No Peeking! A Christmas Tale from Judi Tarowsky

Storyteller's Christmas: No Peeking!

My mother used to "hide" our Christmas gifts in different places in the days leading up to the Big Day. We found the first hiding place, at least that I can remember, in the closet under the stairs. I was about six then, I think. Then she shifted her stash to her bedroom, a place off-limits to children unless we were invited in. The door was almost always locked, but through the keyhole we could see a big mound covered with a sheet. We knew Santa brought most of our gifts, of course, but we also knew that our parents provided some--and that mound was s-o-o-o mysterious! 

Today Judi Tarowsky of Saint Clairsville, Ohio, shares her earlies Christmas memory. Judi has family roots in Gilmer county, West Virginia and she is currently president of the WV Storytelling Guild. 

______________________________________________________________

No Peeking!

The first Christmas I can remember was when I was a little over 2 years old, and we were living in a two-story house on Fairmont Street in New Castle, PA. I was a restless sleeper, so I was still in my crib. My mother was afraid I’d toss myself onto the floor if I were in a “big girl” bed.

 Although I’m sure I had heard all the excitement about Christmas, it hadn’t yet registered with me about Christmas morning and a visit from Santa Claus. My memory is of my older brother coming into my room when it was still dark outside, and waking me up.

“Let’s see what Santa brought us!” he said, as I climbed out of my crib and followed him into the hallway. “Shhhhh!”

Our house was two-story, with a landing halfway up the stairs. We stopped there on the landing, to look out over the living room. All was dark, except for the streetlight shining in the front window. And there, below us under the Christmas tree, something was reflecting the streetlight. Something shining. 

           

Handlebars! Handlebars on a two-wheel bike for my brother and a tricycle for me!

We scampered down the stairs as quietly as we could to inspect the marvels that Santa had left. A bicycle! 

A tricycle! Oh, the wonder! So, this is what Santa Claus did while we were sleeping! There were wrapped packages under the tree, too, but our attention was focused on the bikes. My brother wouldn’t be able to ride his bike outside until spring, but I could wheel my tricycle around the first floor of the house.

 My brother’s curiosity was satisfied, and my newly-awakened curiosity realized it was satisfied, too. We tip-toed back up the stairs – our parents were still asleep – and my brother made sure I safely climbed back into my crib.

It’s a memory. It’s a story I’ve told to our son, so now it’s his story, too. May this Christmas, and all those hereafter, bring wonderful memories to your family.

             

Share yours. Make stories.                                                         

Judi Young Tarowsky holds a BSJ from WVU and a Graduate Certificate in Storytelling from the University of North Texas. She formerly worked as a newspaper reporter in Wheeling and Steubenville, OH. Among other venues, she has performed at Three Rivers Storytelling Festival, the WV State Folk Festival, and many other venues. She was one of the founders of the Grand Vue Storytelling Festival and the Pricketts Fort Storytelling Festival.

Contact Judi at: 

Judi Tarowsky

www.tellerjuditarowsky.com

740-391-1576

mtarowsky@gmail.com

Blue Church and WVSG: Scary Stories Coming Oct 31

What’s Halloween without a chilling ghost story or two?     

Wheeling National Heritage Area’s new series, The Word @ Blue Church, and the West Virginia Storytelling Guild are preparing an evening of shivery fright with a Halloween ghost story concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at The Blue Church, 1206 Byron St., Wheeling. The major sponsor for the concert is the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The concert is the second in the new series, The Word @ Blue Church.

Four members of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild will present a variety of ghost stories for adults under the title, “Would You Like to Hear a Scary Story?” The concert is a joint fundraising event primarily to benefit The Blue Church renovations, as well as the WVSG ongoing professional development workshops around the state.

Tickets are $10 each and will be sold in advance on social media through Eventbrite on the Wheeling National Heritage Area and The Blue Church sites. Tickets also will be $10 at the door.

Guests will enjoy a complementary light hors d’oeuvres buffet. Beverages will be available.

photo from weelunk,com

The storytellers:

Rich Knoblich of Marshall County is author of Talking ‘bout the Relatives. He frequently judges and participates (eight ribbons) in the WV Liar’s Contest. His writings have been published in various national and regional magazines. Once the Ghost Host for Steel City Bus Tours paranormal excursions, he now guides for Oglebay Resort’s Festival of Lights.

Mikalena Zuckett of Charleston has lived most of her life in West Virginia. Born in Wheeling, she earned a BA from Bethany College in communications and a MA from WVU in counseling psychology. Mrs. Zuckett is currently WVSG’s secretary. She has performed a variety of folktales at WVSG’s tent during the past three Vandalia Gatherings and performed on the Capital Grounds for WV 150^th Celebration. Today Mrs. Zuckett is excited to share some of the stories she heard growing up, stories about the early days of Wheeling and Ohio County.

Judi Tarowsky lives in St. Clairsville, Ohio.  She tells original tall tales, history stories, folk tales and Appalachian ghost tales.  Judi currently is president of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild. She holds a graduate certificate in storytelling from the University of North Texas School of Library Sciences.  She received her bachelor of science in journalism at West Virginia University and she had worked for many years in Wheeling with The Intelligencer and The News-Register. 

Stas Ziolkowski of Pittsburgh has been telling stories for more than 40 years as a schoolteacher of science, mathematics, and as a planetarium director. He has years of experience in community and school theaters, acting, directing, writing, and even some choreography. He moved to the Pittsburgh area after six years in Arkansas, where he produced the Fairfield Bay Storyfest.

Telling Tales at the WV Storytelling Festival

Storytellers Fred Powers, Adam Booth, Susanna Holstein and Ilene Evans were the featured tellers at the annual West Virginia Storytelling Festival at Jackson's Mill near Weston, WV on October 14 and 15, 2015. 

Over 1000 school children attended over the two-day event. This festival has been in existence since 1996 and continues to attract schools that bring children to hear some of the finest of West Virginia's storytellers.

Fred "Powerhouse" Powers tells tales from his years of experience as a coal miner in McDowell County. A retired miner, Fred taught middle school before retiring a second time; he is now writing stories and performs widely as a storyteller. Fred is a WV History Hero.

Ilene Evans shares traditional folk tales and songs as well as stories from the African American experience, often appearing as History Alive character Harriet Tubman. Her performances include music, dance and sometimes multilingual stories.

Adam Booth tells Appalachian stories and original tall tales. He also sings ballads and folk songs and plays a variety of musical instruments. Adam is a multiple-time winner of the WV Liars Contest and was a featured New Voice at the National Storytelling Festival in 2015.

Susanna "Granny Sue" Holstein also tells traditional Appalachian folk tales including Jack tales, tall tales, ghost stories, historical stories and family stories. She sings Appalachian and British ballads and often tells stories about her husband's childhood in the coalfields of southern Kanawha county, WV. She leads an annual ghost walk in her county's seat or Ripley, WV.

Fairmont Retreat Teller Slate Announced

Hello, 

Our concert slate for Friday April 24 is complete.

Our tellers will be: Katie Ross, Karen Vuranch, Tom Burnett, Mike Kubisek, Damon Hanshaw and Suzi Whaples.

Tellers: keep your stories to 10 minutes, 12 MAX. They can be on any theme you like and it probably will be an audience of all ages.

I will serve as Emcee.

If your plans change, please let me know ASAP, so I can replace you.

Thanks for volunteering, and bite your lip!

Judi

Call for tellers for free public concert by the WVSG April 24 at the West Virginia Folk Life Center at Fairmont State University

Hello, All,

This is a call for tellers for the free public concert the WVSG will be presenting on Friday, April 24 at the West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University.

We will be able to present a free concert from 7:30-9 p.m. The number of tellers taking part will determine the length of story each will do. I know everyone is not going to be able to make it Friday, but if you can, and would like to tell, please let me know. We will be doing this concert gratis.

Dr. Byers has asked me to tell you that if you have any books or CDs you'd like to sell, we can have a table set up that night. Her department will be helping to publicize this, so this will be a wonderful time to share the beauty of storytelling to an interested audience. I plan to have some membership forms on hand if someone wants to join at that time, or take the form home and send it in later.

The retreat itself will begin Saturday, April 25 at 9 a.m. at the Folklife Center. The Guild board will be meeting at 9 a.m. with members of StorySwap from Pittsburgh to discuss some mutual matters. The board also will be looking at a couple pending Guild topics. We should finish up by 10:30 a.m. 

While the board is meeting, the others may gather in small groups to work on stories and offer coaching. This is a good time to try new material or discuss sticking points with other tellers.

Susanna Holstein has indicated she will do a workshop on blogging and I will present one on enriching your stories with details. We can work out the times as we go here.

At 3 p.m. we'll conclude the retreat and hold a Guild meeting, which should wrap up by 4 p.m. 

Lunch - Dr. Byers told me that the Falcon Center has brunch from 11-1 so if we break at noon we can walk (or drive) to the center on campus for this meal. If you'd like to go off campus, that's fine, too. 

I know there will be other details I'll be sharing with you as time approaches. But in the meantime, please let me know if you're interested in telling that Friday night. 

Stay warm,

Judi

mtarowsky@gmail.com

Hello, All,

This is a call for tellers for the free public concert the WVSG will be presenting on Friday, April 24 at the West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University.

We will be able to present a free concert from 7:30-9 p.m. The number of tellers taking part will determine the length of story each will do. I know everyone is not going to be able to make it Friday, but if you can, and would like to tell, please let me know. We will be doing this concert gratis.

Dr. Byers has asked me to tell you that if you have any books or CDs you'd like to sell, we can have a table set up that night. Her department will be helping to publicize this, so this will be a wonderful time to share the beauty of storytelling to an interested audience. I plan to have some membership forms on hand if someone wants to join at that time, or take the form home and send it in later.

The retreat itself will begin Saturday, April 25 at 9 a.m. at the Folklife Center. The Guild board will be meeting at 9 a.m. with members of StorySwap from Pittsburgh to discuss some mutual matters. The board also will be looking at a couple pending Guild topics. We should finish up by 10:30 a.m. 

While the board is meeting, the others may gather in small groups to work on stories and offer coaching. This is a good time to try new material or discuss sticking points with other tellers.

Susanna Holstein has indicated she will do a workshop on blogging and I will present one on enriching your stories with details. We can work out the times as we go here.

At 3 p.m. we'll conclude the retreat and hold a Guild meeting, which should wrap up by 4 p.m. 

Lunch - Dr. Byers told me that the Falcon Center has brunch from 11-1 so if we break at noon we can walk (or drive) to the center on campus for this meal. If you'd like to go off campus, that's fine, too. 

I know there will be other details I'll be sharing with you as time approaches. But in the meantime, please let me know if you're interested in telling that Friday night. 

Stay warm,

Judi

email me at mtarowsky@gmail.com