On July 19, the North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners approved 68 applicants for licensure as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) in the State of North Carolina. One of them was Meredith Barber Tuttle of King.

Applicants for licensure are required to pass the Uniform CPA Examination and satisfy the education, work experience and moral character requirements of the Board. A CPA certified to practice in North Carolina must annually renew his or her license and complete at least 40 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), including an ethics course. North Carolina has more than 18,000 actively licensed CPAs.

I finally went swimming last week--just in the nick of time before the pools close. That waterslide was slick as a whistle, and it kept my youngest daughter happy as a lark all day. She and the other kids were good as gold.

But when it was time to leave, we were out of there like a bat out of Georgia, packed in my little car, snug as a bug in a rug. By and large, it was a great day.

The most astute of my readers might notice that I just used seven common idioms in five sentences. We do this all the time, usually never thinking about what we are saying. Why do we say what we say? My daddy is so fascinated by this subject that he keeps a notepad nearby to write down these figures of speech.

Let’s examine the sayings I used earlier:

“Nick of time”—This idiom is thought to be at least 300 years old. The nick referred to is a groove or notch such as one cut out in wood by a knife. This nick was thought to convey the idea of precision and accuracy. Adding it to “of time” came to represent the preciseness of time.

My favorite writer, Henry David Thoreau, helped to popularize the saying in his book Walden: “In any weather, at any hour of the day or night, I have been anxious to improve the nick of time, and notch it on my stick too; to stand on the meeting of two eternities, the past and future, which is precisely the present moment; to toe that line.”

“Slick as a whistle”—This figure of speech was first seen in literature in 1830. The phrase is thought to have evolved from “clean as a whistle.” Experts believe that before that, it was “clear as a whistle,” referring to the sound of a really good whistle that could be heard clearly even amidst other noise. That being a good quality, the other adjectives began to be used with “whistle” to mean something done well or expertly, as a good whistle would be sounded.

“Happy as a lark”—This one seems to be pretty easy to figure out. Larks are birds known for their cheerful birdsong and easygoing acrobatics as they soar into the sky. In jolly old England, young men who got into mischief by their devil-may-care deeds were said to be “larking around.” Being happy as a lark appears to mean being as carefree as those birds in the air which express their joy through song.

“Good as gold”—Again, this common saying is straightforward in meaning. Throughout the ages, economies have valued gold as the premier metal to represent wealth. Many countries have been on the gold standard—gold is held as the highest measurement of calculating how much something is worth economically.

Saying something is as good as gold is a high compliment about the character or behavior of that person or thing. The idiom has been in usage for a few centuries but wasn’t seen in literature until Thomas Hood utilized the phrase in 1845.

“Like a bat out of Georgia”—I admit defeat on this one. It was mentioned in a book about folklore of North Carolina from 1912-1943 by Dr. Frank C. Brown, but I could find nothing on the origin of this saying. It obviously means getting out of somewhere as quickly as you can.

Bats appear to flit rapidly through the night air and are often associated with darkness, so they are good objects to use to describe having to get out of an unsavory situation fast. Georgia was a colony originally organized to be home for convicts, debtors, the poor and other such classes of people. Although that original purpose wasn’t truly realized, still Georgia may carry that connotation in the light of “a bat out of Georgia.” Who knows? If you do, please let me know.

“Snug as a bug in a rug”—This saying is thought to relate to the comfort and warmth of a bug that has burrowed into a hearth rug in olden days when the fire would be burning brightly just inches away. The idiom was first used in print in 1769 in the Stratford Jubilee which advertised a Shakespearean festival. Benjamin Franklin also used the phrase in 1772 when he wrote an epitaph for his friend’s dead squirrel. “Skugg” was a common name for a squirrel back in the day, so Franklin played on the rhyme: “Here lies Skugg, snug as a bug in a rug.”

“By and large”—Most people use this term today with no idea that it is a nautical term. It has been used for centuries to mean the ability to sail a boat both with and against the wind. The word “large” was first seen in print as a sailing term in 1591, used to describe a wind blowing from anywhere behind the compass bearings of the ship. In other words, a ship could easily make progress with a large wind to push it on.

Mariners used the word “by” to mean the opposite—to sail into the wind rather than with it. So “by and large” came to mean sailing a ship either way or “with all things considered,” leading to the present meaning of “on the whole” or “overall.”

So you see that we often speak things that originated on the old paths but have been removed from their source as we have moved onto the newer paths. In other words, many times we say something without having a clue what we’re really saying!

Editor’s Note: Events listed in the calendar must be submitted in writing. Calendar items are not accepted over the telephone. Information may be e-mailed to levans@thestokesnews.com or faxed to 591-4379. The deadline is 3 p.m. Monday prior to publication. The calendar is reserved for non-profit organizations, school and community events. Ongoing calendar items will publish the last week of each month. They will publish at other times as space allows. Items may be submitted two weeks prior to the event. Because of space limitations, some announcements only appear the week of the event. If you have a legal requirement to publish an announcement, you must purchase advertising space.

Food drive—The Sandy Ridge Ruritan Club is conducting a food drive for East Stokes Outreach Ministry in Walnut Cove. The food items need to be non-perishable items with no glass jars or bottles. To donate food or ask any questions, please call Jimmy Ellington at 871-2049.

Senior Center raffle—The King Senior Center is holding a raffle of a granny-square afghan, approximately six feet by five feet, crocheted by Nancy Greer. Tickets are one dollar donation each or six tickets for five dollars. The raffle will be held Oct. 2 at KingFest. For more information, please call 983-0751.

New website—The Stokes County Agricultural Fair has a new resource—a website that can be accessed at http://www.stokescountyfair.org/index.php.

Kingfest preparations—The King Chamber of Commerce is now accepting food and craft vendor applications for Kingfest 2010. Kingfest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Central Park in King. Please contact the King Chamber of Commerce at kcoc@windstream.net or 336-983-9308.

Class reunion—Alumni from East Surry High School Class of 1970 are participating in a class reunion website at http://classreport.org. There are no registration fees required to join. Each class member has full participation privileges. All 1970 graduates are invited to fill out a profile on this site so they can be reached regarding the next class reunion. For more information, call Teri Creasy Stewart at 374-5902 or Lynn Jessup Arrington at 320-2400.

Class of ’80 reunion—East Surry High School 1980 graduates are planning a 30-year reunion for October 2010. Please call 983-7685 to share contact information with a member of the reunion planning committee. Contact information can also be entered on the website at: eastsurryhighschool1980.weebly.com or on the East Surry High School Class of 1980 Facebook page.

Library raffle—The Friends of the Walnut Cove Public Library are having a raffle for a signed copy of White Christmas, Bloody Christmas, the story of the Lawson family. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from a member of the Friends or at the library. Call 591-7496 for more information.

Zumba class—The public is invited to join the Zumba Gold class at the Walnut Cove Senior Center, 308 Brook Street, on Wednesdays from 6–7 p.m. ($25 for four weeks) and/or Thursdays from 2–3 p.m. at $3 per class. For more information, call 336-591-5442.

Thu., Sept. 2

Tourism discussion—There will be a discussion of tourism opportunities in Stokes County on Sept. 2 from 3-5 p.m. in the YMCA Camp Hanes Conference Room, 1225 Camp Hanes Rd., King. The focus is to map the tourism assets of Stokes County and determine how to best conserve, manage and develop these assets to create jobs and new investment in the community. Public input and support is needed to make this a success. For more information, contact Alan D. Wood, Economic Development Director, at 336-593-2496 or adwood@co.stokes.nc.us.

Blood drive—There will be an American Red Cross blood drive at the Stokes Family YMCA on Sept. 2 from 2:30–7 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 4

Yard sale—There will be a large yard sale to benefit a local charity on Sept. 4 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Carolina Christian Village, 604 Ingram Drive, King. There will be a silent auction, 50/50 drawing, bake sale and much more. The rain date is Sept. 11.

Tue., Sept. 7

Tea Party meeting—The Stokes Tea Party Patriots will meet Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the King Public Library’s Shelton Room, corner of West Dalton Street and Pilot View Drive in King.

Blood drive—There will be an American Red Cross blood drive at the Stokes County Administration Building on Sept. 7 from 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 11

Stokes Stomp—The 36th Annual Stokes Stomp, Festival on the Dan, is scheduled for Sept. 11-12 at Moratock Park in Danbury. The hours are Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30-5:30 p.m. The event features a parade, entertainment, food, arts and crafts, the Dan River Duck Race, canoe and kayak safety, The Little Folks Tent, Stokes County Boy Scouts and much more! Admission is free. The entertainment lineup will be listed at www.StokesArts.org and www.FoothillsHayride.com in the near future. Spaces are still available for arts and crafts vendors. Please contact the Stokes County Arts Council for additional information at (336) 593-8159.

Sun., Sept. 12

FFA Alumni Association—The North Stokes FFA Chapter will be hosting an organizational meeting of the North Stokes FFA Alumni Association on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The purpose of this meeting is to create an organization within the North Stokes community to support the agricultural education program and the FFA Chapter at NSHS through assisting with fundraisers, donating supplies, helping students with projects or being a mentor to FFA members. Participants do not have to be a former FFA member or NSHS graduate. Please contact Ben Hall at 593-8134 or ben.hall@stokes.k12.nc.us.

Family reunion—The Nelson reunion will be Sept. 12 on Darron Road in Walkertown at Morris Chapel fellowship hall. All descendents of Bun, Mint, Minerva and Philander Nelson are welcome and asked to bring a picnic lunch and any old pictures they would like to share. All drinks, cups and plates will be furnished. For more information, call 591-4535 or 724-7729.

Family reunion—The Burton-Crews reunion will be held September 12 at the Forest Chapel United Methodist Church. Lunch will be at 1 p.m.

Tue., Sept. 14

SPC board meeting—The next meeting of the Stokes Partnership for Children Board of Directors will be Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in the SPC Conference Room, 151 Jefferson Church Road, King. The public is invited to attend.

Sat., Sept. 18

Class reunion—The East Surry High School Class of 1970 is planning a reunion for Sept. 18. Anyone who has not received an invitation or knows of someone who hasn’t is asked to call Lynn Jessup Arrington at 320-2400 for more details. Organizers invite classmates to participate to renew friendships and make new memories with each other.

Cancer benefit—The American Cancer Society will be hosting a Bark For Life walk on September 18 at Tanglewood Park, Shelter 4 (4061 Clemmons Road, Clemmons). Registration begins at 9 a.m., walk begins at 10 a.m. There will be contests, games, food and entertainment after the walk. To register, go to http://www.relayforlife.org/barkwinstonsalem. For more information, please call: 336-834-0844.

Sun., Sept. 19

Blood drive—There will be an American Red Cross blood drive at the King Moravian Church on Sept. 19 from 12–4:30 p.m.

Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser—There will be the annual Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser in honor of Austin Doub on Sept. 19 at Red Bank Missionary Baptist Church, 8104 Red Bank Road, Germanton. There will be food, games, silent auction, bingo and a cruise-in. All proceeds go to Muscular Dystrophy Association. Rain date is September 26.

Mon., Sept. 20

Early childhood opportunity—KidSource Child Care Resource and Referral, a program of Stokes Partnership for Children, is offering training on “Partnering with Parents, Grandparents too!” with Karatha Scott, Early Childhood Instructor, presenting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at SPC. Serving children requires an understanding of their families and how families function, an understanding of parenting styles, an appreciation for diversity and a multitude of differences. This workshop will explore some strategies for building effective partnerships with parents and grandparents, too! For all workshops there is no charge for parents, families, grandparents and foster parents for attending the training, but a $7 fee for child care providers. Division of Child Development (DCD) credits will be given. A meal will be provided, but child care will not be available during this training. Registration is required! Contact KidSource Child Care Resource and Referral staff at 336-985-2676 or 800-559-5606 or www.stokespfc.com for more information.

Tue., Sept. 21

Lunch and Learn—The Walnut Cove Senior Center and Hospice and Palliative CareCenter invite the public to a Lunch and Learn Series at the Walnut Cove Public Library, 106 West 5th Street, Walnut Cove, from 12–1 p.m. on Sept. 21. The program that day is “Palliative Care.” There is no charge, but participants must RSVP at (336) 591-5442 by the Friday before the program. Lunch will be provided after the program.

Sat., Sept. 25

Animal Rescue fundraiser—There will be a barbecue fundraiser by Charles Montgomery on Sept. 25. Proceeds will benefit the Animal Rescue of Stokes County. One pound of barbecue, slaw, sauce and buns is $10. Call 414-6013 for tickets. Pick-up will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Bobby's Garage in Walnut Cove.



Local Sustainability Festival—The Local Sustainability Festival will be held Sept. 25 at the Hare Krishna Temple, 1283 Prabhupada Road, Sandy Ridge, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The theme is "Can Stokes County sustain its own needs?” with regard to food, shelter, energy and employment. The event is free, but donations will be appreciated to cover the cost of a 1 p.m. lunch of locally grown food. There will be a Wild Food Hike and eight more presentations on Permaculture, Alternative Fuels, Edible Landscaping, Re-establishing the American Chestnut and Community Supported Agriculture. For more information, see harekrishnafestivals.blogspot.com.

Mon., Sept. 27

Blood drive—There will be an American Red Cross blood drive at the Poplar Springs Church of Christ on Sept. 27 from 2:30–7:30 p.m.

Tue., Sept. 28

Early childhood opportunity—KidSource Child Care Resource and Referral, a program of Stokes Partnership for Children, is offering training on “Creative Lesson Planning!” with Harriett Childress, Read-to-Me Literacy Coordinator, presenting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at King Public Library. Come explore shortcuts, resources and simple ways to make lesson planning easier and less time consuming. There will also be exploration of ways to plan across the curriculum, integrating literacy in other subject areas. For all workshops there is no charge for parents, families, grandparents and foster parents for attending the training, but a $7 fee for child care providers. Division of Child Development (DCD) credits will be given. A meal will be provided, but child care will not be available during this training. Registration is required! Contact KidSource Child Care Resource and Referral staff at 336-985-2676 or 800-559-5606 or www.stokespfc.com for more information.

Tue., Sept. 28

Blood drive—There will be an American Red Cross blood drive at West Stokes High School on Sept. 28 from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 29

Military reunion—There will be a USS COLUMBUS CA-74/CG-12/SSN-762 reunion Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Best Western Albany Airport Inn. Those who are interested or Navy and Marine Corps shipmates who served on the USS COLUMBUS CA-74/CG-12 from 1944-1976 and the USS COLUMBUS (SSN-762) past and present who would like to share memories and camaraderie with old friends and make new ones, please contact Allen R. Hope, president, at 3828 Hobson Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46815-4505, contact him at (260) 486-2221 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, by fax at 260-492-9771 or by email at hope4391@verizon.net.

Fri., Oct. 1

Fiddlers’ convention—“The Old Timers Cup,” a fiddlers’ convention, will be held at Jomeokee campground in Pinnacle Oct. 1-2 at 6 p.m. nightly. There will be cash prizes, trophies and ribbons. Admission will be $6, with contestant tickets at $10. (Pre-registration is not required). There will also be a best chicken stew contest Friday. For more information, go to http://www.foothillshayride.com.

Sat., Oct. 2

Kingfest—The annual Kingfest will be held on Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Central Park in King.

Sat., Oct. 16

Music for Mutts—The Fourth Annual "Music for Mutts" will be held on Oct. 16 at Central Park in King from 12 noon-4 p.m. There will be music, food by Chestnut Grove Ruritans, pet costume contest, doggie games, auction, crafts, pet photos, inflatables and face painting for kids, horsecart rides, microchipping clinic, police dog demo and visits with "Susie" from "Susie's Law" from 2-4 p.m. Admission is free! Visit

www.animalrescueofstokescounty.com for the schedule of events and auction items.

Tue., Oct. 19

Lunch and Learn—The Walnut Cove Senior Center and Hospice and Palliative CareCenter invite the public to a Lunch and Learn Series at the Walnut Cove Public Library, 106 West 5th Street, Walnut Cove, from 12–1 p.m. on Oct. 19. The program that day is “Treatment Options.” There is no charge, but participants must RSVP at (336) 591-5442 by the Friday before the program. Lunch will be provided after the program.

Sat., Nov. 6

Class reunion—The 35th reunion of South Stokes High School Class of 1975 will be held on Nov. 6 at The Village Inn Golf and Conference Center, 6205 Ramada Drive, Clemmons, from 7 p.m.-until. The cost is $30 per person before Oct. 1. Make checks payable to SSHS Class of 75, PO Box 53, King, NC 27021 or use credit cards on the Paypal link at www.sshs1975.com. There will be heavy hors d'oeuvres, a DJ and cash bar. Rooms will be available for $68 plus tax. Reservations should be made early since several events are scheduled that evening. Call 336-766-9121 or visit: www.sshs1975.com for complete details.

Sat., Dec. 4

Bus trip—The Stokes County E.C.A. will take a bus trip on Dec. 4 to see the American Music Jubilee Christmas show at the Rudy Theatre in Selma and to visit the Carolina Outlet Shopping Mall. For more information, call Madeline Watkins at 593-8866.