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River and Roots
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SELLING HOMES, FARMS and LAND
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14
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Desiree Champagne performed with Cedric Watson at the 2018 River and Roots Festival at Watermelon Park; photo by Jennifer Lee.
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Seamstresses, Blacksmiths, and Good Ole Times
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As the Crow Flies
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Around Clarke County
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Sweet Elephant Bake Shop
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The Quiet Epidemic
18
Virginia Farm Report
20
River And Roots
Two Masters, Deck, Gas FP
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JU LY 20 1 8
Clarke STAFF
David Lillard, Editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher Aundrea Humphreys, Art Director Hali Taylor, Proofreader
CONTRIBUTORS Karen Cifala Jennifer Lee Rebecca Maynard Keith Patterson Doug Pifer JiJi Russell Claire Stuart
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Jennifer Welliver, 540-398-1450 Rebecca Maynard, 540-550-4669
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Clarke prints signed letters-to-the-editor of uniquely local interest. Letters containing personal attacks or polarizing language will not be published. Letters may be edited. Send letters to the editor of 300 or fewer words to: editor@clarkeva.com.
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FROM THE EDITOR River and Roots, Global Warming, And The Need For Market Solutions Two remarkable things of immense significance occurred in June. Neither came as a surprise. We’re doomed for more of one of them, and hopeful for more of the other. Back-to-back torrential rainstorms dumped several inches of rain in the Shenandoah Valley, raising water levels beyond flood stage. Events were canceled, combined sewage overflows upstream emptied raw sewage into the river, and flooded fields drained nitrogen and phosphorous pollution from fertilizer and livestock waste into the streams that feed the main stem. And, in Clarke County, organizers of the popular River and Roots and proprietors of Watermelon Park found a way to overcome the flooding to stage a festival that’s an essential part of this community’s culture. Somehow, they pulled it off (see more, page 20). Neither of these incidents came as a surprise. The guys at Shepherds Ford have a way of getting things done; and the people of Clarke County have a way of pulling together when it’s most important. No surprise there. And the storms that caused the flooding have become an all-too common occurrence, in which rainfalls come in larger volume and greater intensity. They were predicted more than 30 years ago as a side effect of a warming planet, and have visited us with the same increasing frequency as the forecasted increase in wildfires and droughts out West. It’s here; it’s getting worse. And despite what some politicians say to placate those who refuse to inform themselves,
there is no dispute and no controversy on this. There is no dispute among atmospheric scientists about whether the average global temperature has risen steadily since the dawn of the industrial age; there is overwhelming consensus that atmospheric carbon and methane are the primary causes; there is as strong a consensus as to where the carbon and methane come from. And yet politicians shamefully sow doubt, or they choose the path of ignorance and disbelief — as if disbelieving will change the outcome. When standing on railroad tracks, watching the approach of a slow-moving train coming toward you, will it save your life to deny the existence of the train? Or, maybe you might simply refuse to believe in the train; that might help. Unfortunately for those standing on the tracks, the laws of physics — science, that is — will determine the outcome in the clash between denial and cold, hard steel. Global warming is now a local issue. Let’s deal with it. It’s time for conservative, free-market, small government thinkers to get off the sidelines and take a leadership role. We need you. The Shenandoah needs you. Let’s get on with the much-needed debates and arguments about real solutions. America works best when there is a clash of ideas on how best to solve problems — from national government down to local. Right now, nearly every public issue is ensnared by party tribalism. We can’t afford for this to be one of those issues.
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Clarke
JULY 20 1 8
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Seamstresses, Blacksmiths, and Good Ole Times Clarke County Historical Association to present 3rd Annual Colonial Kids Day July 21
The Clarke County Historical Association is pleased to present the third annual Colonial Kids Day at the Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood on Saturday, July 21 from 10am to 4pm. Kids are invited to learn how daily life was lived in the colonial era. The day will include a wide range of hands-on activities such as scavenger hunts, craft making and more. Kids can learn about black-
smithing, seamstressing, and watch colonial reenactors set up camp. The demonstrations will transport them back into time where cell phones, computers, laptops, tablets and many more technological advancements did not exist. They will play fun interactive games that require the finest handeye coordination. Participants can watch a seamstress make the most
intricate patterns and beautiful gowns, and a blacksmith who takes pride in his work and shows it off as if every piece he makes is his best. The reenactors will show how soldiers dressed, felt, and fought in the hardest of times. Colonial Kids Day, sponsored by the Locke Store, is an informative day where kids get to have fun and learn a little along the way. Tick-
ets are $5 per child and can be purchased at the door or online at clarkehistory.org/ events. For more information, call 540-955-2600 or email director@clarkehistory.org. About Clarke County Historical Association: Founded in 1939, the Clarke County Historical Association (CCHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of
Clarke County. Their offices are located in the historic Coiner House at 32 E. Main Street in Berryville. The CCHA’s mission is to help preserve the historical resources and records of Clarke County and to foster their use, understanding, and enjoyment through stewardship and education. Also located in the Coiner House is a museum, genealogy research library, and an extensive archive of historical material relating to Clarke County and the northern Shenandoah Valley. CCHA also owns the BurwellMorgan Mill, a fully operational 18th century grist mill located in nearby Millwood. Their volunteer millers grind a variety of grains as well as give tours of this historic site every Saturday from May through November.
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JU LY 20 1 8
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As the Crow Flies
Grassland Nesting Birds Are Disappearing! Story and illustration by Doug Pifer Eastern meadowlarks used to be common birds in local hayfields, and their songs drifted across the fields in the early summer air. Now they’re on a growing list of field nesting birds — bobwhite quail, vesper sparrow, American kestrel, and red-winged blackbird — whose numbers have seriously dropped. Now you can drive though the countryside and never see any of them! In 2015 the Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) launched its Grassland Birds Initiative. The first property to enroll was Claymont Farm. As of this month, a total of nine properties in the Potomac Valley participate, according to PVAS executive director Kristin Alexander. Last summer, I enrolled our two hayfields as designated grassland bird habitat. My wife and I have been managing our property for wildlife since we bought the place in 2016. Until recently, I believed we were encouraging grassland birds by allowing natural vegetation to grow in our fencerows and rock breaks, and mowing only once a year, late in the season. Since enrolling in the Grassland Birds Initiative, I’ve learned this isn’t enough. In fact, studies show that long fence lines of trees, shrubs and vegetation that separate and constrict open fields offer predators like feral cats and red foxes easier access to any birds living in the fields, hampering their nesting success and adding to the problem. Better strategies include allowing certain parts of a field to go un-mowed for more than one year instead of cutting the whole field. PVAS cites a large field in the Steamboat Run area near Shepherdstown as a prime example. They cut some of their hayfields only once a year on a rotating basis, while leaving others uncut for a couple of years. Birds nesting there have increased to levels that were never seen when they mowed everything yearly. Farmers used to allow their fencerows to grow up, and would let certain fields lay fallow for a year or two to “rest the soil” and allow nitrogen to build up. Today’s more intensive agriculture requires all the land to be used. This means maintaining “clean” fencerows and applying additional chemical fertilizer to make up for the depleted elements in the soil. This also means added expense. A better conservation practice, and one farmers are now starting to adopt, is to sow warm season grasses in fields that would formerly be
Be Seen in Clarke! 540.398.1450
allowed to grow up or lay fallow. Native grasses like big bluestem, Indian grass, fowl manna grass, switchgrass, muhly grass, and Eastern gamma grass can be cut for hay. But, unlike annual cool season forage grasses, they develop perennial hummocks of vegetation that offer grassland birds year-round protection: hiding places in winter, summer nesting places, and autumn food in the form of seed. Results of these programs show an increase in field nesting birds and other wildlife. Fields planted in native warm season grasses attract more beneficial insects, such as bees, butterflies, and dragonflies. Turtles, non-poisonous snakes, toads, and frogs also find more food and places to hide in such fields. I’m encouraging my neighbors to join us in creating more grassland wildlife habitat. You can improve your own backyard, even if it’s under an acre. Maybe you’re tired of weekly mowing — or of paying somebody else to do it. Instead, you could transform it into a beautiful, more bird-friendly place. Contact the Potomac Valley Audubon Society at www.potomacaudubon.org to learn more about the Grassland Birds Initiative and about Habitat Certification for smaller properties, a new program they launched this spring.
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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. Cutest Dog Contest Held at Clarke County Farmers’ Market in June Four-legged Fidos were invited to the Clarke County Farmers’ Market on June 23 to enter the cutest dog contest. The winners are pictured here (along with a few honorable mentions pictured throughout the calendar) and recieved a wonderful dog-friendly 1st Place-Kimber. gift basket. The contest judge was University of Colorado animal science student, Kristen Denale who is interning this summer at Audley Farm. The judging was purely subjective and just for fun. Native American Church The photos were captured By Casey Event Photography (see Facebook, Casey Hamrick Photography). Half of all the proThe Native American Church of Virceeds from the photos were donated to ginia, Sanctuary on the Trail. 1075 Ebthe Clarke County Animal Shelter. enezer Road, Bluemont. Church building cleanup day will be followed by a barbecue feast, informal musical jam
July
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2nd Place-Piper.
3rd Place-Roxie.
session and bonfire. Please bring work gloves, a dish to share and musical instruments for the jam. Cleanup begins at 9am, dinner at 7pm. 540-554-8730. www.sanctuaryonthetrail.org.
Herrman, Marshall Wilborne and David McLauglin, and photography exhibit by Lisa Elmaleh. 8pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Concert and Exhibit Opening
Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct, Berryville. Toe-tapping old time and traditional music by Joe and Sam
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Music in the Park
Rose Hill Park, 35 E. Main Street, Berryville. Brass Quintet performs traditional favorites and jazz. Free. 6:30–8:30pm. 540-955-4001.
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Lloyd Williams Day
Downtown Berryville. All are invited to celebrate Major Lloyd Williams, a Berryville native who served in World War I. Free event includes procession down Main Street, World War I reenactors, live period music in Rose Hill Park, a World War I display at the Clarke County Historical Association, the Profiles of Honor Mobile Museum and more. 540-955-2600.
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“Sergeant York” Showing
Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Biographical film about one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War I. 4pm. Free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Astronomy for Everyone
Sky Meadows State Park, 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane. Evening of space exploration begins with half hour Junior Astronomer program for children ages 5 to 12. Parking is $5 per vehicle. 540-592-3556. skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov.
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Summer Lovin’ 5K
Sky Meadows State Park, 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane. 50’s themed fun includes post-race food, music and prizes. Registration is $25 and includes parking. 9–11am. 540-592-3556. skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov.
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Meet the Beekeepers
Sky Meadows State Park, 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane. Local apiarists Doug and Ramona Morris present all aspects of beekeeping. 1–3pm. 540-592-3556. skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov.
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Resilient Meditation Workshop Series at Sanctuary
208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Spiritual Pastor Sunday Cote leads meditation and discussion to expand our mindfulness practice and peace building mission. Third Monday of each month through May 2019. 7–8:30pm. Donation of $10-$20. 540-227-0564. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
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Talk to Me Tuesdays
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Also July 24 and August 1. Drop in to discuss wellness issues with Coach Linda 3–6pm. 414-217-8142. coachlinda@naturalhfs.com to register. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
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Stop Resisting Resistance Training
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Also July 24 and August 1. Build strength and muscle tone without equipment. 7pm. 414-217-8142. coachlinda@naturalhfs.com to register. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
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Music in the Park
7 Kenny’s Auto and Trike Shop Cars and Trucks
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Love at First Bite Catering & Event Planning
Creative Menus Adorned with Flair 27 Years of Experience
Rose Hill Park, 35 E. Main Street, Berryville. GK Trio performs jazz. Free. 6:30–8:30pm. 540-955-4001.
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Reiki Healing and Exchange
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Beautiful exchange of energy held the third Friday of each month. 7–8:30pm. $10 donation. Register with amyhopegentry@gmail.com. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
540.955.4462 Lisa Trumbower-Sheppard, Owner | loveatfirstbitecatering.com
CLARKEVA.COM
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Colonial Day at the Mill
Burwell-Morgan Mill, 15 Tannery Lane. Millwood. Scavenger hunts, craft making, blacksmithing and seamstressing demonstrations and much more. Tickets are $5 per child and can be purchased at the door or online at clarkehistory.org/events. 11am–4pm. 540-955-2600. director@clarkehistory.org.
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Yard Sale and Chicken Barbecue
John H. Enders Fire Company, 9 S. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. 68th annual firefighters’ event includes yard sale at 8am, “fill a bag for a buck” and cake sale at 6pm, and dinner beginning at 4:30pm. Free fire truck rides and children younger than 6 eat free. Adults $10, children 6 and older $5. 540-955-1110.
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Soul-Full Community Meal
Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church, 210 E. Main Street, Berryville. All are welcome to partake in a meal provided by different churches each month. Free. 5:15pm. 703-477-8940.
Family Restaurant Happy Hour Every Day 3-7pm Private Dining for Family or Corporate Dinners
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Music in the Park
Rose Hill Park, 35 E. Main Street, Berryville. M.T. Pockets and Loose Change Pickers perform bluegrass, country and gospel. Free. 6:30–8:30pm. 540-955-4001.
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Art Opening and Concert
Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. The Bumper Jacksons perform early jazz and country repertoire and artist Nancy Polo shows her exhibit, “Real Women Who Work.”
8pm. $20 in advance, $25 at door, children 12 and younger free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill. org or call 540-955-2004 (12– 3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Vera Bradley and Thirty-One Bingo
John H. Enders Fire Hall, 9 S. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Event benefits the nonprofit Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship with 14 prize-filled games, raffles for Grand Prize, 50/50 and themed baskets. Various food items and beverages
John H. Enders Fire Co.
68th
Annual
Firefighters’
Yard Sale & Chicken BBQ Saturday, July 21, 2018
9 South Buckmarsh Street, Berryville
Yard sale starts at 8am. Water, Sodas and Hot Dogs during the sale. “Fill a Bag for A Buck” at 6pm. Meal starts at 4:30. • Annual Cake Sale starts at 6. Menu Includes:
Stop by Blossman Propane BBQ Chicken, Country Ham, Saturday from Chicken Salad, 8am–3pm for a Green Beans, Cole Slaw, $5 refill Drinks, and on your gas grill propane tank! All proceeds will go to John H. Enders Fire Company
Homemade Desserts
Adults - $10 Children 6 and up - $5 Children under 6 eat free.
Free Fire Truck Rides! To donate items for the yard sale or for more information, call 955-1110 www.endersfire.com John H. Enders is a Volunteer Fire Department and a 501C3 Non-Profit Organization.
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will be available. Proceeds will provide scholarships for students with special needs and funds to help care for therapy horses and ponies. Doors open at 1pm and Bingo starts at 2pm. $20 in advance, $25 at door. 540-533-2777 or brcthinc@hotmail.com. Tickets can be purchased online at https://july2018bingo.bpt.me.
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Energy Medicine to Support Healing
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Mercia Cristina de Melo leads an introductory discussion about how energy medicine works and a sample treatment for each participant. 7–8pm. To pre-register, email merciademelo08@hotmail.com or call 540-550-3898. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
August
3
The Freight Hoppers Concert
Barns of Rose Hill, 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Four piece
string band presents hard-driving old time music. 8–10pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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National Night Out
Rose Hill Park, 35 E. Main Street, Berryville. Annual
community building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. Local law enforcement and first responders will be on hand with equipment and demonstrations. Other community service providers will also be present to distribute information. Free event for
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MMU'ff21.2018 ,:00PM • 7:00PM the family. Hamburgers, hot dogs, moon bounce and more. 6–8pm. 540-955-5111.
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Qigong
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. Four week series held Wednesdays through August 29 and led by Marisol Mayal is useful for all genders and provides increased energy, metabolism, vitality, circulation and help for emotional imbalances. 11am– 12pm. $56 for four sessions in advance, $16 at door. Register at qijourneys@gmail.com or 208447-6722. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
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Clarke County Fair Opening Day
Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds, 890 W. Main Street, Berryville. Every day through August 18. Opening ceremony at 4pm, pageants to follow. See fair schedule online or at most town businesses for details on events all week. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children 5-15, and free for preschoolers. 540-955-1947. www.clarkecountyfair.org.
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Legends by Lanternlight
Clarke County Historical Association, 32 E. Main Street, Berryville. A twilight lantern light walking tour will bring alive the memorable experiences of Berryville during the American Civil War through costumed first-person interpretations in the historic downtown. Learn how our preserved landscape still tells us stories. 7:30–9pm. Adults $15, students $8. 540-955-2600.
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Chris Timbers Band Concert
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Soulful, rootsy singing inspired by soul, contemporary jazz, blues, rock and country. 8–10pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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LANCO Concert
Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds, 890 W. Main Street, Berryville. Track area $25, grandstand $20. Tickets available at ETIX.com. 8:30pm. 540-955-1947. www.clarkecountyfair.org.
Ongoing Summer Reading Program
Clarke County Library, 101 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Valley Reads Summer Reading Program encourages kids and teens to read, with fun prizes and frequent activities. Call or visit website for details. 540-955-5144. www.handleyregional.org.
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Farmers Market
Saturdays, May–October, 8am–12pm. Town parking lot next to Dollar General, 20 S. Church Street, Berryville. Many vendors selling meat, produce, cheese, vegetables and much more. www.clarkecountyfarmersmarket.com.
Media Sponsor-Sengpiehl Insurance
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Summer Special Yoga
Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville. July 2–31. Monday, 5:45pm, Vinyasa; Tuesday, 10am, Basic Flow; Saturday, 9am, Gentle Flow. 540-227-0564. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Tuesdays, 8:15–9:15pm. Grace Episcopal Church, N. Church Street, Berryville. AAVirginia. org. 540-955-1610.
FISH Clothing Bank
Saturdays, 9am–12pm. Old Chapel Road and Route 340 south of Berryville. Also new location at 36 E. Main Street. Berryville. 540-955-1823.
A Community of Integrative Health Practitioners Dedicated to the Flourishing of Our Health & Vitality 208 N Buckmarsh St, Berryville, VA
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Clarke
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Pine Lake A Hotly Debated Memoir by Keith Patterson
1966, Hello Monkey Boy
Not every monkey has an uncle, and I can’t see Darwin or his detractors, either one, laboring to contest that fact. But each of us, from the free thinkers down, has a family. And every family has its fair share of secrets. And while money and stature can buy your family some time in terms of allowing certain secrets to remain hidden, eventually the truth always comes out. And just as the glamour and power of the Kennedys couldn’t conceal or be diminished by the factually-based myth of a defective cousin warehoused somewhere deep in the bowels of Hyannis Port, neither can the years of denial and obfuscation by members of my own family manage to obscure my memory of what I know that I saw one summer’s day in my youth at Pine Lake. I don’t pander to mythos. Anybody with half of an imagination can testify to that. And even though my personal reality might be skewed by my unique perceptions, the fact is, I deal in hard realities. One hard reality that I’ve been dealing with is the fact that I’ve been trying to write this story for over forty years, but never had an ending until now. Another hard reality is that Pine Lake is really just a pond. And it isn’t even a very large pond. Pine Lake is actually a small pond in an abandoned cornfield surrounded by red-clay mud. About a hundred and fifty yards up the hill from this optimistically-named natural body of water is an old in-ground concrete swimming-pool, a remnant of a long-gone motel deemed irrelevant by the bypass. But bypass or no, Pine Lake was the uncontested sum-
mertime mecca to several generations of western Pittsylvania County’s finest. One summer Saturday afternoon when I was six or seven in 1966, my family descended upon Pine Lake. My mother, her mother and father, my mother’s younger sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, in-laws, outlaws, my siblings, first and second cousins, third cousins, my dad, his dad, and I took over the destination in its entirety. Half of us attempted to splash all of the water out of the pool while my two uncles on my mother’s side backed up their truck and put their homemade motorboat into the lake down the hill. My father was lighting a charcoal grill, grinning from ear to ear. As my mother double-coated my back with lotion, I heard my uncles down
at the lake roar in approval as they successfully started up their motorboat. I broke free from my mother’s clutches and bounded down to the belching boat bobbing up and down in the red-brown water. My teenaged uncles, Dallas and Charles, were looking quite pleased by the fruits of their efforts. They had been on a mission for over two years to construct a motorboat, put it in the water at Pine Lake, and water ski. The summer before they had rigged-up an oversized outboard motor to an old wooden canoe. That motor had also started right up. But Dallas and Charles hadn’t quite worked out the details of a functional rudder or a kill switch. So when they fired up the motor, the canoe shot straight across the lake with them in it, hit
the bank at full-speed and cut a foot-deep groove in the redclay beach that ran fifty yards down the hill to where the canoe finally came to its final resting place. As nearly a quarter of the water in Pine Lake drained away downhill through the foot-deep ditch cut by the runaway boat, the engine then exploded. What was left of the canoe and gasoline had burned well into the evening. Uncles Dallas and Charles escaped with some burns and abrasions. Lessons learned. This time around, their boat had all of the amenities, including steering, a kill switch and a rudder. “Who wants to be first?” Uncle Dallas threw out the tow line into the water. I immediately leaped into
Pine Lake. I ran out towards the tow-line that was visible in the water behind the boat. When the water got over my head I attempted to swim. I couldn’t swim. I reckon the water was about four feet deep and that was just a couple of inches deeper than I was. I was down in that murky water ham-paddling nowhere for what seemed like a week. Uncle Dallas finally pulled me up sputtering and shooting water out of my nose. Dallas said “Here, you wild thing. Put these on.” Then he helped me put on a faded orange life-vest and a pair of skis. After some brief instructions the rudder was dropped, anchor hove, steering wheel buried hard-left and the slack was taken out of the towline. Uncle Charles goosed the motor while Uncle Dallas si-
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multaneously let go of me and I was up . . . skiing! And then I was down . . . underwater . . . above the water . . . on the water . . . refusing to let go of the handle of the towline. We circumnavigated Pine Lake exactly three times before I was beached. Still refusing to let go of the tow-line, I circumnavigated the bank of Pine Lake once more and then skittered off down the hill following a similar trajectory to that of the previous year’s ill-fated canoe, where I came to rest at the base of an elm tree and just lay there like I was dead for a while. “Hey, kid. You’re an animal! Nice ride.” Dallas helped me to my feet and removed my life vest. “Get in line and you can have another ride later.” There was a line of people, young and old, family, friend and strangers queued-up for a chance to water-ski in Pine Lake behind Dallas and Charles’ homemade motorboat. I just stood there for a while and watched the procession and listened. They had gleaned much from that initial ride that I’d taken. The water was about four-feet deep so they put out four and a half feet of rudder, and basically just let the boat spin around like a top in the middle of the lake. The more experienced skiers were getting more like four times around the lake before getting beached. It looked like a long wait to get another chance to ski, so I started walking back around Pine Lake towards the uphill side. I was covered in red-clay mud and needed to rinse-off. I considered a dip in the lake but the motor-boat and skiers made that difficult. Plus, the lake’s water, naturally reddish brown, was taking-on a darker, oily hue. I decided to rinse off in the pool. I scrambled up the hillside from the lake and jumped into the pool in the shallow end. As soon as I hit the water people started screaming! “He’s filthy! Get him out! Eeewww!”
A brown cloud spread-out from my body and filled the shallow end. I could smell and taste the lake water and local mud mixed with what was left of my sunscreen and various ointments as they dissolved into the pool water, which tasted better than it looked. The nasty comments from family and strangers continued. “Get him out! Gross! Geez.” It wasn’t as if the water in the pool was pristine before I got in. Then my mother jerked me up out of the pool by my arm and stood me up on the pool’s deck. “Go over there to the shower and clean-off before you get back in this pool! You hear me?” I hated to disappoint my Mama and started trudging around the deep end of the pool toward the shower, which was a garden-hose tied to the top of a two-by-four which was stuck in the clay. The sun came out from behind a cloud and its sudden brilliance blinded me. I had to avert my eyes, and looked down at the murky red water-cloud that I’d contributed to the shallow end as it reached the deep end, lending a clarifying background hue to the reflection in the water. In the reflection I could clearly see him. He was standing on the concrete deck across the deep end of the pool from me. It was a monkey boy! I was gob-smacked. Stunned. Time stood still. The monkey boy met my gaze as we both stared at his reflection on the water. He looked to be about my height and was covered from head-to-toe in a fine, reddish fur and wearing a special monkey diaper that allowed his little tail to breathe and wiggle around. I was mesmerized by his twitchy movements that seemed to mimic my thoughts. “Comment allez-vous?” The monkey boy spoke French! Although I didn’t recognize the words I could intuit the context. But before I could answer the monkey boy’s que-
ry, my mother had me by the elbow and was dragging me away. “Time to go home!” I protested but it was no use. I didn’t even get a chance to water ski again. Some of the locals, family and strangers alike, clapped and cheered as my mother removed me from the premises. And that’s not the first time that that has happened.
11 ing Monkey Boy teeshirts, and somebody yelled “Do you b’leev in the Monkey Boy of Pine Lake?” The candidate replied “Nawwwww. There ‘aint
no Monkey Boy of Pine Lake! Never was and never will be!” They booed him off of the stage and he lost the election. And I’ve gotten a couple of “hot
An obsession meets the Internet
Over these long, fruitless years I have investigated every dark corner and questioned everyone that I know, repeatedly. Nothing solid. Just lies, innuendo and more lies. I’ve knocked on doors, put ads in the paper, visited internet chat rooms, tweeted, twerked, Tindered, Face-timed, Snap-chatted, Snack-chatted, Facebooked, Fakebooked, I even launched a commercial website www.zazzle.com/monkeyboyofpinelake where you can buy Monkey boy merchandise, and hopefully aid me in my quest for answers. I even got into politics without knowing it. A local candidate was having a rally and a bunch of folks were wear-
(540) 450-8110
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leads,” but nothing has ever turned out to be the Monkey Boy of Pine Lake. I will surely know him when I see him again. I can guarantee you that. Since that life altering encounter across the deep end at Pine Lake, 50-some-odd years hence, I have received little solace as I’ve drifted like a refugee from hint to clue. Many of my older relatives that might have had first hand knowledge as to my life’s answers are now departed. And now, our old, ancestral family home is boarded-up and everyone has moved away.
The Secret Cellar
Recently, after a long absence from the fold, I attend-
ed a family reunion in North Carolina. The after-dinner conversation inevitably came around to the Monkey Boy of Pine Lake. Those relatives that were old enough to be familiar with the story were still denying it. The younger, more educated crowd were ambiguous. And the younger set were all ears. Nothing new here. Denials and digressions. But then Uncle Dallas, who’s somehow survived more than just one canoe explosion to become the Pater-familias, offered-up an absolute gem! “I do seem to recall,” Dallas began, ensconced in a deck sofa, surrounded by family and sipping the remnants of an iced Scotch. “There was a rich family that lived in a big, white
house up-the-hill-a-ways from Pine Lake.” “Yeah.” “Yeah, I remember that house.” “Yea” Uncle Dallas continued. “I know for a fact that those people kept pet monkeys. Treated ‘em like family. Those monkeys used to tear that nice place apart. And the bigger monkey did wear a diaper.” Dallas seemed as sincere as I’d ever seen him. “Is that really true?” asked a first cousin’s wife. “Sure, that’s true.” Dallas nodded. “And that’s what you saw that day, Nephew. It was them rich people’s big monkey. And I remember that monkey had a little tail, too.” “Yeah, I remember that big monkey.” “Yeah, me too.” “Yeah, that’s what you saw. It was them rich people’s big monkey.” Something didn’t jive here. I’d never heard this story before. “Why now?” My head swam. I’d asked this same crew for answers a hundred times. It was some vast conspiracy, spanning generations. Then a vital clue popped into my head. “But, The Monkey Boy of Pine Lake spoke French!” I blurted. “How do you explain that?” Uncle Dallas replied calmly and authoritatively “Those rich people were French. ‘LeFleur,’ I believe it was. That’s why that big monkey of theirs spoke French.” A stone in every pathway. I felt sick and needed to sit down. The festive gathering continued without my further input as I struggled to keep my composure. This was my biological family, and I couldn’t trust anyone. Maybe an hour passed. Uncle Dallas found me, and whispered in my ear, “The monkey story was just a smokescreen.” Dallas looked me squarely in the eyes. He was serious. “Go back
12 to your old family home. It’s all boarded up.” “I know.” I replied. “Well, there are some other things that you need to know. Those things are hidden away in the secret cellar underneath of that house.” “Secret cellar?” “Be quiet and listen!” Uncle Dallas clutched my shoulder and looked around suspiciously. He had been a butcher by trade and his hands were still strong from his life’s work. “There’s a crawl-space opening around back behind the azaleas. Bring a flashlight. You gotta crawl to your left and go three right turns around the original foundation and then you’ll see the stairs down. The door is open. You’ll find out everything that you want to know. Now, that’s it. It’s done. I don’t ever want to hear about the Monkey Boy of Pine Lake EVER AGAIN!” Dallas turned away quickly and was gone. And as of this writing I have not seen or heard from him again.
Return to Pine Lake and the old homestead
On my way back home from the reunion, I rerouted through western Pittsylvania County. First I drove out to Pine Lake, parked and walked around. It actually looked much the same as it did fifty years ago, but smaller, abandoned and derelict. I stood on what was left of the crumbling concrete pool deck, looking across the deep end to where I’d seen the Monkey Boy of Pine Lake so many years before. It was about the same time of day as that original encounter. The sun was high in the sky, blinding me. I had to divert my eyes downward to the surface of the dirty water in the deep end. I could see my own reflection. I looked around what was left of Pine Lake a little more,
reminiscing and searching for memories, and then got back in my car and drove over to the old-family home, down the Blair Loop Road off of Westover Drive. I parked, grabbed my flashlight, walked around back, and found the crawl space door behind the over-grown azaleas. I lifted the latch, swung open the door, turned on my flashlight, swatted away years of cobwebs, and crawled under the old house. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the harsh beam of my flashlight juxtaposed with the otherwise total darkness. I crawled on my hands and knees and struggled to follow Uncle Dallas’ instructions. The passage way was narrow and rocky. “Three rights.” It was stifling. My knees and hands hurt. Cobwebs were everywhere. I was hoping not to meet up with a snake. At last I rounded a third corner of the original foundation. And there it was! A narrow stone stairway down to the dank opening of the old home’s original cellar. I took a deep breath. The dank air was dead and stale. I made my way down the steep, narrow stairs, pushed aside the old wooden-plank door and stepped inside. A quick flashlight sweep of the carved-out stone walls revealed no major menace or surprises. There were several broken things and an old, rusted boiler. There was a rickety shelf with one Mason jar and an old seaman’s trunk covered in decades of dust. I tried to remember if Uncle Dallas had given me any clues that I’d forgotten. I couldn’t remember anything. I swept the flashlight over the walls again. Then the ceiling and floor. Nothing new immediately jumped to my attention. I was a little bit relieved. And a little bit disappointed. Again I shone my light on the Mason jar up on top of the rickety, wooden shelf. It was two-
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thirds filled with a pale, yellowish liquid. There was something submerged in the liquid, and I strained to see what it was. The shelf on which the jar was resting was too high for me to reach. “If it would just float to the top of the jar I could see what it is.” I thought. Then the object in the liquid floated to the top of the jar! Instantaneously I had to tend to an itch at the base of my spine and my flashlight beam fell away as I scratched myself. The beam of light fell upon the ancient seaman’s trunk. There was no lock, on it so I opened it up. There was no pirate’s treasure inside. Only neatly filed papers. They were medical bills for expensive ointments and lotions. And electrolysis treatments. There was also a medical journal with a page marker. I opened the book to the marked page and read the highlighted words. “At any time, any mother can birth offspring with mutations that reveal traits of any ancestor along their evolutionary tree.” “What could it mean?” I put the papers back in the trunk, dragged the trunk over to the high, rickety shelf, climbedup on top and retrieved the Mason jar. I carefully climbeddown from the trunk, set the jar down on a low ledge of the stone wall and retrained my light on whatever it was that was inside. I stared at it for a while, but did not fully comprehend. It looked like a skinny, little pickle covered with fine, red hair. I jiggled the Mason jar with one hand while I held the light with my other. When the hairy, little pickle jiggled in the amber brine the itch returned to the base of my spine. Realization began to descend upon me, and my entire world began crashing down. All of the denials, deceits, and outright lies cascaded through my mind like an avalanche of pain, doubt, and disbelief. All of these many
13
years, my family, the lying, denying lot of them, had only been trying to protect me. I must have passed out for a while. When I awoke, I was lying flat on my back on the cool stone floor of the secret cellar. It was dark as pitch. My flashlight batteries were completely dead. I crawled out and up the stairs of the hidden cellar, reversed directions, made three lefts, and finally found the door to the crawlspace. I retrieved a pack of matches and some fresh flash-light batteries from the glove-box of my car and went back to re-enter the secret cellar. I wanted to retrieve the treasures of my life’s sojourn. As I re-entered the crawlspace behind the azaleas I lit a match. It burned-out quickly so I threw it down and lit another. The light from the second match revealed that the first match that I’d tossed had landed on an old rag. The smelly old rag ignited and I could now see the solvent can near the flames! I scrambled out and away from the old, frame house as it was quickly engulfed by fire. I had to move my car to keep it from also being lost and just kept on driving. I could hear the wailing of the fire-trucks and police cars as I took the backroads home, where I immediately sat down to finish this story.
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Epilogue
Thank you, Uncle Dallas, should you ever read this, for helping me to finally lay to rest the quest that had so consumed me. But while I finally have an ending for my story I still lack closure. Now I have an entirely new scenario to ponder and for future reference I will set aside my books by Darwin, and crack open the Pavlov. For every time I hear the wail of ambulance, fire truck, or police car sirens, I have to scratch an itch at the base of my spine.
Cindy Acland 540-533-7943
Peter Acland 540-409-1156
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14
Timothy Johnson, Small Town Lawyer By Claire Stuart
Timothy Johnson says that he always wanted to be a small town lawyer, and that wish came true for him this year.
Originally from New Jersey, Johnson practiced in New York City and Northern Virginia before setting up his practice
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in Berryville in February of this year. However, he was in love with the area long before moving here. Johnson graduated from James Madison University, then New York Law School. He met his wife at JMU. She was from Bluemont, “on the other side of the mountain.” They came out to see her family often while they were dating, and they were married at Long Branch. She went to work with Fairfax County Schools and they lived in Alexandria, but when they had a baby, they decided that Clarke County would be a good place to raise a family. Johnson happened to be in the right place at the right time, and says that he had no idea that longtime Berryville attorney Michael Hobert was retiring this year. “It was just a coincidence that I decided to practice here at that time,” he said. His experience in diverse areas of law allows Johnson to serve the local community as an all-around lawyer. He handles everything from wills, contracts, transactions, personal injuries, and commercial litigation to misdemeanor and felony criminal defense, civil rights matters, employment discrimination, and privacy rights. “I love solving problems,” he declared. Johnson’s background includes considerable experience in the relatively new and littleknown area of special education law. He has represented children with disabilities (through their parents) when schools were not providing an appropriate education with consideration for their disabilities. He explained that truancy problems are often rooted in the fact that the schools were not recognizing the children’s disabilities.
“Very few attorneys work in special education,” he reported. “It’s a high cost area. With medical malpractice, you only need to bring in medical experts. It’s straightforward, based on particular types of injuries. Special Ed is more complicated; state and federal laws are overlaid and several different kinds of experts are needed — medical, psychological, social. Every individual case is catered to a particular child.” Johnson believes that it is important to forge a trusting relationship with clients, something that is made possible in a small community. He sometimes finds himself in the role of a counselor or even a therapist. “I might recommend something, and if the client disagrees, I advocate to the best of my abilities. A client must trust you to handle their interests outside of court,” he said. While Johnson doesn’t think that everyone needs a lawyer in the same way they need a family doctor, he does think that some people should have one. Much of Johnson’s work is commercial litigation. This can include things like breach of contract, relations with government regulatory agencies, product liability, insurance coverage and employment issues. He says, “If you are a business owner, large or small, you should have an attorney you can call on. If an attorney advises you early on, this can save you money later.” Often the clients could have avoided litigation if they had first talked with an attorney. Unfortunately, legal problems often arise within families concerning money matters. An attorney is important in drafting power of attorneys, wills and trusts. If there is
money involved, especially large sums, Johnson advises, you need an attorney and estate planning. He states on his web site, “I know that no one wants to hire a lawyer, but I know that when you have to, you want someone who is knowledgeable about the problem, diligent and cares about you. I fight for your rights.” “I love this town and this county,” Johnson affirmed, “and I look forward to meeting more people.” He laughed and clarified that sentence, explaining that he didn’t mean that he wanted to meet more people as clients, then added, “But I’d love to work with you as well.”
Timothy Johnson
serves Clarke, Frederick, Warren and Fauquier counties, and Berryville, Front Royal, and City of Winchester. Address: 20-B East Main St., Berryville Hours: Weekdays 9:00am–5:30pm; weekends and holidays by appointment. Office phone: (540)352-4672 Mobile phone (and text): 540-987-6526 Email: trjohnson@ trjlegal.com
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Sweet Elephant Bake Shop Hits the Spot in Berryville By Rebecca Maynard
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If you have a sweet tooth and are fortunate enough to have attended the Clarke County Farmers Market when the Sweet Elephant Bake Shop is set up there, you probably already know how delicious its offerings are. Business owner Lauren Connolly of Berryville has a fulltime job and works remotely from her home office, but when she’s not on her computer, she can often be found in the kitchen, whipping up scrumptious cookies and cakes. In addition to selling twice a month at the market, her baked goods can be found at Round Hill Local Grocery and Chef’s Market in Winchester. She has also been selling on Etsy since 2015, but local cus-
tomers are fortunate not to have to wait for shipping and can contact her to place an order for local pickup. Connolly’s kitchen has been certified by VDACS (Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services), and she wants customers to know that she is safe and certified to bake and sell from her home. Connolly first began selling on Etsy in 2015, when she was living in Pennsylvania. When it came time to move about two and a half years ago, she said she and her family looked at other cities and towns in Virginia before settling on Berryville. “It definitely has a small town feel, and that’s what drew us here,” she said. “I have two
little ones and we also liked the school district.” Connolly has a degree in fashion design and said she always thought she would do something related to her degree. “Then I started getting more into baking and decorating sugar cookies and liked that better,” she explained. “It’s always been a hobby and it’s fun.” Her artistic flair is certainly serving her well in a different capacity from what she first imagined. While customers love her non-decorated chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and “salty dog” (butterscotch oatmeal with sea salt) cookies, her decorated sugar cookies and cakes are truly works of art worthy of special occasions, including weddings. Recent examples include a wedding cake, patriotic cookies in ice cream cone, top hat and firework shapes, and baby onesie shaped cookies for a baby shower. Customers can contact Connolly with specific ideas and can browse photos on her Facebook page for ideas and inspiration. Or they can show up at the farmers market (check her Facebook page for dates when she will be there) and browse in person. “Because I work remotely, I look forward to doing the farmers market and talking to people,” Connolly said. “It’s nice to get out and meet local people and everybody has been nice and welcoming. We like it here.” Visit the Sweet Elephant Bake Shop Facebook page at The Sweet Elephant or email sweetelephant@yahoo.com.
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16
The Quiet Epidemic Loosening the grip of anxiety by JiJi Russell
Probably more than mere coincidence, the jacked-up pace of our technology-driven lives seems to be traveling alongside a rise in anxiety disorders. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1 percent of the population every year.” You probably don’t have to look too far to find a friend or relative who has suffered or currently suffers from some form of anxiety. In fact, therapists like Colleen Kradel, LICSW, focus the majority of their working hours helping those afflicted with anxiety. Kradel owns and operates a private counseling practice located in Martinsburg, W.Va.
Far From Home
A couple of years ago, I found that my own usual worry about the kids, family, work, and so
forth had slowly but significantly expanded to the point that I felt exhausted and overwhelmed. A “perfect storm” of events and physical changes had spun me up into a pattern of worry and exhaustion, common symptoms of anxiety. It took some digging and support for me to work my way out, but the payoff was worth the effort. On the other side, I found myself much lighter and more energetic, a return to my usual self. After this experience, and indeed after continuing to hear stories from so many people in my orbit about their own struggles, I have applied some attention to the sometimes silent issue of anxiety, which often leads to depression and other more severe conditions. Every person’s path home is unique to his or her own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual attributes, of course, but some recognition of common symptoms and remedies can prove helpful to many.
As part of a corporate wellness series addressing mental and emotional well-being, therapist Colleen Kradel presented a primer on anxiety to my colleagues at American Public University System (see webinar link in sidebar). I’ll share the major takeaways with you, in the hopes of shining a light on a worthy cause.
Start Here
The first step to unraveling the hold of anxiety lies in understanding what it is, Kradel said. Our bodies have natural, and healthy, responses to stress. These mechanisms keep us safe and help to motivate us. The stress responses we are wired with have helped us historically “to deal with intense survival situations,” Kradel said. But nowadays, our bodies haven’t quite adjusted, and we’re often left with a cycle of intense reactions to simple everyday hardships. “We are not being chased by lions…
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but we do have the 24-hour news cycle, and we do have so many expectations placed on us,” Kradel said, adding that anxiety is both genetic and can come from one’s experience. Kradel offers an anxiety selftest. If you can check most or all of these conditions, you might have something going on. • Persistent & Disproportionate Feelings of Worry • Restlessness / Difficulty Relaxing • Overthinking / Overanalyzing Plans, Solutions, or Outcomes • Predicting Worse-Case Scenarios •
Difficulty Concentrating
• Indecisiveness / Fear of Making the Wrong Decision Beyond the mental and emotional indicators, the physical symptoms one might experience with anxiety run a pretty long gamut, including fatigue; trouble sleeping; muscle tension or aches; trembling; nervousness; nausea; diarrhea; irritable bowel syndrome; and irritability, to name a few. Kradel emphasizes that understanding your body’s physical responses to anxiety can provide you with a powerful tool of awareness that can drive change. Anxiety can take on many forms, Kradel said, and understanding its manifestations can help both those who might be afflicted, as well as loved ones who want to better understand the condition. Kradel highlighted five major types of anxiety, from general anxiety disorder (GAD) to obsessive-compulsive disorder, to post-traumatic stress disorder, including symptoms of each one. (see webinar for full definitions)
Take Control
The good news, according to the ADAA, is that anxiety is a highly treatable condition. Indeed, Kradel believes that acceptance and the incorporation of healthy lifestyle practices can go a long way toward managing anxiety. She recommends a breathing technique, specifically for generalized anxiety and panic attacks. The technique goes like this: Inhale and expand your belly while you count to 4. Hold your breath in while you count to 2. Exhale for a count of 6. This technique is effective, she says, because it keeps you in the present moment and calms your sympathetic nervous system, which is what triggers your “fight or flight” responses. Try this out in your car, before meetings, appointments, any difficult situation you might encounter. Kradel also advocates for yoga as a salve for anxiety, primarily because it increases body awareness. “Anxiety is very physical; it actually lives in your body,” Kradel said. “If you can figure out how to bring some bodily awareness to yourself -- connect your mind and body – you will be able to intervene when you’re feeling that anxiety.” Exercise like running, or anything that gets you moving and feels good, can help move one through anxiety, Kradel said. Relaxation techniques like progressive relaxation and meditation also can provide a shift from one’s conditioned responses to stress. Like yoga, mindfulness and meditation keep one in the present moment. “Any time you can spend in the moment, the better for anxiety, because anxiety is all about what happened in the past or what will happen in the future,” Kradel said. She notes
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that because meditation is often perceived as “scary or woowoo,” she tells her clients that the aim of meditation is simply to pay attention to what’s happening right now. “I often will tell people to pay attention to their five senses: What do you hear? What do you see? What do you smell? That can slow you down and put you in the here and now,” Kradel said.
More Tools for Healing
Among Kradel’s other recommendations for managing anxiety are prioritizing social
connections and applying some intention behind your nutrition. She recommends foods rich in magnesium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and B vitamins. Conversely, foods and drinks that hinder your progress could easily include caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, as all of those have a stimulant and/or depressant quality. While Kradel admits to being “a little biased” on the positive impact that therapy can provide, she says she believes it can help people in their healing process. “I give permission for people to be themselves; to be authentic; to really get to the
root of some of these anxious patterns and themes, and to re-frame new coping skills and thought patterns that will help to lessen anxiety,” she said. In addition to the more holistic lifestyle-based practices, Kradel believes that in some cases, medication can be helpful, especially for extreme anxiety. In her webinar, she provides a resource for researching medication but strongly recommends that one connect with his or her general practitioner in order to discuss and determine options.
17 Tiffany Ford, Realtor® (703) 946-0191 - cell tiffany.ford@cbmove.com Clarke County resident /HomesFordSale
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View Colleen Kradel’s Webinar on Anxiety (30 min): https://apus.adobeconnect.com/_a795569749/pfxkm96n9v22 Foods and natural remedies for anxiety: https://draxe.com/natural-remedies-anxiety/ Yoga
Turiya Yoga + Wellness: turiyayogawellness.com Barns of Rose Hill: barnsofrosehill.org/classes-workshops Clarke County Parks and Rec: clarkecounty.gov/government/parks-and-recreation.html The Sanctuary: sanctuaryberryville.com Guided Meditations: free recordings, including background instruction, are available at the following web sites: Insight Timer: insighttimer.com Spotify: search for “Guided Meditation” Yoga Journal: www.yogajournal.com/meditation Mindful.org: www.mindful.org/mindfulness-meditation-guided-practices
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Giant hogweed detected in Virginia The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has confirmed the presence of Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum, in Clarke County. The Giant hogweed was planted at the site by a previous homeowner for ornamental purposes. VDACS employees are working with the homeowner in an effort to eradicate the weed from the Clarke County site. Giant hogweed is a Tier 1 noxious weed on VDACS’ Noxious Weed List. A Tier 1 classification means the weed was previously unknown in the Commonwealth. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) lists Giant hogweed as an early detection invasive plant, which means it is not established in Virginia and if found, the goal is to eradicate it before it becomes established. When exposed to skin, the sap from a Giant hogweed plant can cause severe skin and eye irritation, painful blistering and permanent scarring. The plant is easily confused with other look alike plants such as elderberry and cow parsnip. People who think they have found Giant hogweed should take a digital photo of the leaf, stem and flower. They can report it to the local office of Virginia Cooperative Extension or file an online report at http://www.vainvasivespecies.org/report-sightings.
Giant hogweed is a very distinct plant when set against Virginia landscapes and although it has some similar characteristics to cow parsnip, angelica and Queen Anne’s lace, its size sets it apart. It can grow upwards of 15 feet tall with leaves as large as five feet across. The white flower cluster can contain 50–150 flower rays spreading up to two feet across. Invasive species are a problem that can cause harm to natural resources, economic activity and humans. Information is available at www. dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/invspinfoto, where you can learn more about invasive species in Virginia and the ways to prevent spread. People also may contact the VDACS Office of Plant Industry Services at 804.786.3515 or Kevin Heffernan at Department of Conversation and Recreation at 804.786.9112. Virginia apples rank fifth in nation, peaches come in at 11. In 2017, total peach production was 7,000 tons, up 3,100 tons from 2016. Bearing acres were estimated at 1,200 acres, unchanged from 2016, with an average yield of 5.83 tons per acre, up 2.58 tons from 2016. Virginia ranks 11th in the nation for peach production. Total apple production for 2017 was estimated at 225.0 million pounds, up 25 percent from 2016. Apples for processing accounted for 133.0 million pounds of the 2017 crop, up 27 percent from 2016. The number of bearing acres of apples to-
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taled 10,000 acres in 2017, down 300 acres from 2016. The yield per acre was 22,500 pounds, 5,000 pounds more than in 2016. Virginia ranks fifth in the nation for apple production. Total grape production for 2017 was estimated at 8,810 tons, up 310 tons from 2016. Bearing acres were estimated at 3,300, down 100 acres from 2016, with an average yield of 2.67 tons per acre, up 0.17 tons from 2016.
Bee Losses over the winter nearly 60 Percent in Virginia The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced today that the winter losses of honeybee colonies over the 2017–2018 season were greater than expected and greater than the average of 30 percent per year for the past decade. “The winter losses were 59.5 percent,” said Keith Tignor, state apiarist. He adds that this is the highest rate since 2000 when the state began monitoring winter losses. There was a decrease in colony losses reported for the summer of 2017 when compared to the 2016 summer season. VDACS staff found high levels of Varroa mites and nosema infections in wintering bees. Both of these maladies shorten the lifespan of worker bees, increasing mortality rates in winter months. Nationally, 30.7 percent of managed colonies in the United States were lost during the winter of 2017-2018. This represents a 9.5 percent increase over the previous year. Although many groups, including Virginia Tech, are conducting research on honeybee losses, no one cause stands out. It is a combination of environmental conditions, loss of habitat, pests and diseases such as Varroa mites, small hive beetles and nosema, pesticides around beehives and other factors affecting the sustainability of honeybees and other insect pollinators. VDACS is addressing the problem by encouraging people to become new beekeepers and existing beekeepers to add to their existing hives. The department also encourages homeowners and apartment dwellers to plant pollinator gardens and window boxes. Border plantings of bee friendly plants around crop fields provides needed forage particularly in hot, dry summer months and into the fall. Beekeepers are encouraged to monitor Varroa mites in their hives in July and August; and to take appropriate steps to reduce damaging levels of this honeybee parasite. VDACS also released a Pollinator Protection Plan in June 2017 that focuses on communication between pesticide applicators and beekeepers and the use of best management practices by farmers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators to protect our pollinators.
Clarke
To learn more about honeybee losses in Virginia and other states see https://bip2. beeinformed.org/loss-map/ or contact Keith Tignor at 804.786.3515.
Horse owners should vaccinate horses now against mosquito-borne diseases Mosquito season 2018 is a strong one, one of the worst in years. The deluge of rain has created stagnant pools of water perfect for mosquito breeding while cooler temperatures have helped to slow the maturation of larvae, delaying the pests’ season this year. “Now it has hit in full force, and horses are at risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV),” said Dr. Charles Broaddus, State Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). The mortality rate with WNV is 30 percent, but up to 90 percent with EEE. There is no proven cure for these diseases, but veterinarians can provide supportive therapy. VDACS recommends that horse owners check with their veterinarians and if she or he recommends vaccination, the time to do it is now. “Both the WNV and EEE vaccine are highly effective in minimizing disease, if given appropriately,” said Dr. Broaddus. The vaccines are effective for 6-12 months, so most owners revaccinate at least annually and in areas where the disease occurs frequently, every six months. For the vaccine to be effective, it must be given at least two weeks before the horse is exposed to the virus. To stimulate full immunity, horses must be vaccinated twice, about 30 days apart, the first year of vaccination. Other prevention methods include dumping or draining standing water breeding sites (containers and puddles) for mosquitoes, using insect repellents and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn, and turning off the lights in and around the barn at night. Humans cannot become infected with EEE or WNV by handling an infected horse, nor can a horse acquire the virus directly from another infected horse. The presence of an infected horse in the area indicates that mosquitoes carrying the EEE or WNV viruses are present, however, and those insects pose a threat to both humans and horses. For more information on WNV and EEE, contact the VDACS Office of Veterinary Services at 804.786.2483 or see vdacs.virginia.gov/animalsanimal-health.shtml.
19
I Can’t Breathe
by Matt Taibbi Sunday, August 12th from 3–5pm
A work of riveting literary journalism that explores the roots and repercussions of the infamous killing of Eric Garner by the New York City police—from the bestselling author of The Divide.
Josephine School Community Museum Book Club 303 Josephine Street, Berryville | 540-955-5512 | jschoolmuseum.org
READ CLARKE ONLINE CLARKEVA.COM
Come Hell or High Water, River And Roots A Triumph For Community a week or less to relocate. Twenty minutes prior to the 5pm deadline for the final decision, the folks at Shepherds Ford and the Miller family worked out a plan that would close out just the portions of Watermelon Park that were still in need of repair, leaving a enough space for attendees, musicians, and merchants. People were allowed in on Tuesday beginning at noon to choose their camp spot from the more limited camping area. The main stage, which is usually River and Roots, photo by Jennifer Lee. located across from the store, was reloSaturday night’s dance tent perforcated north into a larger field, further mance was the Ron Holloway Band. Their limiting camping area. The arrange- fantastic blend of rock, funk, soul, and ment, in the open sun with temps in the R&B carried through from start to fin90s all weekend, made for more than just ish. Whatever inconveniences the floods hot music. caused were forgotten in the much-loved It also made for an intimate festival energy of Saturday evening’s jam out and with camping surrounding the stage and dance-till-you-drop. vending area rather than to the side of it. Town Mountain, from Ashville, North The lineup included many of every- Carolina, gets around. If you missed one’s favorite regular bands — Furnace them at River and Roots, just keep an Mountain, the Woodshedders, and the eye on the schedule at Barns of Rose Hill Bumper Jacksons. in Berryville. They have played there
Shepherds Ford Productions put together another fantastic River and Roots Festival this year in spite of record rains that caused dual floods on the Shenandoah, bringing the availability of the Watermelon Park and the the festival into question. But on it went, to delight and appreciation of festival devotees. Frazier Watkins, of Shepherds Ford, makes it clear that it couldn’t have happened without the help of a lot of people. “Everyone was right on the starting line waiting to go,” he said, “We can’t thank everyone enough for being aware and understanding.” Initially it seemed that the park was not going to be ready to open by the festival date, let alone for the volume that a festival brings. Watermelon Park had been completely flooded, with the river up to the store at its highest, according to owner John Miller. Other venues were considered, including the Clarke County Fairgrounds and B Chord Brewery in Round Hill — all with
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many times and are popular locally — they are gearing up for the their newest release and sixth studio album, New Freedom Blues. That old blue tic hound Clarke splashed in the river and howled all night, thanks to the folks at Shepherds Ford and Watermelon Park. Lesser people would have thrown in the towel, but that’s not they way it’s done in Clarke County. Thanks to everyone who took a tough situation and turned into another chronicle in the history of this fine community.
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