketed as an educational tool in the Cincinnati schools in the mid-50's. In 1956, it was introduced at an educational convention and picked up to sell in department stores. When major childrens' television shows advertised the product in 1957, Play Doh's success was ensured, and it's been around ever since. In 2003, the Toy Industry Association put it on its "Century of Toys" list.

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