Saturday, December 5, 2009

BCS Christmas Lunch and Meeting



BCS Annual Christmas Lunch, Dec. 4, at Ryan's
Clockwise starting at lower left:
Joyce Moore, Glen Williams, Becky and Chris Vickers, Pat Musselman, her daughter Faith with baby and husband; G. Lee Hearl, Mimi Rockwell, Carl Jenkins with his wife Jody, Diane Conco. Taking picture was Paul Conco.


     Thirteen people attended the annual BCS Chjristmas lunch yesterday. Ryan's is always fun since there's a huge variety of food and it's an all-you-can-eat serve-yourself restaurant. 


     After we were all stuffed, we got down to business. G. Lee asked for volunteers who would be willing to tell stories for no compensation in order to publicize BCS. Four tellers volunteered. He plans to have some gigs set up by Spring. 
     Glen Williams shared information about Heritage TV which is a local channel produced by BVU-OptiNet. Advertising is very reasonably priced and there is opportunity to have some video presentation time coming up also at a reasonable price. A motion was made, seconded, and passed that BCS pay the minimum amount of $5 for advertising during January.
     Pat Musselman shared information about the SBPaul Art Gallery and a temporary arrangement she has made with the owner for BCS to tell there once a month for six months. (However, today Pat sent out an e-mail saying there is a problem and the Gallery may be moving, so this plan is put on hold for the time being.)
     Mimi Rockwell reported about plans for Old Christmas and asked for volunteers to help. Pat Musselman assisted by Joyce Moore will do the refreshments, and Becky Vickers will do the decorations.


     The meeting adjourned, individual members stayed on to chat and eat a little more dessert, and unfortunately some members had to go off to work. Our next event will be Old Christmas to be held at the Bristol Library on Jan. 10 at 2:15 p.m.




Sunday, November 22, 2009

Story Tellabration 2009


Pictured above from left are Glen Williams, Mimi Rockwell, David Claunch, Becky Vickers, Paul Conco, and G.Lee Hearl.


BCS had a good Tellabration last night at the community college in Abingdon. There was a small audience but they had big hearts and brought canned goods for the Second Harvest Food Pantry.


David Claunch started the stories off with a tale about his trip to Bhutan, a country near India. He told about amusing the monks with a red clown nose, then bubbles which they named "prayer bubbles" since they had a similarity, floating through the air, to their prayer flags. 


Becky Vickers went next with her story about a pet dog and cat she had when she was a child. The cat tormented the dog until Becky bought a new chain for the dog which gave him an advantage and he finally got back at the cat.


Paul Conco was the third teller and shared a lot of research he had done while writing his story about the 1918 flu pandemic. It was a sad, scary story that could happen again with the current flu epidemic.


Mimi Rockwell told the fourth story about the first client she had when she was doing an internship for her therapist degree. His actions were very mysterious and ghostly,


Glen Williams who is new to BCS and has a degree in Theatre told of his student days and ghostly happenings also. It ended with humor so we lived up to the old adage, "Always leave them laughing."


The next time we tell will be at Old Christmas on Jan. 6 after the New Year.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

November 21 STORY TELLABRATION Coming Up




STORY TELLABRATION 2009
BEAVER CREEK STORYTELLERS
NOVEMBER 21, SATURDAY, 7:00-8:30 P.M.
ABINGDON, VIRGINIA
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
ROOM ISC 130
ADMISSION: 2 CANS OF FOOD PER ADULT OR $5.00
INFO: G. LEE HEARL, 276-628-4240 or EMAIL glhearl@hughes.net
MIMI ROCKWELL, 276-669-8358 or EMAIL mimi.rockwell@gmail.com

Monday, November 9, 2009

Nov. 4 Meeting





I was not able to attend the Nov. 4 meeting, so G. Lee Hearl, the Director, sent me a follow-up email:

"We had a very enjoyable meeting last night at VHCC. Pat brought a cake to celebrate my 80th birthday, belatedly and we had cake and coffee.
Glenn Williams, The Concos, Lester and his daughter, Pat Musselman, Terry Benz and Carl Jones and I attended the meeting.
We discussed starting a "trial" storytelling performance once monthly at the S.B. Paul Art Gallery in Bristol. Pat and Carl are going to pursue that further. Both had seen the facility and said it was very nice , as did Paul Conco. We expect to start telling on 2nd Thursdays in January. 
I am going to see about getting the large meeting room at the Bristol Library for the "Old Christmas" program on January 6th.
We will have the BCS Christmas Lunch at 12 noon, Friday Dec. 4th.
I will leave your telling spot open for now and, if you can't make it, me or Pat will fill in for you. 
After the meeting, we went over and looked at the VHCC room where we will be telling at Tellabration and got directions from all the parking lots to it. There is plenty of handicapped parking near the room. 
That's about all I know that happened! Sorry you couldn't be there.. Take care of Rocky and Yourself!! G. Lee Hearl"

Members in the photo are, from left: Sheila Lane, Lester Murray, G. Lee Hearl, Pat Musselman, Glenn Williams, Carl Jones, and Terry Benz. That's Diana Conco behind Carl. Paul Conco must be taking the picture.  Mimi

Monday, October 5, 2009

09/26/09 Graveyard Tales



This was BCS' 12th "Graveyard Tales." And the first one to get rained on enough
it had to be moved indoors. We lost some of the spooky graveyard ambience, but
approximately 60 people didn't mind, moved willingly into the church basement
and proceeded to have a good time.

Storytellers were Terry Benz, Pat Musselman, G. Lee Hearl, and Mimi Rockwell.
Music was provided by member Lester Murray and his band, Jus' Cuzins'. Refreshments
were yummy and doorprizes were plentiful.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Art OF STORY IV Mimi Rockwell & Terry Benz



Storytellers Mimi Rockwell and Terry Benz were featured at the Sept. 13 Art Of Story IV at the Library. Terry started the afternoon off explaining he liked to tell stories about heroes, courage, and "girls who smell good." He first told a story about his childhood friend, Jenny, who appeared and disappeared during his young life. He then told about another neighborhood friend, Penelope, who possessed incredible courage and eventually became "Sweet Penelope."

Mimi also told two original stories. The first was "Becoming Mimi," about how she hated her given name until she found out its meaning of "power" and "Queen." She then told about how her father won a movie camera and projector, a box of film, a portable screen that rolled up in a tube, and a Buster Keaton comedy and a Mickey Mouse cartoon during the Depression of the 1930's.

Following the storytelling, G. Lee led a discussion of the plans for Graveyard Tales which is scheduled for Sept. 26.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Mimi Tells at Red Hats Lunch

Mimi Rockwell had a good time telling stories today for her Red Hat friends at their 8th anniversary luncheon. She told two stories, "Becoming Mimi" and "The Movie Camera." Then added the poem "When I'm An Old Woman, I'll Move In With My Kids."

About 50 women in purple wearing red hats made up the audience.

Mimi says, "No matter her age or whether she's eating peanut butter sandwiches or chicken salad croissants, women love eating and giggling together."

Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Freeman BarBQue

On August 29, Isaac Freeman, member of both Beaver Creek Storytellers and the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild invited all members to an end-of-summer BarBQue. Above is a photo of Connie Gill, President of JSG, with Isaac to her left. Slightly behind her is David Claunch, another storyteller.

About 30 members attended. Isaac, and his lovely wife Alice, entertained us at their farm out in the country near Marion, VA. Their log-cabin farmhouse is charming and in spite of some pop-up rain showers, we all had a great time. Isaac's home-made BarBQue is mouth watering.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Art Of Story III

Mary Grace Walrath and Paul Conco were the featured storytellers for the Aug. 23 session of The Art Of Story, a series of storytelling and education produced by Director G. Lee Hearl.

An audience of 25 applauded heartily at the four stories selected. Paul started off with a tale of college including a tribute to his muumuu-wearing mother who paved Paul's way with letters to those in charge. He later told an adaptation of a Russian folktale featuring his uncle, a Judge, who meted out justice to a local baker who wanted to charge for the aromas that emanated from his shop.

Mary Grace chose a personal story, also about a college experience in which a professor caught a liar with a unique invention. She then shared a cleverly modernized adaptation of an old German folktale in which a young girl enjoys sampling roasting chickens until she's devoured them and then must concoct a "story" to explain their disappearance.

A brief business meeting to discuss our upcoming Graveyard Tales followed the stories. It will be held on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Weaver-Union church picnic area on Weaver Pike.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Becky Vickers Tells "The Advantage"

The photo is of Becky Vickers telling her original story "The Advantage," at the Bristol Public Library on Sunday afternoon on Aug. 9. The story illustrates Becky's philosophy that sometimes a disadvantaged "critter" (the family pet) might need a little help in order to obtain justice.

Becky also told "Pecking Order" which is a tale of a wife who finds out just where she stands in the priorities of her husband, Rooster Willey.

Mimi Rockwell was the other storyteller (that's me)! I told about my two names, one given at birth and the one chosen as my storytelling name.

I chose my 2nd story because its setting is a county fair held around the courthouse square. I'm always reminded of that fair at this time of year because of the Appalachian Fair that is always held every August in Gray, TN between Kingsport and Bristol.

And I had time for a 3rd story so I chose the scary tale of Esmeralda, a story I first heard from a West Virginia storyteller I met at a Festival when I first moved to this area. I've forgotten the name of the teller, but the story remains vivid.

And that's an important point to make--it's the story that's important and not the storyteller!

A small audience turned out and only a few BCS members were there probably due to vacations and the beautiful outdoor weather following many weeks of rain and cool temps.

But Becky and Mimi enjoyed themselves just the same since they both tell stories "just for the fun of it." It was good practice for our Graveyard Tales that will be coming up.

G. Lee Hearl, BCS Director, also played guitar and sang one of his original songs, "The Ceiling Fan."

All three storytellers write original stories. Becky bases hers on true incidents from her youth growing up in East Tennessee. I often tell about my Hoosier heritage, but really have a variety of stories I have either created or adapted. G. Lee says he enjoys getting older because he can enjoy his second childhood all over again as he reminisces about his own youth as well as many of the SW Virginia characters he has known.

The next performance in this series "The Art Of Story" will be on Aug. 23.
Storytellers are yet to be named.
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Sunday, July 26, 2009

July 26 Storytellers

Photo of Pat Musselman and G. Lee Hearl, today's storytellers at the library. They did a great job in entertaining an appreciative audience.
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Sunday, July 12, 2009

Doug Morrell's Birthday

 Happy Birthday to Doug Morrell on July 14!

That's Doug with his pretty wife, Sue, in the photo at the BCS Christmas lunch last December. Doug seems always to be in this good mood. He is an inspiration to us all as he shares his stories of two careers, one in the military and one as a painting contractor. Unfortunately, health problems forced his retirement a decade ago. Fortunately, that gave him the time to write his book, "Painters Have More Fun Than People." Doug is a native of Tennessee and knows just about everyone. He joined BCS a year or so after it began in 1997.

Have a good one, Doug!
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Friday, July 3, 2009

A Real Firecracker!


Happy Birthday, Lester "Toon" Murray!!!

Lester, well known in Bristol's music community as "Toon," celebrates his ___ birthday today.
I think it's somewhere in the high '70's; I don't think he's entered his 9th decade yet. (0-10 is your first decade; 10-20 is your 2nd; and it's rounded up to the nearest decade from then on.) So, yes, several of our elder members will soon enter their 9th decade--G. Lee, Rocky, Doug, as well as Toon. All men--we women never age, you know!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Together As A Group


This is to remind you who we are. Not all of us are here, but you can find all of us on our website http://www.bristolstorytellers.org/

Our next performances will be on July 26, Aug. 9, Aug. 23, and Sept. 13, all Sundays at 2:15 p.m. in the Kegley conference room of the Bristol Public Library




The above picture was taken following our Old
Christmas program on Jan. 6





This photo was taken following last September's Graveyard Tales. Watch for announcements about the 2009 Graveyard Tales on Sept. 26 behind Weaver Union School, next to the historic Weaver Union graveyard in Bristol, TN

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

General Meeting June 14

G. Lee called a general meeting for June 14 at the Bristol Public Library. Ten members attended--a pretty good turn-out for a Sunday afternoon.

G. Lee shared his plans which includes the Graveyard Tales performance on September 26. He intends to discontinue programs at Java J's and instead have regular performances at the library.
He hopes to get sponsorship from Friends of The Library.

He also has plans for conducting classes after the programs to invite the public to get more involved with our organization.

It was good to see everyone and have a chance to chat a bit.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Our New Director, G. Lee Hearl

 Our new Director of Beaver Creek Storytellers, G. Lee Hearl.

It was unanimous last Thursday night, May 21, when members of BCS voted in G. Lee as our new Director. G. Lee has asked Joyce Moore to stay on as Secretary and Pat Musselman to stay as Treasurer. Pat has agreed since some of the stressors in her life have resolved themselves and she wants to be as supportive of G. Lee as possible.

I have been asked to keep the website, http://www.bristolstorytellers.org up to date. Other than that, I plan to lay back awhile and give my attention to Rocky and my health issues. I will prepare a ghost story so I can participate in Graveyard Tales if called upon. My intent now is to refrain from any obligations unless I know I have a back-up who can substitute for me if at the last minute I cannot attend.

Doug Morrell and Terry Benz were the main storytellers at our Java J's program Thursday night.
Doug told a story about a dangerous curve he once lived on and all the cats that were "dumped" near his home just beyond the curve. Terry told two stories, one a ghostly story that involved Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With the Wind, and a little boy who was having a joke played on him.

His second story took me back to my childhood as he told about The Lone Ranger. Terry put his radio voice to good effect as he imitated the radio announcer, and closing my eyes, I could pretty much re-live the childhood experience.

G. Lee closed the evening by playing a couple of songs on the auto harp and sharing one brief tale. 

The evening was a gentle closing to my 12-year reign as Director and an enthusiastic beginning to what we hope will be at least an equally long reign to our new Director. I will continue to keep up this blog but it will be subjective from my point of view and not be anything "official." 

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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Unexpected Changes

You can always count on change! The month of April brought changes to me, and therefore BCS, that were totally unexpected. 

First off, I got sick. Severe bronchitis, which is curable, of course. But the whole process provided a reality check, as well as obstacles, for my life, and therefore for the life of our storytelling group since I am the leader. 

Reality is that I have been the caretaker for not only BCS but also for my husband, Rocky; in the case of Rocky, for the past four years. Between the two, and two whom I dearly love, I am exhausted. Evidently, God had to pick me up by the scruff of the neck and shake some sense into my head. (S)He did that by putting me into a hospital bed, then allowing my scoliosis to hurt and handicap me like it's never done before. 

In a nutshell, I am now using a cane and supplemental oxygen when I exert myself.
Through trial and error, I am discovering "exert myself" means when I do housework, outdoor puttering, grocery shopping, and walking across a parking lot to get into a store or other building. Very unexpected changes!

All this on top of Rocky's COPD breathing problems and his struggle to regain his old strength and abilities. 

After much thought and emotional upheaval, I have decided that I must step down as Director of BCS. Members know this as of last week, and two of them have come forward to lead, in the case of G. Lee Hearl, and to assist, in the case of  Terry Benz.

G. Lee is a founding member of BCS and is no spring chicken himself. But he will bring common-sense direction, a wealth of experience, and a sense of entertainment that will help BCS continue to grow a following.

Terry is brand new to storytelling, perhaps an angel in disguise. He moved to Kingsport, TN in the past year and became attracted to oral storytelling. He has a radio background and has been writing stories for a very long time. He is retired and has plenty of time and more importantly, the desire to be of service. 

It's my hope that G. Lee will be able to use Terry as his "legs" and will do a great job. Becky Vickers has also agreed to take on the Treasurer's job, and of course, I will do whatever I can do to assist.

My day of resignation will be May 21, the day after tomorrow, and Java J's meeting that evening will be my "swan song." I was so afraid that the group would decide to disband, but now that G. Lee will take over, my fears are abated and I feel hopeful.

I'm also looking forward to continuing to have fun through storytelling! For awhile, at any rate, I will do only the things I can do spontaneously, and will not be scheduled without having a back-up available to take over if I can't make it.

I've served as Founder and Director since 1987, which is 12 years. I was hoping for another 5, but you don't put off CHANGE.  Mimi Rockwell


Sunday, March 29, 2009

Uncalled For Tour Performance at ETSU

Rocky and I had lots of laughs last night at the Uncalled-For Tour at ETSU's Culp Center in spite of the ordeal of getting there with our breathless selves. Without the help of good friends, Paul and Diana Conco, I'm not sure we'd have made it.

As it was, we left by the back exit so we could get to the car easily and therefore did not have a chance to talk with our teller friends Kim Weitkamp or Bil Lepp or to meet Andy Offut Irwin, the three Uncalled For Tour performers. Kim called us after the performance so we got to chat a bit at least.

Besides us and the Conco's I saw a few other BCS members there, Carole Ann and Mike Miller, and Leon and Pam Overbay. Our Tellabration guests Rudi and Arlene Angelmaier were there and also our ex-member, Linda "Tiger" Francis.  

Coincidentally, March 28 is Bil Lepp's birthday so much ado was made complete with birthday hats and the traditional song. The M.C,, David Claunch who is also the clown Dilly-Dally, presented Bil with presents of a red nose, huge spectacles, a giant-sized comb and other things my senior brain doesn't remember.

The storytelling program was worth every dollar it cost. I don't think there was more than 10 seconds without a laugh. Well, maybe when Kim was describing her first catfish "noodling" trip and the audience sat in rapt attention.  The program opened with a song and closed with a song, and in the middle, Kim sang a touching song about her father that followed her story about selling potholders. 

Bil lived up to his reputation as a tall tale raconteur with two tall tales, a rather rambling (but hilarious) one about deflating Easter bunny baloons and the second about a congregation holding a rodeo in a newly built church building.

Andy, whom I had never heard before, also entertained the audience comparing the chicken business of Georgia with the subway business of Manhatten. He is a favorite teller of the Conco's and they got their wishes granted when his second story was about his Aunt Margarite.

The tellers concluded with an improvisational story based on five words suggested by the audience and finalized the program with a summary of that story in song with Andy on the guitar, he and Kim providing the vocal, and Bil performing a very funny interpretive dance.

I was laughing too hard to take too many pictures, but here are three. Take your time and enjoy.  Mimi

Thursday, March 26, 2009

No Earth Day Production

Since I haven't found a venue for an Earth Day program, I am going to quit looking.
The Bristol Library had too many other things going on in April, the most important being National Library Month which they are celebrating the week before.

Since Earth Day falls on a Wednesday, it would have to be a daytime program. I do not believe Steele Creek Park would have had any attendance during a weekday. I wanted to keep the weekend open so folks can attend the Sounds Of The Mountains Festival in Bethany, VA if they want to. (I want to.)

We have only a few female tellers available for a children's program so that didn't seem feasible. Anyway, it got so difficult, I decided to just skip it.

So ALERT! NO EARTH DAY PROGRAM THIS YEAR.

However, let's think about doing an April Fool's Day Celebration next year. All humor. I think that would draw an audience.  I'll get back to you on that!  

Friday, March 20, 2009

Java J's March 19

 I arrived at Java J's on time last night. Terry was already there; however, we found our space occupied by the Bristol Business and Professional Women's Org, too many to take on in a fist fight! :) Actually, they were very friendly and quickly admitted they had assumed they could have that space without checking first.

By 7:00 Leon had arrived. We bought coffee drinks and settled at a large Mission style round oak table a little ways away from where the BB&PWO had ordered food and spread out their papers all over the rectangular table that along with their chairs, took up our entire "telling space."

A guest, Carl Jenkins, a prospective member, joined us and we all decided to wait until just before our program was to begin and if we had an audience, we would ask the women to move. Well, it never came about. No audience, other than Carl, showed up so we carried on telling anecdotes and tales among ourselves at the round table built for four. 

Carl and Terry are both beginners, and since Leon and I are old-timers, we were able to answer a lot of their questions about creating and telling stories. Terry told a very entertaining story he had hoped to tell in front of an audience about Andrew Jackson's three duels. Jackson is a well-known figure and legend in this region due to having been a lawyer in Jonesborough for some time. Terry was open to comments and suggestions  from us as we gave him feedback.

Leon told an anecdote he had recently heard from his mother about a relative's childhood during the Civil War. Carl is a Civil War re-enactor and discussion moved into "Us (Confederacy) versus Them (Yankees)." Interestingly, two of us had been raised in Tennessee, and two of us moved to the area as adults after we had been raised in Indiana and New Hampshire respectively.

I expressed some feelings I had about being labeled an "outsider" and related some incidences of culture clash I had experienced during my 25 years of residency. (Terry has been here only one year.) Carl who is retiring soon as a high school history teacher talked about the reasons current Southerners won't let the Civil War die. He made good points about not wanting their cultural heritage taken away from them, and the history of "northerners" coming into the area to tell Southerners what they thought was a better way of doing things. It has now grown into a credo of "don't mess with the way I do things," or "mind your own business." 

When someone who is not a local speaks out about something they think is of national interest,
the local hears it as "I know how this should be done better than you do," and thinks his business, individuality, philosophy is being demeaned. The example I had given was my asking a neighbor to paint out some graffiti on his corner shop that I thought demeaned the whole tiny community we live in, and he refused saying if I wanted it repainted, I could do it myself. I saw myself as a concerned citizen interested in our community, and thought he was being obstinate and rude, while, Carl pointed out, my neighbor saw me as not minding my own business and telling him how things should be done. 

They said my approach was too straightforward and confrontational. I didn't think it was confrontational at all, although I will agree I was upfront with what I wanted. My colleagues last night suggested I should have pressured my neighbor through his church or a community group. Perhaps, but that is a piece of passive-aggresive-ness that I have tried to discard from my character traits.

Well, my discussion with the guys last night did help me to understand my neighbors better if I think about it. I did present some points, however, my friends eventually agreed with, such as "Southern" and "Yankee" qualities are not in the DNA but are ways of looking at the world. 

I'm amazed that as their Director I've lasted as long as I have with few disagreements. Perhaps because I've been ready to listen and to compromise.  My goal now is to mind my own business, and if, for the good of the group, I must mind their business, I find another way to approach and talk about the problem.

The problem BCS  now has is that the group is not supporting each other as well as they could. They don't attend  the monthly events if they are not scheduled to tell, and the feeling of a group community is not nourished until a Special Event when everyone greets everyone else like it's a family reunion. I'm hoping to help the camaraderie grow through the Story laboratories that are planned for this summer. We'll see. I'd love to put someone else in charge of the labs, preferably a Southerner who will know better how to motivate them. Hmmm, let me think about that a bit.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Thufferin' Thuchatash--It's Thamuel

 Pat Musselman the only female storyteller in the program held her own and closed the Arts Array program with her audience favorite, Samuel. Pat likes it especially because she gets to make lots of funny noises and that's why the audience likes it, too!
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Leon, The Boones Creek Bard

 Leon Overbay was also one of the storytellers for the Feb. 5 Arts Array program in Abingdon, VA. He's shown here following the show with one of the members of the audience, an old friend of his.
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Arts Array Program Feb. 5

 I did not get to tell at this storytelling program due to ice and snow that prevented me from getting up and down the hill leading to our house in the woods. However, four BCS members managed to get there and had a really good program with a most appreciative audience. Well, maybe they weren't really applauding; perhaps their hands were just shaking from the cold.

All joking aside, those present could not believe that so many people turned out for this free storytelling program sponsored by the Arts Array pBrogram of Virginia Highlands Community College. The ice and snow were not so bad as to affect those who lived on village streets and flat rural roads. But the temperatures were frigid!
BCS members who told were G. Lee Hearl, Paul Conco, Leon Overbay, and Pat Musselman.

I really hated to miss it. Sponsorship meant that the program was free to the public, but a small fee was received by the storytellers. In these economic times, the small fee was appreciated very much.


 
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Sunday, March 8, 2009

Big Mouths In A Little Pond

Unlike beavers who chomp things down,
We're like big fish in a little pond,
But like our cousins, we gather in groups,
And help each other jump through hoops
Of words. They're our delight,
We always hope to get them right.
So, come and hear us when we tell,
We guarantee your hearts will swell.

Mimi Rockwell 
(copyrighted Feb. 28, 2009)


Saturday, March 7, 2009

http://www.bristolstorytellers.org

Finally, finally--I successfully uploaded Beaver Creek's new website yesterday. The Old Christmas performance of Jan. 6 of this year is there, but the blog will continue here. Blogs are like journals and you need to write in them often, even once a day sometimes. Blogspot sponsored by Google is a very easy way to communicate with members of a group. Especially nice is the ability to show relevant pictures, either individually or in a slideshow.

I hope you will experiment with this Blog and make your ideas and thoughts known through the Comment process. 

At the bottom of this blog you will see the words "Atom Post." If you click on that, you will receive updates of all the posts and comments on your email provider's homepage so you don't have to keep loading this blog and then find there isn't anything new there.

If you experiment with this for awhile, you'll see what I'm talking about and discover how convenient it is. Of course, I'm assuming you are not acquainted with blogging when perhaps you can blog rings around me. I hope you will enjoy this blog, so my efforts are not in vain.

The url for our new website is http://www.bristolstorytellers.org. Mimi 

How To "Follow" This Blog and Make Comments

To become a follower of this blog, in the right hand column of the home page you will see, "Follow and Connect With Your Friends" or words to that effect. Click on this and fill out what is needed. Be sure to save it (usually a button somewhere below) It should return you to the blog's home page (where the posts appear). If you have selected a photo of yourself on the page you just filled out, you will see a tiny little photo that you submitted under "Followers." You will notice that the number of followers has now gone up by one (YOU). You are not obligating yourself to anything, just letting the world know that you are a fan of this blog. 

If you wish to post a comment, look at the end of the latest posting. You will see the word "Comments" or something similar, along with the image of a pencil. Click on those words and a page that looks the same will come up, but with all the other comments that have been made (if any). When finished writing your comment, you can click on "Preview" to see what it's going to look like, or you can click on "Post" or "Publish" if you are satisfied with it. Be patient, it takes a little time for the computer to post it.

If you have trouble, send me an email, and I'll try to help from my end.

Friday, March 6, 2009

About Us

We are a non-profit group of storytellers founded in 1997 and located around the region of Bristol, TN and VA. This city of 50,000 people lies in both states located near the Holston Range of the Appalachian Mountains between Virginia's Blue Ridge and Tennessee's Smoky Mountains.

And yes, there is a Beaver Creek that flows through the city. It begins in Virginia and joins the Holston River in Sullivan County, Tennessee. This is the area where most of our members live or where they were born. 

Our mission is to improve and advance the Art of Story through performances, education, and public relations. Most of all we gather together to have fun!

Our founding members are Mimi and Rocky Rockwell (Mimi remains the Director), G. Lee Hearl, Pat Musselman, Joyce Moore, Wilhelmina Banks, and Isaac Freeman.

We tell monthly at Java J's Downtown, a coffee shop on State Street, the street that divides the city into two states. We also perform at some special events as scheduled through the year.