Front Porch Fredericksburg - April 2018 by Virginia Grogan

contents

closeups

history’s stories.: April fools day our heritage: april showers

Senior Care: three right turns

emancipated Patients: ren fields & energy medicine

its all energy: spring detox

wellness: imagine not wearing your cpap

sophia street pottery throwdown

mYSTERY hOUSE STORIES OF FXBG: junior

art in the burg: willingham & hedge

on stage: james & the giant peach

Porch talk

companions: adoption events

fredericksburg sketches

from my porch: ....yes i do take sides

Dot & Cheryl ... 32 year partnership Jim Hall & Laura Moyer ...walking through life together

juanita shanks helping families affected by incarceration

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

Hunter’s Island....magical history hike

master gardeners: fxbg’s arboretum & botanical zoo

I have a friend: lisa & jan

don’t upset your father....mental health awareness

...And more!

everything greens

Poetryman: city fountain

Vino: it’s a red blend world

david fraser & fraser wood elements

season’s bounty: is spring sprung yet?

what’s in a neighborhood?..fairview

cooking with kyle: moroccan lamb

food justice project

hollis frisch.... creating programs for the sight challenged

16-17

Calendar of events

Cover: “Umbrellas” By Norma Woodward

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April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

Frame Designs Gallery by mary lynn powers

M ORE T HAN J UST A F RAME S HOP

Anyone have a piece of art that needs a frame? This is the place to go. Frame Designs Gallery is the only locally owned frame shop in the Fredericksburg area. They moved from their long time College Avenue address to Hill Street last summer, just a little south of downtown off of Lafayette St. The new storefront was Ken’s Tackle Shop for 38 years, and is already brimming with frame choices, as well as art pieces done by Cheryl and other local artists. Cheryl is one of the well known, long time artists in Fredericksburg. One point of interest is the classes they will be offering. One that looked really fun was colorful pet portraits. Cheryl said they will offer that one again. Also offered are classes in other mediums such as watercolors, oils, and pastels. Additionally, there are framing classes for the do-it-yourselfer and Happy Hours (2 hour fun classes where you can take home a completed project).

Fredericksburg has an abundance of art studios, so a good frame shop is a necessary partner to these shops. Cheryl Bosch and her Mom, Dorothy Meyers (above) (Dot) bought the Gallery on College Avenue in 1986, and have been in the framing business ever since. Cheryl is the face of the shop, and she always has a great smile for all who visit. Dot does not come in as much, but still does the books which really gives Cheryl more time for creativity. Cheryl told me that her mom has definitely earned the right to stay home when she feels like it. They are a great team. When I asked Cheryl about her feelings on running a business in Fredericksburg she said, “One of the best parts of owning a business is knowing that I make the decisions. When I know how I want something, I don't have to argue. The hardest part of owning a business is that I make the decisions. If I don't know how I want something, I still

have to decide.” Overall, Cheryl said the community of Fredericksburg is the rewarding factor in owning the shop. The art community in the ‘burg is a close knit, vibrant entity. Anyone who ventures out on 1st Fridays knows this about Fredericksburg. Cheryl, also known as “Ceebs“ (how she signs her work) has always loved and created art. “Art is never boring to one such as ceebs, for she seeks to discover new ways to create daily.” She is also a natural teacher, and just in conversation you learn things. I look forward to trying some of the classes, even though I don’t have a creative bone in my body! Frame Design’s website has a schedule of classes and general information about framing. Each month the gallery highlights a featured artist. Many of the artists are well known locally, and their work is diverse. Even if you are not in the market for a frame, stop in and check out the artwork and possibly find your creative outlet. Frame Designs Gallery 105 Hill St. framedesignsgallery.com 540-3 371-0 0567 cheryl@framedesignsgallery.com

Mary Lynn Powers enjoys meeting and writing about interesting people in the 'burg

“Mike & David at the Jazz Fest” by Cheryl Bosch

Large or Small, I Sell Them All! Dreaming of Fabulous City Living? Let’s Make It Happen!

SUZY STONE Mobile:540.847.0630 Office: 540-898-2900 suzystone22@gmail.com C21redwood.com front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

contents

closeups

history’s stories.: April fools day our heritage: april showers

Senior Care: three right turns

emancipated Patients: ren fields & energy medicine

its all energy: spring detox

wellness: imagine not wearing your cpap

sophia street pottery throwdown

mYSTERY hOUSE STORIES OF FXBG: junior

art in the burg: willingham & hedge

on stage: james & the giant peach

Porch talk

companions: adoption events

fredericksburg sketches

from my porch: ....yes i do take sides

Dot & Cheryl ... 32 year partnership Jim Hall & Laura Moyer ...walking through life together

juanita shanks helping families affected by incarceration

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

Hunter’s Island....magical history hike

master gardeners: fxbg’s arboretum & botanical zoo

I have a friend: lisa & jan

don’t upset your father....mental health awareness

...And more!

everything greens

Poetryman: city fountain

Vino: it’s a red blend world

david fraser & fraser wood elements

season’s bounty: is spring sprung yet?

what’s in a neighborhood?..fairview

cooking with kyle: moroccan lamb

food justice project

hollis frisch.... creating programs for the sight challenged

16-17

Calendar of events

Cover: “Umbrellas” By Norma Woodward

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

Frame Designs Gallery by mary lynn powers

M ORE T HAN J UST A F RAME S HOP

Mary Lynn Powers enjoys meeting and writing about interesting people in the 'burg

“Mike & David at the Jazz Fest” by Cheryl Bosch

Large or Small, I Sell Them All! Dreaming of Fabulous City Living? Let’s Make It Happen!

SUZY STONE Mobile:540.847.0630 Office: 540-898-2900 suzystone22@gmail.com C21redwood.com front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

A.E. Bayne

ON THE PORCH

Contributing Writers & Artists Rita Allen A.E. Bayne Laurie Black Tracey Blevins Kevin Brown Alison Carlin Collette Caprara Judy Chaimson Renee Dunn Christina Ferber Frank Fratoe K. Jeanne Frazer Rich Gaudio Joan M. Geisler Jon Gerlach Rita Girard Alexis Grogan Ralph “Tuffy”Hicks Anita Holle Karl Karch David C. Kennedy Lenora Kruk-Mullanaphy Nephthalie Lautuce Jo Loving Pete Morelewicz Vanessa Moncure Patrick Neustatter M.L. Powers Elisa Pritchard Ester Salgurro Norm Shafer Casey Alan Shaw Georgia Strentz James Kyle Synder Woodie Walker Wayne Whitley Tina Will Norma Woodward

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

The mission of Front Porch Fredericksburg is to connect the diverse citizenry of Fredericksburg with lively features and informative columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource, its people.

Messages from our readers are welcome. All submissions must be received by e-mail by the 19th of the month preceding publication. Writers / Artists / Photographers are welcome to request Guidelines and query the Publisher by e-mail. Front Porch Fredericksburg PO Box 9203 Fredericksburg, VA 22403 Ad Sales: E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com Facebook: @Front Porch Fredericksburg The opinions expressed in Front Porch Fredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers. Copyright 2018 Olde Towne Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

April 2018

Hunter’s Island

Guest Porch Editorial

memories of home

where cultures collided four centuries ago

by A.E. Bayne I read a lot of student essays as an English teacher, especially around this time of year. One of the prompts that is a favorite for many of my students is one that asks them to write about a place they would like to travel, to describe it, and to tell why they want to visit. Students like it because it’s an accessible prompt; almost everyone has some place they’ve thought about visiting. This year, I was struck by the number of students who vividly, almost longingly, wrote about places they consider to be home rather than the usual places not yet seen. This year, students described places like Pennsylvania, where hills and hunting mean time with grandfathers and uncles over weekends. Places like Florida, where aunties wait with cookouts and hot tubs, Cocoa Puffs and trips to the shore. Places like Louisiana where fishing is done off of piers and Granmè’s spicy turtle stew fills bellies. Places like Los Angeles, where older sisters wait with promises of studio tours and star sightings. Places like Nicaragua, where horses and fireworks take center stage; and El Salvador where mariscadas and pupusas are packed into baskets for the beach. All these places, all these people, mean home in some way to my students. Their longing for home calls to mind my own memories rooted in preadolescence. When I was a child, I lived in eleven different houses before the age of twelve. My parents enjoyed buying older homes around Northern Virginia and fixing them up to flip and build equity. While I remember things that I liked about most of the houses, one in particular remains my image of home - a large farmhouse on Leesburg Pike outside of Vienna, just around the corner from Beulah Road.

The house is isolated, a former residence for Potomac Vegetable Farm next door that remains a working business to this day. The old farmhouse sits on a hill at the top of a double driveway on an acre and a half of land. When we lived there, a cement slab porch ran the length of the front facade, with four massive pillars supporting the porch’s roof. Inside was a winding staircase, a set of French doors leading into the dining room, and a sun porch. Outside was a swimming pool, a weeping willow tree, and sloping lawns, front and back. It’s hard to explain why this house is home in my memory, since other houses we occupied were certainly closer to friends, school, and entertainment. There was a comfort there, a familiarity with and connection to the land around the house, and there was my parents reconciliation after a long separation, all of which contributed to my fondness toward it. There were holiday parties with friends still living, first kisses and first sleepovers, and there were many long summer days with nothing to do but lie on my tummy with a good book, swinging my crossed feet behind me in the afternoon warmth. Despite its isolation, that place was home. And now, as my adult-child prepares to head off to grad school next year, it occurs to me that Fredericksburg will represent the memory of home. Memories of reading and a love of books are housed in the downtown branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library and upstairs among the stacks at Riverby Books. Memories of cocoa and coffee are sitting on oversized wooden chairs in Hyperion Espresso. Memories of music, mentorship, and a fond friendship remain

messages

December 2018) I'm so happy you used Stacy Gaglio's print. It's perfect with the story.

Front Porch: I enjoy reading Front Porch. I feel connected and belonged to the town I live in. Thanks for all the good work.

Thanks!, Lou Gramann

Chiung Huang

Dear Virginia, Thank you for publishing the article! (Moss Clinic Helped By Elves,

Front porch fredericksburg

By woodie walker

April 14 hike will focus on Native American story at moment of contact

with Brittany Frompovich and Picker’s Supply. School memories, fellowship memories, the familiar and friendly and belonging memories will be here. Fredericksburg, too, is home. Wherever your heart, there lies home. My students’ hearts remain with their families in far-flung places, and a bit of my heart lives in the past with my young self, exploring the boundaries of a world before adulthood. For my own child Fredericksburg will be the memory of home, a fortunate memory, even as life propels us forward. And here in this coverto-cover read, our Front Porch Fredericksburg Magazine, are the stories that store those memories each month. A.E. Bayne is a local writer, artist, and veteran educator who publishes Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review. She is a partner in the Fredericksburg Independent Book Festival and the Fredericksburg Indie Authors Conference. Thank you Virginia & Lexi for all your amazing support! (Artful Dimensions New Home, January 2018) Elizabeth Woodford Virginia

Virginia, You fill our community with love! Thank you for communicating good news which is a foundation for us to believe in a positive foundation of good people and change trending positive. We need it now more than ever! Kathy Anderson

Many thanks for the wonderful article about me. I certainly was honored and humbled by the award, and very surprised by the article. A number of worthy people have received the award and I feel fortunate to be in such great company.(A Tireless Advocate, Jan. 2018) Karl Karch

Hunter’s Island looks today much as it did in 1608, when Englishman Capt. John Smith fought with Manahoac Indians who had been fishing nearby in the river that isolates and protects it. The meeting was a clash of cultures, a portent of things to come. Nothing would ever be the same for the Indians, or the island. Yet today, more than 400 years acre time machine located later, it’s an 87-a in the middle of the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg. Traces of its human past remain, but Hunter’s Island is again covered with tall trees, and home only to wildlife. This month, Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) will host their annual Hunter’s Island Magical History Tour, led by its owner, Fredericksburg architect and history enthusiast Mary Ellen Wheeler. Her late husband, Robert, bought the island in 1980. To them, the property was a piece of history, a place for nature. It has been managed in that spirit for decades.

Smith’s writings about his Virginia adventures relate that the Manahoac shot arrows at the Englishmen that August day in 1608, and the English were forced to shoot back with their guns. In the fight, a Manahoac named Amoroleck was wounded and captured. Upon interrogation, Amoroleck said his people had heard the English had come “to

can still see evidence of all those layers of history, from Native Americans to 20thcentury farmers,” said Jason Sellers, a U.M.W. history professor who attended last year’s hike. In addition to the discussion about Native Americans, Mary Ellen will tell the group about the island’s later history. She will also explain why its legal name

ivy are abundant, so folks wear closed-toe shoes and carry bug repellant. Tickets are available on the FOR website for $30 per person, and $90 for a group of up to four. FOR members receive a 20% discount. For more information, log onto www.riverfriends.org/events or call Woodie Walker, (540) 373-3448 x. 117.

Woodie Walker is FOR Community Conservationist Photos courtsy of Friends of the Rappahannock

take their world from them.” Within a couple of generations, the island was settled by colonists. It was the site of a grain mill shortly after the Revolutionary War, and farmed throughout much of the 1800s. It remained at least partially inhabited until the historic flood of 1942. “Because of how the island has been managed, you

is Hunter’s Island. This year’s hike takes place Saturday, April 14, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and attendees travel to-and-from the island in pods made of three canoes tied together. Everyone brings water bottles, snacks, and lunch. While getting into and out of the canoes can be physically challenging, the terrain is level and leaders maintain an easy pace. Insects and poison

Hunter’s Island Magical History Hike April 14, 10a - 3p riverfriends.org Friends of Rappahannock, 540-3 373-3 3448

Just in Time for April Showers... Reversible Rain Capes 723 Caroline St 899.8077 Daily 10-5:30; Sunday 12-5 front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

A.E. Bayne

ON THE PORCH

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

April 2018

Hunter’s Island

Guest Porch Editorial

memories of home

where cultures collided four centuries ago

messages

December 2018) I'm so happy you used Stacy Gaglio's print. It's perfect with the story.

Front Porch: I enjoy reading Front Porch. I feel connected and belonged to the town I live in. Thanks for all the good work.

Thanks!, Lou Gramann

Chiung Huang

Dear Virginia, Thank you for publishing the article! (Moss Clinic Helped By Elves,

Front porch fredericksburg

By woodie walker

April 14 hike will focus on Native American story at moment of contact

Woodie Walker is FOR Community Conservationist Photos courtsy of Friends of the Rappahannock

Hunter’s Island Magical History Hike April 14, 10a - 3p riverfriends.org Friends of Rappahannock, 540-3 373-3 3448

Just in Time for April Showers... Reversible Rain Capes 723 Caroline St 899.8077 Daily 10-5:30; Sunday 12-5 front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

On the Trails

How Does A Master Gardener Grow? FXBG Arboretum & botanical zoo

walking through life together ~

By Tina Will and trees available. MG students also visit the UMW campus which has an extensive variety of trees and shrubs. But at Cossey is where you will find Curly Leaf Privet, Hardy (thorny!) Orange, Chitalpa, Stewartia, Lacebark Elm (pictured below), Paperbark Maple, and a host of Viburnums, just to name a few. The renowned Dawn Redwoods don’t just live in great forests far away, but beavers found the one

“Princeton” Elm which has some resistance to Dutch Elm disease. Viburnum row, along Littlepage Street, features eight varieties of Viburnums. If you are considering a hedge plant that survives sun and difficult conditions you can get some recommendations right along that street. Plant ID tags were donated and have a QR code that will take you to the internet for more information on any plant that you want to know more about. Gratitude is certainly in order to the Fredericksburg Parks administrators who agreed to allow VCE to use the land adjacent to the canal for the planting of trees, shrubs, and perennial plants. It is

benches that add to the welcoming atmosphere of the winding paths and variety of flowering shrubs and trees. Plants are purchased with donated funds from the public, and Master Gardeners volunteer to water during the hot summer months and help out on periodic work days. Come find your favorite tree or shrub and a bench to sit and enjoy the surroundings or walk through it this Spring when many trees and shrubs are in flower. It is both a unique and delightful place.

Tina Will has volunteered with MGACRA for 13 years and lives near Ferry Farm in Stafford County. Photos by Tracy Blevins

Cossey Botanical Park: What is a “Botanical Zoo’? More than ten years ago VCE Agent Guy Mussey was actively looking for a small park-like setting to feature many of the trees and shrubs that MG training includes. With the help of some observant Master Gardeners he found such a place at the old Cossey Water Treatment facility bordered by Littlepage Street and Grove Avenue near Kenmore Park in Fredericksburg. Cossey Botanical Park is there today with a beautiful variety of shrubs and trees, most of which have survived hot summers, cold winters, and all manner of storm. Guy Mussey affectionately refers to this park as a “Botanical Zoo” because it reflects his own love for the unusual and underused plants. The variety (more than 150 living plants) is necessary to show classic identification characteristics of trees and shrubs (peeling bark, mottled bark, unusual flowers, etc), and to foster appreciation for the beauty, diversity, and unique appearance of many of the plants

Cossey Botanical Park Nestled within the Historic Streets of Fredericksburg at the Corner of Littlepage Street & Grove Avenue

that was beginning to get tall last year, so it has been replaced, and protection from repeat marauders put in place. Three magnificent Redbuds: ‘Forest Pansy,’ ‘Oklahoma’ (pictured) and ‘Traveler’s’ may still be in flower as this April issue gets published. Their branches and trunks are covered in flower buds as I write this. I can’t wait to see them; it is a glorious sight and worth the effort to go find this park if you haven’t done so already. If you miss the Redbuds, look for the Tree Lilac or “Fort McNair” Horse Chestnut. There is a

Jim Hall and Laura Moyer If you frequently venture out on the trails in Fredericksburg, you will gain an appreciation for our “little city with a small-ttown feel”, where new friendships are made during a variety of local recreational adventures throughout the year. My wife Susan and I first met Jim Hall and Laura Moyer on the annual midApril Hunter’s Island tour sponsored by the Friends of the Rappahannock. During that experience, we were pleased to meet this pleasant couple who share our zeal for the great outdoors. We asked Jim and Laura to be featured this month as they

represent the numerous partners who walk through life together, literally, on the Fredericksburg VA trails. Q. How did you come to Fredericksburg? Jim: “We were both raised in Northern Virginia and graduated from Virginia colleges. I came to the region in 1976 to work at the Caroline Progress newspaper. Laura came to Fredericksburg in 1989 to work Star. I transferred to for the Free Lance-S the FL-S and worked there from 1986 until my retirement in 2013. We met there and started dating many years later. We married in 2016.” Q. How do you experience the trails together? Laura: “We usually walk and talk, especially if we are walking around the city. If we are walking at somewhere like Pratt Park, we will start together then walk separately, each person at his or her pace. We often listen to music or podcasts on these kinds of walks.”

By Kevin Brown

Jim: “We walk everywhere. Pratt Park is probably our favorite place, because it is isolated from traffic. The University of Mary Washington oval trail at the playing fields is also a favorite for that reason. We have a route from our house through the UMW campus that is about 2 miles and is also a favorite. The city sidewalks are our concrete trails. We walk from our home to the downtown library, restaurants or post office. Every summer, we also participate in the FL-S’s Itty Bitty City contest. It's a great way to slow down and examine the wonderful architectural details downtown. In the past, we have also picked out city neighborhoods, like Idlewild, College Heights, and near Wegmans, and walked around them. When we are feeling adventuresome, we hike at Caledon, Crow’s Nest, and the National Park properties at Hamilton's Crossing or Slaughter Pen. I also have been a volunteer trail keeper at Mott's Run.” Q. What is important to you about our Fredericksburg trails system? Laura: “Walking is a great way

to exercise. It is a stress relief and also a great way to see the city and how it is always changing. Sometimes we might not be in a certain area for several months, and are then surprised to see a new home or business being built when we do return there. We always talk about how the use of the trails, parks, etc., increases when we have a pretty day after a cold spell. People obviously want to be out and enjoying the outdoors.” Q. Lastly, what are some interesting things you've seen on our local trails? Jim: “It is always a thrill to see animals, especially birds. We see hawks and herons often and the occasional eagle. We also enjoy spotting the smaller birds, like the red-winged blackbird. We've seen plenty of beavers, turtles and ducks and once we saw a deer on the UMW campus.”

Kevin Brown shares up-to-date local trail news and photos as administrator of the "On the Fredericksburg Va Trails" Facebook Group

maintained in collaboration City of with the Fredericksburg Parks Department and the volunteers of the Master Gardener Association of the Central Rappahannock Area and the Stafford County Virginia Cooperative Extension. Fredericksburg City provides water and continues to mow the property, and they have installed several

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April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

On the Trails

How Does A Master Gardener Grow? FXBG Arboretum & botanical zoo

walking through life together ~

Tina Will has volunteered with MGACRA for 13 years and lives near Ferry Farm in Stafford County. Photos by Tracy Blevins

Cossey Botanical Park Nestled within the Historic Streets of Fredericksburg at the Corner of Littlepage Street & Grove Avenue

By Kevin Brown

Kevin Brown shares up-to-date local trail news and photos as administrator of the "On the Fredericksburg Va Trails" Facebook Group

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com MAIN: (540) 373-9124 NURSERY: (540) 371-8802

We Have All Your Gardening Needs Since 1929 Come Shop With Us! 6

April 2018

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April 2018

“I Have A Friend”

“Don’t Upset Your Father”

THE

FREDERICKSBURG LAMP Only Available At

for the world By Laurie Black We all have things in our lives we wish we could change. For those things we cannot change, we must learn to make the best of it. Of course, there are also things – and people – in our lives that we hope will never change. Jan says of her Senior Visitors volunteer, Lisa Vittoria, “I wouldn’t change her for the world.” Jan and Lisa became friends in 2012. Jan heard about the program from a nurse at Mary Washington Hospital. Lisa was looking for a meaningful way to contribute to the community. A friend suggested the Senior Visitors Program after Lisa lost a very dear senior in her life. Lisa says, “What I love about the Senior Visitors Program is that I am paired with one person who helped me fill that void, Jan. I take her to the grocery store the way I did with the other woman in my life and that makes me feel helpful. But the truth is, Jan does as much for me as I do for her. Jan is a true inspiration to me. She was dealt a rotten hand, yet makes the most of her life by being as independent as possible. We love to laugh and have weekly outings.” Lisa explains, “We love to stroll downtown, especially when we can participate in the Itty Bitty City Contest or the Walk for Mental Wellness in May. We go places such as movies, art galleries and the Marine Corp Museum where we listened to an Elvis impersonator. We’ve been to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a symphony at UMW, and the gingerbread house exhibit. This year we went to the Virginia State Fair to see the 200+ pound watermelon and almost 1,000 pound pumpkin. While there we let a woman from a lavender farm dressed as a bee (should have been a clue there) put lavender oil on our wrists. When we walked out of her tent, we were chased by bees! I pushed Jan in her chair as fast as I could when I realized I had a bee in my

shirt. I ran into the back of a food tent, told this man to turn around, and took off my shirt. We laughed hard about that one! Jan likes it when we go out and “get into trouble,” but she also likes to be helpful.” While Lisa worked at Ten Thousand Villages, Jan volunteered to be in charge of monthly birthday cards to customers and sometimes she would come to the store to help unpack shipments. Jan has also helped Lisa with her garden. “At my house she has helped me trim bushes. Her own garden is very well manicured in a Japanese style that she learned in Hawaii and does herself.” Jan says of visits with Lisa, “It’s wonderful. You can’t express it. She’s friendly, understandable, easy-going. She’s more like a sister.” Jan has enjoyed getting out into the community with Lisa for a variety of activities beyond errands and lunches. Jan wishes everyone could have a friend like Lisa. Lisa and Jan have an enthusiasm for life, infectious smiles, and a love for their community which we simply would not want to change for the world! You can come out and join Lisa, Jan, and many others in the community at the 11th Annual Walk for Mental Wellness on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Maury Park in downtown Fredericksburg, on the corner of William Street & Kenmore Avenue. Enjoy the silent auction, prizes, games, food, live music, and more – all while supporting a great cause! The Walk for Mental Wellness helps to support the Senior Visitors Program and other programs of Mental Health America of Fredericksburg such as: Helpline, Teen Suicide Prevention Education, and mental health support groups. Your support will allow Mental Health America of Fredericksburg to continue doing the good work in our

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April 2018

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mental health awareness

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community of “Changing Minds, Changing Lives”. Day-of registration opens at 9 a.m. You can register to sponsor, donate or walk at http://mhafred.org/walk. For more details about the Senior Visitors Program or the Walk for Mental Wellness, call us at (540)371-2704 or visit our website mhafred.org. Laurie Black is the Administrative Assistant for the Senior Visitors Program Reached her at mhafaa@mhafred.org

Supporting The Non-Profits Since 1997

By Rita Girard One of my earliest memories (I was 7 years old) is of watching my dad have his third “nervous breakdown”. It was terrifying and confusing to watch my father unravel emotionally and then disappear from our home for two weeks – while he was in a state hospital receiving electroshock therapy. When he came home from the hospital - the mantra in my family became “Don’t upset your father”. It was our family’s secret, and it began a lifelong of unhealthy relationship patterns for all of us. What I have come to know is that everyone has “stuff”, and I believe it is only when we admit that we have “stuff” and seek help - that we can become emotionally healthy. Yet, for many people, the stigma and fear of judgement for having mental health struggles often prevents us from seeking the help we need to find mental wellness. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Mental Health America of Fredericksburg (MHAF) is hosting the 11th Annual Walk for Mental Wellness on

donatelifevirginia.org dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/#organs.asp

Walk for Mental Wellness on Saturday, May 5 th Maury Park in downtown Fredericksburg Saturday, May 5 th at Maury Park in downtown Fredericksburg on the corner of William Street and Kenmore. Mental Health America of Fredericksburg exists to improve the lives of people in their mental health and well-b being. Our Walk helps support our four major programs: Helpline, Teen Suicide Prevention Education, Senior Visitors, and mental health support groups. Your support makes it possible for us to continue our mission of “Changing Minds, Changing Lives.” At the Walk, there will be a silent auction with lots of great items to bid on, prizes, games, food, live music, and lots of fun! You can register in advance to sponsor, donate or walk at http://mhafred.org or just show up on Saturday, May 5th to have a lot of fun and support a great cause! Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the Walk begins at 10 a.m. One of the people who serves on our Walk committee is Laura Ellis who told me why she supports MHAF and the Walk for Mental Wellness. She said, "I will walk on May 5th so that no family or individual feels that they have to suffer in silence. My toughest year was 2012 when my anxiety spiraled out of control, causing me to fall into a deep depression. I was ready to end it all and move forward with my suicide plan. When I told my husband that I was done, he took the day off from work and got me help. I was able to get back on track with medication and therapy. In 2015 our son Tristan was hospitalized, after he tried to hurt himself at school. We felt alone and like we could not tell anyone what had happened. I finally broke my silence and announced on Facebook on Tristan's 9th birthday that he was in the hospital battling anxiety and depression. It has

been a long, hard road, that included two additional hospitalizations for him, but now he is a thriving 11 year old who manages his mental health with medication and therapy.” Laura continued, “Sharing our story wasn't easy and the battle has been painful, but asking for help saved my life, as well as Tristan's. My family will walk on May 5th in the hopes to reach others so they know that they aren't alone and to raise money for Mental Health America of Fredericksburg to fund programs that are vital to mental wellness!” As the executive director of Mental Health America of Fredericksburg, I have the privilege of developing programs and helping people find ways (that work for them) of becoming emotionally healthy and finding mental wellness. I am walking on May 5th (and raising money) because Mental Health America of Fredericksburg is working to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues – to make it easier for all of us to admit we have “stuff” and get the help we need. I hope you will join me! To learn more about any of the programs at Mental Health America of Fredericksburg or the Walk for Mental Wellness, call us at 540-371-2704 or visit our website at mhafred.org.

Rita Girard is the Executive Director of the Mental Health America of Fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

“I Have A Friend”

“Don’t Upset Your Father”

THE

FREDERICKSBURG LAMP Only Available At

Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940

On-Premise Jewelry Repair Large Selection of ESTATE JEWELRY 212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9-5:30; Sat 9-4 jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

mental health awareness

The Copper Shop 371-4455 1707R Princess Anne

Behind Silk Mill Like Us on facebook

Supporting The Non-Profits Since 1997

donatelifevirginia.org dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/#organs.asp

Rita Girard is the Executive Director of the Mental Health America of Fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Everything Greens springtime in the garden By nephthalie lauture

THE POETRY MAN - By Frank Fratoe

david fraser & fraser wood elements

City Fountain

BY Collette Caprara

Radiance streaming overhead shines down to imbue drops that dance aside on the air and water keeps rainbowing within a self-evident aura. Some people sit in the park to linger a minute and rest but others are so heedless they have no time for calm where the fountain beckons. If all there would respond to a thrust of spray arcing upward on the liquid basin and blooming when it falls they will imagine an orchid. Frank Fratoe lives & writes in the city. He has written poems from the heart for Front Porch for the past 10 years.

Where Customer Service and Title Insurance Become One

Jewell Wolterman 12225 Amos Lane, Ste 204 Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-907-0574 www.elitetitleva.com jwolterman@elitetitleva.com

Wills and Trusts Provide for Incapacity Trusts for Minor Children Wealth Preservation Trusts Avoid Probate AhearnEstateLaw.com 10

April 2018

540/371-9890

Front porch fredericksburg

I’ve always thought Spring was a wonderful time of year. The weather slowly heats up, the days become longer, spending time outside is no longer physically uncomfortable, and the birds begin chirping outside of my window. My mood elevates. But most importantly, spring also signifies another very important occasion: To prepare our beloved community garden for harvest. Taking on such a task requires dedicated preparation that could require many hands. Luckily, that is where our wonderful community comes in handy. Many of us are eager to help out. If you're like me, you suffer from brutal seasonal allergies. Your eyes swell, your respiratory system goes into crisis mode, and sometimes you could get itchy. All these symptoms and more. So, to the member of the community who loves to garden and be outdoors who ALSO suffers from seasonal allergies: don't fret. You can do both. You can be both. Life is a balancing act, whether you have mild or intense allergies. There are many ways to help keep allergies at bay without using over the counter drugs. And if used regularly, these methods could have you skipping a trip to the pharmacy all together. For those of you who have really full sinuses, a Neti pot has always helped me. At first, I thought the concept was strange. But I was in pain and how bad could it honestly be? I can now say it's one of the first methods I use to quell a headache or stuffy nose. I have also included local honey in my diet. Wearing

sunglasses when enjoying the outdoors will also prevent pollen from getting into your eyes. I love it because I stay out longer and my eyes are also protected from UV rays. Keep all of your windows closed on high pollen days. I know it sounds terrible but it's for the best. Also make sure to check the weather beforehand to know what the pollen levels are looking like. Wash your face after you come from outdoors. I find that this helps a lot with preventing irritation on your skin from the pollen. Begin shopping early for supplies. There have been times I’ve waited until the symptoms appeared and it was never a convenient time for me to go to the store. It's better just to have it on you. Drinking green tea also helps. The tea has natural antihistamines that fight allergies. Although it may not be much, these are the methods that have helped me remain productive throughout the day. While these holistic methods are really easy and convenient and encouraged by many - sometimes simply taking medicine doesn't hurt either. The choice is yours.

Each year, Nephthalie suffers from seasonal allergies but still finds ways to volunteer at Downtown Greens. She resides in Fredericksburg.

The Makers District

Open Monday – Friday at 6am Open Saturday – Sunday at 7am Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner $5.00 Weekly Lunch Specials

Check Out Our NEW Bistro Menu! 540-373-8300 www.marriott.com/fkrcy 620 Caroline St. FXBG, VA

A magical realm within the Burg, the neighborhood near the intersection of Wolfe and Jackson Streets might appear to be quiet from the outside but it is bustling with activity, creativity, and innovation within, as artists and artisans (some acclaimed nationally and internationally) go about their work.

While, at first glance, the brick structure at the corner of Wolfe and Jackson streets might appear to be a quiet warehouse, it is the Workshop of Fraser Wood Elements, a bustling hub of quality craftsmanship and woodworking artistry that has merited the attention and loyalty of customers near and far. The company has fulfilled orders for its handcrafted, uniquely-designed creations from across the country as far as Alaska and even from Puerto Rico, and residents of the Burg have the opportunity to view and sample Fraser’s products at its spacious Showroom at 1023 Caroline Street.

The popularity of Fraser Wood Elements’ handcrafted items is the result of the investment, personal care, and detail that goes into each of its creations. This begins with trips throughout Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region in which choice lumber and reclaimed wood is identified, purchased, and transported back to the workshop. Founder and proprietor of the company David Fraser opened his venture in downtown Fredericksburg in 2014, settling with his wife and their threemonth-old son in her hometown.. David had a acquired his knowledge and love of woodworking from his previous employment in Charleston, South Carolina, where he sold reclaimed flooring and features and worked with designers and builders to select the appropriate

material for their project and clients’ lifestyle. Since that time, the business has made great strides and has taken on a team of four employees, each of whom took notice of the venture and asked to play a role in it. “I am very proud of each employee and cannot thank them enough for the dedication they provide to Fraser and to our customers,” David said. “We are motivated every day and look forward to working with our clients, helping them find and select that perfect wood product for their space or memorable gift for a special occasion. “ Fraser Woods Elements’ first workshop started out on Jail Alley, behind their original Caroline Street location. In search of more space and an environment that nurtured inspiration and creativity, David was pleased to find a location in the Wolfe Street “makers district” neighborhood. “When we saw the creativity and collaboration that was going on among the businesses there, we just had to be a part of that,” he said. “This area most certainly

can be expanded and augmented in the future as an artists and artisans area of Fredericksburg. I cannot thank the Fredericksburg community enough for their support of Fraser Wood Elements. We are looking forward to the future and hope that we will be able to help the city expand its economic development and tourism.”

Though the workshop is not open to the public, folks are welcomed to peruse its products and those of selected partners from across the country at its Showroom at 1023 Caroline Street from 10:00 to 5:00 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and till 6:00 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Collette Caprara is a local writer and artist.

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Everything Greens springtime in the garden By nephthalie lauture

THE POETRY MAN - By Frank Fratoe

david fraser & fraser wood elements

City Fountain

BY Collette Caprara

Where Customer Service and Title Insurance Become One

Jewell Wolterman 12225 Amos Lane, Ste 204 Fredericksburg, VA 22407 540-907-0574 www.elitetitleva.com jwolterman@elitetitleva.com

Wills and Trusts Provide for Incapacity Trusts for Minor Children Wealth Preservation Trusts Avoid Probate AhearnEstateLaw.com 10

April 2018

540/371-9890

Front porch fredericksburg

Each year, Nephthalie suffers from seasonal allergies but still finds ways to volunteer at Downtown Greens. She resides in Fredericksburg.

The Makers District

Open Monday – Friday at 6am Open Saturday – Sunday at 7am Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner $5.00 Weekly Lunch Specials

Check Out Our NEW Bistro Menu! 540-373-8300 www.marriott.com/fkrcy 620 Caroline St. FXBG, VA

Collette Caprara is a local writer and artist.

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Season’s Bounty

Vino

is spring sprung yet?

It’s a red blend world

By vanessa moncure

by City Vino

Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Keith Lebor Proprietor The "red blend" category of wine has expanded sharply over the last few years. By definition, these wines contain less than 75% of any one specific grape. The category currently accounts for approximately 40% of new wines introduced in the U.S. and has surpassed Cabernet Sauvignon in volume of purchases in this country. The red blend category generally includes wines that are fruity and easydrinking, smooth, full-bodied and without harsh tannins. They also tend to have some residual sugar to make them more palatable. Modern red blends are made from a wide variety of grapes, depending on what the winemaker has available and what style of wine they are trying to achieve. Blends are a great way to use the strengths of different grapes to balance out the weaknesses of other grapes. Blending also provides layers of flavors for added complexity.

But red blends aren’t new. A number of iconic wine styles from France, Italy, and Spain are the original red blends. Red wines from Bordeux can be made from any combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. Often refered to as "Meritage" blends in the U.S., this blend takes advantage of each grape's strengths. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot require a lot of heat to fully ripen. In cooler years, Merlot and Cabernet Franc can pick up the slack to make up for lower amounts of the other two. Cabernet Franc has lower tannins and can balance out the higher tannins from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Southern Rhone is also known as a hot bed (literally) of red blends. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre all like the heat and bring very different qualities to the blends of this region. Grenache tends to have low tannin, high alcohol and a core of red fruit flavors. Syrah and Mourvedre bring tannins, spice and darker fruit flavors to the blend. Other wellknown red blends include Chianti, Super Tuscans and Valopicellas from Italy, and Rioja and Priorats from Spain. While modern red blends are fun and approachable, don’t forget about their old school forerunners!

City Vino is located at 810 Caroline St. You can find owners Renee Dunn & Rita Allen on-site to provide answers to all your wine questions

April 2018

Fredericksburg’s Hometown Irish Pub & Restaurant Since 1961

Front porch fredericksburg

Possibly I was a bit optimistic when writing last month's column turning my thoughts to spring and the outdoors. Well, why worry about Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil’s depressing prediction of six more wintry weeks when February teased us with two weeks of record-breaking warmth? And the 80-degree days last March found me(very guiltily) clicking on the A/C several times! (The screens were at a glass shop being rescreened - we try to hold off on wholehouse refrigeration until pollen begins building up on the windowsills and Claritin becomes the pill de jour.) Then, this March had a record-breaking three nor’easters, or bomb cyclones, hit the East Coast within a two week span, bringing up to 40” of the white stuff to Boston; Tallahassee FL had their first measurable snow in thirty years; Lexington KY had storms with over a foot of snow and Spring Break in Blacksburg was interrupted by a minor blizzard. Hmmm….Phil must have studied the almanac as they had the same drear forecast. But I remain optimistic that spring will shortly be sprung and we'll be well-rewarded at the Farmer’s Market! PEAS AND NEW POTATOES Two must-have vegetables for spring - fresh peas and those first-dug new potatoes so tender and delicious, pairing well for a light side dish. New potatoes’ skins will slip off while rinsing. I like Yukon Gold for the delicate flavor and while shopping, try to find smaller, fresh-dug potatoes with thin skins and count on three to four per person. Buy sweet spring peas in the pod, about a pound for this recipe (a pound of peas in the pod should yield about a cup of fresh peas). It's not a chore to shell them - I often find a grandchild or two eager to help me shell them (and eat them fresh from the pod). To cook the potatoes, instead of boiling them in water, steam them until tender and toss with butter, salt and some fresh dill. Rinse shelled peas and cook them in boiling water for one to two minutes drain well, then mix with the potatoes. GREEN TEA POACHED SALMON WITH DILLED CREME FRAICHE Sounds like you've worked all day to prepare, but actually very simple. Purchase a filet of beautiful deep-coral wild-caught salmon with skin on. In a fish poacher (I know, I sometimes wonder if I have the last fish poacher in the world use a large sauté pan instead) mix one cup steeped green tea, one tablespoon butter and one teaspoon green peppercorns in a large sauté pan. (These are the same fruit as black peppercorns, but fresh and with a delicate flavor - they're found brined or

pickled in a small glass jar as they are perishable, not having gone through the drying process. Use them for fantastic au poivre sauces as whole black peppercorns are too hard and unsuited for eating whole. ) Place salmon skin-side down in liquid, then bring to a boil - reduce heat and let simmer until liquid is reduced and fish cooked until flaky but still very moist, 8-10 minutes. Remove fish to a platter, then add another tablespoon of butter to the peppercorns and juices in the pan and deglaze. Stir in one teaspoon of finely minced parsley and pour sauce over fish filet. CREME FRAICHE can be purchased, you can make a good homemade recipe overnight, or whip up this quick mock CREME by adding a tablespoon of whole-milk buttermilk to one cup of sour cream. Stir in minced fresh dill for a dilled creme fraiche to serve with the salmon. HINT - if you can't find green peppercorns, crack whole white peppercorns and substitute for the green, using just one-half teaspoon. STRAWBERRY AND KIWI NAPOLEONS A dessert for the start of berry season. Actually, you can continue preparing this as long as you have fresh berries. Whole raspberries are particularly delicious in this recipe, served with a raspberry sauce. RECIPE: Prepare cream filling up to four hours before use : prepare two cups of whipped cream and set aside. Stir together the zest of one lemon, one-third cup fresh lemon juice and one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk until smooth and wellcombined, then immediately fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate until needed. Defrost one sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, then roll out until the dough is about 1/8th inch thick. brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse white sanding sugar. Cut into 2x5-inch rectangles, then place on parchment lined baking pan, allowing three per serving. Place into preheated 450F oven, then immediately lower temperature to 400F and bake until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Cool on baking racks. Prepare fruit by thinly slicing strawberries and kiwis. Shortly before serving, place one pastry

layer on dessert plate, spread with filling and fruit, then repeat with another layer, ending with the third piece of pastry. Dust with confectioner's sugar immediately before serving. If desired, serve with a strawberry sauce made by whirling together in your blender one cup of strawberries, two tablespoons sugar and just enough orange juice to process.

Mon-Thurs, 11am-9pm Fri & Sat, 11am-10pm Sun, 11am - 9pm Bar open until 2am everyday

200 Hanover St. ~ 373-0738

I'd say once you serve this meal, spring must definitely be sprung!

The Sunken Well Tavern

The Soup & Taco, Etc. 813 Caroline St. Fredericksburg, VA

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday

Eat Well Drink Well Live Well 720 Littlepage sunkenwelltavern.com 540-370-0911

11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

Phone: 540-899-0969 soupntaco@yahoo.com

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Season’s Bounty

Vino

is spring sprung yet?

It’s a red blend world

By vanessa moncure

by City Vino

City Vino is located at 810 Caroline St. You can find owners Renee Dunn & Rita Allen on-site to provide answers to all your wine questions

April 2018

Fredericksburg’s Hometown Irish Pub & Restaurant Since 1961

Front porch fredericksburg

Mon-Thurs, 11am-9pm Fri & Sat, 11am-10pm Sun, 11am - 9pm Bar open until 2am everyday

200 Hanover St. ~ 373-0738

I'd say once you serve this meal, spring must definitely be sprung!

The Sunken Well Tavern

The Soup & Taco, Etc. 813 Caroline St. Fredericksburg, VA

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday

Eat Well Drink Well Live Well 720 Littlepage sunkenwelltavern.com 540-370-0911

11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

Phone: 540-899-0969 soupntaco@yahoo.com

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Cooking With Kyle

Food Justice Project Serves a Lesson on Waste

Moroccan Lamb

By ester salguero

by james kyle snyder

This month, I am cooking some traditional Moroccan food ~ lamb in a tagine (or Tajine depending where you are from). Tagines are one of the oldest cooking utensils in the world. Like most things that are old, the actual origin is hard to nail down. North Africa? Cyprus? Turkey? I was not able to find a definite answer. What I do know about tagines is that they are lots of fun to cook in and a pretty way to present food. This clever earthenware could be considered the world’s first slow cooker. Originally, the base would be placed on the coals to begin the heating process; moving the vessel in and out of the coals would control cooking heat. The high steep sides of the lid ensure most of the moisture circulates back into the dish. As the vegetables give up their water, they create the broth that will moisten the couscous. Traditional Moroccan dishes evoke thoughts of the Mediterranean bazars, exotic lands, and foreign trade. As the other side of the entrance from Spain, protecting the Straight of Gibraltar, Morocco had, and has, access to everything traded by sea in the Mediterranean. This includes spices! Start by placing the tagine on the stovetop on medium low heat (unless you happen to have a bed of coals handy). Add a little oil and one large, chopped onion then cover. The lid continually gets placed on and taken off to add ingredients. Add the root vegetables first. Chop 2 cups each of parsnips, carrots, and potatoes into ¾” x ¾” and add them to the mix. I like to season and spice at this stage. Dust the mixture with a Tbs of coriander, ½ Tbs cumin, and ½ Tbs of S&P (salt & pepper). Shave 1” of ginger into the mix and blend well. Add 2 Cups of

April 2018

diced tomatoes while you get the lamb ready. Wash the lamb and cut into 1” x 1” cubes. The tagine makes a great oven, rotating what normally are escaping flavors back into the dish. Although the heat is medium-low to low most of the time, this machine cooks things quickly. From start to finish I spent a total of 45 minutes. It is fun too! It demands involvement without being high maintenance. Once everything is bubbling, add the lamb, ensuring it is evenly mixed throughout the mixture. All of the nonescaping steam will condense and stir all the flavors together. Put the lid on and set the timer for 15 minutes. As the juices begin to fill the rim of the lid, you will know it is getting close to the finish. Check the meat and when done, remove everything but the juice from the tagine, continuing to heat so that the couscous will cook. Measure the amount of liquid remaining, and stir-in the proper amount of couscous quickly. Cover. Turn the heat off and wait five more minutes. Assembly time is finally here! Lift the lid and fluffy the couscous. Add a layer of chickpeas (no need to heat them if they are already cooked) and top with the rest of the dish. Here you can sprinkle cilantro or green onions on top. Serve the bottom to ensure you get everything. There is a lot to learn from our ancestors and cooking is one of them. If we just pay attention we can relearn how simple, easy, and delicious cooking, and hanging out with new people can be. Thanks Karim, Venice, and Siham for the time together. Be Well! Kyle Snyder appeals to your palate and your other senses when it comes to good, simple, healthy eating

Front porch fredericksburg

The screen showed mounds and mounds of perfectly good bread from bakeries in Europe - tossed out because of the countries' regulations. In fact, according to the Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year. UMW juniors Tirzah Rao Jasmine Pope (left) and researched food waste in Fredericksburg for a Food Justice course taught by Professor of Sociology Tracy Citeroni. . The video, part of a course called Food Justice, got UMW juniors and best friends Jasmine and Tirzah thinking. What happens to leftover food at restaurants around Fredericksburg? For their final project in the class the students decided to find out. They spent their fall semester interviewing restaurant owners, but the results weren't what they'd expected. They found that restaurants downtown didn't have large amounts of waste like they'd seen in the film, but the pair is committed to finding ways to repurpose what leftovers there are. Rao hopes to connect the establishments with

C L THE HAPPY M The Only Thing We “Overlook” is the Rappahannock! Monday ~ Saturday: 11am ~ 9pm Sunday: 12-8pm 1017 Sophia Street

540-899-0140 (ph)

540-899-0141 (fax)

Rand Sompayrac & Richard Moncure, Proprietors

Become a Member

fxbgfoodcoop@gmail.com fredericksburgfoodcoop.com

and consume food in America, and how the food industry can be re-evaluated to accommodate everyone. At the very least, Citeroni hopes the course gets students excited enough to think about how they can advocate for alternative policies. It has. "Students get involved in ongoing food justice initiatives," she said, "and create an action plan to further those goals through their own research." Many have created action plans to address issues such as poverty, school nutrition, farmland restoration and more. Pope and Rao asked managers of expensive, inexpensive and moderately priced restaurants like Jay's Downtown Sports Lounge if they participated in food recovery programs - and if they even knew what that meant. The students asked each establishment how much and what types of food waste it produced, and where the waste ended up. Pope and Rao found that downtown Fredericksburg restaurants vary in the types and quantities of food they end up losing, and that most were unaware of nearby food recovery programs, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as industrial, (L to r) Downtown Greens Executive Director humanitarian and environmental. Sarah Perry speaks with The pair hopes to find a way to Jasmine Pope and Tirzah Rao. help restaurants begin systems of food recovery programs, which collect food recovery, such as taking waste to surplus edibles from restaurants, grocery organizations like Downtown Greens - a stores and farmer's markets for non-profit green space in the city that distribution among emergency food banks promotes environmental care and and shelters. Pope wants to come up with sustainable gardening methods - for a plan to recycle food waste into composting. sustainable energy or compost. "Society focuses on feeding the "I'm thrilled about their hungry and people in need, but food dedication to and enthusiasm for this spoils and there's nothing you can do to issue and look forward to seeing how help that," Pope said. "So, in the case that their research develops," said Citeroni, it does spoil, [we should find] a way to who points to Pope and Rao as the first to still use that food source." focus on the issue of food waste in the Fredericksburg community since she Ester Salguero can be reached at the created the Food Justice course in 2010. Office of Media & Public Relations The class aims to teach students at UMW how politics, the economy and culture play a role in how we produce, distribute Photos by Norm Shafer front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Cooking With Kyle

Food Justice Project Serves a Lesson on Waste

Moroccan Lamb

By ester salguero

by james kyle snyder

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

C L THE HAPPY M The Only Thing We “Overlook” is the Rappahannock! Monday ~ Saturday: 11am ~ 9pm Sunday: 12-8pm 1017 Sophia Street

540-899-0140 (ph)

540-899-0141 (fax)

Rand Sompayrac & Richard Moncure, Proprietors

Become a Member

fxbgfoodcoop@gmail.com fredericksburgfoodcoop.com

April 2018

CALENDAR of events

Day, at Classic Iron, 4907 Jefferson april 2018….April Fool’s, Easter, Passover, TaxDay, Earth Day, National Volunteer Week Shred Davis HWY., FXBG, , 22408. Shred your

Easter Sunday, April 1 Monday, April 2

Poetry Readings, Howell Branch, 7-8p Spring Dance Camps @ M&S Studio, 1498 Central Park BLVD. Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Tuesday, April 3

Red Dragon Brewery Trivia night 5 rounds of mind-numbing movies, tv, history, and pop culture trivia questions.

p.m. PONSHOP is teaming up with Richmond-based non-profit, Studio Two Three, who will be offering screen-printing activities via their mobile print truck stationed in front of the gallery For more information, call 540-656-2215. exhibit on display through April. Come explore the complex mind of Tammy Hedge, the woman behind the Monster Mashup Project. From the absurd and silly "Inside My Mind", to amuse and make you think @Art First Gallery, opening reception 6-9p, 824 Caroline St.

Wednesday, April 4

Dimensional Expressions: Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition @ Artful Dimensions Gallery, 922 Caroline St

Karaoke @Fat Boys, 451 Jeff Davis Hwy

OddBox Studios Local Photography and Multimedia Studio Marks Five Year Anniv Celebration @ Oddbox Studios, 526-1 Wolfe St., 69:30p. demos, jazz, food. www.oddboxstudios.com

Sunken Well Trivia tonight 7:45pm ~ Come and match wits against the finest minds in Fredericksburg!

Thursday, April 5

Downtown Greens Garden 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more Dough Raiser at Benny Vitali's, to benefit "Art for ParK' (FXBG Skate Park Project), 722 Caroline St, 11a-11p Lost Stories, Found Images: Portraits of Jews in Wartime Amsterdam by Annemie Wolff@ Ridderhof Martin Gallery, 1301 College Ave. Opening reception, 5-7p. Exhibit on view through June 28. Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p

First Friday, April 6

Music Fridays @ Legume, Adwela & The Uprising (Reggae), 8-10p, 715 Caroline St Laurie Rose Grifffith & Peter Mealy @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8-10p "Wave on Wave' Gina Clark and Doyle Green playing all your favorites Full bar, great food, TV's, kid friendly. Courtyard Mariott Historic Disteict, 620 Caroline St, 6-9pm

Kayaking on the Potomac @ Stratford Hall, 1-5p. . $ contact Jon Bachman at 804-493-1972 or jbachman@stratfordhall.org. Highmark Brewery live music with The Bucktones Larry Hinkle Mark D John Buck Food buffet by Bacon BBQ Free Admission Pet Friendly! 5-8p Swing Dance Party @Adventure Brewery 3300 Dill Smith Dr. 7-10p UMW Music Department presents an evening of chamber music @Gari Melchers Home & Studio, 224 washington Ave. 7:30-8:30p, FREE

Sunday, April 8

Spring is here! Fredericksburg Spring Arts and Crafts Faire, , at the Fredericksburg Expo Center. UMW Music Department presents an afternoon of music featuring the Faculty Jazz Combo , @Gari Melchers Studio, 4-5p, 224 Washington Ave. FREE

Monday, April 9

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p Nerd Nite @ Red Dragon Brewry, 7pm,."It's like the Discovery Channel…with beer

Tuesday, April 10

Colonial Seafood live @Adventure Brewing, 33 Perchwood Dr, 8-10p

Saturday, April 7

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia night .

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 9-12noon. Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more! Spring is here! The Fredericksburg Spring Arts and Crafts Faire, , at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

FCCA Artist Choice Exhibit, members Gallery, Saly Kubarek & Darlene Wilkinson

Poetry Readings Porter Branch, 2-3p FAILSAFE-ERA 4th Annual Scholarship Program & Fundraiser Dinner. FXBG Hospitality House & Conf Center, 2801 Plank Road. 6pm For more info call Juanita at 540-479-3021 or www.failsafe-era.org

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Sunday, April 15

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p

Walk 'N Roll Fredericksburg @ Quarles Petroleum, disability Awareness, 11a-3p. music, activities and food before and after the walk .Dogs welcome!

Jay Starling @Kenmore Inn, 1200 Princess Anne St, 7:30-10:30p $

Friday, April 13

Music Fridays @ Legume, Not At Liberty (Jam & Rock) 8-10p, 715 Caroline St The Acoustic Onion live @Adventure Brewing, 33 Perchwood 8-10p

Saturday, April 14

Learn about becoming a foster parent @ Salem Church Library, info: Gretchen Rusden at 540-6135120 or gretchen.rusden@embracetfc.com

Brush Strokes Gallery, Kathleen Willingham, "Speak to Me", opening ,6-9p. Show throughout April

"Art for Park"Skatedeck Exhibit to benefit FXBG Skate Park Project @ Brooks Park on display at Ponshop, 712 Caroline St. openings 6 p.m. to 9

confidential papers

Wednesday, April 11

The FXBG Food Co-op thanks the community To show our appreciation, the travelling Gratitude Grille, a red food truck run by the farmers of fellow co-op Cabot Cheese of Vermont, will be serving mac and cheese and vegan salad to all our friends and supporters. 5-7p @Old Mill Park Sunken Well Trivia tonight starting at 7:45pm ~ Come and match wits against the finest minds in Fredericksburg! Compete for Honor, Glory, and Prizes!!

Live Music, Acoustic Onion, LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8-10p

Thursday, April 12

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 9-12noon. Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more! Friends of the Rappahannock Hunter's Island Magical History Tour Hike, 10a-3p. info www.riverfriends.org/events or call Woodie Walker, (540) 373-3448 x. 117.

Saturday, April 21

Beginning of Nat’l Voluteer Week

Scents of History at the Rising Sun Tavern. Have you ever wondered how perfume is made? Are you interested in making your own personal fragrance? Then this hands-on workshop is for you! 2-3:30p Women's Empowerment Event @ 718 Venue, 3p. event spotlights amazing, dynamic, professional women, Come witness true excellence, at its best!!! Join us! $

Everything but the Garage @ Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center , 9a-3p

Saturday, April 28

Tuesday, April 17 Tax Day

Fredericksburg Community Concert Band's Spring Concert - Marching into Spring @ James Monroe High School, 7:30p. $

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia night h

Sunday, April 22

Chamber Chorale Spring Concert @ Hope Presbyterian Church, 11121 Leavells Rd, 3p. featuring Handel's Coronation Anthems,

Spend a morning exploring the forests of Stratford Hall Family Trek-The Spring Forest.$, contact Jon Bachman, 804-493-1972 or jbachman@stratfordhall.org

The Fredericksburg Area Museum History at Red Dragon Brewery

Free VHDA Homeownership Education Classes to be Offered in Stafford, VA @ Porter Branch Library, 10a-4p

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Sunken Well Trivia t\7:45pm ~ Hops and

Thursday, April 19

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p

Friday, April 20

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Mary Washington House, 5-7p

James and the Giant Peach, A delightfully offbeat musical adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure., Stafford High School, 7 p.m . Central Virginia Battlefields Trust Tours and Annual Meeting @ FXBG Hospitality House

Scott McMillen live @Adventure Brewing North, 810p

Music Fridays @ Legume, The Transmitters (Rocksteady Reggae) 8-10p, 715 Caroline St

Renowned actor & producer Henry Winkler narrates Sergei Prokofiev's classic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf, UMW Dodd Auditorium, 7:30p Music Fridays @ Legume, Karen Jonas 8-10p, 715 Caroline St

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Wednesday, April 18

Friday, April 27

Season Opening of Fredericksburg Farmers Market @ Hurkamp Park, 7a-2p

James and the Giant Peach, AStafford High School, 7 p.m., . 2 p.m. matinees

Monday, April 16

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p James and the Giant Peach, Stafford High 7 p.m,

Earth Day @Old Mill Park, Enjoy the 15th annual Festival along the beautiful Rappahannock River! dozens of environmental exhibitors, live music, great food, birds of prey, hands-on activities, and so much more for the entire family! FREE

St. George Concert Series , The Rainer Trio, 3-4p

Poetry Readings at the Library, Celebration of Poetry, Riverside Writers, Salem Branch, 9:30a -4p

Children of all ages FXBG Area Museum annual Victory Garden planting! meet in the rose garden located at the corner of Princess Anne and William St and spend the hour planting seeds and discussing the importance of Victory Gardens during World War II. 11-Noon

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 9-12noon. Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more!

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Monday, April 23

St. James' House Spring Opening, 1300 Charles St. House open to the public for tours only two weeks a year; see beautiful collection of antiques and decorative arts. Be sure to stroll the handsome gardens after your tour. Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 9-12noon. Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more! Flower Moon Fest@ Highmark Brewery Traditionally signifis warmer sun and longer days Live music, food trucks James and the Giant Peach, Stafford High School, 7 p.m. 2 p.m. matinees

Sunday, April 29

Belmont Woodland Tours 2 PM. ,Conducted by Virginia Master Naturalists, these informative walks cover a mile of trails in both woodlands and fields and also touch on the historic ruins of Belmont's past. Please wear sturdy footwear. Meet outside the Visitor Center. Free.

Monday, April 30

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Tuesday, April 24

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia

Wednesday, April 25 Sunken Well Trivia 7:45pm

Thursday, April 26

Book signing with Emmett Snead @ Sunken Well Tavern, 5-9p. Emmett Snead will be signing and selling copies of his book, Yankees in the Cornfield, at this free event. Free grass-fed, hormone-free Snead's Farm beef sliders while supplies last.

If you are reading this 249th issue of FPF, thank an advertiser as we celebrate our 21st year of continuous publication! If you are an advertiser, list your events. Deadline for May2018 issue is April 20th. To submit events go to frontporchfredericksburg.com/submit

Become a Friend Advocate ~ Donate ~ Volunteer

3273 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

Front Porch on 540~479~4116 1013 Princess Anne St , FXBG 16

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

540-8 899-6 6787

fortemusicstudios.com front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

CALENDAR of events

Day, at Classic Iron, 4907 Jefferson april 2018….April Fool’s, Easter, Passover, TaxDay, Earth Day, National Volunteer Week Shred Davis HWY., FXBG, , 22408. Shred your

Easter Sunday, April 1 Monday, April 2

Poetry Readings, Howell Branch, 7-8p Spring Dance Camps @ M&S Studio, 1498 Central Park BLVD. Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Tuesday, April 3

Red Dragon Brewery Trivia night 5 rounds of mind-numbing movies, tv, history, and pop culture trivia questions.

Wednesday, April 4

Dimensional Expressions: Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition @ Artful Dimensions Gallery, 922 Caroline St

Karaoke @Fat Boys, 451 Jeff Davis Hwy

OddBox Studios Local Photography and Multimedia Studio Marks Five Year Anniv Celebration @ Oddbox Studios, 526-1 Wolfe St., 69:30p. demos, jazz, food. www.oddboxstudios.com

Sunken Well Trivia tonight 7:45pm ~ Come and match wits against the finest minds in Fredericksburg!

Thursday, April 5

First Friday, April 6

Sunday, April 8

Monday, April 9

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p Nerd Nite @ Red Dragon Brewry, 7pm,."It's like the Discovery Channel…with beer

Tuesday, April 10

Colonial Seafood live @Adventure Brewing, 33 Perchwood Dr, 8-10p

Saturday, April 7

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia night .

FCCA Artist Choice Exhibit, members Gallery, Saly Kubarek & Darlene Wilkinson

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Sunday, April 15

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p

Walk 'N Roll Fredericksburg @ Quarles Petroleum, disability Awareness, 11a-3p. music, activities and food before and after the walk .Dogs welcome!

Jay Starling @Kenmore Inn, 1200 Princess Anne St, 7:30-10:30p $

Friday, April 13

Music Fridays @ Legume, Not At Liberty (Jam & Rock) 8-10p, 715 Caroline St The Acoustic Onion live @Adventure Brewing, 33 Perchwood 8-10p

Saturday, April 14

Learn about becoming a foster parent @ Salem Church Library, info: Gretchen Rusden at 540-6135120 or gretchen.rusden@embracetfc.com

Brush Strokes Gallery, Kathleen Willingham, "Speak to Me", opening ,6-9p. Show throughout April

"Art for Park"Skatedeck Exhibit to benefit FXBG Skate Park Project @ Brooks Park on display at Ponshop, 712 Caroline St. openings 6 p.m. to 9

confidential papers

Wednesday, April 11

Live Music, Acoustic Onion, LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8-10p

Thursday, April 12

Saturday, April 21

Beginning of Nat’l Voluteer Week

Everything but the Garage @ Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center , 9a-3p

Saturday, April 28

Tuesday, April 17 Tax Day

Fredericksburg Community Concert Band's Spring Concert - Marching into Spring @ James Monroe High School, 7:30p. $

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia night h

Sunday, April 22

Chamber Chorale Spring Concert @ Hope Presbyterian Church, 11121 Leavells Rd, 3p. featuring Handel's Coronation Anthems,

Spend a morning exploring the forests of Stratford Hall Family Trek-The Spring Forest.$, contact Jon Bachman, 804-493-1972 or jbachman@stratfordhall.org

The Fredericksburg Area Museum History at Red Dragon Brewery

Free VHDA Homeownership Education Classes to be Offered in Stafford, VA @ Porter Branch Library, 10a-4p

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Sunken Well Trivia t\7:45pm ~ Hops and

Thursday, April 19

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p

Friday, April 20

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Mary Washington House, 5-7p

Scott McMillen live @Adventure Brewing North, 810p

Music Fridays @ Legume, The Transmitters (Rocksteady Reggae) 8-10p, 715 Caroline St

Renowned actor & producer Henry Winkler narrates Sergei Prokofiev's classic fairy tale Peter and the Wolf, UMW Dodd Auditorium, 7:30p Music Fridays @ Legume, Karen Jonas 8-10p, 715 Caroline St

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Wednesday, April 18

Friday, April 27

Season Opening of Fredericksburg Farmers Market @ Hurkamp Park, 7a-2p

James and the Giant Peach, AStafford High School, 7 p.m., . 2 p.m. matinees

Monday, April 16

Open Mic with Larry Hinkle @ Highmark Brewery, 390 Kings Hwy, 6-10p James and the Giant Peach, Stafford High 7 p.m,

St. George Concert Series , The Rainer Trio, 3-4p

Poetry Readings at the Library, Celebration of Poetry, Riverside Writers, Salem Branch, 9:30a -4p

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 9-12noon. Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more!

Downtown Greens Garden Hours 3pm til 6:00pm Help us work the soil, pick weeds, plant saplings or bulbs, move mulch, and so much more

Monday, April 23

Sunday, April 29

Monday, April 30

Trivia @ J Brian's Tap Room, 7p

Tuesday, April 24

Red Dragon Brewery Beer & Trivia

Wednesday, April 25 Sunken Well Trivia 7:45pm

Thursday, April 26

Become a Friend Advocate ~ Donate ~ Volunteer

3273 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

Front Porch on 540~479~4116 1013 Princess Anne St , FXBG 16

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

540-8 899-6 6787

fortemusicstudios.com front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

history’s stories

APRIL FOOL'S DAY By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks *Starting on April 1 st Front Porch will begin daily delivery to your door free of charge.

April Fools’ Day is a yearly observance on the first of April at which time silly behavior and all sorts of pranks occur. Simple practical jokes normally played on co-workers, family and of course your best friends take place. You would think that the origin of April Fools’ Day would be clear, however, even today it is obscure. Back as far as 1708 the British papers were asking, “Whence proceeds the custom of making April Fools?” The predominant theory is that in 1582, the French adopted the Geogorian Calendar, which switched the beginning of the year from the end of March to January. The French had for centuries started the new year on Easter Day. This was their main reason that the change was made in the calendar to use January first as it did away with the conflict of the new year starting with the Easter events. Many people it is said continued to ring in the New Year on April first and were made the point of jokes and pranks or as the French called them “April Fish” because of their actions. Pranksters would attach paper fish to victums backs. This date became an annual celebration that spread in Europe and came to America as it was settled. The British observed New Year’s Day on March 25, and when the calendar was changed a British Magazine in 1766 stated that “people making fools of one another upon the first of April.” Almost every culture in the world has festival in the first months of the year to celebrate the return of spring after a long cold winter. These renewal festivals often have celebrations where pranks and good times prevail, people playing jokes on friends and strangers, where normal behavior is replaced by lying, deception and playing pranks is acceptable. It is said that this activity is only allowed until noon on the first of April. Historians always go back to the times of the Romans, where they had a winter festival called Saturnalia near the end of December. That festival involved general merrymaking, with dancing and drinking of all the wines. The exchanging of gifts among of the citizens took place and many of the traditions were the same as the observance of Christmas. Over the years there have been many pranks played, in the April 2 edition of the Dawk’s News Letter (British Newspaper) reported that on April first many people went to the Tower Ditch to see the Lions washed, a joke was carried on for many years. Many Christians think the custom came from when Noah sent out the Dove before the floodwaters subsided, thereby sending the Dove on a fool’s mission. In 1976, April first of course the British astronomer Patrick Moore announced over the BBC that Pluto and Juniper would align at exactly 9:47AM during which time the earth would be without gravity and everyone would be weightless. Many people believed that this event did occur. In 1996 Taco Bell ran a full page in the New York Times stating that they had purchased the Liberty Bell and would rename it “Taco Liberty Bell”. Today that would probably have more belief. In 1998 Burger King Handed Whopper, thousands of customers requested it to be announced the Left-H disappointed that it would remain left or right. Many theories exist about the orgin of April Fool’s day, none of them seem very compelling so you be the judge. Remember on April 1st to check yourself out that the buttons or buttoned and the zippers are zipped. * That first sentence is a prank, read FP monthly.

DEDICATED TO BUDDY SHACKLERFORD, SUE BAGGETT FENWICK, ANNE H. TATE AND PHILLIP COLEMAN

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

OUR HERITAGE

What’s in a Neighborhood?

A look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

fairview

April Showers

By jon gerlach

By Judy Chaimson A 16th Century English poem includes the line "April showers Al Jolson bring May flowers". popularized that sentiment in a 1920's tune, "April Showers". The Heritage Center collections do not include either the poem or the song, but if one is interested in the amount of precipitation brought to Fredericksburg by April showers during the last four decades of the 20th Century, the Center can supply that information. Allen Green, original proprietor of the Copper Shop and inventor of the Fredericksburg Lamp, kept journals in which he recorded high and low temperatures, barometric pressure, precipitation, and wind direction for every day from 1957 to 2003. Precipitation for most Aprils was light - showers, in fact. Fredericksburg's gardens depend on April showers. Flower gardens have been important to local residents for as long as anyone can remember, and are celebrated each April during Historic Garden Week. The Heritage Center has dozens of letters mentioning beautiful flowering trees and plants in the spring, and several garden clubs have entrusted their records and scrapbooks to the Center. The scrapbooks contain hundreds of photographs of gardens and flower arrangements. Easter is April's most important celebration of new life, new beginnings, rebirth. In addition to the Heritage Center's serious historic documents are collections of greeting cards, and some of the most appealing of them are the cards sent for Easter. Some of them were exchanged by the six Stearns sisters. Emeline sent a card to a sister with this verse: "You can bet your Easter Bonnet . .. This brings love and kisses on it!" The card is undated but was probably sent in the late 1940's after the movie and song "Easter Parade" became popular. The illustration is cute and cartoonish, typical of that decade. Another one sent in 1925 - "May Easter day be bright and sunny. So you can wear your "glad rags", honey." - somewhat similar message, but obviously, from the illustration, a very different decade. Earlier in the 20th Century, the custom was to send postcard greetings. The cards in the Heritage Center collections are beautifully illustrated with chicks and happy children and colorful eggs. And, of course, most cards for children star the famous Easter Bunny for which we can thank German immigrants who brought that Easter

tradition to America in the 18th Century. A typical card, no matter which decade, will include an indication of the season - daffodils, tulips, lilies, and green grass. And that brings us back to the importance of April showers. "So if it's raining, have no regrets . . ." and come on in to the Heritage Center while you're waiting for the shower to pass. By the way, National Volunteer Week is April 15 - 21 so while at the Center you can thank a member of our allvolunteer staff for bringing the past to life through journals, greeting cards, garden club photos and many, many other historic items.

Fairview Fredericksburg's neighborhood is a wonderful familyoriented community. Musicians Pete and Laurie Mealy entertain at the annual Charlotte Street Block Party, often accompanied by other fine musicians such as Bruce Middle and David Nichols. It's like a mini-fair. Friends and family congregate on front porches, where neighbors gather to share food, wine and conversation, while children and dogs pass by on a first name basis. Generations of Fredericksburgers have raised their families in Fairview. The block party is reminiscent of a time before the Civil War, when this was a 10 acre field known as Mercer Square, the site of the old Agricultural Fairgrounds. A good account of the fairgrounds is found in Noel Harrison's book, Fredericksburg Civil War Sites. Here, people enjoyed the best pies, cakes and crafts of the region, the latest agricultural machinery was on display, and local farmers learned about the best practices of the day. When the circus came to town, acrobats, clowns and fantastic

beasts arrived, along with hawkers of remedies for any conceivable ailment. A young man destined for the annals of history was Frank Collins. He lived just a stone's throw away, where the Sunken Road joins Hanover Street. It's easy to imagine spotting Frank, over six feet tall, standing in the audience at the popular “Tournament of Knights” during the 1858 fair. Six years later, Frank Collins would perish aboard the famous Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley along with the rest of his crew, in waters off Charleston, SC, during the first successful

submarine mission in history to sink an enemy warship. At the First Battle of Fredericksburg, the fairgrounds became ground zero for some of the fiercest fighting American soldiers have ever endured. On December 13, 1862, successive Union assaults entered the fairgrounds before being crushed in front of the Stone Wall. A slight change in elevation called "The Swale" bisected the old fairgrounds. Standing today in the 800 block of Wolfe, Charlotte and Mercer Streets, the incline is barely perceptible, but according to soldier-penned accounts in Francis O'Reilly's book The Fredericksburg Campaign, the Swale provided cover and concealment for thousands of men who went to ground here, under fire, unable to advance or retreat. Anything large enough to stop a bullet was used for cover, even dead bodies. Union troops were pinned down in the Swale for two full days. The fighting in and around Mercer Square cost the Union army dearly: some 6,300 wounded and 900 dead. Hastily buried in shallow trench graves under a flag of truce, most of the bodies were reinterred in the National Cemetery atop Marye's Heights after the war.

Today, GIS analysis by Peter Glyer and archaeological work by Jon Gerlach are starting to uncover the secrets of the Fairview neighborhood. Evidence compiled from the distribution of fired bullets and artillery shrapnel found in and around the fairgrounds, taken together with bullet trajectory analyses based on the topography of Mercer Square, support the eye-witness accounts that the Swale was a place of relative safety. One more striking thing happened here: on the second night of the soldiers' ordeal, the Northern Lights illuminated the sky. Rarely seen this far south, science attributes the phenomenon to a solar event known as a Corneal Mass Ejection. At the time, however, the lightshow was explained by Confederates as a sign from God, pleased by the overwhelming victory. To Northerners simply trying to survive another night in the Swale, it was a sign of hope that they might be reunited with loved ones some day. So what's in a neighborhood? You might be surprised.

Jon Gerlach chairs the Architectural Review Board. He is an attorney and retired archaeologist.

Judy Chaimson is a CRHC Volunteer

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

history’s stories

APRIL FOOL'S DAY By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks *Starting on April 1 st Front Porch will begin daily delivery to your door free of charge.

DEDICATED TO BUDDY SHACKLERFORD, SUE BAGGETT FENWICK, ANNE H. TATE AND PHILLIP COLEMAN

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

OUR HERITAGE

What’s in a Neighborhood?

A look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

fairview

April Showers

By jon gerlach

Jon Gerlach chairs the Architectural Review Board. He is an attorney and retired archaeologist.

Judy Chaimson is a CRHC Volunteer

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Senior Care three right turns By Karl Karch

VDOT recently announced they were installing new left-turn signals with yellow flashing arrows throughout the Fredericksburg area with the hopes that it will reduce crashes. According to Kelly Hannon, spokesperson for VDOT, research shows that making a left turn across oncoming traffic is one of the most difficult things a driver can perform. It’s even more difficult for aging adults, especially those with cognitive impairment. This reminded me of the story one of our soon-to-be client’s wife told us about her husband and his driving. She knew her husband had some cognitive issues, but was not willing to have the conversation with him about his driving. He no longer remembered on his own how to drive to the grocery store or other familiar places. So, his wife had to accompany him whenever he wanted to drive and instruct him when to turn. She quickly observed how difficult and confusing it was for him to make a left turn across oncoming traffic. She was a very resourceful person who figured out that going to the next intersection making three right turns equated to making a left turn, and she would instruct him accordingly. You can’t judge safe drivers by age alone. However, the American Geriatrics Society reported that driving skills generally start to fade after age 75. There are many things you can do to continue driving safely, including modifying your car, changing the way you drive, and addressing any physical issues that can interfere with driving. One of many websites you can access for assistance on safe driving drive is: www.nhtsa.gov/road-ssafety/older-d rs#topic-o older-d driver-ssafety. ; For example, plan your driving during daylight when

April 2018

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

Emancipated Patients

“Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” - Lexi (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

energy medicine

Prices: Dogs - $15 per canine per visit Cats - $12 per feline per visit

conditions are the safest and use alternative routes or ask others to drive you if you feel uncomfortable. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were more than 40 million licensed older drivers in the United States in 2015, a 50% increase from 1999. Dr. Gwen Bergen, Behavioral Scientist with the CDC, stated there currently are no clear tests that can determine when a person needs to stop driving. Dr. Bergen identified three things we can do to remain mobile, safer, and drive longer as older adults: (1) Daily exercise to increase strength, mobility, and flexibility; (2) Review all medications with your doctor or pharmacist any time you get a new prescription to reduce side effects and adverse interactions. (3) Schedule yearly eye exams. If cataracts are detected, have them removed. When older adults stop driving it can lead to loss of independence, social isolation and depression, and maybe even a shortened lifespan. So, the more older adults can do to remain mobile and drive safely, the longer they will be able to drive and remain independent. But, if the time comes where their safety and the safety of others on the road is a stake, it’s time to have the difficult “time to give up the keys” conversation. Three right turns to make a left is not an appropriate solution.

Karl Karch is a local franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care, a licensed home care organization providing personal care, companionship and home helper services in the Fredericksburg and Culpeper region.

Front porch fredericksburg

Are You...

By Patrick Neustatter, MD Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

I have known Ren Fields for a long time. With her 50 years experience, 1,800 hours of training, a Certified Yoga Therapist, and owner of Healing Arts and Yoga (though she now teaches classes at Bodyworks), I have always thought of her as Fredericksburg’s queen of yoga. But when she, wife Paula, and I got together to indulge our craving for Indian food, at the Guru Restaurant, she was telling us about the new therapeutic mode she is also doing. Eden Energy Medicine. This sounded so unspeakably weird that I had to go find out more, and Ren kindly offered to give me a session for my edification. At her house, decorated with mystic tchotchkes and healthy house plants (you know the folk lore – don’t go to a doctor whose plants are dying) she asked me to talk about any concerns I was having. “How long have you got?” I asked her facetiously. But I specifically mentioned some weirdness with the way my stomach feels sometimes, accompanied by wide energy fluctuations which I have always attributed to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (doesn’t everyone have some IBS type stuff?). She started out scanning my aura running her hands over my arms and my sides – without touching me. She then interrogated different organs by seeing if the strength of my outstretched arm changed after she had worked on the appropriate place on the body that represented that organ. She paid special attention to my Ileocecal and Houston valves on each side of my lower abdomen – “resetting” them by drawing her hand upward, to help my colonic dysfunction she explained. After more manipulations and

testing, she sent me home with some exercises. Funny stuff like “zip up” (pull your hands up your front and throw them out), to boost your confidence and clear your thoughts; “the Crown Pull” (pulling down on both sides of your scalp) to relieve headaches and “Wayne Cook“ that “focuses your mind and untangles inner chaos” (I might just be using that a lot). My understanding is the goal is to promote balance by opening the energy flow through the nine different energy systems – some of which were systems I’d heard of like meridians, chakras, but the Triple Warmer, the Celtic Weave and the Radiant Circuits were new to me. She also sent me home with Energy Medicine by Donna Eden, who is the pioneer of this therapy. Eden has the ability to see energy and thus devise beneficial exercises, Ren explained. All Nonsense? I have to say as a doctor who has trained and practiced only allopathic medicine, this all seems a bit strange – I will refrain from using the word hokey, but I have to say, like many other alternative therapies, it is outside the bounds of conventional, documentable science*. And it seemed there is a lot of room for mind over matter. So the dilemma is, do I just blow it off as nonsense? There are plenty of well established, respected systems of medicine, that work on enhancing energy flow – Acupuncture, Qigong, Homeopathy, Reiki to name a few. And Eden Energy Medicine is respected and practiced throughout the world. Very often such therapies don’t lend themselves to conventional clinicaltrials, as does allopathic medicine, because of logistical problems, like standardization. And there usually isn’t a patent-able product, a pot of gold, at the end that some drug or medical device company can make zillions of dollars from – so no one’s going to pay for testing. So I don’t presume to give a verdict. Rather tell you what I tell my patients. If it seems to do you good, “go for it.” *For more information on the claimed scientific basis to Eden Energy Medicine Ren recommends Energy Medicine, the Scientific Basis, by James L. Oschman, PhD, a doctor of Biological Sciences and President of Natures Own Research Association. Patrick Neustatter is the Medical Director of the Moss Free Clinic. Read his book, "Managing Your Doctor, The Smart Patient's Guide to Getting Effective, Affordable Healthcare", available at Amazon.com

Sick & tired of being sick & tired? Having sleep problems? Constantly clearing your throat? Hypersensitive? Panicky? Sore Neck & Back? Anxious? Depressed? Fatigued? Morning Brain Fog? Oral System Balancing –OSBcould be just what you need Visit www.drwaynewhitley.com & watch amazing video testimonies Call for a FREE consultation Dr. Wayne Whitley 540-847-1935

Bring a little sunshine to a senior’s life! Too many seniors feel lonely and isolated.

Donate to a Cancer Organization

YOU can make a difference by volunteering to visit a senior in the Fredericksburg area. Volunteer training is provided & no special skills are required. The Senior Visitors Program is a FREE community service program of Mental Health America of Fredericksburg.

Helping homeless children and families in City of Fredericksburg, Counties of Caroline, Stafford & Spotsylvania 540 371 0831

Visit mhafred.org or call 540-371-2704

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Senior Care three right turns By Karl Karch

April 2018

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

Emancipated Patients

“Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” - Lexi (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

energy medicine

Prices: Dogs - $15 per canine per visit Cats - $12 per feline per visit

Front porch fredericksburg

Are You...

By Patrick Neustatter, MD Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

Bring a little sunshine to a senior’s life! Too many seniors feel lonely and isolated.

Donate to a Cancer Organization

Helping homeless children and families in City of Fredericksburg, Counties of Caroline, Stafford & Spotsylvania 540 371 0831

Visit mhafred.org or call 540-371-2704

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Life in Motion In this corner....Hope! By Rich Gaudio PT, DPT

If I were to say the word “Titanic” most Americans would be familiar with some part of the story of the ill-fated, British passenger liner that sunk in the Atlantic Ocean on it’s maiden voyage from the UK to the US in 1912. Younger generations may relate to the story through the 1997 major motion picture of the same name starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Either way, most folks know the story. As you are reading this, imagine that you are one of the passengers on that liner after it has struck the iceberg, after the realizations that the ship is sinking, after the realization that there are not enough lifeboats for everyone. The ship is sinking. It is cold, it is dark…and there is a good chance no one is coming. The boat is not completely submerged, yet… If, dear reader, you have even a marginal imagination you have just caught a glimpse of the experience most folks have when their physician says the following words, “You have Parkinson Disease. It is a neurologic, progressive, degenerative condition and there is no cure.” In the words of the American Parkinson Disease Association, “Parkinson’s disease is a type of movement disorder that can affect the ability to perform common, daily activities. It is a chronic and progressive disease, meaning that the symptoms

ble at Availa n.com Amazo 22

April 2018

become worse over time...” In today’s world there are an estimated 1 million Americans and 10 million people around the world living with Parkinson Disease (PD). Like so many other diseases, PD does not just afflict the person with the diagnosis. Typically, the people with whom we are in closest relationships (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, dear friends, etc) are also affected. Over the past 6 years of my career, I have worked with many folks in our area who are living with PD. When the doctor breaks the news about the disease causing progressive degeneration, most folks have a similar emotional response to the diagnosis – HOPELESSNESS. Yet, hope abounds! What we’ve known for 50 years now is that folks with PD lack the production of a chemical in the brain called dopamine. Most of the effective medications for PD either supplement dopamine or make dopamine more effective. In the past 20 years, we have learned that exercise – especially, exercise that uses large amplitude movement and high effort, help to mitigate symptoms and help people effectively manage PD over longer periods of time. It turns out, most people exert a high effort during boxing training. Rock Steady Boxing is a method of PD exercise and training that uses a non-contact, boxing training format to help people with PD to optimize their health and long-term management of the disease – slowing the disease progression and minimizing loss of function and mobility. Rock Steady Boxing is the first international boxing program of its kind founded by Scott C. Newman in 2006. Scott is the former Marion County Prosecutor of Indiana who was diagnosed with PD at age 40 and, on a whim, began personally using boxing training to help him manage his symptoms. Scott had such a dramatic response, he recruited some key personnel and started a boxing program that eventually became Rock Steady Boxing. If you have Parkinson Disease or know someone who does, please check out the website www.RockSteadyBoxing.org. If you would like to know more about getting into classes and participating in the program our local affiliate is Rock Steady Boxing Fredericksburg and is located at Fusion Physical Therapy! We look forward to helping you fight back against PD! Rich Gaudio is the PT Clinic Operator at Fusion Physical Therapy, (540) 710-0100

Front porch fredericksburg

It’s All Energy

Wellness

spring detox for better health

Imagine not wearing your CPAP

by christina ferber Spring has sprung and just like we spring clean our houses, it is a valuable time to do the same for our bodies. Luckily, Eden Energy Medicine offers many ways to help detoxify the body and move old, stagnant energy out in order to help the body maintain a healthy balance. Working with the Neurolymphatic reflex points (NL) can help balance Photo courtesy of Big Tre School of Natural Healing the meridians (energy pathways in the body), the organs, and the thighs and ground yourself. Circle your entire lymphatic system. Stimulating arms out and bring them to a prayer position in front of your heart. On an these points helps to support the flow of lymph throughout the body and get rid of inhale, stretch one hand up and out and any built-up toxins. Be sure to rub these one down and out. Stretch as far apart as points with deep pressure, and if they are you can and hold your breath. Come back sore, that is a sign that they need to be to prayer position on an exhale and repeat on the other side. Do this twice on each worked with. There are many NL points, but some side and after the last stretch, bend down as far as you can, and let your arms hang of the ones that you may want to start with include the ones under each side of in front of you. Take two deep breaths, the collarbone and where the body and and then swing back and forth making arm connect to stimulate the Central and sideways figure eights all the way up your Governing NL points. You can also work body. In the Chinese Five Element tradition, with the Liver Meridian by rubbing under Gall Bladder and Liver Meridians are the right breast, and Kidney by rubbing associated with Spring and balancing them down the outside of your upper arm on can help us glide into the season with a both sides. See the diagram for more little more ease. Holding these Spring points, but only work with a few at a time, Neurovascular reflex points (NV) with the so that you don’t release too many toxins Main NV points will help balance the at once. emotions related to these two meridians. Resetting your Ileocecal and Houston Valves can help your body release any Hold your Main NV points above your unwanted material hanging out in your eyebrows along with points outside of digestive system. With your fingers inside your eyes about a half an inch outside of of your hip bones near your pubic bone, where your lids meet and breathe. I hope these exercises help you to drag your them up about six to seven welcome Spring with open arms. For more inches with firm pressure while inhaling. tips and tricks visit Repeat this motion for a total of four www.itsallenergywellness.com times. Then, place your thumbs at the bottom of your ribcage and drag them down toward the hip bone to complete the exercise. Releasing emotional toxins is important as well and Blowing out the Venom can help you let go of anger and frustration. To begin, bring your arms to either side of your body and make fists, imagining that all your frustrations and negative feelings are in your hands. On an inhale, bring your arms above your head, and on an exhale, bring them down quickly and open your fists, using the “shhh” sound. Repeat three times and on the last movement, bring your hands down slowly and deliberately and let it all go. Connecting Heaven and Earth will release stagnant energy and toxins and make space for energy to flow in a healthier way. Rub your hands together, shake them off, and place them on your

Christina Ferber is a Certified Eden Energy Medicine Practitioner

By wayne whitley, DDS

Thank You Fredericksburg for Your Support Since 1997 Accepting New Patients Emergency Patients Welcome Participant With Most Major Insurance Plans 131 Park Hill Dr, FXBG, 22401 540-373-0602 fdadental.com

Wearing a CPAP can be like bailing water out of a boat that has holes in it. You are addressing the immediate problem of snoring and sleep apnea, but missing the cause. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It increases air pressure in your throat so that your airway does not collapse when you inhale. The CPAP is trying to force air through a collapsed airway into the lungs when it could possibly be the tongue that is blocking the airway. You have to fill the holes in the boat before bailing water is effective. The tongue has to get out of the way before you can stop snoring and get breathing again. Is it the airway that collapses or could it be the tongue that blocks the airway? CPAP’s are certainly life-saving, however only 50% of the users like wearing it. A CPAP can force air continuously into the throat all night long, but if your tongue is like a Large Mouth Bass blocking the airway, the CPAP will not work with much efficiency and have a very difficult time forcing air past the tongue and into your lungs. What if it is not the airway that collapses but instead the tongue that is the culprit? A CPAP machine will help keep you alive at night but what about the daytime hours?

The question we need to ask is… Why do we snore? Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are the result of a breakdown in the body’s ability to keep the airway in the throat open.

When this occurs, the tongue is able to fall back into the throat (pharynx) and either obstruct (blocks like an NFL player) or partially obstruct the air passage. This can result in snoring, OSA or a multitude of other concerns.

You have choices. A machine is not your only option. Oral System Balancing (OSB) Navigator appliance is a simple mouthpiece that is your non-surgical, nondrug solution! The Oral System refers to the body’s ability to breathe, swallow, and speak. OSB Therapies address snoring and sleep apnea at the level of their origin, the throat. In doing so it also impacts other ailments associated with the poor sleep and inefficient oxygen intake. You can use your CPAP at night and an OSB during the day. Or perhaps you need both at night. Break free from constraints of a machine to keep you alive. A simple x-ray will show if your tongue is indeed blocking your airway. Wayne Whitley, DDS can be reached at 540-993-1091; www.drwaynewhitley.com

It’s always more fun in the Scenter of Town!

Essential Oils Liquid Herbs Reiki Reflexology Aromatherapy Custom Blending Aroma-Therapeutic Massage Harmonic Resonance Therapy Products ~ Services ~ Classes 907 Charles Street, Downtown thescenteroftown.com front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Life in Motion In this corner....Hope! By Rich Gaudio PT, DPT

ble at Availa n.com Amazo 22

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

It’s All Energy

Wellness

spring detox for better health

Imagine not wearing your CPAP

Christina Ferber is a Certified Eden Energy Medicine Practitioner

By wayne whitley, DDS

The question we need to ask is… Why do we snore? Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) are the result of a breakdown in the body’s ability to keep the airway in the throat open.

It’s always more fun in the Scenter of Town!

April 2018

Stories

Sophia Street Pottery Throwdown

of fredericksburg

Festival Featuring Local & Regional Artists

Double-llidded Jar, Trista Chapman Last year we had a wonderful turnout and the artist and community made a real connection. Many of the ceramic artists are returning from last year along with some new guest potters

win downtown gift certificate

Junior

By elisa pritchard The Second Annual Sophia Street Pottery Throwdown will be happening on Saturday June 9th from 10a-5p on the 1100 block of Sophia Street. This event will showcase the talents of Fredericksburg’s ceramic arts community and invited guests. The “Throwdown” will consist of arts, music, and hands-on activities for the whole family. The event will be held rain or shine.

Name This House

from surrounding areas. For the next three months we will be introducing you to some of the many artists at this year’s event. Local potter Dan Finnegan, who was instrumental in organizing this show last year, will be a returning participant this year. Dan has been making functional stoneware pottery in Fredericksburg since 1980. He was the founder of Liberty Town in 2001 and every Autumn curates the Pottery on the Hill show in Washington, DC. As well as teaching workshops here and abroad, he has taught at Penland School of Crafts in NC. Dan recently returned from a two month artistresidency at Starworks Center for Creative Enterprise in Star, NC, and is preparing to attend the St Croix Pottery Tour in Minnesota this May. Check out his website and journal at .danfinneganpottery.com. Trista Chapman is the owner of Sophia Street Studios and host of the Sophia Street Pottery Throwdown. She has been a potter in Fredericksburg since 1995 and has spent many years supporting community outreach programs donating her time and artwork.

Art is a Gift from the Heart Artists: Beverley Coates, Lynn Abbott, Penny A Parrish

Ms. Chapman started the Empty Bowls fundraiser, Neal which benefits EmpowerHouse, and holds an annual auction to support ALS. She participates year-round in craft festivals up and down the east coast. She enjoys being a part of the FXBG Artists community and regularly features local artist exhibitions at her downtown studio. Rachel Ruddle graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2016 with a BA in Studio Art. She has been the resident potter at Ponshop since 2016. This fall she spent four weeks as a work study student at t h e Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN.

Lidded Jar, Dan Finnegan

Reed at Pottery Throwdown ‘17 Kevin Rodrigue recently joined Sophia Street Studios. He spent four years intensively studying ceramics at West Virginia University and spent six weeks immersed in an apprenticeship in China. His functional ceramic work is based on contemporary Asian aesthetics and is influenced by the liquidity of clay and its movement. Neal Reed is a potter who enjoys making both functional and decorative works in clay. Born in Virginia, he has studied clay in Minnesota, North Carolina and Virginia. Neal’s functional works are decorated using the ancient technique of sgraffito (carving through one layer of clay to the layer beneath), and his designs are inspired by nature and by the artists that have come before him. He currently works at his studio at LibertyTown Arts Workshop in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he also teaches. Elisa Pritchard is a ceramicist , printmaker & mother living in FXBG

Junior, 54, was born in Front Royal. He has a younger brother, two half sisters and a half brother. He also has two daughters and two grandchildren. He came to the Fredericksburg area in 2000 to live with his mom until she passed away. After his mom died he didn't have anywhere to go. As a child he liked to ride bicycles, motorcycles and dirt bikes. He enjoyed playing bingo and hanging out with his friends. At 13 years old, he started pouring concrete for a construction company and later graduated to shingles work for a roofer. His mom asked him to go to work so young to help his mother pay the bills after his dad left for another woman. "My mother was a good lady," he says. "She always did for us, made sure we had a place to lay our head and did what mothers are supposed to do." Junior remembers that she was a full-blooded American Indian and that she liked to dance.

At 17, he got in trouble and ended up in prison for 20 years. While in prison he participated in a work program, building desks, tables and chairs. "I ran the machine where you built dressers and drawers. It was eight hours a day and I brought in 200 a month for tobacco and canteen. That was the highest paying job on the camp." Junior was almost 40 when he got out. "I was kind of paranoid, always looking behind me when I got out. It took a while to be used to being back out here." At different times he has had relationships and housing of his own. Currently he lives on the street and stays at the cold weather shelter. "It would mean the world to me to have a home," he said. "This time I'm not losing my place. Home means a roof over your head and you don't have to worry about anyone coming up on you and trying to rob you or anything." Being homeless is about survival, he said, "people lose their mind being out here trying to survive." He says some people are kind, they offer money or a cup of coffee without even asking sometimes. Others try to fight or say mean things. "I overlook it because I know how to deal with it." Although tattered on the outside, Junior wants people to know he is good on the inside. "I try to help people when I can," he said. "If they ask me to do something I try to do it." Submitted by Micah Ecumenical Ministries, a Christ-Centered Community supporting people experiencing chronic homelessness and identifying pathways to sustainable housing. Contact 540-479-4116; www.dolovewalk.net; facebook

Identify this mystery house and you could win a gift certificate from a downtown merchant. Here’s how: Email frntprch@aol.com, Subject: mystery house, Identify house address, Your name, address, email. The poem below is a hint of the location of the mystery house. Good Luck!

Last Month’s House: 1600 Washington Ave The Winner of a Roxbury Farm & Garden Center Gift Certificate is Fred Porter You sit so bravely on the corner, just below the college, since the early 1940's, when the world was at war. You were hope, you were smiles, new life for families. What happened to you, brought tears and smiles, all along the way. You recently lost two soulmates, those who loved you most.. They were once young and happy, within your walls so bright, their cherished child so sweet, oh so many years ago. Ah, your eyes are bright again, their cherished child returns, to make her home within.

“Vertical Splash at Chatham,Beverley Coates

Daily hours 10 to 6. Artist on site Saturdays 540.371.4099 810 Caroline Street, Downtown Fredericksburg 24

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Stories

Sophia Street Pottery Throwdown

of fredericksburg

Festival Featuring Local & Regional Artists

win downtown gift certificate

Junior

Name This House

Art is a Gift from the Heart Artists: Beverley Coates, Lynn Abbott, Penny A Parrish

Lidded Jar, Dan Finnegan

“Vertical Splash at Chatham,Beverley Coates

Daily hours 10 to 6. Artist on site Saturdays 540.371.4099 810 Caroline Street, Downtown Fredericksburg 24

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Art in the Burg

On Stage!

symbolism to silly.... two exhibits that will speak to you

james & the giant peach

Brush Strokes Gallery presents "Speak to Me" by Kathleen Willingham

connote this wordless communication. Taken together, her delightful collection of paintings emanates vibrancy and joy that will uplift all who view them. “Symbolism and meaning of flowers is derived from a variety of sources from ancient times to the Victorian era and in folk cultures to our modern times”, comments Kathleen, “Some flowers have religious significance, some are for special occasions. The Rose for example is often associated with love, and the Calla Lily symbolizes magnificence and beauty. Symbolisms of flowers used as a language has been of interest to me for a long time. Therefore some of my titles are reflecting this subtle language. I hope that these paintings will speak to you and spark JOY”

As days of warmer weather bring hints of Springtime that inspire us in the winter's waning days, Kathleen Willingham unveils the mesmerizing beauty of the Season of New Life in full array with her "Speak to Me" exhibit, featured at the Brush Strokes Gallery, through April. Each painting is infused with both Kathleen's talent and heart, as she depicts flowers that surround her in her home and garden. “Winter Magic”, Kathleen Willingham Her love of each bloom is conveyed through her emotive artwork, Brush Strokes Gallery, located at 824 with bold colors and a sense of flow and Caroline Street in downtown motion that captures the power of the lifeFredericksburg, is open daily from 11 AM force. to 5 PM. "Speak to Me" will be displayed Kathleen has been fascinated by from April 1to April 29, and visitors will the "language of love" of flowers in a have an opportunity to meet and speak spectrum of cultures where each blossom with Kathleen at its opening reception on has taken on symbolic significance and has Friday, April 6, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. chosen titles for many of her works that ~ Norma Woodward

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

Art First Gallery proudly presents local artist Tammy Hedge as she premieres artwork from her new series “Inside My Mind” .

Tammy Hedge (above) is a Fredericksburg native (in fact her family has been in Fredericksburg so long that her ancestors actually sold the "Mary Washington House" on Charles Street to the Washington family). Tammy is a largely self-taught painter and ceramicist whose flights of fancy and imagination have built a solid following among area art patrons. “It is my goal to create art that is quirky and fun. I hope that the viewer can have a giggle with me.”, says Tammy, “the world is so serious today that we forget to just be a little silly and laugh. I am passionate about education and children, and most of the time I think like a child myself. I hope that enables me to be fearless in what I create. I want all ages to enjoy my work. If someone can

see my art and for a moment feel the wonder of their inner child I have done my job well. Sometimes my work is more serious, but I hope it is still able to illicit that visceral reaction of wonder and imagination in the viewer.” Art First Gallery is proud to host the very first solo show of her works. Come explore the complex mind of Tammy Hedge, the woman behind the Monster Mashup Project. From the absurd and silly to the dark corners of struggle, she presents her show, Inside My Mind, to amuse and make you think. Join her at Art First Gallery, 825 Caroline St., for the opening of "Inside My Mind", where there will be a reception with the artist on April 6, 2018 from 6 to 9 pm. ~ Casey Shaw

“Mad Hatter”, Tammy Hedge

by Lenora Kruk-Mullanaphy The Stafford Players will bring the audience on a trip across the Atlantic with a troupe of characters that are larger than life in "James and the Giant Peach" at Stafford High School at 7 p.m. on April 20-21 and April 26-28, as well as 2 p.m. matinees on April 21 and 28. "James and the Giant Peach" is a popular children's novel written by British author Roald Dahl in 1961. In the story, James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree and discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach. This launches his journey of enormous proportions, and James suddenly finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities. The role of James will be shared by Ryan Humphrey and Katelyn Pates, both sophomores. "I like playing James' childish enthusiasm and determination," said Humphrey, who has been part of the Stafford Players since his freshman year. "I think the community will like the fact Katelyn Pates (left) as James learns that the show can be enjoyed by people of all ages," he said. about a magic potion from Ladahlord, Humphrey has been featured in the narrator & mysterious character the high school's productions of "The played by Ryan Anderson. Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" as Grumpskin, the dwarf who served the has earned more than 100 awards in White Witch," and "Peter Pan" as a "Lost district, regional, state and national Boy." He is considering majoring in theater competitions. The program also features a in college. thriving improv comedy troupe, which has Pates, who will minor in theater grown to 40 students over the last few in college, has also been featured in high years. school performances since she was a In addition to "James and the freshman. She played Tinker Bell in "Peter Giant Peach," guests are invited to the Pan" and Lucy Pevensie in "The Lion, the "Peachy-K Keen Carnival" on Fridays and Witch and the Wardrobe." Saturdays an hour prior to the "I like how childlike and strong performances. The carnival will feature James is," said Pates. "He's just a kid, but games, face painting, live music, street he goes on such a long and hard journey performers and balloon animals, which are at a young age. It's a family-friendly included in the price of admission. "James show that's so dynamic with all kinds of and the Giant Peach" items and wacky characters. I also think the refreshments will be available for community will like that the entire play purchase. was choreographed by a fellow student, Performances will be held in the senior Lee Storm." Stafford High School auditorium at 63 Along with the cast and crew, the Stafford Indians Lane, Fredericksburg, Va., play incorporates several members of the 22405. Tickets are $7 for children and school's band and orchestra programs led students and $10 for adults. For more by Stafford High School music instructors information, contact Joseph Eveler, Edward Steenstra and thestaffordplayers@gmail.com. Amanda Zayatz. The orchestra will provide Lenora Kruk-Mullanaphy is the owner of the music for the play. Kruk-Mullanaphy Media Group, LLC. Stafford High School Theater (540) 395-2942 Director Michael D'Addario has taught theater at the school for the past eight James and the Giant Peach, Stafford High years, and Chad Johnson, the school's fine School, 63 Stafford Indians Lane,22405. arts teacher, work with the students to April 20-2 21 & April 26-2 28.7 p.m., bring quality entertainment to the 2 p.m. matinees on April 21 and 28. students and public. In the last decade, the contact thestaffordplayers@gmail.com. Stafford High School Theater Department front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Art in the Burg

On Stage!

symbolism to silly.... two exhibits that will speak to you

james & the giant peach

Brush Strokes Gallery presents "Speak to Me" by Kathleen Willingham

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

Art First Gallery proudly presents local artist Tammy Hedge as she premieres artwork from her new series “Inside My Mind” .

“Mad Hatter”, Tammy Hedge

April 2018

Companions offsite adoption events by Alison Carlin

“Rolo” For our shelter, offsite adoption events (or mobile adoption events) are a way for us to feature and promote some of the animals in our care but it’s an outlet for us to share the programs and services we offer to members of the Fredericksburg community. It’s a great way to get the word out about the work we do, to include spreading the word about our upcoming events, and share our goal of saving the lives of as many animals as possible. While some groups have been known to shy away from adopting animals offsite, the leadership team at the Fredericksburg SPCA believes

“Harley” this is a great avenue to find new, permanent and loving homes for some of our resident dogs and cats. In 2002, a study by the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science found that the return rate of animals was the same for pets adopted in a shelter verus ones adopted through offsite adoption events. We’ve shared the same success as this study found. Our offsite adoption events are coordinated by a staff member at the

April 2018

Fredericksburg SPCA, and are executed by a group of trained volunteers. This type of programming can only happen with their support, and this effort would not be possible without each and every person in this process - from start to finish! We also receive aid from the businesses we partner with, to include their generosity in advertising when our adoptable dogs and cats will be visiting their stores. In our area, the Fredericksburg SPCA is scheduled to attend a few events in the city and can also be found posted outside of area business, such as Petco, to name one.

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service “Your pet becomes my pet while in my care, and I care a lot!” - Lexi (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service” Prices: Dogs - $15 per canine per visit Cats - $12 per feline per visit

hope & help: FailSafe-ERA by Joan M. Geisler Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

Old Town’s Greatest Tour 35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings Fredericksburgtrolley.com

#FREDSTRONG

540-898-0737

There are some parts of life that is not pretty; There are some parts of life that is only spoken of in hushed tones; There are some parts of life that induce guilt and shame. Not everyone has this part in their lives, but we are all affected by it. I’m talking about incarceration. I’m talking about families with loved ones incarcerated. Here is a secret only those who have a family member incarcerated know. “When a family member is incarcerated, the whole family goes with them.” This was the first thing Juanita Shanks said to me when I spoke with her. Mrs. Shanks is the President and ERA. It is a non-profit CEO of FailSafe-E organization. Their mission is to equip individuals affected by incarceration with the resources and tools they need to recover from their life-altering decision(s) and challenges. We are anchored in the community as their vessel of support to cut down the barriers that prevent them from becoming successful, and our programs will ensure they can operate in a “failsafe” ERA.

FailSafe ERA is an acronym “Families Affected by Incarcerated Lovedones Sincere and Forward-thinking Exhorters – Education, Rehabilitation, Adaptation “Our model is designed to educate the inmate, family members, and the community; help returning citizens (formerly incarcerated), who are willing, to be reformed; and to align their thought process to wholesome values that include respect, cooperation, continuous learning and education, growth, and integrity.” Says Mrs. Shanks. Her great passion is to rebuild communities affected by incarceration. “The family structure and our communities are crippled and incarceration is a major contribution that affects all races, ages, sex, and backgrounds...family and community support are key.” Some of the major contributions to mass incarceration that are taking a great toll on our families are mental illness, substance abuse, and children following in their parent’s footsteps promoting a higher risk of juvenile delinquencies - our future.

“We will never end mass incarceration unless we support them pre- and post-release. Each year, thousands of inmates are released from state and federal institutions and return to our communities broken, mentally challenged, and looking for hope.” Juanita started FailSafe-ERA in 2009 while she still worked at Ft. Belvoir as a Resiliency Program Officer. This program helps the military and their family navigate life altering challenges. Like many people who start a business or non-profit, it comes from a life experience that they feel the need to help others going through the same experience. Juanita is no different. After realizing that her walk through the criminal justice system with her son was not about him or her but what God wanted to do through her to help others who have been affected by incarceration. She writes on her website: ‘My journey started before 2009. As I walked through this process, (of having a son incarcerated) I was overwhelmed with emotions and could not find help anywhere. There was no FailSafe-ERA to help me understand how

to gain control of my emotions, how to help him overcome his decisions, and successfully reenter the community.” She continues, “In order for me to heal I had to help others “ Do you need help? Do you know of someone who needs help? Would you like to help FailSafe-ERA? FAILSAFE-ERA 4th Annual Scholarship Program & Fundraiser Dinner place on Saturday, April 7 at the Fredericksburg Hospitality House and Conference Cente, 2801 Plank Road. Doors open at 6 pm For more information to attend call Juanita at 540-479-3021 or era.org visit their website at www.failsafe-e The website shows other ways to help and support the great work. Be a part of “Changing Lives…Rebuilding Communities…Helping Families Affected by Incarceration.

“Thomas” Additionally, we’ll be popping up at PetSmart, PetValu and ACE Hardware! 2018 is looking to be our best year yet for this type of adoption programming! To view specific dates and locations, please visit our organization’s website or find us on Facebook. If you’re interested in becoming a part of our effort to save as many lives as possible by serving as an ambassador for a dog, and our organization as a whole, at offsite adoption events, sign up to become a volunteer! To get started, please visit www.fburgpsca.org to register our next new volunteer orientation to get the process started. We’d love to have you join our team as we couldn’t do what we do without our dedicated, committed group of volunteers like you, we hope! Additionally, if you’re an organization or company that would be interested in hosting us for your own event, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact me at acarlin@fredspca.org. or

Alison Carlin is the Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator for the SPCA

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Companions offsite adoption events by Alison Carlin

April 2018

hope & help: FailSafe-ERA by Joan M. Geisler Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

Old Town’s Greatest Tour 35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings Fredericksburgtrolley.com

#FREDSTRONG

540-898-0737

Alison Carlin is the Community Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator for the SPCA

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

Fredericksburg Sketches 606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 We are happy to support the Fredericksburg Area Community Supported Agriculture Project - your source for local organic produce. Shares for the May through October Season are still available.

A visual Celebration of our community

By Casey Alan Shaw

www.gemstonecreations.org

DOWNTOWNERS hollis frisch & Kenny

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

Give a Child Something to Think About

M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

L to R: Holly Frisch, Kenny, with interns, Chris Ehrman, & Margaret Skinner

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

“Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others." ~ Helen Keller.

SKETCH #42: Rappahannock Evening The cold weather stayed much longer through March than I had hoped. This month’s sketch (finally!) has a return of leaves to the trees. When I first started “sketching,” my definition mainly centered around linebased art. If I picked up a sketchbook in one hand, the other hand usually held a pen or pencil because that’s what I was used to. Drawing lines is easy and a joy. Working with color, on the other hand, is much more challenging for me. I am completely envious of artists who seem to have a natural relationship with color. That’s why I consider this piece a “sketch,” too. Because it’s really just a drawing that I’m playing with … trying out different colors to see how they look and how they react to each other. It’s a type of study that could take the rest of your life and you’ll just scratch the surface. The next time you get a chance, really study all the colors Mother Nature displays during one of her amazing sunsets and you’ll see what I mean.

Casey Alan Shaw is a local artist and Realtor. He exhibits his original artwork and limited-edition prints at Art First Gallery in downtown Fredericksburg and at www.caseyshaw.com.

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

yes I

by georgia Lee Strentz

Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesdays until 6:30 and by appointment

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties

From My Porch

Our fantastic, old and charming downtown, Fredericksburg,Va., is filled with creative people, and their canine companions. . Our downtown is alive and vibrant, filled with so much of the past, yet very much in our present world, our dogs at our sides remains consistent. This month we meet "Kenny," not so much as to spotlight Kenny who works downtown as a guide dog, but to bring attention and to hi-light a dynamic business woman, his owner and loved one, Hollis Frisch, who is president of, Volunteers for the Blind, Inc., a non-profit that creates programs to help sightchallenge people in Fredericksburg located at 1101 Caroline St., downtown . Kenny, her service dog, is your typical lab, he has never met a stranger. But, his jovial demeanor should not throw you off kilter, his mind is conscious of all sounds and actions going on within his earshot. Kenny knows from his training these actions, sounds, etc., could be meaningful at any moment. VFB provides volunteers who can help visually impaired and blind people with the details of life they cannot do themselves, such as shopping, transportation and reading. (Readers provide services such as reading mail, help filling out forms, reading instructions and so on.) Volunteers are matched georgraphically or by common interests. Frisch could use also use some help with fund-raising. If you feel you have some ideas, give her a call at 540-8998847 or call to set up a visit in person with Hollis or her wonderful secretary, Sandy, or talk to one of her intern's, Chris Ehrman or Margaret Skinner, who may help you to make an appointment or discuss their programs. VFB is a small organization with very limited funds. Hollis would very much like to discuss her need for people who are familiar with writing grants., She is open to working with eager college students who might have a few hrs to give to help her implement her ideas on fund raising or get some new ideas you might have to ramp up her yearly budget. The bottom line is she needs volunteers and funds to help those people who call her daily for help.. Holly is loaded with creative ideas, maybe you have some ideas and some time to donate. Please call 540-899-8847. or volunteersfortheblind@hotmail.com.. Kenny as yet does not answer the phone, but he is working on it! Georgia Strentz is our Gal About Town. Look for her on her three-wheeler and her companion”Bailey”

Do take sides! By Jo Loving

Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place. ~ Daniel H. Pink “Mom, why do you always take THEIR side?” This was a common question when I was raising my children, in response to my attempts at teaching empathy by helping them see things from another person’s side. The truth is, I was always on the side of my children. I wanted them to grow up to be people who could put themselves in another’s shoes, to not rush to judge the motivations behind the actions of others, but instead, try to understand, and, where understanding eluded them, to be kind. I believe that kindness requires that a person be empathetic. It’s easy to sit back and view the world from our own point of view. I think it also is lazy. It takes effort to try to push your feelings aside, and to look at what might be behind the actions of others. An example: A girl in the Brownie Girl Scout troop I led was consistently eschewed by the other girls. She was a sweet little girl, friendly, and eager to please. She never missed a meeting, and volunteered to help in any way that was needed. I asked one of my daughters why she and the other girls seemed to exclude her from their circle. “She smells, Mom!” I wanted to delve further into my daughter’s reaction. I had taught her to always be kind, and in my book, that included being kind to people who smelled. I continued, “So, if someone doesn’t smell like you do, you want nothing to do with them?” Daughter said, “Umm, no, but, Mom, she REALLY smells.” I kept on, “I understand your feelings about it, but how do you think she feels? Maybe her family can’t afford soaps and shampoos. Maybe their water has been turned off. Maybe her mama works three jobs and can’t keep up. What if you didn’t have soap or shampoo? Would you smell nice? What would you do if your friends had nothing to do with you because of it?” Daughter paused, and said, “but, what do you think we can do about it?” She continued, “maybe we could buy soap and shampoo.” I responded, “Well, that might help, but are you thinking that you will do that for a long time? What other options are available?” “We could tell her that we like her, but she smells, and it keeps us

from being around her.” I asked, “What feelings would you have if someone said that to you?” Daughter: “I wouldn’t like it. I would be ashamed. It would hurt my feelings, because, what if it wasn’t my fault?” Eureka! There it was. We were making progress! So, I asked, “what can you do the next time you see her, to make her know that you like her?” Daughter: “I could include her in our group, and be nice to her.” Me: “Okay, why don’t you try that?” At the next meeting, my daughter did befriend the girl. Soon, the other girls befriended her. A few meetings later, we talked about hygiene, and each girl received a special kit. A woman who specialized in the health and welfare of children spoke to us, explaining that some people don’t have access what we take for granted, and how each person can find ways to care for themselves in difficult circumstances. When the question and answer portion of the talk came, the speaker asked, “How can we help others who might be in this situation?” Daughter: “We could make up kits like these to give to them. And we can always be kind.” Our troop made kits to give to teachers, who could discretely give them to students who needed them. The girl? She went on to become a social worker. She says she had been inspired by the woman who came and talked to us that day. So, where we might be tempted to shy away from those who have troubles of one sort or another, maybe another option would be to try to understand what may have caused it, to seek out a way to help them, to be kind and friendly, to include them, and to learn what is unique and wonderful about them. Being kind isn’t always easy, but the rewards are great. Jo Loving is on the porch this evening, reflecting on the fullness brought to her life by those girls in the troop, by her daughters and son, and for life lessons in empathy.

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018

A visual Celebration of our community

By Casey Alan Shaw

www.gemstonecreations.org

DOWNTOWNERS hollis frisch & Kenny

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

Give a Child Something to Think About

M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

L to R: Holly Frisch, Kenny, with interns, Chris Ehrman, & Margaret Skinner

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

“Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others." ~ Helen Keller.

Casey Alan Shaw is a local artist and Realtor. He exhibits his original artwork and limited-edition prints at Art First Gallery in downtown Fredericksburg and at www.caseyshaw.com.

April 2018

Front porch fredericksburg

yes I

by georgia Lee Strentz

Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesdays until 6:30 and by appointment

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties

From My Porch

Do take sides! By Jo Loving

front porch fredericksburg

April 2018