Front Porch Fredericksburg - June 2014 by Virginia Grogan

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL GOOD LIFE

front porch T H E R E G I O N ' S free C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

L o c a l G o o d N e w s S i n c e 1 9 97 YEAR 17 • ISSUE 203 • JUNE 2014

Frontporchfredericksburg.com

contents

closeups 6

Our Heritage: tale of two churches history’s stories.: weddings of note

companions: king charles spaniel

autoknown better: poughkeepsie, pt1 hollyburg: oscars haunt fxbg poetryman: each half

Senior Care: save your skin

wellness: weighty problems, Part 2 aromatherapy for grief & loss

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

fxbg music scene: ryan cavanugh comes to the ‘burg

community link: the community gave!

take a trip down rte 33 smart beginnings: starts with families

fxbg riverfront park

art of aging expo

Thanks to John Tippett for 25 years of Service

Regina Bogomolova ... raising the barre in education

the artful gardner ... betsy glassie

porch talk 4

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

..5

what’s it worth? : wicker renew...your mind, your nutrition

Living the pure life: students ispired to be global citizens

9 10

...And more!

stafford 350: Class of ‘63 My own path: living what i learn

the art of food Cooking with kyle

season’s bounty: It’s twins

will power: summer beer rundown

16-17

Calendar of events

For June Brides and Caffeine Highs

seeing is believing By a.e. bayne

VA Wineries... Playgrounds for grownups

Eyes in the ‘Burg

eyes in the ‘burg: seeing is believing

the farm table: local produce home-delvered

public art...new mural unfolds @ 909 sophia

roxbury farm & garden center Cover Art by betsy glassie, photo Bob martin

The first thing you notice is a subtle, fresh fragrance: white tea and figs. It’s a signature scent that Dr. Sandra L. Grossett, O.D., chose to soothe her visitors in the waiting area at Eyes in the ‘Burg, located off Cowan Boulevard. In fact, every aspect of the retail space in the front of her practice has been selected for sensual enjoyment, from the earthy palette brushing the walls, to soft lighting, to the unique displays of eyewear featuring Fredericksburg’s premiere textile, painting, and ceramic artists. It feels like a spa. Dr. Grossett opened Eyes in the ‘Burg eighteen months ago with the intention of creating a space where her patients would feel welcomed and nurtured. She says, “I want their first impression to be one of comfort, for it to be a place where they feel invited and want to return.” She relates a story of a stormy winter day just after she opened in 2013. She and her staff expected to fill their time with administrative tasks that day, but a few people from Falmouth were without power, looking for a place to stay warm, and they found Dr. Grossett’s open office. Remaining to arrange future eye exams, they were joined by one of her regular patients seeking emergency eye care. “I ended up having about five patients here at once. We turned up the music and had hot chocolate and treats. We were busy after all.” As relaxed as the atmosphere is at Eyes in the ‘Burg, Dr. Grossett’s staff remains professional and knowledgeable. She explains, “We’re just three strong here. Michelle Padgett has been a licensed optician for about ten

years now. Debbie didn’t work in the field at all until I hired her when we opened, and she’s come along quickly. My goal is to try to achieve a balance between the retail space out front and the medical offices in the back. When patients walk to the back they sense that it really is a doctor’s office and they will receive the care they need.” After 22 years in the field, Dr. Grossett understands that patients often feel like cattle being herded from waiting room, to exam room, to bill pay. She empathizes, “I know a lot of the time you go into a doctor’s office these days and there are fifty people in the waiting room. If it’s a large organization, you’re waiting a couple of hours to be seen, which is highly stressful.” Dr. Grossett worked for such an office, so she knew that opening her own practice would mean an entirely different approach. She explains, “I took a step back from where I was, and found a way to see maybe two patients an hour, which allows me to take care of them and do more for them.” In addition to her focus on specialized care and wellness, Dr. Grossett has made community outreach a cornerstone of her practice. She feels strongly about supporting the local arts community and social outreach programs on her own dime, so it’s no stretch for her to do the same through Eyes in the ‘Burg. Most recently, she supported Empower House through the Community Give Campaign with word of mouth and online advertising for the event through her practice, in addition to monetary contributions. Her philosophy is, “If I can tell one person a month, that’s twelve

people a year; if they tell one person each, that’s twenty-four. It grows the awareness, and that’s vital to the community.” Dr. Grossett adds, “We do what we love and we love what we do. I think people come in, they can see a difference,

and they know they’ve had a unique experience here. We take good care of them and send them away looking and feeling fantastic in their new eyewear.” A.E. Bayne is a teacher, writer, and artist who has lived and worked in Fredericksburg for sixteen years.

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

With Love in Every Cup!

“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

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

contents

closeups 6

Our Heritage: tale of two churches history’s stories.: weddings of note

companions: king charles spaniel

autoknown better: poughkeepsie, pt1 hollyburg: oscars haunt fxbg poetryman: each half

Senior Care: save your skin

wellness: weighty problems, Part 2 aromatherapy for grief & loss

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

fxbg music scene: ryan cavanugh comes to the ‘burg

community link: the community gave!

take a trip down rte 33 smart beginnings: starts with families

fxbg riverfront park

art of aging expo

Thanks to John Tippett for 25 years of Service

Regina Bogomolova ... raising the barre in education

the artful gardner ... betsy glassie

porch talk 4

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

..5

what’s it worth? : wicker renew...your mind, your nutrition

Living the pure life: students ispired to be global citizens

9 10

...And more!

stafford 350: Class of ‘63 My own path: living what i learn

the art of food Cooking with kyle

season’s bounty: It’s twins

will power: summer beer rundown

16-17

Calendar of events

For June Brides and Caffeine Highs

seeing is believing By a.e. bayne

VA Wineries... Playgrounds for grownups

Eyes in the ‘Burg

eyes in the ‘burg: seeing is believing

the farm table: local produce home-delvered

public art...new mural unfolds @ 909 sophia

roxbury farm & garden center Cover Art by betsy glassie, photo Bob martin

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

With Love in Every Cup!

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Better value, more love for your pet than if you kennel board him!

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Guest Editor

Rim Vining

Copy Editors Robin & Archer Di Peppe Contributing Writers & Artists Barbara Anderson Nancy Bauer A.E.Bayne Lisa Biever Megan Byrnes Collette Caprara C.Ruth Cassell Ashleigh Chevalier Rick Collier Kat Costello Arch Di Peppe Frank Fratoe Joan Geisler Betsy Glassie Alexis Grogan Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks Sara Hunt Karl Karch David Kerr Wendy LaRue Will Loring Neda McGuire Bob Martin Vanessa Moncure Gary Olsen M.L.Powers Mirinda Reynolds James Kyle Snyder David Steinberger Christine Thompson Rim Vining SuzyWoollam

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 are welcome to request Writer’s Guidelines and query the Editor by e-mail. Front Porch Fredericksburg PO Box 9203 Fredericksburg, VA 22403

ON THE PORCH

Your Mind, Your Nutrition

BY rim vining Hello. My name is Edith Ann… or at least it feels that way. Lilly Tomlin created the character Edith Ann in 1969 as a sketch on Martin & Rowan’s Laugh In. She professed to be 5 ½ years old (which is five and little bit more) and addressed the audience in an oversized rocking chair. I now find myself on the Front Porch and feel very much as if I am five and a little bit more and this is a very big chair to fill. Not to worry I tell myself, I was taught at the master’s knee and I think I get it… Our friend Rob sat at his desk every month for 17 years and tried to figure out how in the world to compress all the spirit, intensity, dedication, diversity and above all else the good deeds and commendable actions of an entire community into 800 words or less and have it mean something to every reader. May is only half over as I try to pull this together for the June issue so let’s see what has happened thus far: First Friday “happened” on a perfect spring evening, the roof top dining experience at Vivify is now in full swing for the season, the 6th Annual Patron’s Show at Liberty Town went off splendidly, the National Park Service’s 150th Anniversary re-enactment of the battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse and the Wilderness was a huge success and attracted people from all over the world and the areas’ newest performance venue, “Music & Spirits” packed the house at the Bowman Distillery… and I have missed a few hundred events. Still, events are events. You always find a listing in the center section of each issue allowing you to plan Virginia:

Ad Sales: Stacy.Howell@gmail.com E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com

I want to tell you how much I appreciate you keeping things going. I can’t imagine Fredericksburg without the Front Porch. Many thanks, Bruce Day

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.

Hi Virginia, I was so happy to see a May Issue of Front Porch! Collette Caprara

Robgwrites 4

June 2014

What’s It Worth?

RENEW

Love the new edition and the cover page with flowers. Happy Spring, as it took it’s time to come this year. Warm regards, blessings and prayers. Anne & Tuffy Hicks In Remembrance of Rob Grogan: ...We are fortunate in Fredericksburg to have had Rob Grogan and family as publishers of the Front Porch for so many years. The monthly

Front porch fredericksburg

By jOAN gEISLER

activities for the month. Those listings for music, art, education and expression reflect just how diverse this community is and how varied the interests of the citizens have become. Take advantage of what your town has to offer. The more important thing we have been taught in some 200 columns from the Front Porch is this: The community spirit that underlies all these events is so incredibly unique and powerful that it needs to be embraced and lifted up as an example to all other communities as the right way to live our lives. He got it. May gave us The Community Give where almost 5,000 people made direct donations to area non-profits and raised over a half-million dollars for those organizations in only 24 hours. That is direct money with no red-tape or overhead costs. Dollar for dollar it supports programs and services that make this a better community in which to live. They get it. By mid-May area churches and organizations have sponsored over 150 community dinners this year. They are filling the basic need for nourishment to a part of our population that is not served by any other means. Micah Ministries, Moss Clinic, Empowerhouse, ThurmanBrisben Shelter and other groups continue to do their good works day-in and day-out making the lives of those with challenges that much better offering the promise of a brighter tomorrow. They get it. The growing season is just getting started and the gardens at Downtown Greens are showing real promise. The green space and flower gardens of this community organization

rival any publicly funded plantings in the state. The Fork It Over Festival was an amazing success as workers and supporters of all ages and walks of life came out to enjoy live music and entertainment and share the fellowship of neighbors and friends. They get it. Sadly, as a community we also share losses. We mourn those in the area that have fallen victim to illness and age along with those who have put themselves in harm’s way for our sake. We lost a good friend this May with the passing of Wilson Hunter Greenlaw, the husband of our Mayor, Mary Katherine Greenlaw. I have been blessed to have known the Greenlaws since we first arrived in Hartwood twentyfive years ago. Wilson was a farmer, a faithful steward of the land and a character. He will be missed but in his passing there was another lesson being taught. The community came out on a hot May morning to attend his service. It was mix of friends, family and local dignitaries. Many people came out to say goodbye to Wilson but many also came to show respect and support for Mary Katherine and the office of the Mayor of Fredericksburg. That speaks volumes. They get it too. It is their community, our community, your community and we share the bitter with the sweet but from what I can see perched in Edith Ann’s oversized rocker I believe all is well in our town and on this Front Porch.

paper, free to everyone, has been a unifying element in our community. The paper is permeated with love of the diversity...Rob’s policy was to showcase diverse views with warmth, good humor, and appreciation so he invited writers to offer their best commentary. The tone of the paper never faltered. Reading it is like a conversation with a good friend, a good, true friend...I am a happy camper to have known Rob Grogan through this publication. Bettie Grey

Ruth Cassell and her son Nasir attended the Roanoke County Relay for life with good friend, fellow UMW graduate, Bistro Bethem veteran and Fredericksburg fan Kate LeBoeuf, who works for the American Cancer Society. We lit a luminaria in honor of Rob Grogan .

Hello, It's so good to see the Front Porch every month; everyone looks forward to it. Anthea "Kawakib"

the story of wicker

Rim Vining, this month’s guest editorial writer, gets it and so does Edith Ann... "and that's the truth phhhht!"

CLEAN EATING Like the sound of a shot from a starting gun, it begins the race to summer. The sapphire sky and the bright maize sun seem to cheer us on with enthusiastic applause. The myriad of colors around us should reflect on our dinner plates too. This is called CLEAN EATING. WHAT IS CLEAN EATING? Foods that are in their natural states or as close to there natural state as possible. Apple vs. applesauce. Foods that will rot or spoil. Foods that do not have a shelf life. Foods that came out of the ground or had a mother. Foods that have ingredients that are pronounceable. RESULTS: By eating clean you will not have to count calories, fat grams or carbs. BUT always control food portions and do not eat with abandon just because if fits into the criteria of clean. Read labels and compare products. Cottage cheese should have milk and salt. Compare canned black beans. They should read: beans, water, salt.

ROXBURY F

ARM

MAIN: (540) 373-9124 NURSERY: (540) 371-8802

By archer Dipeppe

Don’t rely on manufacturers to tell you the product is “Healthy” or “Natural”. Take crackers for example. Ritz has a paragraph of ingredients. Wheat Thins has a few sentences. Triscuits have wheat, salt, water. Don’t let convenience rule over clean. Egg Beaters might sound like a great product but they are full of chemicals. Are separating eggs really that inconvenient? Eggs whites are a complete form of protein. Fat free foods are another lie. They remove the fat and add chemicals to taste good. Don’t be duped. Organic is another slippery slope. Read labels. They can still add chemicals to the finished product. I have a simple but thorough seminar on Clean Eating that I have presented at Gold’s Gym. Contact me if you would like more information. joangeisler@gmail.com Joan Geisler has been a resident of Fredericksburg for 25 years and a personla traierfor 18.

It is believed that wicker was first used for baskets and furniture by Sumerians (present day Iraq) about 4000 BC. The ancient Egyptians were fond of it as well and used swamp grass in their construction, which was strong and plentiful. Both the common people and the wealthy used it, and some pieces survived from antiquity in the pyramids. The modern term wicker comes from a Scandinavian word “wika”, meaning to bend. Wicker’s history in America is very interesting. A wicker cradle was reported to have come over on the Mayflower, but it was not until the 1840’s that an industrious young man built a financial empire with it. Cyrus Wakefield was a grocer who was walking along the docks in Boston and came upon long stands of fibrous material. The Asian trade used the Climbing Palm (which could grow to lengths of over 600 feet) to stabilize and tie down cargo on ocean-going trading vessels. He purchased some cheaply, as it was usually thrown away. He took it home and began experimenting with it by wrapping it around hardwood and used fasteners to make a chair. Other furniture pieces followed, and they sold well. Even in the early days, it was used both as indoor and outdoor furniture. In fact, as long as you did not abuse it or leave it out for an extended period of time in harsh elements, it was almost indestructible. Cyrus married Eliza Bancroft, a former sea captain’s daughter. Eliza’s father was involved as an importer in the Asian trade market, and they began importing wicker material for themselves. An interesting side note is that they decided to also import tea and spices for the return trip, and Cyrus became America’s largest importer of both commodities, thereby increasing his fortune.

These were the early days of the Industrial Revolution and another competitor the Heywood Chair Manufacturing Company invented a mechanical process for weaving the wicker in the 1860’s This led to mass production of the furniture and greatly reduced labor costs. These two companies dominated the market for many years until the rivals merged on March 17, 1897, to form the Heywood Wakefield Company. The Golden Age of wicker furniture was in the 1880’s when ornate Victorian designs were all the rage. Many of these pieces survive today, and they are highly sought after in today’s market. It is still possible to buy a side chair in the $200 to $300 range, but it is also easy to pay between $600 and $1200 for large unique pieces. Collectors can date the pieces and company origins by researching the various paper labels located usually under the seats in the mid-Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Centuries. Some great pieces were made in the Mission Style just after the turn of the Twentieth Century. Just about that time a new process using a paper fiber was introduced, which a number of companies began using to avoid the expense of importing the Asian plant. Today wicker is more popular than ever, but much of the wicker made in the last thirty years is not nearly as high a quality as its predecessors. If you want a quick way to determine the caliber and usually the age of a piece of wicker, try to lift it. The good stuff is far heavier than its cheaper relatives. It is all that hardwood and iron fasteners that they used long ago.

Arch DiPeppe is always on the lookout for Neat Stuff to write about.

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Guest Editor

Rim Vining

ON THE PORCH

Your Mind, Your Nutrition

Ad Sales: Stacy.Howell@gmail.com E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com

I want to tell you how much I appreciate you keeping things going. I can’t imagine Fredericksburg without the Front Porch. Many thanks, Bruce Day

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.

Hi Virginia, I was so happy to see a May Issue of Front Porch! Collette Caprara

Robgwrites 4

June 2014

What’s It Worth?

RENEW

Front porch fredericksburg

By jOAN gEISLER

Hello, It's so good to see the Front Porch every month; everyone looks forward to it. Anthea "Kawakib"

the story of wicker

Rim Vining, this month’s guest editorial writer, gets it and so does Edith Ann... "and that's the truth phhhht!"

ROXBURY F

ARM

MAIN: (540) 373-9124 NURSERY: (540) 371-8802

By archer Dipeppe

Arch DiPeppe is always on the lookout for Neat Stuff to write about.

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Thanks to John Tippett:

Living the “Pure Life”

For 19 Years of Service

students inspired to be global citizens

By Collette Caprara John Tippett, Executive Director, FOR, developed a love for The Great Outdoors in his boyhood through his family’s weekend campouts on the shores of the lower Potomac. The desire to protect and preserve nature was a longtime hallmark of Tippett’s character, as was his desire to engage in public service, which he shares with his wife Heidi. Today the Tippett’s have two daughters, Elena, 13, and Anna, 15. John’s blend of passion and knowledge of natural resources was recognized and tapped early, as he was hired as a district water-quality expert and then employed at the Research Triangle Institute where he developed trailblazing computer models of watersheds and pollutant control. Yet he longed to have hands-on impact and looked for opportunities that were available across the professional environmental field. “It struck me that a lot of environmental groups were very good at being against things but didn’t have a good handle on how to promote what they were for, or even know what they were for,” he said, “That requires understanding the science behind an issue. A community group that

combined technical knowledge with advocacy ability could do proactive rather than just reactive work.” He found that ideal blend in Friends of the Fredericksburg’s Rappahannock (FOR), and came on board as its executive director in 1995. Within the following two decades, the organization developed steadily, gaining a reputation as a reliable science-based advocate for the river with the unique ability to employ “constructive engagement,” garnering broad-based support that included developers, landowners and environmentalists in a spectrum of initiatives to protect, preserve the river and revitalize the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. FOR’s education programs have grown exponentially and last year reached 7,000 students—an emerging generation of informed and caring stewards of nature. And, with projects ranging from tree planting headwaters to initiatives in the Northern Neck, the organization has fulfilled its slogan: “From the Blue Ridge to the Bay.” FOR played a major role in two high-profile conservation projects: the

removal of the Embrey Dam that opened 700 miles of historic spawning habitat for a wide variety of fish species, and the establishment of a permanent conservation easement that John with has preserved 30 miles of riverfront property on both sides of the Rappahannock. “It is awesome to influence the realm of perpetuity,” said Tippett, “so that your grandkids’ grandkids will see and experience the same nature that you see and experience today.” Yet, Tippett’s most gratifying accomplishment has been a quiet but powerful initiative, Low-Impact Development, that will have a lasting, revitalizing impact on the endangered and damaged waters of the Bay, which Tippett notes is both a life supporting entity and economic engine. This far-reaching program establishes attractive functional

By David Steinberger

daughters Elena and Anna landscape features at multiple sites that act as a natural filtration system. Tippett says that his main goal for FOR was to establish an enduring institution that could serve as a permanent and consistent voice for the river. To that, we say: Mission Accomplished. John Tippett was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2005. He will be stepping down to the role of advisor and consultant this year so that he can fully focus on restoring his health and quality of life. Collette Caprara is a local writer and artist

Snakes, iguanas, sloths, and tarantulas may not be what most middle school students think about when they envision spring break, but for nineteen eighth graders from Fredericksburg Academy, this daydream became a reality. On April 17th FA students and two of their science teachers boarded a plane to San Jose, Costa Rica, for a ten day travel experience with Global Explorers, a nonprofit organization based out of Fort Collins, CO, with the mission to inspire the next generation of “responsible global citizens.” While in Costa Rica, FA Middle School students were challenged with the task of taking in the beauty and unique biodiversity of this small Latin American Country (roughly the size of West Virginia), while simultaneously giving back to the communities they visited. In San Jose, the nation’s capital, they addressed needs of a Nicaraguan immigrant village by helping paint their homes and teaching English and Spanish reading and writing skills to elementary-aged youth. In La Fortuna, FA Explorers had the opportunity to purchase goods for an orphanage and

play with the children living there. In Monteverde, Explorers learned to use hand gestures and body language to communicate with local Costa Ricans, exchanging cultural information through a family-style dinner and a traditional foods cooking class. In addition to following responsible global citizenship through service work, FA students also learned about the importance of Costa Rican biodiversity and sustainability. While only covering 0.03% of the total landmass on earth, Costa Rica is home to 4% of the world’s total biodiversity. As such, it is an amazing place to observe wildlife and learn about the importance of sustainability. Students visited a shadegrown coffee plantation, a small-scale organic farm, and several biological preserves. Along the way, they sampled delicious foods, discussed the advantages and disadvantages of various farming and development practices, and observed hundreds of species of plants and animals, including coati (raccoon relatives), peccaries (wild pigs), howler monkeys, toucans, green macaws, and two species of

sloths! To cap off their trip, students finished the week with a morning of zip lining through the cloud forest canopy. Back from their travels, FA students are now working on their post-travel service projects, centered around the theme of responsible global citizenship. Projects include a school-wide cleanup of trash and other waste, contributions to the local Food Bank, development and maintenance of the school’s newly installed raised bed garden, and construction of nest boxes for the threatened Eastern Bluebird. If you’d like to learn more about Fredericksburg Academy and their involvement with the Global Explorers Program, please contact David Steinberger. He can be reached by phone (540-898-0020) or at the following address: Fredericksburg Academy, 10800 Academy Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. As they say in Costa Rica, Pura Vida (“pure life”)! David Steinberger is an eighth grade science teacher and cross-country coach at Fredericksburg Academy.

Editor’s Note: Students learn best by doing. The lessons and experiences these students had in Costa Rica will last their entire lives. The followup activities in our own community are the epitome of Think Globally...Act Locality. Yes, teachers teach the core programs of subjects like science, history and English, but the truly great teachers find a way to teach respect, civic participation, and responsibility as well. Untold hours go into planning and carrying out a trip of this magnitude. Here is to the students, their parents, the administration, and all the community members who made this trip possible. Finally, we are all to often awestruck by the flash of celebrities in our culture. The real heroes are the teachers like David Steinberger and his colleagues who strive everyday to light the way for our youngest citizens. AD

Vera Bradley Spring & Summer patterns in our upstairs boutique! 606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesday 10-6:30

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged 6

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Thanks to John Tippett:

Living the “Pure Life”

For 19 Years of Service

students inspired to be global citizens

By David Steinberger

Vera Bradley Spring & Summer patterns in our upstairs boutique! 606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesday 10-6:30

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged 6

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

VA. WINERIES Playgrounds for Grownups! by nancy bauer & rick Collier

How far would you drive for the best of Virginia wine? In 3 days, 400 miles, and 7 hours of drive time, you can visit 10 wineries that epitomize Virginia winemaking history, hope...and sheer nerve The Itinerary 10 wineries, 3 days, about 7 hours drive time Most of the wineries are open daily, so a 3-day/2-night itinerary is logistically simple, and leaves plenty of time for lingering at your favorites, or squeezing in some extra curriculars. Go to www. vawineinmypocket.com for the wineries links for our full description of what to expect at these gems. The Route Day One starts outside of Leesburg and warms you up quickly with four wineries in less than 50 minutes’ drive time, starting with the much-loved Fabbioli Cellars then moving on in quick succession to the stunning Sunset Hills Vineyard. The Newcomer Two Twisted Posts (note their limited opening hours, below), and finally doubling back to one of Virginia’s “greenest” wineries, North Gate Vineyard. Tip: If you start on a Friday between April and October, you may opt to end at Sunset Hills, to take advantage of their late-night Fridays, open until 8PM. Lodging: The historic town of Middleburg is your first choice for lodging, where you can opt for rural views at the luxury-brand Goodstone Inn, or go right to the heart of town at Middleburg Country Inn. Day Two starts fast or slow, depending on your mood. Speedsters can jump on 81 South and be at the winery known for its view, Barren Ridge Vineyards, in two hours, while slowpokes might opt for a detour through Front Royal to Skyline Drive, adding 90 minutes for the scenic tour through Shenandoah National Park (exit at Route 33 through

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Elkton). If hunger hasn’t struck at that point, you might continue south to sample from Rockbridge’s vast list (tastings still free!) and hit Barren Ridge on the way back up, stopping for lunch at the oftoverlooked but utterly charming town of Staunton. King Family Vineyards in beautiful Crozet is next up (if your Day Two falls on a Sunday and you arrive after 1:00, you’ll be treated to a free polo match), followed by the patriarch of Virginia wineries, Barboursville Vineyards if you have one more tasting in you. Tip: Not on the Tour but definitely worth a stop is Ox Eye Vineyards tasting room, in downtown Staunton’s historic Wharf district. Ask for a taste of their luscious Lemberger. Lodging: This Tour is about the best, right? That calls for a night at Barboursville Vineyards, followed by dinner at the winery’s northern Italian locavore restaurant, Palladio (reservations essential; jacket required). Day Three can start early: the doors at nearby Horton open at 10AM for a round-the-world-of wine tasting odyssey the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else. Then it’s a quick hop over to I-64 and two hours later you arrive at your last stop, which is not coincidentally the home of the winner of the Governor’s Cup for 2014: Williamsburg Winery. (Or for a more interesting drive at just 10 minutes longer, head down 33.) Grab lunch at Gabriel Archer’s on the winery grounds, and if you can’t bring yourself to leave, extend the stay with a short walk down the lane to a suite at the winery’s Wedmore Place. Go to Virginia Wine In My Pocket (vawineinmypocket.com) for complete travel guide apps for the VA Wine Country

Nancy Bauer and Rick Collier are the authors of VAWINEINMYPOCKET.com, the wine country travel app and website. Rick’s photos as seen above are at RickCollierCreative.com.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

VA. WINERIES Playgrounds for Grownups! by nancy bauer & rick Collier

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Nancy Bauer and Rick Collier are the authors of VAWINEINMYPOCKET.com, the wine country travel app and website. Rick’s photos as seen above are at RickCollierCreative.com.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

My Own Path

Stafford 350 the graduating class that changed everything By david s. kerr It was 1963. The Civil Rights Act wouldn’t be passed until the following year. Restaurants and public facilities in our region were still segregated according to race. The infamous “whites only” signs had not gone away. But, in June of 1963 Stafford County Schools graduated their first ever integrated high school class. It was a monumental step. While integration had begun two years before, Stafford High’s graduating class of 1963 signaled a new day. Segregation in Virginia, at long last, was dying. But none of that means it was an easy road to school integration in Stafford. The Supreme Court decision ordering the desegregation of the nation’s schools, Brown v. Topeka was handed down in 1954. The court’s opinion directed that segregated school systems should be integrated with all “deliberate speed.” Sadly, nothing about school integration was speedy. Virginia’s answer was massive resistance. In a bureaucratic effort to slow down integration, AfricanAmerican students had to apply, in person, for a place at a white school through the state’s Pupil Placement Board. Often, when an application was received, it was rejected on a technicality. It was a frustrating and demeaning process. But, African-American parents and students didn’t give up. Stafford didn’t integrate willingly. The first attempt in 1960 failed. However, a court decision forced the issue. In 1961 two African-American children enrolled at Stafford Elementary School, and in 1962 Stafford integrated its only high school. However, before then, the situation was even more convoluted than you might think. Just like every other county inVirginia,Staffordran a parallel school system for African-American students. And it was generally accepted that the colored schools, as they were

June 2014

called, didn’t get the same level of funding as the white schools. This even extended to teacher pay scales. But one of the greatest injustices, unique to Stafford, was that from 1946 until 1960, the county only provided an education for black students as far as the 10th grade. After that, if black students wanted to finish high school they had to go to Fredericksburg and to attend the city’s high school for black students, WalkerGrant. Many students, unable to make the trek, didn’t finish high school. This was only partially remedied when, in 1960, Stafford county extended its program for African American students to include grades 11 and 12. Fortunately, not everyone in the county thought this was a good arrangement. Some, the growing number of transplants who had not grown up with segregation, had no time for this kind of racism. Even some long-time residents, including a former supervisor from that era, didn’t care for segregation. In fact, as a businessman, he thought that it didn’t make economic sense. He couldn’t see the logic of running two separate school systems. He had changed his mind about segregation when he was in the Army and thought it was time things changed in Stafford. Most of the Class of 1963, those still with us, have retired. The world has changed a lot since then, and in 1963, 51 years ago, they helped change it.

David Kerr’s interest in our local history is a welcome addition to Front Porch.

Front porch fredericksburg

living what i learn A spray of race bibs and purple shirts gather at the starting line. I successfully pin my taller-thanthe-average six-year-old with a number. He immediately zips his Nike sweatshirt over it, against the unexpected chill of a late May morning. A mother with a running stroller leads her three girls through a series of stretches in the lane next to us. The smallest girl will probably end up riding in the stroller, but now, they are all reaching for their toes and pulling their elbows behind their ears. This is the first annual Relay for Life Purple Power 5K and it’s being held at my old high school. As races go, it’s a simple if redundant course. I signed my son and I up, forgetting how the last time we did a 5K together I did more wrenching and warning than dashing and darting. I may fancy myself a runner, but that does not my son a runner make. Three, two, one. Racers move past us, and Nasir reaches up to grab my hand. We jog hand-in-hand around the less than quarter mile of track starting the course before it turns onto a road. “Can we walk?” he asks. “Just to that cone, then we’ll run again.” Run, walk, run, walk…mostly with me goading him at every other cone to pick up the pace. “You can beat those girls.” I try to motivate him. “Running’s just not my thing, mommy.” The course roams out and back, several times crossing within site of the track where we started. Nasir walks along the inside edge of the concrete runoff ditch, stretching his legs wide so he bounces from one foot to another. He teeters along the curb like it’s a balance beam. Much more interested in the guys spreading mulch than an unseen finish line, he meanders through every slow mile. We circle through the last parking lot turnaround and start back up the hill toward the school. The last two walkers pass us. I can tell the SUV creeping up the hill is waiting for us to move along so the race course signs can be picked up. My internal competitor snaps. “You have to go faster. We have places to be this morning. I didn’t think this would take so long.” My words are meant to move him, but only serve to demotivate us both. We cross the finish line, long limbs wrapped around my neck and waist in a piggy back. Ready to leave and attend to the pressing to-do list, I say good-bye to friends and we start toward the parking lot. A voice over the loudspeaker announces, “Boy, age 0-9, first place Nasir Ebrahim.”

By c. ruth cassell

He stops and turns around, ready to run and looks at me. “Go get it, buddy.” Dead last, but first in his age group. He wins because he finished, and yes because I didn’t allow him to turn around or cut corners, but mostly because he kept putting one foot in front of the other. He proudly wears his medal for the rest of the day. I smile, but I know I lost the opportunity to take what I know and believe it deep enough inside that I allow it to come out in my words and actions. Hopefully he learned more from the experience of walking the steps and wearing the medal than he did from my shaming words. Either way, I must work to live what I learn. Ruth Cassell and her son Nasir attended the Roanoke County Relay for life with good friend, fellow UMW graduate, Bistro Bethem veteran and Fredericksburg fan Kate LeBoeuf, who works for the American Cancer Society. We lit a luminaria in honor of Rob Grogan and walked the track eating ice cream and wearing new Mardi Gras beads Nasir purchased with his new allowance money.

Regina Bogomolova raising the barre in education By a.e.bayne We often hear of teachers taking two jobs out of necessity, but rarely does that second job provide the benefit of pursuing a lifelong passion. By day Regina Bogomolova is a high school chemistry teacher in Prince William County, and by night she satisfies a lifelong pursuit of dance as owner and instructor at Classical Ballet of Fredericksburg on Lafayette Boulevard. Bogomolova says this paring of athleticism and intellect are the perfect complement to one another. Bogomolova’s early years were spent in pursuit of a career in ballet. Growing up in the DC area, she danced with the Montgomery Ballet and Washington Dance Spectrum. While in school, she enjoyed academics and her parents fostered in her sharp study skills and a strong work ethic. Her father, a mathematician and pianist, modeled the complimentary aesthetics of intellectual study and art. Bogomolova pursued science during college, chemistry specifically; however, the call of the barre would ultimately lure her back to dance. She joined the Manassas Ballet Theatre, where she met her husband and future business partner, Vadim

Bogomolov. When they decided to leave the company together and start a studio of their own in Fredericksburg, Bogomolova followed her fascination with science into the classroom as a daytime career and remains there today. Bogomolova has learned valuable skills through dance that translate into success as a teacher. She explains, “You know, a lot of people feel uncomfortable putting themselves out there every day. I’m not afraid of being in the spotlight. I also think learning how to change your personality to appeal to different groups has been a benefit. In dance, you learn to be a chameleon. One day you have a role that is very demure; the next day you are the villain. So, in teaching, especially when you are working with teenagers, you have to be able to read what it is they need from you on that day.” Dance has also given Bogomolova self confidence and the physical stamina necessary for long days on her feet. She says, “People don’t understand how physically demanding teaching can be. It’s not like when I was in school and teachers sat at their desk and students filed in one by one quietly giving her apples. I’m up

before five, get to school by seven, and I’m on my feet until 2:30 p.m.; then I drive home and am on my feet again until ten at night. Physically, dance is very important for me to stay in shape for everything going on in my life.” Bogomolova believes that sharing her second career with her students has allowed her to make personal connections that might otherwise have remained hidden. She mentions a student with whom she forged a dance connection when she found out the student’s family ran an Indian cultural dance center. She says, “Come to find out, she’s done a bunch of things at the Smithsonian and with cultural exchanges. Chemistry was not her favorite subject, but I was able to make a connection with her showing that I appreciated other aspects of her life.” Finding out their chemistry teacher is also a classical ballet instructor

surprises some of Bogomolova’s students. She laughs, “They’ll say, ‘We Google-searched you. We saw your YouTube video.’ I’ll have kids at school say, ‘I had to go to basketball practice last night so I couldn’t do homework,’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to hear it. I work two jobs!’ They find it interesting and hard to believe, because they see me in only one light, as their teacher.” The school year is winding down, but Classical Ballet of Fredericksburg is open all summer. Bogomolova says, “We’d love to see more people join us for ballet. It’s so good for kids, who can be self-critical; dance helps them build selfconfidence and poise, and we love working with them.” A.E. Bayne is a teacher, writer, and artist who has lived and worked in Fredericksburg for sixteen years.

Jewel Box Since 1940 Your Hometown Jeweler On-Premise Jewelry Repair Watch Batteries Gold Buying Engraving 212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9-5:30; Sat 9-5 front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

My Own Path

June 2014

David Kerr’s interest in our local history is a welcome addition to Front Porch.

Front porch fredericksburg

By c. ruth cassell

June 2014

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious

Art of Food Sunken Well’s Show June 12th By jeremy sutton

by james kyle snyder

June begins a bountiful harvest season. From this bounty, a quick internet research will reveal one of the superveggie families is the cruciferous, which as defined on dictionary.reference.com, are any plant of the family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae ), having a corolla of four petals arranged like a cross and a fruit called a siliqua. The family includes: the brassicas, mustard, cress, cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, broccoli, wallflower, and Brussels sprouts. Of this group, Brussels sprouts are a particularly great veggie because of the glucosinolates they contain. Glucosinolates are a sulfur-based substance that give mustard, and the other cruciferous vegetables, their pungency. According to cancer.gov, glucosinolates also break down into several biologically active compounds that are being studied for possible anticancer effects. A little more research on whfoods.com reveals “Among all types of cancer, prevention of the following cancer types is most closely associated with intake of Brusselss sprouts: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.” However, the sulfur is the reason to never over-cook these vegetables, as the sulfur will begin to impart a foul odor and taste. Besides cancer prevention, Brussels sprouts, in particular, contain flavonoid antioxidants, like isorhamnetin, quercitin, and kaempferol, as well as the antioxidants caffeic acid and ferulic acid. You get cancer protection and detoxification all in one vegetable! So how do we make them yummy? Of course steaming them (as with any vegetable) is probably the best in terms of health but what about taste? Hal Bell (remember the NASA guy that gives wine making classes from the March article about leek and potato

June 2014

s o u p bellhm@verizon.net?) turned me onto a process, which I tweaked, that makes them delicious; of course, we add a little bacon. Dice 5 slices of thick cut bacon and cook them in a large pan on medium, until crispy. While the bacon is cooking, wash and trim the stems and outside leaves of the sprout; cut the sprout in half length-wise. Once the bacon is done, remove the pieces and add 1 TBS of butter, 1 TBS of olive oil, and one diced shallot to the drippings. Cook this mixture until the shallots are translucent. Add the sprouts and turn the heat up to medium high, stirring occasionally. The goal is to brown the outside of the sprouts quickly without over cooking them (seven to ten minutes). Do not let the oil mixture smoke or the sprouts will taste burnt instead of charred. If the pan begins to look dry, add a little white wine or water. Once the sprouts are browned, add the bacon pieces back and cook for one more minute. Now for the fun! In order to add a richness and a glaze we flambé! (This process can be dangerous so please watch some videos about it and practice outside on the grill’s side burner. If you don’t like the flambé, don’t do it.) Remove the pan from the flame and pour an ounce or so of an 80+ proof liquor (knob creek for this recipe) in one corner of the pan. Quickly tilt the pan, causing the liquor to run its length and boil. The boiling releases the alcohol in the form of a vapor which is highly flammable. Tip the edge of the pan into the flame and voila: flambé! The flames can reach over 3 feet, so you must be in control of the pan Be aware of which way it is facing, and what is above. You have just made simple, easy, and delicious Brussels sprouts. Maybe add diced chives but definitely serve them with everything. Be well!

Kyle always inflames us with his cooking!

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg enjoys many great restaurants in a very small space. We’re blessed that we can procure top-notch burgers, sushi, Latin, classic southern, italian, Thai and many more dishes within an easy drive (or stroll, or the occasional delivery). Combined with this culinary competency we also enjoy many local artists of many mediums, much of whose work hangs in said restaurants for display to the public. It’s with that fact in mind that Steve Cameli (along with business partner Paul Stoddard) and the Sunken Well Tavern are getting all meta and synergistic on us with their upcoming art show dedicated to local restaurants. Set for Thursday June 12th, this incredibly creative concept will feature photos and artwork based on the dishes of several local restaurants, and one special guest with local ties. Kybecca, foode and of course Sunken Well will all contribute pieces to the walls that display the artistry of their plate composition and each restaurants signature style. An up-andcoming DC restaurant, Toki Underground, which is run by a UMW grad with roots in the community, will also participate. “The idea is to let each respective restaurant express what they do through a 2D medium(or 3d if they wish). I believe a good restaurant is made up of intangible and tangible elements brought together in a single expression being the Restaurant. From the composition of the food you see on the plate,to the ingredients used, the colors on the wall, the lighting above, and the staff that serves you all help create a energy or a vibe. I want to give restaurants a chance

to express this in a different medium.” says Cameli. “Furthermore I believe the restaurants are a invaluable part of the artistic community. They provide artists with a place to hang their paintings, play their music and express themselves. I wanted to give the restaurant owners and chefs a chance to do the same outside of their own establishments.” Not only a great idea and wellarticulated plan, but a wonderful way to highlight Fredericksburg’s willingness to come together and celebrate each other’s hard work. By taking these, for all intensive purposes, competitors for your dining dollar and bringing them into one space all the participants make a statement that it takes everybody working hard to produce quality product to make a larger and healthier scene. The larger and healthier the scene, the better off we’ll all be. Kudos to all involved here, this is the proper spirit of downtown Fredericksburg. Jeremy Sutton found time to dry his basement, raise his kids AND sell some wine while writing this article from the great state of Iowa.

Season’s Bounty It’s Twins

By vanessa moncure I know you haven’t seen much of me in Fredericksburg for the last month or so - I’ve been with my daughter and her new set of twins! Two precious little pink bundles with a surprising lung capacity, at least when they’re chorusing in unison. I’ve mostly been the preschool driver, laundress, cook and Lego-picker-upper for the two older boys. Their Mother’s Day cards to their Mom were hilarious and definitely keepers - along with “I love my Mom because” were because she packs my snack, lets me ride my scooter, buys me Legos - “my mom is really smart because she had two babies”! Even having one new baby in the house is a surprising adjustment - baby swings, co-sleepers, changing tables, carseats more advanced than the seat John Glenn rode into space (compare them at the Air and Space Museum!) and diaper boxes begin to magically fill the house, exponentially so with multiples. Then there is the constant exhaustion of interrupted sleep, inability to keep up with the laundry or the preschoolers, and a magical compression of time - first thing you remember is having a morning cup of coffee, then the day is a blur until evening when you’re feeding, bathing, reading books to and tucking in the older boys, to start all over the next day. And that is just for the grandmother! My daughter has had a wonderful support system, though. Through the magic of the internet, there is even a very welcome website, www.takethemameal.com, in which her friends and neighbors have been able to sign up to bring the family meals - best of all, my daughter can access the site to see who, what and when the meals will arrive. Besides the adorable matching onesies and practical crib sheets and burp cloths, gifts of food are arguably the best gift of all for new parents. Still figuring out the logistics of grocery shopping, how to juggle two hungry babies while keeping up nutritious cooking for the family (no, don’t go to Lunchables, they may never want to go back), a balanced meal, delivered, is just what the new family needs. Don’t forget to ask about food allergies, likes and dislikes - when bringing dinner, why not pop in a few muffins for breakfast, too, or another dinner dish in a disposable container that can be frozen for a later meal. Bereaved families, those with members undergoing medical treatment, elderly friends, neighbors or relatives, all appreciate the communion of food-gifting.

CHICKEN DIVAN An oldie but goodie, easy to reheat and freezes well - serve with a salad and crusty bread. 16 oz. fresh asparagus - cook 1 min. in boiling water, then plunge into iced water to stop cooking. Arrange in bottom of buttered shallow casserole. Slice 2 c. cooked chicken breast and arrange on top of asparagus. Mix together 2 cans cream of chicken soup (very rare for me to suggest canned food, but this is a ‘50s favorite. Substitute 1 c. half and half heated to a simmer with 1 c. chicken broth, then thicken if desired) along with 1 c. regular mayonnaise (not low- or nofat), then stir in 1 T. fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp. each garlic powder, curry powder and dry mustard. S&P to taste. Pour over chicken, then sprinkle with ? c. grated Parmesan cheese. Mix together 1 c. fresh breadcrumbs with 2 T. melted butter and sprinkle over casserole. Bake 350F for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. BUILD-YOUR-OWN-DINNER Pick up a rotisserie chicken, then add everything you’d need to make simple soft tacos - shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped onion, guacamole or ripe avocado, pico de gallo, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream and tortillas. Send along a small bag of tortilla chips and fresh fruit. ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN Marinate two pork tenderloins in a prepared marinade. Roast at 375F 2530 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with a green salad, roasted potatoes and green vegetable. CHICKEN, SAUSAGE AND WILD RICE CASSEROLE Freezes well. Saute 1 lb. pork sausage and set aside. Saute together 1 lb. sliced mushrooms and 1 large onion, add all together with 3 c. cooked and diced chicken breast. Cook 2 c. wild rice according to directions, or a box of white and wild rice mixture. While cooking rice, stir together ¼ c. flour mixed with ½ c. heavy cream, then stir quickly into simmering 2 ½ c. chicken broth - stir until thickened, then combine with other mixture. Add pinch of thyme and marjoram, S&P to taste. Bake 25-30 minutes in 350F oven until browned and bubbly. Best wishes to all! Vanessa Moncure is an extraordinary cook and grandmother!

Do Your Knives Make the Cut? Sharpening Services at

374-0443 www.shopwhittingham.com 1021 Caroline Street

Olde Towne BUTCHER Don’t Forget Father’s Day Corner of William & Charles Street 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com

Winter Hours: 9am - 7pm Monday through Saturday 11am - 6pm Sunday Lee Russell Proprietor

S ammy T’ s DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG’S

Serving Great Food Since 1981

Home of the “Camper Special” & the Best Burger in Town 801 Caroline Street

(540) 371-2008

Try Our Self-Serve Yogurt open 11:30 am Daily Still Owned by the Emory Family front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious

Art of Food Sunken Well’s Show June 12th By jeremy sutton

by james kyle snyder

June 2014

Kyle always inflames us with his cooking!

Front porch fredericksburg

Season’s Bounty It’s Twins

Do Your Knives Make the Cut? Sharpening Services at

374-0443 www.shopwhittingham.com 1021 Caroline Street

Olde Towne BUTCHER Don’t Forget Father’s Day Corner of William & Charles Street 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com

Winter Hours: 9am - 7pm Monday through Saturday 11am - 6pm Sunday Lee Russell Proprietor

S ammy T’ s DOWNTOWN FREDERICKSBURG’S

Serving Great Food Since 1981

Home of the “Camper Special” & the Best Burger in Town 801 Caroline Street

(540) 371-2008

Try Our Self-Serve Yogurt open 11:30 am Daily Still Owned by the Emory Family front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

THE FARM

TABLE

WELCOME TO OUR GREAT OUTDOORS Sunday, June 15

fresh, local produce home delivered By kat costello 620 Caroline St. Fredericksburg

Sneak Peek of Our Menu: Selection of Breakfast items including a Made to Order Omelet Station Salads Galore Craved Prime Rib, BBQ Spare Ribs, Grilled Bratwurst, BBQ Pulled Pork, Chicken & Seafood

It’s Beautiful ~ Night and Day!

The Soup & Taco, Etc. Fredericksburg, VA

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday 11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

June 2014

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

The Sunken Well Tavern opportunity to help farmers and our community - to bring real food to people who want to eat healthier and wanted the convenience of having home delivery.” And the people have responded. “I love The Farm Table!” says member Marjorie. “Everyone is so friendly and helpful, and most important the produce is delicious and oh so fresh!” But The Farm Table team doesn’t stop there. They are committed to community at large, donating produce and raising funds for local charities in each region they serve. The Farm Table, servicing the Fredericksburg area including Spotsylvania, Garrisonville, and Aquia Harbour, delivers to an average of over 1,000 homes every week from February to December. The best part? The produce is delivered right to Members’ doorsteps each Thursday –relieving farmers and consumers from the demand of getting to the market when it’s not convenient. Boxes come with recipes and ideas for using the produce that week. Learn more at www.thefarmtable.org.or call 804-3579313.48 Hours Dirt-to-Doorstep™

Kat Costello, is the Marketing Director, for The Farm Table and can be reached at 804-977-2752 or kat@thefarmtable.org.

Front porch fredericksburg

Summer Brew Rundown

813 Caroline St.

Call for Reservations 540.373.8300

What are you doing this weekend? A long hike? Taking the kids to a movie? Sitting back with a new book? If you’re a small family farmer, the answer is probably: working. The Farm Table Founder, Duane Slyder, has a background in agriculture and familiarity with the day-in-the-life of the small farmer. Up at dawn to start work, late to bed, harvesting on weekends, and marketing and selling your own produce to an unpredictable populace. Over a given season these farmers often just break even or, worse, lose money. A few years ago, Slyder also saw busy families – including his own – wanting to buy directly from farmers in order to eat healthier, better tasting food, but not always having time to get to the farmer’s market. What if, he thought to himself, you could bring the farmer’s market directly to people’s homes? It could be the next best thing to having your own backyard garden - fresh, local produce delivered within 48 hours of harvest, ensuring the most nutritious food. The Farm Table was founded in 2010 and partners with farmers all over the state of Virginia and within a 150-mile radius of their Villages. In fact, Slyder and crew have created such a demand from these regional growers that some of them are now growing especially for The Farm Table. Standards are stringent. Farmers must grow on sustainable land and harvest at the peak of freshness – and the benefits to the farmers are plenty. Farmers like Gerardo Flores in Westmoreland County and Jimmy Pickett in Montpelier, have Slyder’s vision to thank for keeping their farms thriving and their produce selling regularly. 4 years later and over 1,800 members strong, Slyder reflects, “We saw

Will Power

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

By william loring Since this article may have been thrown together a bit last minute, please do not harangue me too much as you pass me in the streets. But hey! Maybe everyone just needs a good ol review session to navigate the slew of new suds hitting the shelves in time for summer. Founders “All Day IPA” isn’t exactly a newcomer, but the fact that it now comes in a handy 15 pack of cans (for the same price of 12!) is something everyone can be hoppy about. And with 42 IBUs and only 4.7%abv there is plenty of flavor for a long session. Stone “Go To IPA” is a new addition to Stones year round line-up. It takes the bitterness up a bit higher than Founders to 65 IBUs thanks to their new “hop bursting” technique while keeping the beer at quaffable 4.5% ABV! Flying Dog “Easy IPA” is the first beer from this Maryland breweries Brewhouse Rarities series to graduate to year round status. Also in at 4.7% ABV this beer packs a big tropical fruit and citrus aromas with a clean malt backbone. Anderson Valley “The Kimmie, the Yink & the Holy Gose” is another solid canned offering from this california outfit. While many may not be familiar with a Gose style ale, trust me, it is perfect for a sweltering hot Virginia afternoon. A traditional german wheat ale brewed with sea salt and fermented with a portion of lactobacillus. It’s crisp, sour, and refreshing! Sly Fox “Royal Weisse” is a traditional German hefeweizen. Cloudy, hint of noble hop spiciness, and finished with the classic hefe yeast strain notes of banana and clove. It comes in a can too, so its uber portable! Hardywood “Capital Trail Pale Ale” is a versatile dry hopped pale ale from these Richmond natives. Utilizing one of them new fangled southern hemisphere hops to give the beer its citrus peel and

fresh cut grass notes. Plus, a portion of the profits go to support the Capital Trail Foundation, who are currently building a pedestrian pathway connection Richmond to Jamestown. Stillwater Artisanal “Classique” is a self proclaimed “post-modern” beer. Brewed with pilsner malt, rice, corn, cascade hops, and a traditional belgian saison yeast strain, this beer is light, crisp, clean, and refreshing. Green Flash “Road Warrior” Imperial Rye IPA is in no way a summer session beer. But who care, this is America, and we like hoppy IPAs all year round dang it! Brewed with spicy rye malts to back up the massive amounts of Columbus, Mosaic and Amarillo hops, this beer is bold. But that’s just how Green Flash rolls. And with their new brewery opening in VA Beach, the fresher, the better! Sierra Nevada “Beer Camp Across America” looks to be one of the most exciting releases of the summer. It’s a mixed 12 pack with...12 different beers. Each beer brewed with a different craft brewery around the US. And yes, it will be epic. How do I know this? Because this is the list of breweries they collaborated with! Allagash, Ballast Point, Bell’s, Cigar City, Firestone Walker, New Glarus, Ninkasi, Oskar Blues, Russian River, Three Floyds, Victory and the Asheville, NC brewing community. Look for this to hit shelves the middle of July. I hope that this has been of some help to those in need of guidance when making the very important decision of what beer to select at the end of the week (or the beginning for that matter!) Cheers! William Loring is a Craft Beer Sales Rep for the Fredericksburg area.

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

Italian/American Food Monday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

THE FARM

TABLE

WELCOME TO OUR GREAT OUTDOORS Sunday, June 15

fresh, local produce home delivered By kat costello 620 Caroline St. Fredericksburg

Sneak Peek of Our Menu: Selection of Breakfast items including a Made to Order Omelet Station Salads Galore Craved Prime Rib, BBQ Spare Ribs, Grilled Bratwurst, BBQ Pulled Pork, Chicken & Seafood

It’s Beautiful ~ Night and Day!

The Soup & Taco, Etc. Fredericksburg, VA

Serving Traditional Mexican, Tex-Mex Food and Something More!! Tuesday to Saturday 11am-9pm Sunday 11am-6pm

June 2014

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

Kat Costello, is the Marketing Director, for The Farm Table and can be reached at 804-977-2752 or kat@thefarmtable.org.

Front porch fredericksburg

Summer Brew Rundown

813 Caroline St.

Call for Reservations 540.373.8300

Will Power

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

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

Italian/American Food Monday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

june 2014… is busting out all over **James Monroe Museum is proud to once again be participating in the Blue Star Museums program, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states that offers free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve, and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day annually. **The Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center (FAMCC) is pleased to announce the opening of Fast Forward 2014 at the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center, a display of selected works from studio art majors at the University of Mary Washington (UMW). The artists featured are Rita Artinian, Travis Jarrells, Lula Ruggles Lambert, Sidney Mullis, and Ashley Smith. The works in the exhibition explore the role of history in the generation of creative ideas; be it political, art historical, medical, or fantastical. “The FAMCC is pleased to once again partner with the UMW, and is excited to provide a venue for these talented artists,” commented Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Christopher Uebelhor.The exhibition is now open, and runs through August 4, 2014.

Tuesday, June 3 Art Opening: Found Treasures: A Mosaic Tapestry @ Artful Dimensions Gallery 911 Charles Street Jun 3 @ 6:00 pm – Jun 29 @ 6:00 pm Joanna Smith Trio @ Bistro Bethem @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Join us for live music and drink specials!

Wednesday, June 4 Detoxification & Weight Loss Class, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Whole Health Chiropractic 434 Bridgewater Street, Fredericksburg. $15 preregistration required. Email: reception@whole-health.net or call (540) 899-9421

CALENDAR of events Thursday, June 5 Silhouette Artist Clay Rice @ Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Nationally renowned silhouette artist Clay Rice will be creating lasting memories at The Museum Store in d o w n t o w n Fredericksburg on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 from 10AM to 6PM. Professional silhouette art is a family tradition for Rice, who is following in his grandfather’s footsteps as he creates every masterpiece by hand. Rice has been producing beautiful h e i r l o o m silhouettes for over thirty years, and has cut his works of art all over the United States and abroad. Classic silhouettes make wonderful gifts and are the perfect family keepsake. Looking for healthy eating alternatives this summer? We want to help, every Wednesday from through September 3, we will be hosting the Farmers Market at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center from 2 pm – 6 pm. Film Lecture: The Academy Awards Best Pictures and the Nominations—The Reagan/Bush Years— 1985-1989. The Central Rappahannock Public Library Theatre, 1201 Caroline Street. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Film clips and commentary.

First Friday, June 6, 2014 Stacey Schultze’s Fresh Nudes to be “Seen and Unseen” at FCCA in June Member’s Gallery Featured Artist Brings Color and Light to the Gallery

“Bent” An Invitational Metal Exhibition @ LibertyTown Arts Workshop Eight metal artists are taking over the gallery this June. Join us for the Opening Reception on First Friday 5-9pm The show runs through June 29.

Art Opening – Found Treasures: A Mosaic Tapestry @ Artful Dimensions Gallery new mosaic art work by Cathy Ambrose Smith. reception 6 p.m-9 p.m. Show runs through June 30th. Casey Shaw will be exhibiting paintings, prints and drawings that focus on Fredericksburg subjects at Studio A Gallery on Princess Anne St. for the entire months of May and June, 25 30 Espresso @ Art is about more then seeing @ 5:34 pm – 8:34 pm Come enjoy all your senses with at “Tasting” at 25 30 Espresso. Enjoy A. Smith Bowman Distillery, Potomac Winery, Blue and Gray Brewery, 2 very special coffees and beautiful art from Water Street Studios Tailor Made 4: T-Shirt Showcase Opening Reception @ PONSHOP Studio and Gallery @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm PONSHOP is hosting its popular, annual T-Shirt Showcase “Tailor-Made 4” with new tee shirt designs by Icy Grape Incident and PONSHOP. . music provided by Mike DJ. In addition to the new screen-printed designs, this exhibition will feature recent work from gallery artists. PONSHOP will be premiering their new “slogan” tshirt design for the show. Fredericksburg Theatere Ensemble presents Ustinov’s British comedy Halfway Up the Tree@ Central Rappahannock Regional Library Headquarters @ 7:00 pm Studio A & Gallery First Friday Reception 6-9pm featuring KRISTINE MITCHELL Music by”THUNDERBIRD” First Friday History Trivia Night! At the James Monroe Museum, 6-8pm

Saturday, June 7 Hartwood Winery’s Silver Anniversary! 25 years of fine wine making! 11am until 6 pm. Live music,

we’ll have stuff for you to eat (or bring your own picnic lunch), tastings, tours and fun! Come and celebrate with us as we hit this milestone! Join us for this historical event. Admission is $15.00 for each adult. children are free.HartwoodWinery.com

Jamey Johnson at Celebrate Virginia Live @ Pancho Villa Pavillion @ 6:00 pm Ticket prices: General Admission advance: $15, day of show $20 Trivett’s/Ashley Gold Circle Seating: $25 Trivett’s/Ashley Gold Circle Reserved Seating: $40 Platinum Experience Pass advance only: $85

purchased in advance).Dinner and Show: $20 adults, $17 students/children/senior citizens (available at the door) Show will run an hour and a half, with an intermission. All proceeds go to help support the Choir program at SHS.Location: 33 Stafford Indians Lane, Falmouth, VA 22405 Contact: (540) 371-7200 joeeveler@gmail.com

with the Curator series. Join textile conservator Claudia Walpole for a lecture and discussion on the conservation of historic dress.Anne Marie Paquette at 540-371-3037, ext. 400, or apaquette@famcc.org.

Friday, June 13 Thru June 20 “National Hermit Week”

Saturday, June 14 World’s Best Boot Camp Fredericksburg- Enlistment Day @ 11:30 am This boot camp is the only program created by ex-military to empower you both mentally and physically to win! If you are SERIOUS about getting in shape give us a call at 540.300.2370!

Cool Cow Comedy presents Jared Logan with Kara Klenk. One show only at Courtyard Marriott Downtown, 7 pm & 9pm VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Explore American history with arts and crafts and discover connections to the story of Virginia. Stories at the Museum features a group reading of a children’s history book and a make-it-and-take-it craft. 11 a.m.—noon. It is free and open to all ages. Richmond. contact Caroline Legros 804.342.9652 clegros@vahistorical.org. The Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center and Hallowed Ground Tours present walking tours of historic downtown Fredericksburg. Bricks and Boards in the ’Burg will highlight four centuries of history and architecture, the historic influence of the Rappahannock River, the Spire and Steeples of Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg’s Town Hall/Market House and the history of Market Square. Tours begin and end in Market Square, located behind Town Hall, and run every Saturday, thru–October 11, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Fxbg Recent Works by Casey Alan Shaw @ Studio A Gallery thru June 30

Monday, June 9th Stafford High School’s 7th Annual A Night on Broadway Dinner and Silent Auction @ 5:30pm, Show at 7pm Show Only: $10 adults, $7 students/children/senior citizens (must be

Montgomery Gentry at Celebrate Virginia Live @ Pancho Villa Pavillion

Tuesday, June 10 FAMCC Breakfast with the Curator: Claudia Walpole @ Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center @ 9:00 am This spring start your day by joining the staff of the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center and a guest speaker for coffee and a light breakfast during its Breakfast

Saturday, June 21 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Explore American history with arts and crafts and discover connections to the story of Virginia. Stories at the Museum features a group reading of a children’s history book and a make-it-and-take-it craft. 11 a.m.—noon. It is free and open to all ages.Richmond. contact Caroline Legros 804.342.9652 clegros@vahistorical.org.

Roller Derby: Five 40 Roller Girls vs. BADD @ Golden Skate World @ 6:00 pm Enjoy watching Fredericksburg’s Five 40 Roller Girls skate it out against Beckley Area Derby Dames. This is a family friendly fast action sporting event full of hard hits and fast skates.

Tuesday, June 24 Abbe Buck @ Bistro Bethem Jun 24 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Sunday, June 15

Battling Cancer 5K Run/Walk @ Carl D. Silver Health Center / Moss Free Clinic @ 8:00 am Proceeds from this exciting event will benefit the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center.

Sunday June 8 Lucid Dreams – A Collection of New Work by Cameron Limbrick @ Bistro Bethem @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm Show runs until Aug. 3

Grapes & Grains Trail Father’s Day Festival @ A. Smith Bowman Distillery @ 11:00 pm – 11:00 pm The festival will include ice-cold beer, mixed drinks, wine, mouthwatering food, live music, classic cars, distillery tours, and a great group of vendors, including one vendor who is from Havana, Cuba and will be hand-rolling cigars at the event!! Tickets: $15 in advance; $18 at the door; children under the age of 12 are free

Park Service historians Daniel Davis and Phillip Greenwalt as they discuss the battle at Cold Harbor and introduce their new book, Hurricane from the Heavens: The Battle of Cold Harbor. Both Daniel Davis and Phillip Greenwalt were historic interpreters at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. A book signing will follow their presentation.Evening with an Expert is free and open to the public. please contact the Museum at 540-371-3037, or visit us at www.famcc.org

Tuesday, June 17 Clay Mottley @ Bistro Bethem @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Join us for live music and drink specials!

Thursday, June 19

If you are reading this 203rd issue of FP, thank an advertiser as we celebrate the completion of our 17th year! If you are an advertiser, list your event. Deadline for July's Start of Year 18 issue is June 20. To submit events, follow this link: http://frontporchfredericksburg.com/how-ttosubmit-o online/

Evening with an Expert @ Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center @ 7:00 pm National

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service Companionship Meal Preparation Medication Reminders Laundry

Light Housekeeping Shopping/Errands Personal Care Flexible Hours

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

June 2014

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2200 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

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

Front Porch on

homeinstead.com front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

First Friday, June 6, 2014 Stacey Schultze’s Fresh Nudes to be “Seen and Unseen” at FCCA in June Member’s Gallery Featured Artist Brings Color and Light to the Gallery

Saturday, June 7 Hartwood Winery’s Silver Anniversary! 25 years of fine wine making! 11am until 6 pm. Live music,

Friday, June 13 Thru June 20 “National Hermit Week”

Fxbg Recent Works by Casey Alan Shaw @ Studio A Gallery thru June 30

Monday, June 9th Stafford High School’s 7th Annual A Night on Broadway Dinner and Silent Auction @ 5:30pm, Show at 7pm Show Only: $10 adults, $7 students/children/senior citizens (must be

Montgomery Gentry at Celebrate Virginia Live @ Pancho Villa Pavillion

Tuesday, June 24 Abbe Buck @ Bistro Bethem Jun 24 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Sunday, June 15

Battling Cancer 5K Run/Walk @ Carl D. Silver Health Center / Moss Free Clinic @ 8:00 am Proceeds from this exciting event will benefit the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center.

Sunday June 8 Lucid Dreams – A Collection of New Work by Cameron Limbrick @ Bistro Bethem @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm Show runs until Aug. 3

Tuesday, June 17 Clay Mottley @ Bistro Bethem @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Join us for live music and drink specials!

Thursday, June 19

Evening with an Expert @ Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center @ 7:00 pm National

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service Companionship Meal Preparation Medication Reminders Laundry

Light Housekeeping Shopping/Errands Personal Care Flexible Hours

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

2200 Fans (& Growing) Want You to Join

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

Front Porch on

homeinstead.com front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

history’s stories

Tale of Two Churches

A monthly look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

weddings of note

In 1733 one of the first churches erected in the Town was Saint George’s Episcopal Church as the Episcopalians were the only denomination holding regular services in the Town. The present building was constructed in 1849 on the original site of previous buildings.

The Artful Gardner the Painting - gardening Connection

By betsy glassie

Approximately eighteen years later in 1768 the Baptist under the leadership of John Waller a Baptist minister first erected a building near where today’s train station is located. When the congregation out grew the location they purchased land on Sophia Street and built a larger building. The Baptist membership increased over the years and they outgrew the facility after being there for three decades. In 1854 the congregation purchased land on the corner of Princess Anne and Amelia Streets and built the church known as Fredericksburg Baptist Church.

After the new Baptist church was completed in 1854 the Baptist turned over the Sophia Street church to the Black Baptist congregation that renamed it Shiloh Baptist Church. Shiloh under the leadership of Reverend George Dixon, Reverend Walden and Reverend Willis Robinson became a church known for community involvement. The church continued to flourish and increase in membership. In 1887 the building had severe structural problems and needed to be rebuilt. The membership was divided on where to rebuild as almost half of the congregation wanted to move the church to the corner of Princess Anne and Wolf Street’s. The other half of the congregation wanted to rebuild on the Sophia Street site. The sentiments became so heated that the debate ended up in the Circuit Court presided over by Judge William Barton. Finally the congregation agreed to built two separate church’s one on the original Sophia Street land and another church at the new Princess Anne Street location. Now a more perplexing question arose from both sides. Who would take the name Shiloh? With much discussion Judge Barton ruled that both congregations could share the name. The Sophia Street location would be called Shiloh Old Site Baptist Church. The Princess Anne Street location would be known as Shiloh New Site Baptist Church. In 1879 several members withdrew from Shiloh Old Site Baptist Church and formed the Second Baptist Church on Winchester Street. Twenty years later in 1903 a split at Shiloh New Site Baptist Church resulted in a new Church on Wolfe Street (Robinson’s Church) Mount Zion. Both Shiloh Old Site and New Site have had many well known Fredericksburg area citizens in their congregations from mayor, city council, educators, lawyers, doctors and many others. Old Site and New Site along with Mount Zion continues to support all the people in our community after over 150 years. I have heard this question asked many times,”Why the name Old Site and New Site”? Now you know the Tale of two churches. Dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Polly Newton and Mrs. Thelma Bailey

Tuffy continues to amaze us with his knowledge of Fredericksburg history in this each month in this space.

Central Rappahannock

HERITAGE CENTER Volunteers needed to process historical documents and aid researchers. Training provided. Phone 540-373-3704 or email crhc@verizon.net Open to the public for scholarly research

The Heritage Center 18

OUR HERITAGE

June 2014

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

I remember the storiessurrounding the wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner at what is now my home in south Stafford. The late Dr.Samuel Emory had attended. And there are stories about other famous weddings in our area back in the earlier days, which is what the CRHC is all about it connects today with yesterday in Fredericksburg. There used to be a nifty little magazine called the Fredericksburg Times, which is well archived at the Center. Every January was its annual bridal issue, which is where I read, from 1992, an account of several weddings of note. Maria Hester Monroe, age 17, was the first child of a President to have a White House wedding (March 9, 1820). In a simple Episcopalian ceremony, she married her 39-year-old first cousin, Samuel Laurence Gouverneur, who was also President Monroe's personal secretary and the son of Maria's aunt Hester Kortright Gouverneur. The Chimneys at 623 Caroline Street may be vacant now but in 1820 it was the home of John Glassel, "a merchant

of large enterprises and holdings." Mr. Glassel was known as "a staunch Royalist" and owned an estate in Edinburgh Scotland. His only daughter, Joanna, married John Campbell, later the 7th Duke of Argyle. The couple - The Duke and the Duchess - had one son, the 8th Duke of Argyle. Joanna was considered "the outstanding beauty of all the debutantes and the one who taught others how to dress." And did you know that the Princess Pocahontas became Rebecca Rolfe when she married John Rolfe, or that she was endearingly known as "Little Mischief"? I am hoping that decades from now, a researcher delves into the archived issues of Front Porch Magazine and delights in his findings as much as I did in the Times. -VG

There are many similarities between gardening and painting. Both begin with a vision and are fueled by a sense of wonder. I’ve been an artist and a gardener most of my life. However, it wasn’t until I visited and was inspired by the Impressionist Claude Monet’s garden in Giveny, France, and later attended a painting workshop with the Corcoran School of Art in a beautiful garden of agapanthus in Provence that I began to explore gardens as serious subject matter for my art. I discovered that painting gardens combined two of my favorite things and gave me a new direction. Matisse said that to be an artist you must paint what you love. I had found an infinite source. My mother’s love of gardening was my initial inspiration. We moved frequently as a military family, but creating a garden in each new home was her way of creating roots and leaving a little of herself and some beauty behind. I too have moved a number of times in my life and have always felt the need to create a garden or add to an existing one. One of the parallels between gardening and painting is a need for structure—garden designers refer to it as “good bones.” My current house on George Street already had beautiful established plantings with mature trees and a large expanse of lawn. I engaged local landscape designer Margaret Pavela to include an English garden. Within the beautiful structure she created, I have enjoyed expanding and personalizing it each season with the same design sensibility that I use in my paintings. I consider the importance of balancing color, texture, plant size, etc. to create a harmony within the surrounding landscape. As in critiquing a painting, I ask these questions of my garden: Where does your eye go? What extra note does it need to create more interest? Although obviously harder physical work, digging up and replanting a shrub or setting in new plants from the Farmer’s Market, can be as aesthetically rewarding as a

painting. Creating a painting of the garden allows me the extra dimension of submerging myself in wordless appreciation of that beauty and sharing it. Like all enthusiasts, I always enjoy learning. I’ve collected shelves of wonderful art books and gardening books which I constantly refer to while painting. One of my favorite garden books is The Making of a Garden by Rosemary Verey, the extraordinary English plants woman. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves gardens. Also, I find that looking at and appreciating gardens wherever you go is the same instinct as exploring museums and galleries. I can never get enough of either. The cherry trees in Washington, a Japanese garden in Kyoto, a woodland garden at Kenmore, my friend Nicky Cymrot’s beautiful farm in Caroline County, Kitty Farley’s iris garden in the city—each has something unique and memorable to offer. A recent visit to the magnificent Keukenhof Gardens in Holland still takes my breath away. I was not only enthralled by the brilliance of the plantings within the acres of landscaped woodland, water gardens, and myriad tulip displays, but was also conscious of the delight of sharing this universal beauty with people from all over the world. I took lots of photographs. Another favorite book of mine is entitled The Wild Braid, which was written by Stanley Kunitz, a prizewinning poet, Poet Laureate, and lifelong Gardener, along with Genine Lentine, a former UMW professor. I like to think about the reflection Kunitz made: “When you look back on a lifetime and think of what has been given to the world by your presence, your fugitive presence, inevitably you think of your art, whatever it may be, as the gift you have made to the world in acknowledgment of the gift you have been given, which is life itself.” Betsy Glassie’s work in her garden and on her canvases delight her many admirers. Visit her gallery at Liberty Town.

Thea Verdak was the founder and president of the Rappahannock Humane Society. She wrote this short story to advance changes in the current laws that allow continual chaining and tethering. In The Barn Teacher, three dogs must resolve a dilemma and do so with Big Dog, a brindle beauty, who leads the way. “Necks, of course, are important,” states Big Dog, in this compassionate, fast moving plot. A great family read and currently digitally available on Amazon.com. front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

history’s stories

Tale of Two Churches

A monthly look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

weddings of note

The Artful Gardner the Painting - gardening Connection

By betsy glassie

Tuffy continues to amaze us with his knowledge of Fredericksburg history in this each month in this space.

Central Rappahannock

HERITAGE CENTER Volunteers needed to process historical documents and aid researchers. Training provided. Phone 540-373-3704 or email crhc@verizon.net Open to the public for scholarly research

The Heritage Center 18

OUR HERITAGE

June 2014

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

June 2014

AutoKnown Better

Companions King Charles Spaniel

Home of great Food & great Art!

by Alexis Mary Grogan

poughkeepsie - part one

720 Littlepage Sunkenwelltavern.com

EAT WELL DRINK WELL LIVE WELL

The King Charles Spaniel, also known as the English Toy Spaniel, were made famous for their association with King Charles II of England, and have been linked with english royalty since the time of Queen Mary. In the early 19th century the King Charles was crossbred with the Pug to reduce the size of the nose. It is said this dog originated in the Far East, primarily Japan. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Kennel club attepmted to combine the King James (Black and Tan), Prince Charles (tricolour), Blenheim and Ruby Spaniels into one breed called the Toy Spaniel. The Toy Spaniel club strongly objected to the thought, and the issue was resolved by the intervention of King Edward VII who said he preffered the dog to be called “King Charles Spaniel”. The look of a King Charles Spaniel is often mistaken for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the King Charles Spaniel has a high domed head, with big dark eyes, and a small nose with black skin

around the mouth. The average height of a King Charles is 9 to 11 inches tall between the withers, with a small compact body. This breed generally has a small docked tail, long ears which is typical of the spaniel breed. Don’t expect this dog to be a watch dog, they’re to friendly for that, though they may bark at strangers, they love being with their humans, and they aim to please. They will be very content sitting on your lap all day enjoying every second of your affection and attention. They like children and tolerate them, they don’t like any rough handling and will snap if a tail is pulled or an eye is poked, keep a close eye when small children are in the area, they are also friendly with other pets and stange animals. With the calm disposition of this dog they make fantastic therapy dogs, and are very often used as such. The King Charles Spaniel snorts due to it’s natural brachycephalic trait, which means they have a short nose similar to the Pug. The snorting sound may be cute, but this trait can lead to breathing problems for the Spaniel they are also sensitive to anesthesia, this sweet dog is also an inheritance of congestive heart failure, which is what makes this dogs life expectancy so short. A few more health issues to look our for in this breed are, open fontanel, this is a soft spot in the skull mostly seen in dogs under a year old. The complication from this condition is water in the brain also known as hydrocephalus, this condition may cause neurological issues that may result in euthanization. Alexis Grogan, owner of Lexi Grogan Pet Sitting. Check her fun Pet Facts @facebook.com/lexigroganpetsitting

June 2014

Fact number one is that Arch Di Peppe and I went to college together. That explains a few things now doesn’t it? Fact number two is that yes, we had dates before we met our wives. That having been said the only reason we are both still functioning on this planet in any capacity approaching sanity is due to the kind benevolence of a higher power and understanding presence who gave us salvation through the selfless acts of compassion heaped upon us by Saint Kathryn and Saint Robin. No greater truth has ever been told.

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10 Walsh Lane

In October of ’71 I was a freshman at Madison College. Arch and I had met that fall and kind of fell in step as kindred what-evers. At that time I was dating a young lady who attended Vassar in Poughkeepsie, NY and Arch had some interest out on Long Island. A friend from

THE POETRY MAN - BY FRANK FRATOE

Each Half Apart, we do not sleep well. Warmth diminishes to thought. Dreams lack the essential need. Each half beomes self again. Together, sleep comes from love. Thought comforts warmth as one. Need revives our dreams to life. Each half becomes both again.

Oscars Haunt fredericksburg By gary olsen

By Rim Vining I was handed this assignment about 14 years ago when I first started writing Autoknown. The time that has transpired since then would indicate how adept I am at the art of procrastination. The task given was to tell the tale of a trip to New York in the fall of 1971. The telling will reveal two facts. The first will make perfect sense if you stop and think about it and the second will just make the two main characters seem more endearing or pitiful depending on your perspective.

HollyBurg

the DC area offered to drive me up to Vassar for a weekend and Arch figured we would be “in the area” and could drop him off “near” where he needed to be. Teenage boys figure things in odd ways where young women are concerned. Actually, they just figure things in odd ways, period. The “nearest” we figured we could drop Arch off was on the New Jersey side of the GW Bridge headed into NY. His plan was to hitchhike across New York City and out to Farmingdale. That’s about 50 miles. The plan as it unfolded had us dropping Arch in front of a bar in Jersey at the last exit before the GW Bridge at 9 o’clock on Friday night with the caveat that we would be back in that exact spot at 5PM on Sunday. If he wasn’t there we were heading south and he would be on his own. Arch’s hitchhiking experience though NYC at night with the barefoot guy is his to tell. I can only say that we continued on to Poughkeepsie, enjoyed the weekend (this is when Vassar had dining rooms in each dorm with table service and you just went down in your bathrobe for breakfast… sweet!) and then we headed back for the rendezvous in Jersey with Arch. The man is amazing. There he was, knapsack and a smile sitting on the sidewalk in front of the bar at precisely 5PM when we pulled up. The trip back to DC was uneventful. We spent the night at my friend’s house and at 6AM he dropped us off at 66 West and the Beltway so we could hitch back to Madison for noon classes and an economics test I sure as hell hadn’t studied for. It is only 130 miles to Harrisonburg. It was a beautiful fall day starting off a little crisp but warmed up quickly and clear as only a fall day can be. We had his knapsack, a small valise and my D18 Martin. In valise we had Jack Daniels. In our pockets, between us, we had 28 cents.

It is simply amazing: every time I give my monthly film lecture at the CRRL Headquarters on Caroline Street on the Academy Awards Best Pictures and the Nominations, my research finds a direct connection between the Fredericksburg area and Hollywood. In my June 5th lecture concentrating on the five-year period of the Reagan-Bush era, Oscarwinning performers and producers abound in the state of Virginia. Famous film producer Mark Johnson has direct links to Virginia and continues his association with the state even though he resides in Los Angeles. Born in Washington, D.C., Johnson graduated from the University of Virginia’s Arts and Sciences in 1971, earning his undergraduate degree in Drama. He co-directed the Mel Brook’s 1977 movie, High Anxiety, which was written in part by Baltimorian Barry Levinson. One of Levinson’s films, 1988’s Rain Man, starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, sent Johnson to the Oscar podium as the producer for winning the Best Picture. The film originally wasn’t projected for the greatness it has achieved: both Hoffman and Cruise thought this flick was going to be a disaster and called it “Two Schmucks In A Car.” In fact, Hoffman wanted out so badly after three weeks of filming that he said “this is the worst work in my life.” Hoffman ultimately nabbed his second Best Acting Oscar for his Rain Man’s efforts. Johnson repeatedly visits Charlottesville, serving on the Advisory Board for UVA’s Virginia Film Festival. In fact, he’ll be on campus this November to bring commentary to an episode of AMC’s Breaking Bad. Both he and Richmond’s very own Vince Gilligan served as executive producers for the highly-rated TV show. Another Virginia-educated alum who did good is Glenn Close, whose career peaked during the late ‘80’s with two classic performances, Fatal Attraction, and

Dangerous Liaisons, both which garnered her Best Actress Oscar nominations. Close double majored in theatre and anthropology while attending Williamsburg’s College of William and Mary. It was in Williamsburg that she perfected her acting abilities. She stared in several productions while at W&M and graduated in 1974. Close has returned to her favorite university near Fredericksburg as recently as last fall, when W&M bestowed a prestigious award to her for her acting contributions. She even sponsored a museum exhibit in Williamsburg recently on the costumes she had worn throughout her long acting career. The 1987 Best Picture nominee, Broadcast News, a story of romance and TV news’ hypocrisies, was filmed in D.C. and Virginia. Starring William Hurt, who was born in D.C. to a State Department employee and who received the Best Actor Oscar in 1985’s Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Broadcast News was filmed at numerous locations just minutes from Fredericksburg, including Hurt’s room at the JW Mariott Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, Holly Hunter’s apartment at 2018 Hillyer Place, NW, D.C., Albert Brooks’ house at 639 East Capital Street, SE, D.C., and in front of the Jefferson Memorial, where Hurt and Hunter romantically connected (in the film). Most notable was the scene at the restaurant on 219 King Street, in Old Town Alexandria, between Brooks and Hunter, where it was revealed that Hurt fudged his interviews. These nuggets, film clips and other fascinating movie facts about this great era in film will be presented at the library’s theater beginning at 6:30 p.m. June 5th. Gary Olsen loves giving lectures so that members of his audience can tell him where other famous stars haunt the Fredericksburg area.

Old Town’s Greatest Tour 35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions

Next Month… the tale!

AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings

Rim Vining has many a tales to tell. Contact him at: Autoknown@aol.com

Frank Fratoe lives and writes in the city

Fredericksburgtrolley.com

540-898-0737

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

AutoKnown Better

Companions King Charles Spaniel

Home of great Food & great Art!

by Alexis Mary Grogan

poughkeepsie - part one

720 Littlepage Sunkenwelltavern.com

EAT WELL DRINK WELL LIVE WELL

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

540/374-0462 www.woahvets.com

10 Walsh Lane

THE POETRY MAN - BY FRANK FRATOE

Oscars Haunt fredericksburg By gary olsen

HollyBurg

Old Town’s Greatest Tour 35 Monuments, Markers, & Attractions

Next Month… the tale!

AND the Fredericksburg Battlefields Weddings Reunions Shuttles Parties Group Outings

Rim Vining has many a tales to tell. Contact him at: Autoknown@aol.com

Frank Fratoe lives and writes in the city

Fredericksburgtrolley.com

540-898-0737

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Senior Care

June 2014

Weighty Health problems: Part 2

By Suzy Woollam

By Karl Karch

Wellness

for grief and loss

save your skin

Many older Americans love to walk, garden, golf, and fish. Seniors can enjoy the activities that they’ve always loved to do outdoors, but they should take precautions. We attribute wrinkles and other skin changes to aging. However, studies have shown they usually occur from getting too much sun. The sun’s rays have also been linked to dehydration and skin cancer, particularly for older Americans. Summer is finally here, so it’s a good time to consider protecting yourself. According to the American Cancer Society, one risk factor for skin cancer – actinic keratoses (AKs) – occurs most often in those who are middle-aged or older with light skin who have been exposed to too much sun. Small, scaly patches on the face, ears, backs of the hands and arms characterize AKs. That’s why sunscreen is so important. A study by the Archives of Dermatology found that survey participants who used sunscreen daily, even when they weren’t planning to be outside for extended periods, had developed 24 percent fewer AKs than those people who used sunscreen only when they think they need protection. Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and also the most preventable. Be proactive in reducing your risk of skin cancer and other negative side effects of sun exposure. The American Cancer Society recommends that you follow the Slip! Slop! Slap! and Wrap! rules. Slip on a shirt. Slop on sunscreen (SPF 30+). Slap on a hat. Wrap on sunglasses. Also, avoid tanning beds and sun lamps. In addition to sunscreen, wear a lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. However, there is one side effect of protecting yourself from the sun, a reduction of vitamin D naturally obtained from

Aromatherapy “Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” Sarah Williams

exposure to the sun. As we age, the body’s ability to process vitamin D diminishes, placing older adults at an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Therefore, consider vitamin D supplements. Excessive, prolonged UV exposure may also be linked to the development of eye conditions such as cataracts and agerelated macular degeneration. Protect your eyes even when it’s gray and overcast. Wear a brimmed hat and the right kind of sunglasses. Even inexpensive glasses can protect your eyes if they offer 99 to 100 percent UV-A and UV-B protection. Aging can cause an increased sensitivity to light, wind, and changes in temperature. Therefore, also consider wearing wraparound sunglasses. Check the UV index frequently. It is a measure of expected risk of over exposure. You can log in your ZIP code and get the current UV rating, along with an explanation of what safety precautions to take by logging on to www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html. You can also download a free smartphone app. As I write this in mid-May with the high temperature of 74, the index for Fredericksburg between noon and 2pm is 7, an exposure category HIGH. Protection against sun damage is needed. Wear a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses. Use sunscreen SPF 30+, and seek shade during the midday hours. Regardless of your physical condition and your love of the outdoors, remember a few simple precautions to avoid potentially serious problems in later years. Karl Karch is a Certified Senior Advisor and local franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care, a licensed home care organization providing personal care, companionship and home helper services.

Front porch fredericksburg

It is an unfortunate certainty, that at some point in our lives, we will all be faced with situations of grief, loss, and bereavement. It is never easy, and at times it can seem almost unbearable. Not only the emotional turmoil, but when left unchecked the sadness we experience can manifest into many physical changes, including muscle aches, headaches, sleeplessness and irritability. Generally we

think of grief as a result of the loss of a loved one, but in reality, grief can come from the loss of a job, a move from one location to another, a loss of a friendship, or from the break-up of a relationship. Grief can also come not just from a physical loss, but from an emotional loss or sadness like the realization of an unachievable dream or desire. Sadness and grief can affect each of us in different ways, and can oftentimes prevent us from moving forward in our lives. Essential oils and aromatherapy can be very beneficial during times of extreme stress or grief. Aromatherapy assists us with not only the emotion of grief, but can also provide assistance with the physical pain and discomfort that can go along with it. Following are just a few of the Essential oils that are beneficial with releasing emotions of grief and sadness. Choose one or two of them and create a room spray or meditation oil, diluting 6-8 drops of essential oil to 1 oz of carrier. Use as needed to relax, regroup, and release the sadness. Cedarwood Atlas - Provides strength and courage during times of stress Cypress - Allows for acceptance of a life transition Lavender - Calming and soothing to mind, body and soul. Myrrh - Eases feelings of loss and sadness Rhododendron - opens the heart and sooths anger during times of grief and bereavement. Rose - provides compassion and comfort It all Starts in The Scenter of Town with owner Suzy Woollam. Visit her shop on Charles Street

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

~Nature’s Sunshine Products ~ Biological Terrain Assessment ~VoiceBio Analysis ~Aura Photography ~Body Cleanse Foot Detox We Carry Home Brewing Supplies ! Barbara Bergquist, CTN Board Certified Traditional Naturopath

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By christine h. thompson, D.C. In my May article I stated that obesity is a major player in nearly all of the leading causes of death and disease in our country today. The solution seems obvious. If people stop eating so much, they will lose weight and be healthier. Anyone who has tried this realizes the problem is much more complex. So, here is the Cliff Note version of how refined sugar, food alteration and stress are causing the obesity crisis. Refined sugar consumption has grown tremendously over the past century. Worse than that, high fructose corn syrup has replaced much of the natural sugar we consume. Research studies have shown that the same caloric intake of high fructose corn syrup will trigger higher fat storage than regular refined sugar. Additionally, studies conclude that higher fructose intake significantly increases the risk of diabetes, hypertension and insulin-resistance. Food alterations and additives are growing concerns for multiple reasons. The food industry has combined sugar, fat and salt in (perhaps purposeful?) ways that make them addictive. Dr. Mark Hyman, in his book, The Blood Sugar Solution, provides evidence that high sugar and high fat foods produce changes in brain chemistry resembling that of addictive drugs such as heroin, opium or morphine. Authorities on GMO’s, such as Dr. Don Huber, an award-winning scientist and professor emeritus at Purdue University and Dr. Stephanie Seneff, PhD, Senior Research Scientist at MIT, provide compelling arguments on the dangers of GMO’s to our health and well-being on many fronts, but most especially in our ability to digest and absorb food properly. For a more detailed explanation of the dangers of GMO’s see Jeffrey Smith’s web site for the Institute for Responsible T e c h n o l o g y : www.responsibletechnology.org While sugar and food alterations are major contributors to the obesity crisis, stress is the clincher. Chronic stress causes the release of high levels of cortisol, which is our body’s antiinflammatory hormone. Unfortunately, at steady high levels, cortisol causes weight gain, especially around the middle section of the torso and starts breaking down body tissues, leading to chronic degenerative diseases. A statistic I heard recently sums up the issue. In 1950, the average American spent more than 4 times as much on food than healthcare. But today,

Americans spend twice as much on healthcare as food. Interestingly, current perception is that food is very expensive. The most common deterrent to buying organic is the added expense. But wouldn’t you rather spend your money on good organic food than on doctor and hospital bills? Discount grocery stores and McDonald’s have skewed our ideas about what food should cost. There is a gaping price disparity between the foods that have been mass produced, poisoned with insecticides, genetically altered, and processed beyond recognition compared to those carefully grown on organic farms. By outer appearances they seem to be the same food. But nutritionally, they are not the same food, not by a long shot! Enough of the bad news. There is a solution. While it is not easy, it is very simple. For starters, clear your home and your body of these incriminating foods. Next, start introducing your palate to whole foods such as organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, non-GMO gluten-free grains, organic free-range chicken and wild caught fish. It takes time, money, determination and persistence, but you can learn to make delicious quick meals with these foods, begin to turn your health around and start peeling away the extra weight. This is sure to reduce your stress too! There can be other complicating factors to stubborn weight problems such as hormonal imbalance, thyroid problems and adrenal fatigue, but with a qualified health care professional, these issues can usually be resolved for less than the cost of treating diabetes or heart disease. Dr. Christine Thompson can be reach at cthompson@whole-health.net

Healthcare For the Whole Person SPECIALIZING IN: ` Gentle, Individualized Chiropractic Care ` Cranio-Sacral Balancing (Sacro Occipital Technique - SOT) ` Addressing Your Total Health Needs with Natural, Holistic Treatment Methods ` Detoxification/Weight Loss Nutritional Programs

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

Dr. Christine Thompson June 2014

Senior Care

June 2014

Weighty Health problems: Part 2

By Suzy Woollam

By Karl Karch

Wellness

for grief and loss

save your skin

Aromatherapy “Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night” Sarah Williams

Front porch fredericksburg

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

891-6200

www.thenaturalpath.us

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

Dr. Christine Thompson June 2014

public art A new mural unflds @ 909 sophia

by megan byrnes

By mirinda reynolds

photos by bob martin

Scaffolding has arrived around the corner from my first public mural on BikeWorks in Fredericksburg, and images on my widest canvas yet are materializing. The newest mural in the Historic district features 1862 as a reference for images appearing on the forty-three foot wall along the waterfront parking area adjacent to the FCCA. The Civil War and Fredericksburg are inseparable, undeniable, and visible in one form or another around every corner in Fredericksburg. Approaching the Civil War theme in a public work of art has many challenges. Falling leaves will represent thirteen thousand Union soldiers and leaves on the ground represent four thousand Confederate soldiers who died in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Contemporary artist Chris Jordan inspires me with his use of statistics in repetitive imagery to enhance the impact of his subject matter. Next, the river’s edge provides a strong base of the mural with words of solace and consolation from Abraham Lincoln’s hand-written letter to Mrs. Bixby. One of her five sons died on Fredericksburg soil, and many interesting stories exist about this expertly written work. Finally, a towering solitary figure of an eleven-year-old drummer boy re-

June 2014

enactor from Fredericksburg will rise above the parking lot, sentry to our Twenty-first Century freedoms. I took his photo in December 2011 just one block away from the wall and can easily imagine my own eleven-year-old son. My goal is to evoke a similar connection with viewers. While working on the wall, I am rewarded with the opportunity to meet locals, their dogs, visitors, babies, workers in restaurants and shops, and lots of skateboarders. One of them (who I picture as leader of the Lost Boys) visits daily, inspecting and discussing my progress. Folks love to share Civil War trivia, relics, and, of course, opinions. The most asked questions are “When will you finish?” and “How did you get permission and money for a mural?” My first response follows the proverbial path of enlightenment:it is not about the deadline this time or the finished product but rather the artistic drive to create…the process is often overlooked. Permission and funding is more complicated- I have several property owners interested in murals throughout town currently, but securing the money for public art is very challenging in our current state ofI shared Fredericksburg’s EDA JumpStart! Grant process with the property owner of 909 Sophia St., Mr. Stevens. Currently, grants to improve facades will cover half of the expenses, while the business owner agrees to fund the other half. For every mural I do, I have written multiple proposals, applied for twenty or more local, state, and federal grants, presented concepts with owners of businesses, community groups, and schools, measured and photographed walls, designed concepts, and consulted with fellow street artists and historians, all without a fee. I will share more stories of both

Front porch fredericksburg

murals on November 15th as I participate in Stafford County’s first TEDx talk event. The TED film crew will be recording twenty stories of community improvement. Younger generations undoubtedly understand while others will scratch their heads until they visit TED.com (“News Worth Sharing”). I guarantee you a pleasant surprise. For a year I have had the honor of delivering the Front Porch along Caroline Street.. This quality time with my daughter and her friend Will has provided purpose and connectivity for the three of us to our community. As tribute to Fredericksburg’s greatest supporter of public art, I dedicate this mural to Rob Grogan. He would not want any grand plaque, so I’ve kept it true and clear. The base of the mural simply states: “For Rob- We miss you” To follow progress on the mural go to www.facebook.com/Muralat909 Mirinda Reynolds is a local artist, art teacher, wife, and mother of two with more than enough vibrant creative energy for all of it.

Bruce Day Studio has moved to 923½ Caroline Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Scene:

Mike Craig celebrating

his birthday with birthday burgers at Home Team Grill with friends Craig and Dominique Pennington, Katie and Brian Houlk, wife Laura, daughter Nora and parentals SueAnn and Ronnie Acors.

Young, who won the race (beat his own personal record) with a time of 1:05:09.

Heard:

the Acoustic Onion

Band (Tim Garrett, Dave Guzman, Tom Ansink, Tom Arbisi) played the Kenmore Inn last month. Oh! Which reminds me! Congratulations to Dave Guzman and Maggie Mcgraw on their engagement!

Seen:

Hannah Bloodgood, John

Buck, Toby Fairchild and Alan Marsh

Coghill, Jeff Gandee, Larry Hinkle, Mark Phelan and special guest John Buck filling in for Mike Payne) all performed for the crowds, who included Lynn and Ernie Ackerman, Jason Gallant and Lisa Biever, Erin Martinelli, Kristi Walker, John Sovitsky and Kathy Harrigan, Paul and Emily Simpson Cymrot, Misha Sanborn, Rachel Jarvis and the garden’s current director, Sarah Perry (to name but a few). Bill Harris painted a sweet American Gothic backdrop for a little photobooth fun (which Kelly Pawlik and Jeff Gandee (above right) took full advantage of, obviously) and Steve Watkins led a 45 minute kids yoga session (give that man a medal!).

Scene:

Here’s a #tbt for ya: check out Blake and Aby Bethem ten years ago, when the couple officially opened the doors of Bistro Bethem at 309 William St. Congrats on the mah-jor success, you two!

Scene:

Gia

Ruiz

McBride

picking up dinner at Olde Town Butcher; Candis Wenger enjoying a Mother’s Day dinner at Bistro Bethem with husband Mark and kiddos Cam and Eve; George Solley on an envy-inducing vacation to Pons at the National Japan; Scarlett Suhy-P Main Street Conference in Detroit; Hap Connors on the Vivify rooftop with buddy Tom Byrnes; Kelly Banez shopping at Wegman’s; Travis Jarrells at Hyperion; Bryan Petrak in town for graduation; Angela Whitley teaching a serious spin class at the Spotsylvania YMCA.

Scene:

The seventh annual

Historic Half marathon saw a strong showing (7.500+ finishing) and beautiful spring weather last month. Congrats are in order for Fredericksburg’s own Tim

above) living it up in the Big Easy. Also seen, but maybe together with our 22401 peeps: Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt partying on a couple of Bourbon Street balconies.

Heard:

Adventure

“fresh and trendy” new women’s boutique on Caroline Street near the Marriott hotel! She originally hails from the area but has only just moved back after a fashion-filled stint in LA. Congrats on the move, Stefany!

Brewing

Company opened in Stafford last month. Founders Tim Bornholtz, Stan Johnson and John Viarella (right, bottom) celebrated their grand opening with a full house and lots of awesome new brews. Cheers, guys!

Holla!

There’s nothing this girl

loves more than a new place to get her shop on, so imagine my delight when I saw that Stefany Clare opened Peacaloo, a

Ashleigh Chevalier will

be taking over at the helm of Toddlin Time on Princess Anne Street.

Congrats

to Nick Perron and

Rachel Bondstedt on the birth of their baby boy Forrest!

Scene: the Fork It Over Festival was last month on one of those beautiful spring weekends we all dream about in the middle of February. The festival is a benefit for Downtown Greens, a free organic community garden on the corner of Dixon and Charles Streets. This year Ask Fred (Thom Schiff and Kathy Douberly), a loose version of The Believers (Bud Griffs, Stephen Hu, John Buck), The Marenje Marimba group (run by DeLaura Padovan) and Trucker Troy and the Convoy (Troy

Betsy Glassie STUDIO: LIBERTYTOWN 916 LIBERTY ST. FREDERICKSBURG, VA

Open By Appointment brucedaystudio.com thefigureblog.blogspot.com 540 376-1676

BETSYGLASSIE.COM BGLASSIE@AOL.COM

540-899-6556

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

public art A new mural unflds @ 909 sophia

by megan byrnes

By mirinda reynolds

photos by bob martin

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Bruce Day Studio has moved to 923½ Caroline Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Scene:

Mike Craig celebrating

his birthday with birthday burgers at Home Team Grill with friends Craig and Dominique Pennington, Katie and Brian Houlk, wife Laura, daughter Nora and parentals SueAnn and Ronnie Acors.

Young, who won the race (beat his own personal record) with a time of 1:05:09.

Heard:

the Acoustic Onion

Band (Tim Garrett, Dave Guzman, Tom Ansink, Tom Arbisi) played the Kenmore Inn last month. Oh! Which reminds me! Congratulations to Dave Guzman and Maggie Mcgraw on their engagement!

Seen:

Hannah Bloodgood, John

Buck, Toby Fairchild and Alan Marsh

Scene:

Here’s a #tbt for ya: check out Blake and Aby Bethem ten years ago, when the couple officially opened the doors of Bistro Bethem at 309 William St. Congrats on the mah-jor success, you two!

Scene:

Gia

Ruiz

McBride

Scene:

The seventh annual

Historic Half marathon saw a strong showing (7.500+ finishing) and beautiful spring weather last month. Congrats are in order for Fredericksburg’s own Tim

above) living it up in the Big Easy. Also seen, but maybe together with our 22401 peeps: Matthew McConaughey and Brad Pitt partying on a couple of Bourbon Street balconies.

Heard:

Adventure

Brewing

Holla!

There’s nothing this girl

loves more than a new place to get her shop on, so imagine my delight when I saw that Stefany Clare opened Peacaloo, a

Ashleigh Chevalier will

be taking over at the helm of Toddlin Time on Princess Anne Street.

Congrats

to Nick Perron and

Rachel Bondstedt on the birth of their baby boy Forrest!

Betsy Glassie STUDIO: LIBERTYTOWN 916 LIBERTY ST. FREDERICKSBURG, VA

Open By Appointment brucedaystudio.com thefigureblog.blogspot.com 540 376-1676

BETSYGLASSIE.COM BGLASSIE@AOL.COM

540-899-6556

front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

COMMUNITY LINK

FXBG Music Scene

Courtesy of WFVA and Front Porch

Our Community Gave! exciting results

Ryan Cavanugh coming to the burg

By lisa biever

by wendy Larue

World-renowned banjo expert Ryan Cavanaugh has spent the last 8 years performing on the international jazz scene with acclaimed saxophonist and Miles Davis alum Bill Evans. After playing primarily in Europe, a recent change of heart has left the jet-setting jazz musician with a new mission. “I liked what I had been doing,” he said. “But I really wanted to get back to playing in my own country, doing my own thing.”

In what he called his second major U.S. a p p e a r a n c e , Cavanuagh will be the headliner on June 28 for the Music & Spirits Concert Series at A. Smith Bowman D i s t i l l e r y . Cavanaugh said he’s v i s i t e d Fredericksburg before, and he is excited to return because he loves the historic aspects of the city. “I am getting back to the roots of banjo, to traditional American music,” Cavanaugh s a i d . “Fredericksburg is perfect for that, with all its history and its tie to the Civil War.” In addition to the concert, Cavanaugh will be conducting a master class. He said the class is not just for virtuoso banjoists, but also for a diverse array of music enthusiasts. “This class is for anyone, from advanced players to people who are thinking about playing banjo, or even just like music,” Cavanaugh said. “They will all benefit.” Cavanaugh said he isn’t tied to

Come Play With Us ! Key Board Classes ~ Ages 3-4: Tues. 1:30pm; Wed. 10am ages 4-6: Wed. 7pm; Teens & Adults: Tues. 7:30pm Schedule Posted on Website

540-371-4526

FREE INTRODUCTORY LESSONS

207 William Street

www.ymsfred.com

Certified Experienced Staff YAMAHA MUSIC SCHOOL OF FREDERICKBURG Located in Downtown Fredericksburg for Over 40 Years 26

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

the traditional master class approach of working on a particular piece of music with participants. Instead, he works to break down banjo playing in a way that helps players make music their own. He deconstructs the principles behind the music and how it is made, so participants leave with skills for learning on their own. “It’s not about teaching people how to play; it’s about teaching them how to teach themselves,” he said. Before performing and recording and sharing stages with greats like Sam Bush, Victor Wooten, Bela Fleck, Randy Brecker, Richard Bona, Dennis Chambers, and Robben Ford, Cavanaugh was champion of the Merlefest, Rockygrass, and Reno-Fest banjo contests. His albums include the new grass venture, “Songs for the New Frontier” (2006) and the modern jazz tinged “Ryan Cavanaugh and No Man’s Land” (2010). Most recently Cavanaugh has been releasing a series of bluegrass/fusion singles—reflective of his change in musical direction—for mp3 download only. Local band, Cabin Creek, who play pure and simple original music from the heart, will open for Ryan. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 online, $20 at the door. Check our ad for a special discount for Front Porch readers. Visit musicandspirits.com for tickets to the concert, and for info/tickets to the workshop.

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg 540-891-9911

Wendy LaRue, owner of AhHa! Consulting, LLC, is a local free-lance writer and editor who has lived in the Fredericksburg area for 25 years.

$79

$650

New Patient Special

Per Arch Full AcrylicDenture or Partial

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/14 A $239 .00 Value

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/14 A $1100.00 Value

Includes Exam, X-Rays and Cleaning

Because we care for you!

Months of training and preparation led to a 24 hour marathon of giving yesterday for local nonprofits from donors across the region. Throughout the day, 4,877 gifts were received and $ 544,481 was raised, inclusive of cash prizes. All donations received through www.TheCommunityGive.org will provide unrestricted support to the 115 participating nonprofits.

He added, “We are grateful to the nonprofits who mobilized social media and grassroots communications to make this event a great success and to the many, many individuals who supported them by clicking and giving online. Each of the 115 participating nonprofits received multiple donations and many were awarded grant prizes. We are grateful for our event sponsors.”

The Community Foundation, in partnership with several individual donors and business sponsors, provided $100,000 to support 33 grant prizes. Competition proved strong as soon as The Community Give began at 12 am Tuesday. During the initial hour, organizations competed to claim the four Robert Cullen O’Neill “Midnight Shift” prizes of $2,500 each. Honeywell Charitable Fund $1,000 “Golden Tickets” were awarded each hour. Perhaps the most exciting part of The Community Give occurred between 9 pm and midnight when nonprofits aimed for the Union First Market Bank “Home Stretch” prizes - four awards at $2,500 each and the “Grand Prizes” of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 based on total dollars raised. Contest results and prize winners are available at www.TheCommunityGive.org.

The sponsors include: Honeywell Charitable Fund, Robert Cullen O’NeilMemorial Fund, Community Enrichment Fund, The Sullivan Family Legacy Fund, Union First Market Bank, The Star Radio Group/The Free Lance-Star, Reacht, Dynovis, Wack General Contractor, Sharon and John Fick, Sandy and Bruce Davis

“So much depends upon people working together on behalf of our community. It makes sense that local nonprofits significantly benefit from the awareness and online giving tools that large national nonprofits enjoy. We created The Community Give to increase and expand charitable giving in our region and we could not be more pleased with the results,” said Community Foundation Board President John McManus.

Based on the total amount raised during the event, “Grand Prizes” were awarded to the following organizations: Empowerhouse, 1st Place - $10,000: 324 gifts, $80,068 raised SERVE. 49 total 2nd Place - $5,000: gifts, $29,908 raised 3rd Place - $2,500: Rappahannock Area YMCA, 348 total gifts, $24,541 raised. For more information on The Community Foundation’s grants and scholarships, as well as how the foundation can assist donors in creating charitable funds, call 540.373.9292 or visit www.cfrrr.org.

Lisa Biever is the Director of Donor Services. She can be reached at 540.373.9292, or at Lisa.Biever@cfrrr.org

10524 Spotsylvania Ave. Ste #104 Fredericksburg, VA front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

COMMUNITY LINK

FXBG Music Scene

Courtesy of WFVA and Front Porch

Our Community Gave! exciting results

Ryan Cavanugh coming to the burg

By lisa biever

by wendy Larue

Come Play With Us ! Key Board Classes ~ Ages 3-4: Tues. 1:30pm; Wed. 10am ages 4-6: Wed. 7pm; Teens & Adults: Tues. 7:30pm Schedule Posted on Website

540-371-4526

FREE INTRODUCTORY LESSONS

207 William Street

www.ymsfred.com

Certified Experienced Staff YAMAHA MUSIC SCHOOL OF FREDERICKBURG Located in Downtown Fredericksburg for Over 40 Years 26

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg 540-891-9911

Wendy LaRue, owner of AhHa! Consulting, LLC, is a local free-lance writer and editor who has lived in the Fredericksburg area for 25 years.

$79

$650

New Patient Special

Per Arch Full AcrylicDenture or Partial

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/14 A $239 .00 Value

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/14 A $1100.00 Value

Includes Exam, X-Rays and Cleaning

Because we care for you!

Lisa Biever is the Director of Donor Services. She can be reached at 540.373.9292, or at Lisa.Biever@cfrrr.org

10524 Spotsylvania Ave. Ste #104 Fredericksburg, VA front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Take a Trip Down Rte.33 greenvalley book fair

Smart Beginnings... Starts with families By Sara Hunt

By Mary Lynn Powers The feel of new adventure is in the air. Activities abound in the Fredericksburg area, but sometimes it’s nice just to get away, and drive through the countryside. In times gone by, this was a common family activity. Along the way, if all was copacetic (as in nobody threatened to kill each other, etc…) we might even stop for ice cream. Now the thought of driving around for hours with no definite destination is a frivolous idea, mainly because we can’t afford the gas, and the ice cream, too. Having lived many places, and having seen a lot of breathtaking landscapes, I feel safe in saying Virginia has some of the most idyllic vistas anywhere in the world. One of the closer road trips, but still a couple of hours drive is the back route to Harrisonburg via Rte 33. Just take 3 West, and hang a left at Rte 20, and within ten minutes, you will be driving through the Virginia farm country. Passing through Orange and past Montpelier, the home of James Madison, you will come to Rte 33. This will wind you through farms, plantations and eventually the mountains, before you eventually come to Harrisonburg. Shorter goals along this route include some great Virginia wineries and hidden away antique spots, but the goal we set was the Green Valley Book Fair in Mt. Crawford, Virginia. It’s a short distance off Rte 33 before you get to Harrisonburg, and will pop up on Mapquest or your GPS genie. Green Valley is a giant warehouse sale held six times a year. It is housed in two barn like buildings that are chock full of overstock books. I often begin my Christmas shopping there. Even if you don’t buy hard copy books anymore, the feel of a big beautiful coffee table book, or a collection of children’s books can please many on the gift giving list. One of my best finds this last month was a collection of the Give a Moose a Muffin series, with all three books and an activity for $5.00! I was in bargain heaven! There is

something for everyone here - an entire basement of non-fiction, and a fiction section that contains classics that we always intended on reading, as well as newer reads that haven’t hit the big time. I always find something totally off the spectrum that looks interesting, and turns out to be a good read. Many of the books on schools’ summer reading lists can be found here, as well as book club finds. The fun thing is these books are cheap, 4-6 dollars, with some hardbacks a little more. So picking an obscure title doesn’t quite hit the pocketbook as hard. This debate about whether to buy books, or just borrow via the cyber cloud is an ongoing discussion in the world of book lovers. It seems the healthy way to address this is a little of both. A shelf of books in someone’s house tells a lot about them. Who are their favorite authors, what did they read in school and couldn’t part with, an endless discussion just sitting there, waiting to happen. I am still a book lover, but I’ve promised my more tech savvy friends that I would give the Kindle a chance, and I will, eventually! But back to the Book Fair and Rte 33 - after you’ve spent a few hours reading covers, and deciding on the big purchases, head back to Rte 33, and find a fun lunch spot. There are tons of spots off the beaten track. If soft ice cream is in the picture, stop at the Dairy Korner in Orange, at the intersection of Rte 20 and Rte 15, as you head homeward. Be sure to get there by 3, as they close on the dot! The next fair starts June 28th through July 20th. (Following dates are August 16September 7; October 4 –26; November 28-December 17.. Info at Gobookfair.com,

Mary Lynn has written for the Front Porch for a few years, and enjoys writing about the people and places in our area.

Riverfront Park in Fredericksburg Design Options Released for Public Review By Jeremy Sutton this article:

The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Library of Virginia have partnered to designate May 11-June 15, the time period between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, as an opportunity to focus on the unique needs of young children and to recognize that Smart Beginnings Start with Families. Both of these partner organizations develop and implement statewide strategies to help parents and families provide young children with a strong foundation for school readiness and language development in the formative years from birth through age five. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) works in collaboration with Smart Beginnings initiatives in communities across the Commonwealth to promote school readiness and quality early experiences through a wide variety of initiatives designed to support families with young children. The Library of Virginia provides educational programs and resources on Virginia history and culture for students and teachers throughout the state, and consults with Virginia’s public libraries to create enriching programs that encourage a love of reading in children of all ages. Smart Beginnings Start with Families offers several resources that can be downloaded from www.smartbeginnings.org: A Tip Sheet of suggested activities and parenting tips to help young children be better prepared to start kindergarten healthy and ready to learn

A series of 5 short writeups about how schools, libraries, child care providers and healthcare professionals can support families with young children within the community A Facebook cover banner that can be posted and shared throughout the campaign The Central Rappahannock Regional Library, which serves the City of Fredericksburg along with Spotsylvania, Stafford and Westmoreland counties, will have a summer reading club that kicks off in early June. See your local library for more details. “Since Smart Beginnings Start with Families is bookended by Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, it’s an ideal time to renew our collective commitment to support families with young children at all levels of community involvement, including business leaders, elected officials, libraries, healthcare and social service agencies, among other stakeholders,” said Kathy Glazer, President of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. “During this special time, we salute moms, dads, grandparents and other family members across the Commonwealth in their efforts to provide children with a strong foundation for school, life and workforce success.” For more information about Smart Beginnings Start with Families, visit www.smartbeginnings.org. Sara Hunt coordinates public relations efforts for the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, headquartered in Richmond, Va.

Most good southern towns are on a river: Richmond, Savannah, Memphis, and so on. It’s natural: rivers were the best method for moving goods and supplies in the days before our modern transportation infrastructure. They obviously provided a source of water, as well as offering a bit of protection in the still wild early days of both indigeneous and European settlement here in America. Past all these pragmatic positives a river carries an undeniable spiritual element. The soft gentle slide of a lazy, mature riparian system is calming and settling to the soul while still providing a sense of motion and journey. Ever flowing, never moving; it’s easy to see why we would gravitate towards these places. Fredericksburg is finally set to embrace and highlight it’s own Rappahannock riverfront with designs for a new park on Sofia St. between Hanover St. and Charlotte St. Two design options have been released to the public (see them at www.fredericksburgva.gov > Living and Visiting > Riverfront Park Project) based on public surveys (results of which are at

the same site). Currently working under the simple but certainly apt “Riverfront Park,” the space is set to be fulcrum for downtown activities. Diners from the bustling William St. restaurant scene, shoppers coming off of Caroline St, commuters debarking from the VRE, and visitors staying at the Marriot or our local B&Bs will all be able to drift slowly down the river to take in events and performances, or simply enjoy the natural beauty of the river itself. Both plans feature plenty of open space for flexibility of use, and places for kids to play and explore incorporated as well. One concept features a riverwalk trail with hopes of connections to the recent and fantastic expansion of bike and walking trails around the rest of the city. The other option has a more organic slope and approach to the river, meshing nicely with the natural banks. I put a few questions in front of Robert Antozzi hoping to embellish the already great trove of information available via the city’s website. Bob was quick with a response and very helpful to

Give a Child Something to Think About

606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesday 10-6:30

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

What is the expected completion date of the Riverfront Park project? Depends on what you mean by Riverfront Park project. The current effort is for a master plan, but funding for detailed construction design and funding for construction of the park have not been identified at this time. However, the completion, presentation, and selection of the final concept master plan is identified for August of this year. Are there plans to include an ampitheater for music and other live performances? “...Amphitheater type options are currently included but not necessarily in the strict sense of the word. Today’s amphitheater concepts can have the form of a sloping meadow without benches, or a combination.” Any plans for concessions for such events (e.g. local food trucks, alcohol sales, etc)? Currently, the thought process is NOT to have a concession facility, but rather allow the local food truck vendors space on the streets to serve the park as needed. Currently, alcohol is permitted by City ordinance in Riverfront Park with appropriate approvals. The addition of Riverfront Park to the landscape of downtown Fredericksburg will be a great one. With a central spot downtown to congregate and celebrate one of our town’s best and most important features we’ll give a boost to the rest of downtown’s businesses, residents and visitors. The mighty Rappahannock indeed.

Jeremy Sutton found time to dry his basement, raise his kids AND sell some wine while writing this article from the great state of Iowa.

online: www.save7lives.org in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles

Every Child Deserves A Family

Learn about our adoption opportunities in Russia, China and Guatemala

301-587-4400

Cradle of Hope Adoption Center

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Supporting Local Artists Since 1997

SHOP THE BOULEVARD! Lafayette Boulevard…

DOWNTOWN! front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Take a Trip Down Rte.33 greenvalley book fair

Smart Beginnings... Starts with families By Sara Hunt

Mary Lynn has written for the Front Porch for a few years, and enjoys writing about the people and places in our area.

Riverfront Park in Fredericksburg Design Options Released for Public Review By Jeremy Sutton this article:

Give a Child Something to Think About

606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg 373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 Wednesday 10-6:30

Books, Games, Amusing Novelties M-Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 1pm-4pm

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

Jeremy Sutton found time to dry his basement, raise his kids AND sell some wine while writing this article from the great state of Iowa.

online: www.save7lives.org in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles

Every Child Deserves A Family

Learn about our adoption opportunities in Russia, China and Guatemala

301-587-4400

Cradle of Hope Adoption Center

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Supporting Local Artists Since 1997

SHOP THE BOULEVARD! Lafayette Boulevard…

DOWNTOWN! front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Roxbury Farm & Garden Center serving Fredericksburg since 1929 By Barbra Anderson Roxbury Mills started as a feed and grain store in 1929, back when the only place to buy anything was “in town.” The company was controlled by Adolph L. Brulle, whose family owned Germania Mills (across from Old Mill Park), a bakery on Caroline Street, a fancy office on William Street, and an estate in Thornburg, where the actual Roxbury Mill still stands on the Mattaponi River. The Roxbury store was originally located across the street from its current location in what is now the parking lot of the Colonial Tavern. This location, right next to the depot, allowed Roxbury to take advantage of the rail lines. A huge grain elevator loaded the grain into the rail cars. Competition for the feed and grain market was fierce between the big four local suppliers: Purina Farm and Tack, Fredericksburg Hardware, Southern States, and Roxbury Mills. By the 1950s, Roxbury Mills was one of the largest feed and grain suppliers in the region, shipping

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

grain to Baltimore, Norfolk, and Petersburg. Roxbury Mills is the only one of the four left in town. A huge fire in June of 1968 destroyed the buildings, except for the grain elevator. The business moved to Kenmore Avenue and later to Jackson Street. In 1973, Henry Lynn (father of Andy Lynn, current manager and shareholder) was hired to take over after the retirement of the manager who had run the business since it opened. Later that year, Lynn and some partners bought the business. Lynn started the shocking practice of staying open until 1:00 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The other feed stores closed at noon so folks could have time for chores on the farm. Business doubled in two years. In 1977, the shareholders bought the property at 601 Lafayette Blvd, Roxbury’s current location. This building was originally constructed in 1930 for Edgar M. Young’s lumberyard. After closing in 1967, the location was used for several other businesses, most notably the Black Medallion Discotheque in 1976. The Roxbury grain elevator was still standing across the street. Supposedly even taller than the Purina tower, the elevator was now abandoned, but popular with teenagers and vandals. Andy Lynn tells stories of voracious rats that fed on the grain remnants. It was finally torn down in 1977. At that time, feed and grain were 65% of sales, but Lynn saw the future and transformed his business into a farm and garden center. Roxbury expanded in 1986, buying property that became the nursery and greenhouse, and a second warehouse (built in 1903). The business continued to prosper by spotting trends—such as woodstoves and beer brewing supplies, in addition to their farm and garden products In 2007, a gorgeous mosaic of a flower garden was installed on the wall of

Art of Aging I Expo June 11 by Neda McGuire challenge that thought, and don’t

play

There

are

into so

“ageism”.

many

older

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

540/371-9890

adults that bring value to our community today and that have

impacted

our

social,

political and civil structures. Taking charge of how we want to age is important to our generation example

and for

sets the

an next

generation as well. Accessibility

and

affordability of healthcare, specifically long-term care will become calamitous in the near future. Being able to age with dignity occurs not only on an individual level but also on a community level.

family members about long term care and coverage in care settings. There is much misconception about long these services!) .

organization dedicated to being a resource

the warehouse facing Jackson Street. Developed by MORE (Multicultural OutReach Effort), a youth art team designed the mural to demonstrate “cultural and community harmony through art.” Want to learn more about Roxbury Mills and the historic property where it is now located? Then be sure to attend the Fredericksburg Social being held on the Roxbury property (601 Lafayette Blvd.) Thursday, June 19th. Hosted by the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. (HFFI), the event is from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm and tickets include a behind-the-scenes tour of the property, hors d’oeuvres, and beverages. The first drink is on HFFI, then a cash bar will be available. All proceeds will benefit HFFI. Tickets are $10 per person when purchased before the event, $15 at the door. Contact HFFI for tickets and more information at 540-371-4504.

provides one such

The Art of Aging Expo will

avenue.

provide you with an opportunity to visit

the Fredericksburg Expo Center from 10a-

volunteer,

June 11 Partners in Aging will host the 8th annual Art of Aging Expo at

2pm.

over 80 vendors and decide how to get

involved

yourself on aging issues. various

health

educate

There will be

screenings

performed

Being involved in the community,

through Mary Washington Healthcare and

through work or volunteerism is a great

Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center.

way to have our voices heard.

There will several sessions with “Ask a

abreast

community

FREDERICKSBURGCOLLABORATIVE

term care (hint: Medicare does not pay for

Partners in Aging, a nonprofit for our community

Educate yourself and

Keeping

activities

Doc” with physicians from Spotsylvania

important as it provides an avenue to

Regional Medical Center.

The wonderful

impact aging services. Baby boomers, our

nurses from Germanna will be on hand to

vocal generation, are the new face of

help with blood pressures and the Lions

aging. We are the ones who can break the

Club will have their van for free sight and

stereotypes of aging .

When someone

hearing check ups! AND…..Wegmans will

makes a statement about getting old,

be on hand to demonstrate some health

ARCHER DI PEPPE CAGA

CERTIFIED APPRAISER

Insurance Riders Estate Settlements Divorce Cases Damage Claims Oral or Written Appraisals SPECIALIZING IN ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Certified Appraiser Certified Appraiser’s Guild of America

adipeppe@aol.com

(540) 373-9636

cooking.

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

We encourage you to come to the 2pm at Expo on June 11, 2014 from 10am-2 the Fredericksburg Expo Center and take charge of your life to age successfully and participate in shaping our community as we age well together!

Barbra Anderson is a government and history teacher at King George High School and enjoys Fredericksburg history almost as much as she enjoys planting Roxbury’s flowers in her garden.

“The Roxbury Mills Grain Elevator”, originally located at 406 Lafayette Blvd. Painting by Robert Antonori - 1972

Neda S. McGuire, is a Gerontologist Contact her at comfortkeepers.com

Front Porch Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

June 2014

Front porch fredericksburg

Art of Aging I Expo June 11 by Neda McGuire challenge that thought, and don’t

play

There

are

into so

“ageism”.

many

older

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

540/371-9890

adults that bring value to our community today and that have

impacted

our

social,

political and civil structures. Taking charge of how we want to age is important to our generation example

and for

sets the

an next

generation as well. Accessibility

and

family members about long term care and coverage in care settings. There is much misconception about long these services!) .

organization dedicated to being a resource

provides one such

The Art of Aging Expo will

avenue.

provide you with an opportunity to visit

the Fredericksburg Expo Center from 10a-

volunteer,

June 11 Partners in Aging will host the 8th annual Art of Aging Expo at

2pm.

over 80 vendors and decide how to get

involved

yourself on aging issues. various

health

educate

There will be

screenings

performed

Being involved in the community,

through Mary Washington Healthcare and

through work or volunteerism is a great

Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center.

way to have our voices heard.

There will several sessions with “Ask a

abreast

community

FREDERICKSBURGCOLLABORATIVE

term care (hint: Medicare does not pay for

Partners in Aging, a nonprofit for our community

Educate yourself and

Keeping

activities

Doc” with physicians from Spotsylvania

important as it provides an avenue to

Regional Medical Center.

The wonderful

impact aging services. Baby boomers, our

nurses from Germanna will be on hand to

vocal generation, are the new face of

help with blood pressures and the Lions

aging. We are the ones who can break the

Club will have their van for free sight and

stereotypes of aging .

When someone

hearing check ups! AND…..Wegmans will

makes a statement about getting old,

be on hand to demonstrate some health

ARCHER DI PEPPE CAGA

CERTIFIED APPRAISER

Insurance Riders Estate Settlements Divorce Cases Damage Claims Oral or Written Appraisals SPECIALIZING IN ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

Certified Appraiser Certified Appraiser’s Guild of America

adipeppe@aol.com

(540) 373-9636

cooking.

Serving Up Local “Good” News Since 1997

Barbra Anderson is a government and history teacher at King George High School and enjoys Fredericksburg history almost as much as she enjoys planting Roxbury’s flowers in her garden.

“The Roxbury Mills Grain Elevator”, originally located at 406 Lafayette Blvd. Painting by Robert Antonori - 1972

Neda S. McGuire, is a Gerontologist Contact her at comfortkeepers.com

Front Porch Fredericksburg front porch fredericksburg

June 2014