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As The Crow Flies
Nature’s Message: Carry On Story and photo by Doug Pifer
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As a difficult and challenging year winds down and the pandemic shows new surges, I find much comfort observing nature. Late fall to me represents more of a beginning than an end. Small daily and nightly events take on major significance for me this year. Trees in our back woods create their own slow adagio in autumnal symphony, as brown and gray trunks harmonize with the gray-green lichens on their bark. Freshly fallen oak leaves permeate the air with their tannic acid smell even as acorns sprout in the dark soil underneath them. Witch hazel has lost its leaves too. And now its nut-like capsules pop open and shoot out their black seeds, while its bright yellow blossoms light up the woods like miniature fireworks. A late-flying, solitary bat flies in circles over the paddock, its wings lit by the sinking sun. This might be its last meal of flying insects until it awakens from hibernation next spring. Many folks might envy a bat, wishing they could sleep through the winter to avoid the resurgent pandemic and feelings of isolation and despair. Instead, this bat represents a victory to me. Our bats have suffered through their own epidemic, a fungal disease. This bat made it through. Nature’s message is “carry on!” A white-tailed buck with bone-colored antlers slips cautiously through the brown woods along our stream buffer. His frantic days of doe-chasing and avoiding hunters are coming to an end. He’s likely to bed down in a nearby thicket and come out to feed tonight, regaining his weight and composure. Around him, groups of robins fly through the woods.
Attracted to the nearby spring, they call excitedly. I even hear brief bits of their spring song. At night we hear a male fox’s double bark from the front yard. Foxes become vocal this time of year, as they stake out territories and pair off. Next day I arrive home to see him standing in the paddock next to the barn door. He lifts his head to give the same bark. As he turns around to leave, his magnificent, white-tipped tail follows him though the woven wire fence and into the woods beyond. At dusk, a pair of great horned owls call to each other from along the creek. His hoots are pitched lower, even though she is bigger than he is. They
are courting each other now and will likely lay their first egg in late January. The live-nest camera at the National Conservation Training Center reveals the eagles have started repairing their old nest for the new season. Fresh straw has been brought to the nest and a few new sticks line the edges. No eagle appears but a pair of ravens pass overhead, flying close together with synchronized wing beats. They perform a barrel roll as if in tandem, matching wingbeats stroke by stroke. Like the bald eagles, ravens will soon begin their nesting season. As the sand in the hourglass of 2020 runs out, I see and hear promises of new beginnings.
JAN 20 21
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David Lillard, Editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher Aundrea Humphreys, Art Director Hali Taylor, Proofreader
JANUARY CONTRIBUTORS Brooke Chilvers Clarke County Keith Patterson Doug Pifer Scott and Lisa Seeberger
COVER IMAGE Photos courtesy of Barns of Rose Hill
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The Joe Biden I Know I gather I am one of the few people who have beaned Joe Biden on the shoulder and torso with crabapples — at least in his adult years… As this edition goes to press, we are a week away from inaugurating a new president. Whatever your views, as a Delaware native, I would like to share a few notes about the incoming president. My first encounter with Joe, as he is known in our small state, was during his run for county council in 1970. My parents and I were sitting on the front porch sipping coffee, our after-supper ritual. Joe walked past the house, and asked if he could join us. My dad, a union pipe coverer who knew that Biden was pro-labor, was delighted. Joe stayed for the better part of an hour. Like any good politician, he asked a lot of questions and listened. It so happened that Biden’s wife Neilia Hunter Biden was a teacher at the Catholic school I and some of my siblings attended. Wanting to impress my father as much as Joe — not to mention Mrs. Biden — I offered to distribute flyers. Biden won the race. Two years later, no Democrat was willing to challenge the popular Sen. J. Caleb Boggs. Biden tossed his hat in the ring. He won by about 3,000 votes. Just before Christmas, Neilia and their daughter Naomi died in a car crash. Joe became a fixture at the annual union picnic. He drove kids on hayrides, hung out with the working guys. I don’t remember him giving any speeches, just going table-to-table and chatting. He has always appeared, at least to me, most at home with working people. Years later, at one picnic, my brothers and cousins (all our dads were in the union), were hanging out in the woods behind the union hall. As Joe drove the tractor pulling the hay wagon,
we lobbed crabapples into the field. “I’ll check this out,” Joe said, or something like that, thinking a few children were playing mischief. As he ran into the woods, yelling what I would describe as a rebel yell, we commenced to pitch crabapples at our Senator. I popped him right in the chest with one. Admirably, he returned our fire in retreat. When I hit him in the shoulder, after he had turned his back, he stopped and looked. “Hey, don’t hit a man in the back!” Later, not knowing whether it was appropriate to bring a beer to a U.S. Senator, I brought a cola to the table where he listened to constituents. I will never forget the smile he gave me. I took it to mean appreciation for hitting him from 60 feet with a crabapple. In later years, when I lived in Washington, DC, returning home to Wilmington on Fridays, from time to time I would see Joe boarding the Amtrak on his commute back — which he did throughout his Senate career. “Hey, Joe,” I said. He would smile and wave, I think in recognition that I was a Delawarean. Sometime during his vice presidency, I remember the traffic in the leafy suburbs coming to a stop, the traffic lights red in all directions. A limo drove by, and turned left onto Centerville Road. I imagined Joe in the back seat, embarrassed by the fuss. After all, he had been taking the train for 35 years, and driving himself home without any real notice. My dad, also a Joe, died a few years ago this month. He would be pleased to see Joe Biden, a regular guy, become president. He loved Biden. “He always looks out for working people,” Dad said. I like this, too. Still, for me, there was a more important lesson: Don’t hit a man when his back is turned. Face him. That’s the Joe I know.
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A Great Neighbor: The Barns of Rose Hill By Brooke Chilvers
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Licensed in VA. Each office independently owned and operated. Office: 540.955.0911 Brett Sowder, Priciple Broker
Entering its tenth year, the Barns of Rose Hill has blossomed as a prestigious regional arts and cultural organization. This year, Clarke monthly will share stories of the journey. We start with a love letter from a patron. We came to Clarke County in April 2016 to visit friends near historic Berryville — and left town a week later with an offer on a house deep in the woods off Frogtown Road. We’d fallen in love with the cattle-dappled landscape, the light bouncing off the Shenandoah along River Road, and the wine selection in Millwood’s Locke Store. There are a dozen good reasons we chose to settle here — at the top is Berryville’s performing arts and community center, Barns of Rose Hill. Close to home, no trouble parking, a decent wine bar, and Wolf Trap-quality entertainment at Clarke County prices with Clarke County vibes, they even serve good BBQ at some concerts.
If the focus at the Barns is on “root” music, which ranges from bluegrass and folk to jazz, blues, and Celtic, the Barns has also given us big band and barber shop music with The Yesterday Swing Orchestra. The fine classical music program, with performers such as Brian Ganz and Mark O’Connor, includes its own Rose Hill Chamber Orchestra, giving evenings of the music from Downtown Abbey, Viennese waltzes and serenades, and a dazzling performance of Appalachian Spring with Aaron Copeland’s less familiar original scoring for a 13-member chamber ensemble. The upcoming program includes, online and in person (limited to 30): February 13, 2021: singer/ bassist Aimee Curl and fourthgeneration Appalachian multiinstrumentalist Danny Knicely. March 27, 2021: The duo Swearingen and Kelli promises to raise spirits and stir hearts with their lovely harmonies
and country music beat. April 10, 2021: The Quentin Walston Trio offers an evening of jazz with hints of bebop and our favorite melodies. World music fans have been well-treated by the Barns, journeying as far as Estonia and Inner Mongolia with beautifully costumed performances by Wana Wõromaa Wunkorkestri and the Anda Union. Program director and professional musician Morgan Morrison attributes the ability of the Barns to attract not only local, but also national and international talent to its attractiveness as a venue for performers just before or after big-city gigs, so even Tuesday nights can offer a major draw. Regularly rotating art exhibition space reflects the region’s diverse taste for appealing (and affordable, if for sale) artworks. One of the best was the 2017 National Park Quilt exhibit featuring 177 original art quilts celebrating 59 of the na-
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tion’s parks. Wildly gifted caricaturist Mike Caplanis exhibited his delightful depictions of famous folks, from Ringo and Picasso to the Earp Brothers and Thelonius Monk. When the Barns brings in films, in association with Winchester’s Magic Lantern Films, it’s likely something you want to see, like Driveways (2020), with the late and great Brian Dennehy, which Robert Ebert. com gave 4½ stars. In addition to workshops, such as Painting Spring with Watercolors with Nancy Polo and Intro to Oil Painting with Jordan Xu, Barns even offers a weekly yoga class with Anna Billman under the lofted ceilings and exposed timbers of the Great Hall, rebuilt in 2011 from two former dairy barns. Lying in shavasana, the hum of our yogic ‘om’ reflects the space’s esteemed acoustics. If you come (in non-Covid times) to Trivia Nights, Thursday jamming sessions with local musicians, or the annual Patsy Cline celebration in September, Berryville offers decent Mexican, Thai, Italian, and Greek food, not to forget
the Berryville Grille. In warm weather, you can even pick up a Fox’s pizza and spread out on the picnic tables in Rose Hill or Chet Hobert Park. Barns of Rose Hill started as a 1964 donation of the estate of Horace G. Smithy to the Town of Berryville, in honor of his late wife, to be used for “the educational, recreational, and cultural benefit of the community.” But the mansion burned to the ground in 1978 and the rest fell into disrepair. It wasn’t until 2004 when a core of dedicated “Barn Raisers,” organized by Diana Kincannon, a retired performer and successful businesswoman and long-term board chair, organized a nonprofit and raised the monies from individual gifts and donations, foundations such as James R. Wilkins Sr. Family Foundation and the Monford D. and Lucy L. Custer Foundation, and grants from the Virginia Department of Historical Resources and Virginia Department of Transportation. The executive director is Clarke County native Sarah Ames; the twelve-member board draws deeply on the community’s talents and skills.
The dedicated staff at the Barns is on a first-name basis with its supporters. Tickets can be had online at Eventbrite, or at the office. You can even call the good-natured director of operations Nathan Borger, who handles daily operations as well as sound management. Despite these Covid times causing the cancellation of 28 performances, Barns of Rose Hill has endured and expanded. Livestreams, from people’s homes or at Barns with no audience on its Facebook page helped lighten the chores while we were on total lockdown all spring 2020 far away from home. At present, up to 30 listeners (instead of 175) are allowed to attend live performances, while the rest of us tune in online, sharing the thrill of a live performance. “We will continue to livestream shows when it is possible, and with the consent of the artists. This is a great way to provide art and music to those who cannot make it out,” says Morgan. The Barns welcomes some 9,000 visitors a year, with some talent attracting fans from as far away as Ohio. So, no more of this “best kept secret stuff.” We are neighbors. It’s high time folks from Clarke, Frederick, Fauquier and Loudoun counties put the Barns of Rose Hill into their GPS; or sign up for news via e-mail on its website; or add the upcoming events link to your phone; or Like it on Facebook. The Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville, VA 22611, (540) 955-2004 barnsofrosehill.org.
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Love at First Bite Catering & events Creative Menus Adorned with Flair 30+ Years of Experience Lisa Trumbower-Sheppard check out our new website!
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540.955.4462
NOW OPEN FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONSUSING OSHA SAFTY GUIDELINES Our Holistic Health Practitioners are Licensed or Certified & offer Classes & Workshops monthly! Thank you to Clarke County Economic Development and Tourism for the 2019 CARES Act grant supporting our work, and our community!
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Community Notes Handley Announces Reading Challenge 2021 Handley Regional Library System announces today the 2021 Winter Reading Challenge: Books Like Us for kids and teens in Clarke County, Frederick County, and Winchester City. The library program runs through the month of January and participants can win online tickets based on the number of books read to redeem for a chance to win raffle prizes. Library staff will also be conducting a series of programs online through their social media pages (@handleyregional) including interactive storytimes, teen video game nights, crafts, and more – all designed to connect literacy and entertainment. New to this year’s programming are the Virtual Mad Science Holidaze Show, January 16th at 2PM, where kids can experience “crazy” science experiments live on Zoom, and a special Penguin Appreciation Day on January 20 featuring puppets, stories, and a chance for participants to add a penguin to display at Bowman Library. Participants receive a small prize when registering for the
Winter Reading Challenge. Sign-up, learn more, and log your reading at handleyregional.org/ youthwinterreading. “The Winter Reading Challenge is a great way to help build core reading skills, discover a new passion, and connect with everything we have to offer,” says John Huddy, Director of Handley Regional Library System. “Kids and teens can even access our Digital Library to borrow eBooks and graphic novels through our Hoopla or Libby App on their devices, so there is something for all ages and interests.” The library system receives various forms of community support for reading programs throughout the year and would like to acknowledge and thank The RIVER 95.3 and WINC FM as this season’s media supporters for the 2021 Winter Reading Challenge. For more information, contact the public relations department at mswain@handleyregional.org or visit www.handleyregional.org.
Please visit our FB page / website or sign up for our newsletter announcing our monthly schedule.
208 N Buckmarsh St, Berryville, VA info@sanctuaryberryville.com • sanctuaryberryville.com
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New Director Takes Helm At Social Services The Clarke County Social Services Board named Jennifer Parker as the new director of the Clarke County Department of Social Services. Parker was one of four finalists forwarded to the Clarke board after the Virginia Department of Social Services conducted its initial screening of 30 applicants. “I believe Jennifer is an excellent fit for Clarke County,” said Gerald Dodson, chair of the Clarke County Social Services Board. Dodson noted that Parker was one of two candidates the Board interviewed more than once. “With her experience, she’ll be able to hit the ground running. I am sure Jennifer is what we need to continue providing what clients in Clarke County have come to expect.” For the past three years, Parker has served as director of the Rappahannock County Department of Social Services, an agency similar in size to Clarke County. She began her social services career in 1995, first as a Human Services Worker, then a Comprehensive Services Act Coordinator and Family Services Specialist. Parker lives in Stephens City, Va. “The Board and I were impressed with Jennifer’s passion for the services provided by Social Services, her communication skills, and her vision of leadership,” said County Administrator Chris Boies, who participated in the interview process.
Parker replaces David Ash, who is serving as interim director. Ash retired from Clarke County government in January, but stepped in at Social Services after the previous director, Brittany Heine, resigned in October to accept another position. As Social Services director, Parker will oversee social service programs and the department budget. She will perform duties as prescribed by the Clarke County Social Services Board with a sound knowledge of and adherence to federal, state, and local government policies and regulations. As director, Parker is responsible for the development of policies, procedures, rules, and regulations to meet needs of clients, the community, and the department. Clarke County Social Services is the local office of the state agency that administers child protective services, food stamps, foster care, adult protective services for elderly and disabled, medical assistance, assistance for needy families, and much more. It is located at 311 E. Main St. in Berryville.
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Steam rises around a herd of Angus cattle on a cold December morning at Audley Farm in Berryville. The historic 3,000-acre farm is known for its exceptional Thoroughbred racehorses and, more recently, its highquality Angus. Audley beef and other locally produced food are available at the Audley Farm Stand, open 4 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday and 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday. PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLARKE COUNTY.
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Regional Chamber Invites Award Nominations The Top of Virginia Regional Chambers is accepting nominations for its Greater Good awards through January 29. Award will be given for Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Emerging Leader, Citizen of the Year, and Non-Profit of the Year. The Top of Virginia Regional Chamber seeks to recognize businesses that have made an impact on our region. Businesses that have created jobs and business opportunities in the area, contributed to our community through volunteer or financial support, overcome challenges through creative thinking and action, and demonstrated significant growth should be recognized as positive role models
for business success. Chamber members can participate in the process by nominating a business or individual to be considered for an award. Nomination can be submitted on the chamber’s website, www.regionalchamber. biz. Completed forms must be received no later than Friday, January 29. Forms can also be picked up at the Chamber office located at 407 S. Loudoun St., Winchester, VA 22601. The winner in each category will be announced during the Greater Good Awards on Thursday, March 18, 2021. For more information and to register for the event call the Chamber at (540) 662-4118 or go online to www.regionalchamber.biz. Advanced registration required.
Thanks To Our Town I would like to extend a holiday season thank you to the town of Berryville. December 23, my sister and I were at the Berryville Post Office shipping more than 20 boxes of cookies to friends who we can’t see in person this holiday season. We had barely stepped out of the car when we were descended upon by more than a dozen denizens of Berryville, all asking if we needed help and offering to carry boxes. Perhaps too stalwart and unwilling to inconvenience, we pushed people away -- but not before several created a line to open and close doors as we came through, cautioned us not to rush, and wished us merry Christmas. It was a surreal and delightful experience, and the way that I love to remember Berryville. — Katie Lettie, Berryville
January
Art & Lighting Sale
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Around Clarke County Promote your event in Clarke.
Send notices by the 1st of the preceding month to jennifer@clarkeva.com. Keep event descriptions to 125 words, following the format of these pages. One or two CMYK photos, saved as tiff or jpg at 200 dpi, are always welcome.
January
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Clarke County Parks and Recreation. 225 Al Smith Circle. Berryville. Instructor Vanessa Santiago, the new Associate Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, will hold an online workshop in which participant will receive a packet of information to help with meal planning, effective grocery shopping and stretching your food budget. $5. 12–1pm. 540-955-5143 or email smartin@clarkecounty.gov.
Juliana MacDowell and Mike Ault Livestream Concert Livestream event presented by the Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville. 7–8pm. Juliana MacDowell is a singer-songwriter whose velvety vocals and vibrant take on the Americana genre beckon audiences with endearing ease. In addition to performing in and around the Washington area, Mike Ault has worked as s guitar demonstrator for Paul Reed Smith (PRS) Guitars at national and international music shows in Japan, China, Italy, England, Germany, Scotland and the US. Livestream through the Barns Facebook page or at www.barnsofrosehill.org. Donations are appreciated. 540-955-2004.
Meal Planning Class
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“Tales from a Wandering Sportswriter” Len Shapiro Lecture Historic Long Branch House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Millwood. The first of the Sunday Speakers series. Attendance will be limited to 25 guests per session and visitors are required to wear masks and social distance. There will be no socializing prior until
further notice, and all talks will take place in the much larger double parlors on the first floor. 6–7pm. $25 individually, $125 for six week series. info@visitlongbranch.org. 540-837-1856.
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Forest Bathing
Blandy Experimental Farm. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. Kim Strader, certified forest bathing guide, invites you to wander and sit as you open your senses to explore local natural areas and parks in a way that supports overall health and wellness. Semi-private and private groups available by appointment. Limited to nine people, ages 18 and older. 1–3pm. $35. www.blandy.virginia.edu. 540-837-1758.
Voted “Best BBQ in the Shenandoah Valley" since 2010! Locally owned and operated for over a decade, Jordan Springs Market is open 7 days a week.
We smoke Beef Brisket, Pork, Chicken, Ribs and more and make delicious homemade sides and sweet treats every day.
741 Jordan Springs Rd Stephenson, VA catering@jordanspringsmarket.com
Stop in for takeout, dine in with us or have us cater your next special event from 10 guests to 1000! www.jordanspringsmarket.com
February
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“Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop, She Had A Way With Horses,” by Vicky Moon Historic Long Branch House and Farm. 830 Long Branch Lane. Millwood. The second of the Sunday Speakers series. Attendance will be limited to 25 guests per session and visitors are required to wear masks and social distance. There will be no socializing prior until further notice, and all talks will take place in the much larger double parlors on the first floor. 6–7pm. $25 individually, $125 for six week series. info@visitlongbranch.org. 540-837-1856.
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–15 The Great Backyard Bird Count
Blandy Experimental Farm.
400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Blandy is a bird haven, so come by to observe and tally our birds as part of a community science project. Your observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations. There is no formal event; come anytime from dawn to dusk on any of the four days of the Great Backyard Bird Count. Visit www.birdcount.org/ participate/ for more information on how to participate. 540-837-1758.
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Aimee Curl and Danny Knicely Concert
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Masks required; 30 person maximum, concert will be livestreamed on Facebook or at website below. Singer/bassist Aimee Curl has
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an unmistakable breathy sound and sultry style that combine in a musician of incredible depth. She now performs with Furnace Mountain at many major festivals and venues in the U.S. and overseas. Danny Knicely is a fourth generation Appalachian multi-instrumentalist from a Virginia family steeped in mountain music tradition. He has won many awards for both his mandolin and guitar expertise, including first place in the mandolin contest of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. 7–9pm. $20 in person, $5 suggested donation for livestream. www.barnsofrosehill.org. 540-955-2004.
Ongoing World of Wood Exhibit
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Stop by the Barns January 16 through February 27 to enjoy the work of a dozen highly skilled craftsmen, including fine furniture makers Jeff Headley, Ron Light and Jack McAlister, frame maker Peter Miller, wood turners Larry Cochran and Mike Fraser, and luthier Marty Fair, plus the whimsical creations of Don Becker and Dale Root. Exhibit is sponsored by Local Wood and the gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 12– 3pm. www.barnsofrosehill.org. 540-955-2004.
After-school Tutoring
Clarke County Parks and Recreation Center, at 225 Al Smith Circle in Berryville, offers tutoring Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment for ages 5 to 15. Each session will help the student excel in many subjects, including writing/grammar, phonics, spelling, math, science and history. $35. 540-955-5143. smartin@clarkecounty.gov.
Clarke Co. Parks and Recreation
Parks and Rec offers a wide variety of activities and programs for people of all ages. Classes, programs, and special events are detailed in The Core, found at www.clarkecounty.gov. Published three times each year, The Core is available at the Recreation Center and is mailed to residents who ask to be on the distribution list. It is also available via email. To receive print or electronic versions of The Core, contact Shannon Martin at 540-955-5143 or email smartin@clarkecounty.gov.
Clarke County Historical Association
CCHA is developing a wealth of online content for people of all ages to use to enjoy history. History challenges, behind-thescenes video tours, puzzles, oral histories, our Archivist’s blog, online tutorials, there’s something for everyone! The museum is open again Tuesday–Friday, 11am–3pm. CCHA staff monitor email and phone messages at 540-955-2600 or director@clarkehistory.org.
Handley Library System
Virtual programs for kids and teens with crafts, puppets, yoga, video game night, and more. www.handleyregional. org/blog/virtual-and-liveprograms-kids-teens Hoopla – Handley’s online streaming service for movies, TV,
music, eBooks, audio books, and comics. Also, Hoopla is offering additional downloads for free on select content that do not count against your 6. More info on how this works at www.handleyregional.org/hoopla.
FISH of Clarke County
FISH will continue delivering to clients who can’t get out, but will now also meet clients by appointment on Wednesdays, 8:30–11am, for no contact food pickup. Anyone interested can call 540-955-1823. For monetary donations, the mailing address is PO Box 1154, Berryville, Va, 22611.
Barns of Rose Hill
The Barns of Rose Hill, at 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville, has reopened its art exhibits, gift shop and Visitors’ Center. Hours are 12–3pm Tuesday through Saturday. Donations are appreciated, as many programs have been canceled. Follow Barns of Rose Hill on Facebook, or contact the Barns at 540-955-2004 or info@borh.org.
Est. 1976
No Job Too Small
Bobcat and Small Backhoe Work Land Clearing • Interior / exterior painting Tree & Brush Removal • 60’ Man-Lift Service
A.B. Poe, Jr. “Pig Eye”
MIDDLEBURG REAL ESTATE
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McINTOSH & ELDREDGE
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Maria Eldredge | REALTOR® 540.454.3829 maria@middleburgrealestate.com
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208 N. Buckmarsh St. Berryville. A number of online classes are being held, including OM’Line Yoga with Amy Hope-Gentry and Yoga Nidra with Gayle Bohlman. Contact Amy at amyhopegentry.com/ yoga or Gayle at gaylebtcc@ comcast.net to register. For more information, email info@ sanctuaryberryville.com or visit sanctuaryberryville.com.
317 1st Street Berryville, VA
540-955-1711
Poe’s Home Improvements New Building & Remodeling
Sanctuary Wellness Center
Valentine’s Pop Up Shop www.myneighborandme.com
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February 4 — 20 Thur—Sat: 10am—6pm Mon—Wed: Private Shopping Appointments
Sale Ends 1/31/21
BERRYVILLE HARDWARE 600 EAST MAIN STREET BERRYVILLE 540-955-1900
RAMSEY HARDWARE 703 N ROYAL AVE FRONT ROYAL 540-635-2547
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JAN 2021
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Backhand Seat By Keith Patterson
One Summer, my family drove a thousand miles north, from southern Mississippi halfway to forever up to Danville, Virginia, to attend a big reunion that included both my mother’s and father’s sides of the family — and was being hosted at the long-held family home of my mother’s side. We arrived the day of the event. Cars and kids and picnic tables were everywhere. On the long ride up the McElheney’s familiar gravel driveway, I saw at least a dozen people who looked like Uncle Earl, my dad’s brother. I’d had a rough couple of years since I’d seen any of these people. I’d spent most of the last two years being grounded for various, sundry and repeated infractions of family protocols and decency. And, as my mother, father, brother, sister and I found our parking spot and opened the doors
of our green Chevy wagon and joined in the festivities, I wasn’t as exuberant to show my baboon rear to everybody conceivable as in years past. Though, in reality, I was no less eager to buoy the spirits of all comers with the sheer brilliance of my incessant tomfoolery. I was only in a humbled state. A monkey on a tether. Within ten minutes of arrival I found my cousin Paul. His family had just come from a funeral for a friend of theirs. Paul and I slipped off from the gathering party and walked down into the woodsy ravine behind the house. Paul produced some local smoke. I think it was dried corn silks. I pulled a corncob pipe out of my pocket. Paul struck a few damp matches until one caught fire, and lit the pipe I was pulling on. “My aunt says that this life here that we’re living is
really Hell, and things will be much better once we’re all dead and gone to Heaven,” said Paul. I was thoughtful on that for a quick minute. “Trust me,” I replied as I passed the pipe to my cousin. “Even though these corn silks do seem to be mostly stems and seeds,” I said, “this isn’t Hell. And if living here on this beautiful earth with pretty girls, and hamburgers, and fried chicken, and pickup trucks and hanging with your cousin is Hell, then what do you hope that Heaven’s gonna be like?” Paul answered through clenched cheeks as he choked back the sweetly acrid smoke for maximum effect. “I believe… fft… fft,” he began, as some smoke escaped from his ears. “I believe… fft… fft. I believe that Heaven… fft.” He let out the remnant of his toke and stared off into space, looking as sincere as
a thirteen year-old boy is capable of. “I believe that Heaven is like sitting around a warm fire on a cold, stormy night, with all of your family and friends and the people that you love.” I’d never seen my cousin Paul be so thoughtful and sincere, so I had to break it down for him. “So, let me get this straight,” I said to Paul. “You’re willing to be stuck in the same room with your mom and dad and brothers and sisters and your Aunt Clara for all eternity? Sitting? Eternity is a long time, my friend. I give you about an hour and a half, maybe less.” Cousin Paul looked at me through glazed eyes and said, “It says in the Bible that Jesus promises to prepare a place for us at the right hand of His Father.” “Sounds pretty crowded.” I said.
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“REEEooooRIP!” It was my father’s unmistakable wolf whistle. It carried for miles and meant one thing: all hands on deck! “Time to eat,” said Paul. We both popped a Tic Tac and started walking back up the ravine towards the party, emerging from the woods at different spots and intervals to cover our tracks. Concerning what Paul said about Jesus’ Dad having some room at His table, I looked it up. It’s somewhere in the second half of The Book, near a couple of mentions about forgiveness of my sins that I’m counting on. Jesus says that His Father’s got room for all of us over on one side of the table, where we’re all going to sit quietly on our hands for an eternity once this clown show is over. And I should be a master of that situation by the time I get there, because at my father’s house, and everywhere else he has some sway, next to his right elbow is where I usually took my meals. Sitting at the right hand of my father was a solitary calling, with no honor in the distinction, lest you count the mad rush of adrenal shame coursing the veins of a caged beast. As I answered my father’s whistle, our eyes met and he nodded towards where I would sit beside him. And sat there I did, forced to endure miles of platitudes from fawning aunts and uncles and cousins unnamed and plentiful, just to get to the meat of it. The feast! The fried flesh, golden and brown,
Clarke
JAN 20 21
steaming mashed potatoes, gravy, collards, cooked for hours in fatback-flavored waters. And I am stuck, once again, sitting at my father’s right elbow, wasting a tasty buzz while waiting endlessly for the blessing so the feast can begin. The McElheney/Patterson family reunion didn’t happen very often. In fact, to my memory, it was a one-off affair, never to be repeated, and mentioned in casual conversation even less than that. This was, in large part, because we had to listen to at least four hundred and thirty seven adults blab forth endlessly about how much they were thankful for while all the children and old people were salivating like research animals, waiting for the blessing of the patriarchs, of which there were at least two. As I looked around the large front yard of my McElheney grandparents’ ancestral home, I could see dozens of picnic tables spread out under the shade of several massive and ancient oak trees, and the wild eyes of the other starving children, their orbs flickering with anticipation tinged with menace, like the shining eyes of hungry alligators in a Mississippi bayou at dusk. The sentiments continued mercilessly beneath the cloudless summer sky. I salivated until I was out. Then I got desperate, then despondent. A basket of hot biscuits was delivered to each table. The aroma was overwhelming. Warm butter salt glistening brown biscuits, on top of the sumptuous smells rolling off of the fried chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes and collards. Nobody dared to touch the food before the blessing. To grab a biscuit before the benediction was punishable by death. The torturous, tiresome orations of the elders dragged
on and on. Random thoughts floated through my mind. I thought about baseball, and astronauts. And Marilyn Monroe. “She’d make a great astronaut.” It occurred to me that I’d once read an article in the paper, or maybe heard someone say that they had read an article, that said the Queen of England was nicknamed “the Mongoose” for her lightning-quick ability to snatch a crumpet. The article also stated that a crumpet was an English biscuit. “Be the Mongoose!” My father’s right knee bumped purposefully against my left leg. “Boy, don’t you even think about it.” I looked up and met my father’s gaze. He knew exactly what I was thinking. He had obviously read the same article about the Queen. I was doomed and I knew it. “I will starve to death.” Once the finality of this future had truly sunk in and I had become one with the knowledge of my own demise by deprivation, it was as if my earthly tethers were loosed, even though my rear end was firmly rooted to the peeling paint of a pine bench, my spirit was free to roam. And as Uncle Somebody or other droned on about being thankful for the food that I was starving from a lack thereof, I slipped off, mercifully, into a daydream… …I am in the midst of cracked and broken marble pillars, the crumbling remnant of a once epic library, in the company of a great host of scholarly workers, all doggedly struggling mightily to piece and patch together the ripped and broken spine and the missing and torn pages of an ancient leather bound book. The smoke-filled skyline is visible through the remaining standing marble columns of the ancient public edifice. The after-shocks
of the earthquake that has levelled the city roll intermittently through the dust and the din. I am working feverishly to mend these precious pages. The torn tome is written in a script that is strange to me, but I inherently know the value of the work that I am doing. My work is supported by the straining backs of the scholars below me, just as my own back supports the work of those above me. I groan to the burden upon my shoulders as I bend to the work before me. There are no complaints from anyone working in the steaming, rumbling ruins. There is no questioning the stark necessity to complete the task at hand, the restitution and preservation of every recipe ever committed to parchment! My eyes burn from sweat and smoke and I blink… … I am alone, sitting naked on a porcelain toilet out in a big field. Blazing bright blue skies surround and engulf me. This situation doesn’t seem odd, at first. Then, I hear some voices in the near
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distance. I strain my neck to look around and see who and where the voices are coming from. There is a pavilion, just up the gentle, grassy hill behind me. It is filled with people sitting at a great table, conversing and laughing. I struggle to hear what is being said at the pavilion without raising myself up off of the toilet and exposing myself. There is no toilet paper. I have no clothes. I can’t really understand what is being said by the people sitting at the big table under the pavilion up the hill behind me, but I recognize some voices, and some head shapes. The table is filled by everyone that I love and respect, from Ghandi to Grandma Dot. They all sound so naturally at ease, while I am stuck, naked, sitting alone on the porcelain toilet with no paper, and no pants. Anxiety creeps up upon me. I have an anxious couple of moments and then a profound realization hits me. Nobody
12 under the pavilion even knows that I exist. I wave my hands and shout. Then I rise up off of the toilet, naked, and dance around, waving my arms and yelling! Nobody even notices me. Then they notice me… … “Keith, Son, wake up.” My father nudges me with his right elbow. I shake off my dream, Dad raised his voice and addressed the gathering. “I’m going to ask my son, Nathan Keith the Third, the oldest grandchild on both sides of this family, to say the blessing today.” My father turned towards me. There was trust in his face and hope in his eyes. I felt kind of sorry for him. In his own way he was so naïve. I just sat there like a lump, blinking and rubbing my eyes until my father gently kicked my foot, leaned in and whispered, “Just like I taught you. No bullshit.” Simple enough. I knew the routine. Same blessing that I’ve heard out of my father’s mouth nearly every day of my life. It isn’t just memorized. It’s beaten into my skull. “Dear Lord, Bless the hands that prepared and provided this meal. Make us strong with this bounty so we can go out and do your
will, which is to love each other. In all of Your many names, Amen.” Boom! Just do it! And the angels sing! And we all get to finally eat! But… no. As I bowed my head to lead this congregation in prayer, I heard some different words begin to utter themselves from somewhere south of where the limbo bar of my maturity level was set. “Good food! Good meat! Good God, let’s—” “BAM!” My father swatted me completely out of my seat with a brilliant backhand sweep of his right hand! He knew the punchline. I’d learned it from him. It was the blessing he did when mom wasn’t home. As I was sprawled on my back in the grass, still too stunned to embrace the remorse and regret that would eventually catch up to me for squandering my father’s trust, I could hear voices like angels up above me, swirling through the fog. “What’d he do?” “He made a mistake.” “Goofing around with the Blessing?” “That was his second mistake.” “What was his first?” “Sittin’ in the backhand seat.”
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Gov. Northam Announces Long Branch House and Farm Presents Industrial Hemp Company to Locate A Sale of Fine Art in Rockingham County Washington, Lafayette and Latrobe
Pure Shenandoah to create 24 new jobs, source all hemp from Virginia products to consumers. We are excited to do our part and help expand the future of industrial hemp and all of its potential.” The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) worked with Rockingham County and the Rockingham County Economic Development Authority to secure this project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved a $50,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund for the project, which Rockingham County will match with local funds. Funding and services to support the company’s job creation will be provided through VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program. “We should never forget or take for granted Virginia’s tremendous agricultural heritage and its economic viability that continues to push Virginia forward,” said Senator Emmett Hanger. “I am pleased the AFID funds will further promote industrial hemp and that Pure Shenandoah is committed to exclusively sourcing Virginia agriculture products for this project. Of course, there is no better county to partner with on this funding than the number one agricultural county in the Commonwealth, Rockingham County. We are proud of our deep agricultural roots here in Virginia and this economic announcement adds yet another facet to our diverse agriculture operations.”
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“Pure Shenandoah is a great example of the many ways we are able to help innovative, agriculture-based companies grow and thrive in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. “I am pleased to see continued job creation and investment in Virginia’s industrial hemp industry and excited for the new market opportunities the industry is creating for our farmers.” “Industrial hemp is gaining momentum across the country, and we are excited for Virginia to be a player in this up-and-coming industry,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Pure Shenandoah will provide quality jobs and enable the Commonwealth’s hemp growers to source extraction and processing within Virginia, further benefiting our economy and agricultural ecosystem.” As part of its strategic marketing efforts, Pure Shenandoah is a participating member of the Virginia’s Finest program. Created more than 30 years ago with more than 500 participating companies, this program helps consumers know they are purchasing top-quality Virginia-produced specialty food products whenever they see the classic blue and red VA check mark logo. “We are honored to receive these funds and to work with such influential state programs that are helping push the industrial hemp industry forward in the Commonwealth,” said Pure Shenandoah CEO Tanner Johnson. “With this support, we will continue to educate and provide safe and effective
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Governor Ralph Northam announced that Shenandoah Valley Hemp, LLC, dba Pure Shenandoah, will invest nearly $3.3 million to establish an industrial hemp fiber processing and cannabidiol (CBD) oil extraction facility in the historic Casey Jones building in the Town of Elkton. The company will create 24 new jobs and has committed to purchasing 100 percent of its industrial hemp from Virginia growers, resulting in nearly $5 million in payments to Virginia farmers over the next three years. Pure Shenandoah will become the first participant in the Virginia’s Finest trademark program to source the hemp used in its products exclusively from the Commonwealth. “Virginia’s industrial hemp industry continues to experience tremendous growth, creating a wealth of opportunity across our Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “Projects like this one are an important part of diversifying our economy and developing new markets for industrial hemp. Our administration remains committed to supporting growers and processors as we work to ensure this crop has a sustainable future in Virginia.” Pure Shenandoah operates as a vertically integrated “seed to sale” company providing customers with safe and consistent hemp products of the highest quality. This includes strict regulatory control of crops, the application of certified good manufacturing practices, and complete traceability of each product back to the seed and farm from which it came.
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In the kitchen
Chopping And Slicing As Meditation By David Lillard After 11 months as a pandemic shut in, and all dramatic (and downright crazy) events of 2020, I can claim one truth: I have only yet begun to cook! Cooking is daily ritual for me. Whether cooking for one or 10, each evening finds me chopping, slicing, dicing, and saucing. Sometimes I do it in the morning before starting the work day. There are dishes I have prepared dozens of times over the last year, in part to continually improve them, in part just because I love to eat what I have made. Here are two vegetarian recipes based on two classic tomatoinfused dishes, one from Italy and one from France. The first one I discovered just before Christmas; today will make it the fourth time in three weeks. The other I have been working on since March 15, 2020.
Teace’s Artichoke Caponata
This take on the classic Sicilian dish features artichokes in place of eggplant. It comes from my neighbor Teace Noel. After sampling it just before Christmas, I envisioned a week of having it on crackers, as a traditional side dish, and tossed with pasta. However, as is often the case when discovering a new flavor, I ate more than half of it by the spoonful (and with a few crackers) right then and there.
The artichokes lend a lighter touch than the eggplant (and some folks don’t or can’t eat it), but the dish is also terrific with eggplant and artichoke together. Add a little more chopped olive and sundried tomatoes if you use both. The preparation — consisting entirely of chopping, mincing, and measuring — is a form of meditation.
Start with: •
3–4 T olive oil (or substitute sundried tomato oil)
•
1 cup diced onion
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1 cup diced celery
•
1 cup diced red bell pepper (fresh or jarred in water)
•
1–2 T garlic, minced
•
1/4–1/3 cup diced sundried tomato
Sauté on medium low for 5–10 minutes, allowing the onions and celery to become translucent. If you hear crackling, the heat is too high. Think of this a sofrito, more than a sauté. Stir frequently.
Add: •
1 can diced tomatoes
•
1 cup diced artichoke (marinated or not)
•
1/2 tsp pepper
•
1/2–1 tsp salt
•
1 tsp oregano and basil
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1 T parsley
•
2–3 T olive tapenade (jarred is good)
•
1/2 cup diced kalamata olives (or regular black, or any in a pinch)
•
1–2 T balsamic vinegar
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2 T sugar
Simmer for 20–30 minutes. Add water or tomato juice if it’s too dry. You can also use the juice from a can of tomatoes. If you do use tomato juice, use the low-salt variety and refrain from adding the salt to the mixture until you have the moisture the way you like it. Serve it hot; serve it cold. Try it as a healthy late-afternoon snack by the window during “bird hour.”
sautéing, braising, then roasting. For 20 minutes, you will be slicing, chopping. Enjoy it. It’s best done in an iron skillet that goes from stovetop to oven; if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer all the stovetop ingredients to a glass pie dish.
It goes like this:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. • Thinly slice 1 cup carrot and 1 of celery (a quarter inch or smaller). Cut large pieces in half longitudinally. Get them going in a bit of olive oil at very low heat. The idea is to sweat them, not brown them. Sofrito. •
Skillet Roasted Ratatouille Pie
Okay, it would be considered blasphemy in France to call this a ratatouille, because it is not stewed, per se. It’s not really a pie, either — but it’s sure as heck not a casserole. Hence, the fancy name. This is another rendition of a classic, sans eggplant. It is, instead, a baked zucchini and summer squash burgoo accompanied, like many French and Italian provincial dishes, by tomatoes and other vegetables. It uses three cooking methods, each bringing out a different accent of the ingredients:
•
•
Slice in long, thin strips 1 cup of white or yellow onion and one of yellow bell pepper (or red or green, it’s for color). You can cut the strips in half. Add to the skillet. Check the heat to make sure it’s not too high. It should sound like air, not frying. Thinly slice 1/2 cup of cabbage and 1 of shitake mushrooms (if you like mushrooms). Stir into the pan. Continue cooking on low until the onions are translucent, and the carrot and celery are beginning to soften, 20–30 minutes (yes, very low heat). Slice 1 medium zucchini and one summer squash, a quarter inch or less. You can
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leave the squashes in the round or cut them in half. (You can even use those pre-sliced ones from the supermarked.) Stir into the pan, then turn up the heat to medium high. Sprinkle with a hint of salt, if you like. Just as the mixture reaches a browning temperature — you can tell by the sound — add about 1/8 inch of water to the pan, cover with a lid, and turn the heat to medium low. Cook for 3–5 minutes, remove the lid •
While the mixture is stewing, slice about a pound of canned, whole tomatoes into quarters, then cut the quarters in half. San Marzano style tomatoes, which are canned in tomato juice, are best.
•
Add tomatoes and some of the juice to the pan until it looks the way you want it to. Too many will overwhelm the other ingredients; and the squash is the star.
Simmer the mixture for a few minutes. If you must add herbs or spices, go lightly: a little pepper, a pinch more salt, a bit of basil. Let the vegetables bring the flavor. Remove the skillet to the oven; bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone, and the dish is held together by the evaporated tomato juices like a light paste. If you are a cheese eater, top the dish with a little shaved parmesan or similar cheese after 15 minutes of cooking. Let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Dig in or serve atop creamy polenta. It’s really good cold from the fridge or warmed slightly. For breakfast, warm slowly in the skillet, crack a couple of eggs directly on top, and cover. When the whites are cooked, it’s good morning, y’all.
ab
Clarke
JAN 20 21 Guest Commentary
HI
Protecting the Stone Walls of Bear’s Den Rural Historic District By Scott and Lisa Seeberger
Recently you featured several articles regarding the old stone walls found in Clarke County. Our family moved to the Bluemont area of Clarke County five years ago. We purchased a home on the mountain after falling in love with the area and deciding this would be the perfect place to retire. Along with the peaceful beauty of where we live, we found ourselves captivated by the area’s long history... including stories shared regarding the old stone walls. We are writing to you specifically about the stone walls found in Bear’s Den Rural Historic District (BDRHD), which is on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Old stone walls are prevalent in BDRHD, with some dating back to at least the late 1800’s (as found in county land records). Recently, an unsightly 7’ high privacy fence was constructed directly along one of these historic walls. The fence has been pivotal in understanding BDRHD provides little to no protection for items of historical value found within the district, including the stone walls. There are other historic districts within Clarke County, two of which (Millwood and White Post) the county has enacted certain restrictions to preserve the history found there. Additionally, for the mountain, the county has a “Mountain Land Plan” as a component of its Comprehensive Plan. This plan calls for the preservation of scenic values and historic resources specific to the mountain and contains lengthy verbiage supporting these ideals. The plan also calls for protecting scenic byways, such as Blueridge Mountain Road (Rt. 601), where the historic stone wall and
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subsequent privacy fence are located. Clarke County zoning, on the other hand, allows privacy fences anywhere on the mountain up to 7’ high (higher with a permit). Allowing this type of structure on the mountain, and adjacent to a historic stone wall, is in complete contradiction to the goals and tenets of the county’s “Mountain Land Plan.” We have generated a petition with over 135 signatures from local mountain residents in opposition to the privacy fence and in favor of protecting the historic stone walls and scenery on the mountain. The response from people we have spoken with has been overwhelmingly unanimous. Our intent is to advocate for the creation of a historic overlay in BDRHD, much like what has already been created for Millwood and White Post. Our focus for now is on preserving the historic stone walls; however, if there was support, this protection could extend to the over 150 designated historic buildings, sites and structures found in BDRHD. We have spoken with the Clarke County Board of Supervisors on two occasions regarding this endeavor, as well as with the Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission. We would like to take this opportunity to invite Clarke County residents and local conservation organizations to join us in our effort. Protecting the history of Clarke County and preserving the natural rural beauty of the area should be a worthwhile priority for everyone who lives here. Scott and Lisa Seeberger live in Bluemont’s Bear’s Den Rural Historic District. They can be contacted at seeberger@aol. com and 18521 Blueridge Mountain Road, Bluemont VA 20135.
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