Front Porch Fredericksburg - June 2015 by Virginia Grogan

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL GOOD LIFE

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L o c a l G o o d N e w s S i n c e 1 9 97 YEAR 18 • ISSUE 215 • JUNE 2015

Frontporchfredericksburg.com

contents

closeups Do You Know Dr. Sneed? developing partnerships

Artistic troublemaking Joe Di bella

teacher f the year ....tara hefner

porch talk 3

cliff satterthwaite...the true tale of two cities

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

360 degree view: tim snyder

downtown buzz

melanie yost: performance coach

Carrie Harmsen: unique photo style

juneteenth....let freedom truly ring

vino: vineyards

season’s bounty: thrill of the grill

Cooking with Kyle kickshaws revisited

local night life: spencer devon

16-17

Calendar of events

For June Brides and Caffeine Highs

With Love in Every Cup!

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Our Heritage: pictures history’s stories.: nat m. wills, ‘burg’s vaudevillian

companions: benefits of using a pet sitter

canning comeback renew: 10,000 steps to lasting health

Senior Care: convoy pt. 1

wellness: my vision for healthcare reform emancipated patients

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

porch light: ....benightclubbing ....road to the ‘burg

champions together a perfect marriage

fredericksburg sketches My Favorite Places: June pick Kenmore Park

from my porch: time travel & gardenias poetryman autoknown

Cliff Satterthwaite a true tale of two cities By Mirinda Reynolds 11) I glimpse a little of Cliff in each of us - delicate flowers by Betsy, steeples rising by Casey, street scenes by Brandon, landscapes by Kathleen, people by Bill, the river by Ed, neighborhoods by Wendy, colors by Darling, still lifes by Dee and watercolors by Booth.....and the list goes on......

The book is dedicated with a quote by Arch DiPeppe “… He is showing us who we are, what is important, and what will last.” I would like to add “…and the greatest of these is love.”

...And more! 28

in communion with change: Rev. D. mccusker

ponshop celebrates 5 years on caroline street

rise nepal benefit concert

Mirinda Reynolds is a local artist, teacher at FA, outspoken redhead, and huge cheerleader (not literally) of the arts. She is a member of Art First Gallery, FCCA, and will be a guest artist June 6th 11-8 pm at Old Mill Park for Rock the River Festival.

Introducing Benchmark ...The Distinctive Wedding Rings. 200 William Street Downtown Fredericksburg 540.373.4421 Mon-Fri: 9:30-6 Sat: 9:30-5 CrownJewelersFredericksburg.com

Cover Photo By Carrie Harmsen Save the date for opening night on First Friday, June 5th, 6-9pm to congratulate our quintessential Fredericksburg artist for his newest book A True Tale of Two Cities… Volume Two (Vol. One of his York, PA paintings will be available as well). Snap up a limited first edition of his beloved paintings, drawings, and assemblages available exclusively at Art First during the month of June. This art coffee table collection of 500 works will serve as an ultimate gift for any local art lover. Offered a chance by The Front Porch to interview Cliff, I discovered quickly that the usual format wasn’t the simplest path to enlightenment. After buying an autographed copy, I squirreled away my newest treasure and dove in with great expectations. Richly rewarded with familiar scenes in every medium and was brought to tears with the tenderness that Cliff endows on each subject. I began to understand him so much more than with words. Things I now know about Cliff’s world: 1) He’s spent the last 33 years feverishly documenting and observing us all- capturing Fredericksburg’s homes, businesses, people, and most reverently- our historical landmarks. 2) He owns a photographic memory of his work and knows where each painting was created and who purchased it. 3) If you sorely missed out on a palette painting you coveted over his shoulder on the streets, chances are it is in his new collection, locally printed by

Creative Color for a reasonable price, or might even be available on Art First gallery walls. 4) Cliff is a self-proclaimed romantic visual narrator, enhancing hues while masterfully interpreting our bustling town with positive energy as we walk our dogs, load our groceries, wait in line, choose our tomatoes, dine with friends, shovel snow, or cross the street. He creates with the spirit of Norman Rockwell’s eternal optimism. 5) Cliff has an enormous heart full of kindness and humility. Period. 6) Cliff's paintings are his only children. The "children" in some, however, were found unruly and he wished he had "corrected" them before their release...although he tended to them lovingly at the time...like all great parents do!. 7) From the loosest quick study of a Hardee’s breakfast group to the most realistic, crisp hyper-realism of Belmont’s beauty, this book is extraordinary. 8) I cheered out loud as I flipped the page to the award-winning Rose Hill in Snow, arguably the finest painting ever created in Fredericksburg. 9) Eight different versions of Rising Sun Tavern demonstrate his dedication to taking the time to really see and enhance our perception of light and color as fleeting- they are his Monet haystacks and O’Keeffe flowers 10) There are some delightful abstract surprises, such as Life After Death.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015 2015

contents

closeups Do You Know Dr. Sneed? developing partnerships

Artistic troublemaking Joe Di bella

teacher f the year ....tara hefner

porch talk 3

cliff satterthwaite...the true tale of two cities

on the porch...life in fredericksburg Messages

360 degree view: tim snyder

downtown buzz

melanie yost: performance coach

Carrie Harmsen: unique photo style

juneteenth....let freedom truly ring

vino: vineyards

season’s bounty: thrill of the grill

Cooking with Kyle kickshaws revisited

local night life: spencer devon

16-17

Calendar of events

For June Brides and Caffeine Highs

With Love in Every Cup!

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Our Heritage: pictures history’s stories.: nat m. wills, ‘burg’s vaudevillian

companions: benefits of using a pet sitter

canning comeback renew: 10,000 steps to lasting health

Senior Care: convoy pt. 1

wellness: my vision for healthcare reform emancipated patients

scene & heard...in the ‘burg!

porch light: ....benightclubbing ....road to the ‘burg

champions together a perfect marriage

fredericksburg sketches My Favorite Places: June pick Kenmore Park

from my porch: time travel & gardenias poetryman autoknown

The book is dedicated with a quote by Arch DiPeppe “… He is showing us who we are, what is important, and what will last.” I would like to add “…and the greatest of these is love.”

...And more! 28

in communion with change: Rev. D. mccusker

ponshop celebrates 5 years on caroline street

rise nepal benefit concert

Introducing Benchmark ...The Distinctive Wedding Rings. 200 William Street Downtown Fredericksburg 540.373.4421 Mon-Fri: 9:30-6 Sat: 9:30-5 CrownJewelersFredericksburg.com

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015 2015

ON THE PORCH Aby Bethem

Guest Porch Editorial

Contributing Writers & Artists

Nancy Bauer Megan Byrnes David Caprara Dan Czajka Christina Ferber Joan M. Geisler Alexis Grogan

A.E.Bayne Collette Caprara Ashleigh Chevalier Callista Dunn Frank Fratoe Ann Glave Carrie Harmsen Rob Huffman Ralph “Tuffy”Hicks Lori Izkowski Emily Hollinsworth Karl Karch Rick Jeffrey Susan Ujka Larson Jo Loving Vanessa Moncure Patrick Neustatter M.L.Powers John Reifenberg Mirinda Reynolds Scott Richards Casey Alan Shaw Meg Sneed Georgia Strentz Jeremy Sutton James Kyle Synder Christine Thompson Rim Vining Donna Whitmore. Suzy Woollam

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 Ad Sales: E-Mail: frntprch@aol.com Web Site: www.frontporchfredericksburg.com The opinions expressed in Front Porch Fredericksburg are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Front Porch Fredericksburg or its advertisers. Copyright 2015 Olde Towne Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

June 2015

tim snyder

Family Dynamics

By A.E.Bayne

BY Aby Bethem Night before- sign homework sheets,make dinner, put away dinner, go to cub scouts, bath, show, story, bed- then my time begins. A couple of hours of organizing the week ahead, online birthday shopping for a nephew and then get to bed. The morning begins with the sunrise- get one kid up, in the shower, breakfast, pack lunch, brushteeth, get on the bus. Get yourself dressed. Second kid is up- repeat- breakfast, dressed. Now go to work. All of this routine is just to get repeated tomorrow. All of you parents out there know that the way I just wrote those sentences is how your days feel, without a breath- constant motion. It’s full of schedules, calendars, logistics and go-gogo. With a little less then a month left in the school year, I’m trying to plan ahead for a little less go-go-go. What’s ironic about that statement- is I just looked at the three months of calendars in my kitchen laden with Summer camp schedules, pool swim lessons and sat with the babysitter to plan the week’s activities. In my family we haven’t mastered the art of just being still and with each other. Finally, after a couple of years we will embark on a week’s long beach vacation. I’m sorry Fredericksburg restaurant customers- I will trust our places to my very competent staff for a full week. The Bethem’s are going to “leave the building.” Reconnect, and learn how to just be still in the sun for a little while. I was intimidated and honored to be asked by Virginia to write this month’s column. It is to be about family, and since being asked over a month ago I have really looked at what family means to me. How we are connected. When asked “Where are you from” I always list NH or Southwest Virginia, but truth be told I have lived in Fredericksburg since 1995 and therefore longer then anywhere else in my life. There’s family all around me in the form of my community. I’m so thankful to Virginia to ask me to do this article

because it has caused me to open my eyes and really look at the threads of my community that help form my family. Reconnect so to speak, with the people that help support my existence. Isn’t that what family is all about? Of course all my boys- my husband, and three sons make me laugh, give each other hugs and give me unconditional love and support, but the connections we have in town help shape who we are. For example, in walking into work this morning, I watched a local character gather a couple garbage bags of our aluminum cans from our recycling bins to I can assume take to get a few dollars. I wondered with his hard hat and silly grin how he was going to manage to drive that bike down Rt. 3. He told a joke and made me chuckle as I walked into work. Don’t we all have that one dysfunctional uncle that we shake our head at, sometimes get sad about, but nonetheless make the framework of our family? Or, being moved watching my family’s community get together and give a huge amount of money to Community Give because we are surrounded by such worthy causes that give so much? My family is Susie who stands in front of her shop, and I know anytime I walk past her- I can get a hug, a smile and words of support? I’ve only known her a brief amount of time and only met her because we had a shared love of our friend Rob. He brought us together. That’s family. When my son injured himself on the football field recently, we were able to reach out to a friend we have known for many years- and consequently got into the doctor immediately. He calls to check up on him, and although we don’t see him nearly as much as we should, he answered his phone and instantly supported our family. I’ve been fortunate this year to become especially close with some new friends and their support and genuine friendship is invaluable. I talked

messages

Front Porch: I'm a Texan, and I enjoy time had at the Texas Fredericksburg. But I also enjoy the Virginian Fredericksburg as well...I have enjoyed it before when I was in Fredericksburg, and I usually take it home to finish reading it. So, thank you for putting it online. Rodney Elkins, Texas

Hello Virginia, Thank you for the wonderful article(“Pure Pilates”, March 2015) What a nice surprise to have my clients tell me about it. Thanks again!, Breathe deeply, Valya Karcher, Fredericksburg Virginia: Thank you for the coverage you provide this community and the service that Front Porch fulfills. Best, Emily Freehling, Fredericksburg I enjoy your newspaper every month Janet Davis, Fredericksburg

360 Degree View

Front porch fredericksburg

I look forward to reading the Front Porch every month. Each issue is full of interesting things - many "need to know" items along with some very interesting "nice to know" articles. Keep up the good work. Phyllis Campbell Whitley

to them about this article and Wendy simply looked around the table and said “this is family.” On Easter I was so honored to be a part of the Grogan’s celebration and was once again surrounded by amazing Fredericksburg people. There were kids everywhere that I’ve seen from birth to now, parents of friends I have known for almost 20 years, and new people I instantly had a connection with because we were there as a mutual love of the Grogan family. Virginia reminded me on that day that we had been friends for over 15 years and we were family. She is right. Family to me is a mutual love and respect for each other, and a knowingness that you have the support of each other any time you need it. At the end of the day we have each other. Heading into Summer I hope we all take two minutes out of our crazy schedules to enjoy our family. Reconnect with those in your community that are meaningful to you. Appreciate being silly with a water hose on a really hot day. Slow down, read the Front Porch from “cover to cover”, talk to your kids without telling them to hurry up because we are going to be late. Appreciate your family, I know I will. Aby Bethem & her husband Blake own Bistro Bethem, are the parents of three boys and live in Fredericksburg.

Each of us develops our uniquely perceptive eye attuned to our own experiences of the world around us. You may have recognized your own in a glimpse of light chasing dust through a dim window, or in a moment of brilliance along a green highway in the springtime. For some, it’s movement – the fast-flung arms of a dancer or the snaking flow of a river. For photographer Tim Snyder, it’s the electric spiral of the stars, the pop of red peppers on a cutting board, and the grind and flight of a skateboard in midday light. For nearly the past six years, Snyder has been framing and capturing shots that reveal a unique appreciation for the unassuming activities that make life extraordinary. In person, Snyder wears an open grin and seems sublimely at ease with his surroundings. Patrons of FOODE might recognize his name from the photographs currently lining the restaurant’s walls. Snyder has also shown his work at 25 30 Espresso and, most recently, at Diane Bachman’s studio on Princess Anne Street. Of this he says, “I had just returned from a trip to Northern California with my mom where I shot redwoods and sequoias, and those were the photos I showed at Diane’s in May.

Diane saw my photos at 25-30 Espresso. I think she recognized my name and bought one of the pictures. She called me right after that and asked if I wanted to do the show. ” Most of the work that Snyder has shown in town has centered on objects, portraiture and landscapes, but he says, “I never classify myself as a specific type of photographer. I like to carry my camera all the time. I know what I’m able to do as a photographer, so I try to get up in a place.” He recalls, “Recently, I went to Nashville with my friend Julian Bast, a local artist. He was invited to guest spot at a tattoo studio down there because his work is unique and wild. So next thing you know, we’re driving to Nashville, and I have five days to walk around meeting everyone, the homeless community, just hanging out with random people. Those are some of the best pictures I’ve ever taken, for sure, just having five days in the city to meet people.” Snyder supports himself through work as a professional portraiture and real estate photographer, and he thinks this work has made him savvy in business. He

says that real estate listings, especially, have been in high demand recently, and he finds the work satisfying. He credits his experience with freelance work as helping him promote himself as a photographer in general. Though the photos he takes for the business side of things help to pay the bills, Snyder says his true affinity is toward more lively subjects. He’s been an

avid skater since as long as he can remember, and the scene has fostered opportunities for him to capture the fluidity and gravity-defying agility of talented young athletes up and down the east coast. He would like to have a show featuring strictly skate photography at some point, saying, “People don’t realize, but the skateboard community in Fredericksburg is pretty large. When they look at skate photos, they might say, “eh, kid on a board,” but it’s so much more for us. I like to shoot raw street skating. [Pro-skater] Brandon Bonner (above) is one of my best friends and he is going places, so whenever he’s around here I’m shooting all his pictures. I send them in to his sponsors for publication in skate magazines.” Learn more about Tim Snyder’s photography at www.timsnyderphoto.com . He may also be reached for portraits and real estate photography at timsnyder13@yahoo.com . A.E. Bayne is a writer and artist who has lived in Fredericksburg for 17 years.

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

540-898-0737

Hello : LOVE the paper and have for years! Thanks for keeping it going! Lynne & Bill Woods, Fredericksburg

Hello Front Porch: Thank you so much for including George in Front Porch! (Feb. 2015, "George, A.E. Bowman welcomes home a new still" ) We greatly appreciate it! And Totally enjoy reading Front Porch! Kristie Wooldridge Public Relations Associate Manager, Communications A. Smith Bowman Distillery

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015 2015

ON THE PORCH Aby Bethem

Guest Porch Editorial

Contributing Writers & Artists

Nancy Bauer Megan Byrnes David Caprara Dan Czajka Christina Ferber Joan M. Geisler Alexis Grogan

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

June 2015

tim snyder

Family Dynamics

By A.E.Bayne

messages

360 Degree View

Front porch fredericksburg

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

540-898-0737

Hello : LOVE the paper and have for years! Thanks for keeping it going! Lynne & Bill Woods, Fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015 2015

Downtown Buzz

Do You Know Dr. Sneed? developing partnerships with his patients

Historic Preservation & Economic Development Working Together

By Ann Glave

By susy woollam I love Fredericksburg. I love our friendliness, our tucked-away-groovysmall-town-funk vibe, and I love that we have an awesome diversity of health care profession right here in our own back yard. And one of my very favorite things about Fredericksburg, is Dr. Jason Sneed of Old Dominion Osteopathic Medicine. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or working with Dr. Sneed, you should make it a priority. Dr. Sneed, his wife Meg and their family joined our Fredericksburg family in 2012, where he worked in primary care. He felt that this type of practice restricted his ability to spend the time necessary with his patients, and in January of 2013 opened Old Dominion Osteopathic Medicine on Cowan Blvd. “I wanted to practice a better type of medicine”, says Dr. Sneed. Dr. Sneed is an Osteopathic Physician. And although I find many have heard of a DO, or Osteopathic Medicine, few are aware of what it really means, or how it differs from an allopathic physician. In many ways, they are the same, as a DO is a fully trained and licensed physician, just like an MD. The

difference comes in their approach to patient care and wellness. Osteopathic medicine, when practiced in its entirety, includes mobilization and manipulation of joints and muscle tissue to assist in rebalancing the body, easing inflammation, reducing pain, and providing an overall sense of wellbeing. Osteopathy is based on a total body, holistic and non-invasive approach to health care. Because Dr. Sneed can act as a primary care or family physician, is always has the ability to provide traditional services such as testing, x-rays or prescriptive medication should it be deemed necessary. In addition, it is likely that post visit “prescriptions” will also come with instructions such as increase water intake, start a regular yoga program, use a neti pot, or suggestions for dietary changes/alterations. From the moment you enter the very relaxing and welcoming atmosphere of his office, Dr. Sneed takes the time to develop a partnership with you in your wellness journey. His smile and sense of humor put you at ease, and he strives to understand your particular health and

wellness needs, desires and concerns, and tailors a treatment plans to the unique needs of each person. Treatment may vary from visit to visit based on the specific needs of the patient and their level of wellness. He makes sure to have the “critical conversations” with each of his patients, so that they feel at ease, he has the information he needs, and health and wellness goals can be set, and attained. And on a personal note, I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to have

Dr. Sneed in our community, and what the (often life changing) benefits he is providing daily to my customers, clients and to my own family. Dr. Sneed has been a true blessing to this community, and I hope that you have the opportunity, if you haven’t already, to meet with him and learn more about him and Old Dominion Osteopathic Medicine. Suzy can be found on Charles Street at The Scenter of Town, often saying “Dr. Sneed says....”

The backbone of Main Street is in historic preservation. In fact, the National Main Street program is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Preservation prompts us not just to remember and honor the past, but also to prepare for a viable and sustainable economic future. Historic Downtown Fredericksburg is the center of the community and typically accounts for the largest investment of public and private resources. The “Main Street approach” Historic preservation and economic development working together creates an economically vital center for commerce and social activity. It’s creating a safe and attractive place for visitors, shoppers, investors and business owners while honoring the built history, our heritage assets. Resources are available from the National and State Main Street programs that can help in the revitalization of downtown. Free design assistance is one benefit that Fredericksburg VA Main Street (FVMS) can offer to Downtown’s business and property owners. Because

Dreaming of Owning Downtown? Let’s Make it Happen!

the design. This service does not include the construction documents or permits drawings. Contact Fredericksburg VA Main Street at or info@fredericksburgmainstreet.org 540-479-1595 for further information on this free service. Another opportunity Design Service can include that goes hand in hand with site visits, facade improvement design Resources are available Main Street’s Free Design from the National and Service is Economic service, and assistance by Development Authority’s State Main Street phone, and building code assessment for property programs that can help matching façade grant. This grant is for commercial owners. It can also include in the revitalization of buildings in the Historic design assistance for rear downtown. district and along William facades, sign design, Street including the 600 parking lot layout and block. New or existing businesses and concepts for landscaping. Facade design includes conceptual and/or schematic property owners desiring to improve their color renderings with detailed notes for exterior appearance of the building can exterior facade improvements. It’s a receive financial assistance towards their project. Qualifying façade starting point for a business or property façade improvements include awnings, shutters, owner to investigate options for a new look of the building. The owner/business signs, repairs and restoration of windows, needs, budget and the historic features of cornices, trim, and modification and the building, plus the overall architectural repairs of inappropriate alterations, look of downtown are kept in mind with replacement of missing historic elements

many of the buildings in the Main Street district are listed in the National, State and local Register of Historic Places, recommendations about design are consistent with The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the Main Street Four Point ApproachTM. This

and painting. The grant will match up to 50% of the façade project costs, not to exceed $10,000. For all the details go to www.fredericksburgva.com/DoingBusiness /EDAuthority/Downtownfacadegrant. Deadlines for the matching façade grant are March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. In 2011, Frazer Associates was contracted by the City to do a “fresh eyes’ survey of the 25 downtown city blocks. This information is available for the long distance assistance where a site visit is not necessary. Frazier Associates is a full service architecture and planning firm located in Staunton and the current provider of VA Main Street Free Design Services. Continuing to protect and improve our heritage assets along with economic development will make Downtown Fredericksburg a vibrant community. Ann Glave is the Executive Director of the Fredericksburg Mai Street program. To stay up-to-date on downtown, visit fredericksburgmainstreet.org.

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Highlighting Local People, Places & Events Since 1997

ROXBURY F

ARM

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

SUZY STONE 540.847.0630 suzystone22@gmail.com C21redwood.com

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Downtown Buzz

Do You Know Dr. Sneed? developing partnerships with his patients

Historic Preservation & Economic Development Working Together

By Ann Glave

Dreaming of Owning Downtown? Let’s Make it Happen!

Front Porch Fredericksburg

Highlighting Local People, Places & Events Since 1997

ROXBURY F

ARM

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

SUZY STONE 540.847.0630 suzystone22@gmail.com C21redwood.com

& GARDEN CENTER

Since 1929

601 LAFAYETTE BLVD

roxburyfarmgarden.com

We have all your gardening needs! Come Shop With Us

Each Office Is Independently Owned & Operated

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Melanie Yost Author and Performance Coach to the High Achiever in All of Us

June 2015

How two children shaped photographer’s unique style By Emily Hollingsworth

by Christina Ferber

We all know that hard work and determination can help us succeed, but sometimes we need a little extra push to realize that success. Enter Melanie Yost: an advisor and business coach who can help individuals accomplish their goals, and find a balance between their professional and personal lives. “I am a performance coach who helps high achievers, who already know how to be successful, get a better understanding of their story,” says Yost. “In essence, I help people break free of patterns and find a clear focus so that they can achieve their dreams.” With a background in psychotherapy and social work, Melanie brings many years of experience to the table in order to help others prioritize and organize their business and personal lives. Yost is also the author of the book, “Give from the Heart, Receive What You Are Worth,” which showcases ways to create a profitable business. She also offers online workshops and tele-summits on her site that range from helping people learn better ways to communicate, to making money using passive income principles, and her ‘Escape for Insanity Island’ workshop will be available to download for free very soon. “I am really good at helping those who are wrapped too tight unwind a little, and I help them break things down

CARRIE HARMSEN

into practical steps, so that they can be even more successful in all areas of their lives,” says Yost. The true focus of Yost’s expertise is in helping business professionals get to where they want to go. She helps individuals figure out their unique story, and then helps plan and implement strategies that will help them get there. She offers individually tailored packages that fit the client’s needs, goals, and budget, and can also facilitate workshops and company retreats geared toward all employees of a business. “My primary job is to help people decide what their priorities are, and format a plan to achieve them. I help them figure out their unique selling position, who their ideal customers are, and what their core marketing message is,” Yost says. “All of these are related when figuring out how you want a business to grow and achieve the goals you have set. I often feel like a lighthouse because I don’t point people in any one direction. Instead I shine the light so they can figure out where they should go next.” Her newest workshop, “The Alchemy of Happiness,” is focused around finding and keeping more meaningful relationships, discovering more fun and freedom, and getting the most out of your business and life. It will be an opportunity to bring nature and people together at Hazelwild Farm on June 5-7. More workshops geared around happiness are coming up for the fall. To find out about the products and services that Melanie offers, or to register for the workshop, go to www.melanieyost.com and start the journey toward achieving your dreams.

Christina Ferber is a teacher, writer and a mom who shares storis of our community and the peope who make it great, every month in Front Porch.

Front porch fredericksburg

It all started with the birth of her son. Carrie Harmsen began taking pictures of him after her husband bought her a camera. Wanting to capture everything that her son did, she began taking photos. It was in her drive to snapshot her growing son that she discovered a new passion of her own: photography. Harmsen started photographing professionally in 2014. She specializes in portraits, particularly for families and children. “I definitely prefer people as to [something like] landscape,” Harmsen said. Harmsen enjoys doing natural portraits, particularly taking photos outdoors. As portraits can be intimidating for young children, she doesn’t bring a lot of supplies. She lets a child play or walk around during the photo shoot and takes pictures when they are most comfortable. “It’s pretty laidback,” Harmsen said on creating a relaxing environment for children, “wherever the child walks, we work with that.” In addition to doing photo shoots outdoors, Harmsen, her husband, and her two children also enjoy spending time outside in the Fredericksburg area. Their area of choice during the summer is Braehead Farm off of Lafayette Boulevard, where they will bring a picnic and spend time with their two children. Their son, Will, is now five and a half, and their daughter has recently turned three. While Harmsen sees any photo shoot as a challenge, she considers it her greatest achievement when she can capture a frame-worthy photograph of her children, especially when it is not easy. “They fight me,” Harmsen said, laughing. “Any photo I can get of them is perfect.” In keeping with her philosophy for natural-looking photographs, Harmsen opts out of using flash. Instead, she uses her camera’s manual settings to adjust for any lighting. Harmsen learned about her camera’s manual setting six months after receiving the camera in 2010. Utilizing the manual setting was a turning point in her decision to be a professional photographer, and she encourages budding photographers to learn how to use all of the settings that their cameras offer.

“It’s not as complicated as you think,” Harmsen said on using the manual setting, “it’s easy to figure out.” Harmsen and her family lived in North Stafford before moving to Fredericksburg two years ago. Harmsen has enjoyed the area’s diverse settings. “We’ve loved being here in the city,” Harmsen said. “There’s lots of great places. Farms, downtown, suburbs…” Harmsen was formerly a fifth grade teacher at Lafayette Upper Elementary School, and she considers returning to teaching once both of her children are in school. In the meantime, Harmsen puts all of her energy into being a professional photographer and a stay at home mom. “It’s been a good creative outlet for me,” Harmsen said on being a photographer. “It’s a good way to get out, meet people in the community.” The most rewarding aspect of being a photographer for Harmsen is visiting a family’s home after doing a photo shoot for them and seeing her photos framed and hung on the wall. “Shoot what you love,” Harmsen said on finding one’s own specific brand of photography. “Now I don’t just [take pictures of] my kids, but other peoples’ kids, too.” See Carrie’s Photo Gallery at carrieharmsenphotography.com/

Emily Hollingsworth is a UMW student who is studying English Literature and Journalism NOTE: Carrie Harmsen is this month’s cover photographer

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June 2015

Melanie Yost Author and Performance Coach to the High Achiever in All of Us

June 2015

How two children shaped photographer’s unique style By Emily Hollingsworth

by Christina Ferber

CARRIE HARMSEN

Christina Ferber is a teacher, writer and a mom who shares storis of our community and the peope who make it great, every month in Front Porch.

Front porch fredericksburg

Emily Hollingsworth is a UMW student who is studying English Literature and Journalism NOTE: Carrie Harmsen is this month’s cover photographer

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Juneteenth

In Communion With Change Reverend Doug McCusker

Let Freedom Truly Ring

By A.E.Bayne

Lori Izkowski “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer.” Major General Gordon Granger June 19, 1865 With these words, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the end of the Civil War, the slaves of Galveston, Texas, learned of their longdelayed freedom. Since that day, Juneteenth (as it came to be known) celebrations in Texas have long marked this significant moment in African American history, and today Juneteenth is enjoying a phenomenal growth rate within communities and organizations throughout the country. Locally, Eunice Haigler and Ainsley Brown have organized a special

Juneteenth celebration, to be held at the New City Fellowship in Fredericksburg. Haigler and Brown are members of the Race Coalition of Fredericksburg, a group comprised of local citizens from Virginia Organizing, NAACP, UMW and area churches determined to initiate conversations about race and racism following the events in Ferguson, Missouri. They hope the upcoming event will be another step forward in the group’s

Join Race Coalition of Fredericksburg and community members at New City Fellowship, 200 Prince Edward Street, on Saturday, June 20, at noon for this 150 th anniversary celebration of Juneteenth. Juneteenth.com efforts to have open, honest and respectful dialogue in this area about issues surrounding racism.

Keep Your

Smile

Beautiful

FREDERICKSBURG DENTAL ASSOCIATES 131 Park Hill Drive, Suite A (across from Mary Washingtton Hospittal Emergency Room) 540.373.0602 fdadental.com;

@Fredericksburg Dental Associates

Proudly serving the dental needs of the Fredericksburg area families for the last 18 years.

Earlier this year, the Race Coalition held two workshops. The first was a morning-long gathering with several break-out groups and a lunch to follow. The second workshop was longer, encompassing an all-day gathering and consisting of a Eunice Haigler (left) and Ainsley Brown white caucus (discussing what they Juneteenth Organizers are willing to do in order to be allies to the Fredericksburg police officer and UMW black community) and a black caucus student. (discussing what they need from white Join Race Coalition of people who want to be allies.) When the Fredericksburg and community members groups came together at the end of the at New City Fellowship, 200 Prince Edward day, they found that they had created Street, on Saturday, June 20, at noon for similar lists of ideas. One of the this 150th anniversary celebration of overarching themes was the importance of Juneteenth. All food and entertainment is blacks and whites coming together as a provided, just bring something to sit on community and developing relationships and a willingness to get to know your based on honesty and respect. larger community. “The future of “I don’t understand where the Juneteenth looks bright as the number of hate comes from,” Haigler muses. She and cities and states creating Juneteenth Brown feel that bringing members from committees continues to increase. Respect different backgrounds together for a and appreciation for all of our differences family friendly event is an excellent grow out of exposure and working opportunity. “The goal is to celebrate together. Getting involved and supporting unity and peace,” says Haigler. “It is Juneteenth celebrations creates new bonds similar to our national Independence Day, of friendship and understanding among but in recognition of the freedom that us.” (Juneteenth.com) came so late to slaves in Galveston, Texas.” The event, free to the public, will have many components: speakers, music, dancing, games, food, and information booths. Included in the entertainment Lori Izykowski lives and works in Fredericksburg, and is an occasional line-up will be: Cleo Coleman portraying contributor to FP. Harriet Tubman, music by Christian

Change. It’s a word that strikes fear into many hearts, especially when life is strolling comfortably along minding its own business. However, situations sometimes call for a shake-up, as Fredericksburg’s newest face about town, Reverend Doug McCusker (with wife, Marie above), knows all too well. After a long career as an IT expert for the Department of Defense, McCusker took a leap of faith into a new job as a minister, landing at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg in Chatham. McCusker’s seemingly diverse shift in careers may seem unusual, but he

says that the signs that a change was nigh were all around him. He elaborates, “I started feeling a discord between the values that I was deeply developing at church and the things I was called upon to do at my job. To remain in the job and balance it with my values, I convinced myself that I was supporting the troops and developing products that were keeping people safe. While I was receiving awards and accolades, and I was consistently going above and beyond in my job requirements, it felt like I was rationalizing.” In the meantime, McCusker had begun serving as a youth advisor at a UU fellowship in Burke, VA. He found teaching adults and youth satisfied a calling that he was not able to address in his IT job. While defense work was task oriented with specific objectives and leadership

responsibilities, ministering to people at church offered McCusker a community rich with sharing and trust. McCusker explains, “That is what I thought ministry was about, fostering that kind of community and being a part of it. Then that pervaded into all the things I was doing in the church, including being a leader on the board and the president of the congregation. That put the bug in me, and people were coming up to me asking if I’d ever thought about ministry?” It was a scary question, because McCusker was comfortable in his job. He made a comfortable salary. He received a comfortable level of respect from his colleagues. In short, he felt he would be crazy to leave the security of a life he had worked so hard to build. McCusker says, “Even so, I recognized that I was competent to a certain level, but I never considered myself an IT person. I could go so far, but then my technical skills sort of fell off a cliff. As long as I kept it to the people side, I was okay. In some ways, I felt like a duck out of water, but when I was at church with the youth and adults I didn’t feel that way. I felt authentic and genuine.”

People were beginning to take note of that authenticity, and when his daughter and wife assured him that they supported him one hundred percent, McCusker knew it was time to make a move. He says, “I was denying it because it was a big change. The path was under me, but I wasn’t looking in the right places. It was obscured by fear, but it got into the head and the heart.” McCusker has shared the story of his dynamic career shift with many people, and he has learned he is far from alone. He explains, “It was my values and deeper moral compass telling me what to do. When the people I love most threw in their support, I felt this change was part of my spiritual journey. When you don’t listen to that little voice, it can have detrimental consequences; when you do, you find your life’s passion.” McCusker looks forward to taking the lead at UUFF on August 1, 2015.

A.E. Bayne is a writer an artist who has lived in FXBG for the past 17 years.

contemporary recording artist Derrick Kearse, and Richard Arline speaking on his experiences as an African American

Own The Movie A 40-minute film with aerial and underwater photography that tells the story of the Rappahannock River from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.

RAPPAHANNOCK MAJESTIC & HISTORIC

DVD $14.95; Members $11.96 www.riverfriends.org 540-373-3448 3219 Fall Hill Ave.

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Juneteenth

In Communion With Change Reverend Doug McCusker

Let Freedom Truly Ring

By A.E.Bayne

Keep Your

Smile

Beautiful

FREDERICKSBURG DENTAL ASSOCIATES 131 Park Hill Drive, Suite A (across from Mary Washingtton Hospittal Emergency Room) 540.373.0602 fdadental.com;

@Fredericksburg Dental Associates

Proudly serving the dental needs of the Fredericksburg area families for the last 18 years.

A.E. Bayne is a writer an artist who has lived in FXBG for the past 17 years.

contemporary recording artist Derrick Kearse, and Richard Arline speaking on his experiences as an African American

Own The Movie A 40-minute film with aerial and underwater photography that tells the story of the Rappahannock River from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay.

RAPPAHANNOCK MAJESTIC & HISTORIC

DVD $14.95; Members $11.96 www.riverfriends.org 540-373-3448 3219 Fall Hill Ave.

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Vino the vineyard At the Old Jake and Mike’s Location

Serving New & Traditional American Cuisine with a Twist

Open Lunch and Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 11 am to 9 pm Sunday Brunch 10 am to 3 pm Closed on Mondays

806 William Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Tel: 540 899-0941 From the Owners of The Soup and Taco, Etc.

June 2015

The Renowned Northern Italian Restaurant once in Stafford on Garrisonville Rd moves to downtown Fredericksburg’s “Historic Chimney’s Building” on Caroline Street adding Internationality to their Cuisine

Open 7 days a week Monday to Saturday 11 am to 10pm International Sunday Brunch 9am to 3pm Dinner from 3pm to 9pm Private Dining Rooms for Your Holiday parties or any occasion!!! 623 Caroline Street Fredericksburg VA 22401 Tel (540) 368-1 1107 Fax (540) 368-1 1108

Front porch fredericksburg

By scott richards I have been spending a lot of time in my vineyard lately, it is that time of year. The buds have burst and the green new growth is breath taking. Of course I should say that or I would not be in this business. After all, there is not much money in it on the scale I work. There is, however, something that calms the soul when working the vines. My wife, Diane and I will often go out to the vineyard with the idea of staying only fifteen minutes and come back an hour and a half later. Besides the fact there is always something to do, it is a peaceful place in which something is always going on. We live in Sparta. For those who do not know where that is, it is south east of Bowling Green. Bowling Green, Fredericksburg and Ashland are all suburbs of Sparta. Needless to say, our road is very busy for that part of the county. We are constantly asked by our friends who drive by, "What were you doing in your vineyard the other day?" It is how they identify me. This year the vineyard has surprised us. We have had two hard winters in a row. In between the two winters, last year we had two days of frost in April just as the buds were about to open up. As a result of the frost and a killer hail storm in June, we lost almost all of our crop plus a large number of vines. Most of our friends who drive by on Sparta Road happen to be farmers and when they found what occurred in our vineyard, they just shook their heads and bid me welcome to the world of agriculture. But getting back to this year, I had written off a number of my Sangiovese vines, describing it to one friend as a "ghost town" due to the fact that everything appeared to be dead and I would not be receiving any crop this year or several years to come. Much to my delight, as I was cleaning up the vineyard for this season, I noticed a number of what looked like grape vines. In fact, they were grape vines. Although they will not bear for several years, the comeback amazed me. Not all revived, but I was very thankful for those vines that did. It gave me hope for the future. On the other side of the vineyard, the Traminette vines are beautiful. Diane mentioned she has never seen them look so good. A year ago, I agonized as hail completely denuded the vines, making me wonder if they would even survive the winter with a lot of the leaves gone. Through photosynthesis in the leaves, carbohydrates are stored and converted to sugars which provide food to

last through the dormancy of winter. Some leaves grew back, but not as many as I had hoped for. To see them now after what they were put through is a wonderment to me. We were able to harvest less than one hundred pounds of grapes, as opposed to the four and one half tons we expected. But when weather shows its ugly side, things do not always happen the way we want. My main worry was not for the grapes as much as for the vines, which is supported by the idea that many winemakers hold dear, wine is made in the vineyard, not in the winery. As much as I like and enjoy wine, the vineyard for me does something wine never will. Working in the vineyard draws on the very innermost part of my being and speaks loudly to the rest of me. Tending and watching vines grow, even when the worst happens, has shown me a completely different side of life, something man cannot replicate. It makes a creationist out of me. Enjoy a glass of wine and remember where it came from and what the vines may have gone through. Scott Richards is the owner of Loch Haven Vineyards

Season’s Bounty the thrill of the grill By vanessa moncure Per usual, our cool spring days have morphed, seemingly overnight, into hot and steamy days of blazing sun, sticky and humid nights. Welcome, Virginia summers. I tend to look askance at my indoor gas oven during this season - along with my clothes dryer, indoor grill, flattop and rotisserie, even blazing light fixtures. So hot! Growing up without air conditioning, the blinds were drawn and the house shuttered during the day to keep what little cool the whole-house fan drew in during the night. By mid-June, the upstairs kitchen was abandoned except for coffee-making, tea-brewing and cold-food making - descending the basement stairs to the summer kitchen was, well, Hadeshot. Why fried chicken is associated with Southern summer suppers I can’t figure out - hot fat bubbling in a giant cast-iron skillet will change that summer glow of Southern women, right past perspiration and straight into heavy sweating. The summer kitchen was also central to canning and freezing vegetables/fruits, with an enormous chest freezer next to shelves of canned goods. I still have the gas stove, a 1940 Model B Chambers once I decided to restore it, the giant stove sat in a 2-year queue in Clayton, GA waiting to be disassembled, re-chromed, repainted and re-piped - you can see its lesser twin on Rachael Ray’s cooking show. Sadly, though, I’ll never have a basement kitchen as its penultimate requirement is a basement. Anyone need an awesome restored stove?? My go-to summer kitchen is a can-do-it-all gas grill with warming oven and side burner - grill the BBQ chicken while boiling corn on the side burner, steak and potatoes, blackened any type of fish, a shrimp boil, six hours of indirect heat on a dry-rubbed Boston butt and the pork will fall off the bone...and yes! bring that seasoned black skillet outside for your chicken fry. Save yourself from being heat-frazzled! SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN I always buy whole chickens and cut them into nine pieces - two wings, two legs, two thighs - then I cut off the whole breast, cut the bottom below the breastbone straight across, then above into two pieces. Birds are bred for very heavy breasts now, so it makes sense to reduce two half-breasts into manageable sized three pieces. Remove giblets (cook and save for feline or canine family members), cut off tail, then soak overnight in approximately 2 c. buttermilk with 1 T. salt. Place following in gallon zip bag - 2 c. flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ T. salt, 2 t. black pepper, 1 tsp. garlic

powder, ½ tsp. each onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme leaves. Take large, deep cast iron skillet and preheat either a vegetable oil, solid shortening, or mixture of the two to 350F. Remove chicken one piece at a time from buttermilk and place in bag. Shake individual chicken pieces in flour mixture, then place in hot fat. Don’t crowd the pan - using tongs, lift chicken to make sure it’s browning on the bottom you should turn only once, cooking approximately 20 minutes or until juices run clear. WITH BISCUITS It’s best to use a round cast-iron skillet as the “secret” is preheating, the thicker and heavier pan the better. Do you have a LeCrueset (or similar) Dutch oven? That’s great, too. Preheat your pan over medium/medium high flame. Mix together 2 c. flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. each baking soda and salt, 8 T. solid shortening until consistency of cornmeal. Stir in 1 c. buttermilk, mix thoroughly (add more buttermilk if necessary to make a soft dough)and turn out onto floured surface. The less you handle it, the better the biscuit. Pat or roll to 1” thickness, then cut into rounds. Remove pan from heat and grease the sides and bottom with a flavorless oil or shortening (butter will burn). Arrange biscuits in pan, sides slightly touching, cover and return to heat. Top down on grill, check for doneness and remove lid after about 8 minutes. Cook until done through. Remove from pan and butter, butter, butter! AND DESSERT Bake your own poundcake or shortcakes. Cut 8 fresh juicy peaches in half and remove stone. Pour turbinado sugar or sanding sugar in shallow bowl along with finely chopped lemon thyme and grated lemon rind. Dip cut sides of peaches in sugar mixture, then place on hot grill - when grill marks appear, turn 90degrees so grill marks will form a crisscross design. Remove from grill, place 2 grill-side up atop a slice of poundcake or a shortcake. Top with homemade whipped cream - whip 1 c. heavy cream with ¼ c. sugar and 2 tsp. grated lemon zest until soft peaks form, garnish with one leaf of fresh lemon thyme. Serve immediately.

Vanessa brings us great recipes and nostalgia each month in this spot.

Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Keith Lebor Proprietor

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

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

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

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg

Open Daily 11am - 4pm 540.371.2233 www.thevirginiadeli.com 826 Caroline at the corner of Caroline & George Streets Master Card ~ Visa ~ Discover front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Vino the vineyard At the Old Jake and Mike’s Location

Serving New & Traditional American Cuisine with a Twist

Open Lunch and Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 11 am to 9 pm Sunday Brunch 10 am to 3 pm Closed on Mondays

806 William Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 Tel: 540 899-0941 From the Owners of The Soup and Taco, Etc.

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Vanessa brings us great recipes and nostalgia each month in this spot.

Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg 540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Keith Lebor Proprietor

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

The General Store

Restaurant

Since 1978

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

371-4075 2018 College Ave. Fredericksburg

Open Daily 11am - 4pm 540.371.2233 www.thevirginiadeli.com 826 Caroline at the corner of Caroline & George Streets Master Card ~ Visa ~ Discover front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious by james kyle snyder

I love corned beef hash! This dish has been around for centuries and has claims of origins from Argentina, through England and Ireland, as well as the Middle East. I thought it was interesting that so many diverse places had a similar product. It left me asking why? Long before the first artificial refrigeration in the late 1700’s people used ice to keep food fresher for longer periods of time. Before that, the art of curing and pickling meats was used to extend the life of the precious product. Salt was first, but salt was a precious commodity. By creating a brine – salty water - less salt could be used to produce a meat that would last longer than raw meat. It also produced a product that didn’t need to be soaked to remove excess salt before eating it. At the time of butchering, the best cuts of meat would be eaten first. The lesser cuts of meat, like the whole packers cut brisket, would need to be treated and cooked to lengthen their shelf life. This brisket is part of two chest muscles on a cow with a full fat cap and a fat layer between the muscles. At 16+ pounds, this is a high-use muscle that is very tough. The first step is to brine the meat for up to a week. A simple brine of 1 gallon of water and ¾ cup of kosher salt brought to a boil and then cooled will do. You can add flavors to enhance the meat. I add 1 bunch of thyme, ¼ cup of peppercorns, pickling spices as instructed, and about 2 cups of vinegar. I put the meat in a container filled with the mixture fat cap up. After brining the meat you need to cook it. Place the cured brisket into a cooking pan and barely cover it with water or beef stock. Add: ¼ cup more

June 2015

peppercorns, more thyme (1 bunch), 4 bay leaves, 1 Tbs coriander, 1 Tbs mustard seeds, ¼ cup of oregano. You can throw in orange slices if you like that flavor. I braise differently than others. I place this covered pan into a 450 - 500 degree oven. Low and slow means it takes a long time to get to the temperature where connective tissues break down. Because the meat is covered in liquid, the liquid will not go above its boiling point. By putting the mixture in a hotter oven, that boiling point is reached more quickly, lessening the entire process by 1-2 hours. Keep an eye on the oven and once the boil begins (usually 45 mins to one hour) then lower the temperature to 275. At the 2 hour mark, add 6# of onions and 6# red potatoes. Cook everything for 45 mins more and turn off the oven. Remove the pan 30 mins later and separate the onions, potatoes, and meat from the water to cool. In a food processor, make the onions into a soft paste and shred the potatoes. Cut the brisket into 3 inch strips. Use a fork to shred the beef and separate it from the fat and connective tissue. This takes me about an hour-and-ahalf alone but it is worth it. Combine everything and add 3 TBS S&P and 1 cup of your favorite citrus vinaigrette. Fry the mixture in a pan to add texture and toastiness and top with an egg. There is noting complicated about this dish. It just takes patience and some elbow grease and you finish with 50 portions that can be shared or frozen for the future! Simple, easy(ish), delicious! Be well!

If you would like to cook with Kyle contact frntprch@ao.com, atten kyle

Front porch fredericksburg

Kickshaws Revisited Indiegogo Kitchen Campaign By Mary Lynn Powers About a year ago, we talked to Kathy Craddock (right) of Kickshaw’s Market, and waited for the local grocery market to open on the corner of William and Sophia Streets. Kickshaw is defined as a tidbit or delicacy, especially one served as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. After what seemed like forever, they maneuvered their way through all the red tape and jumped into the Fredericksburg scene. Since then the organic market has blossomed and sells many local, organic products, and additionally some grab n’ go sandwiches and salads. This part of the business is what made Kathy Craddock realize that an expansion would be beneficial. They just received a grant from the Jumpstart program, and are hoping for a micro grant from Slow Food USA. Their hope is to have everything ready to go by November of this year. Fortunately, 103 1/2 William became available, directly next to the present storefront. Their plan is to sell sandwiches, wraps, some vegetarian and gluten free options. They will offer a healthy solution to a quick lunch or breakfast. They will also use this small shop for educational purposes. They’re planning to offer classes in canning, cheese and yogurt making, gluten free baking, and cooking vegan style. There are classes offered now on a small scale at the market, for instance, fermentation is offered regularly to familiarize the public with the health benefits of kombucha. Kathy explained the process involved in making this beverage as fermenting a small colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) to create a probiotic beverage with an amazing amount of health benefits. I tasted a raspberry flavored kombucha, and though it did not smell too appetizing, the taste was interesting. Alice Waters is a member of Slow Food USA, and blogs on the importance of the relationships formed between consumers and producers. She is considered one of the founders of the locavore movement started in the seventies when she opened a restaurant in California named Chez Panisse that specifically used organic and local products. So this movement has been building for about fifty years, and is gaining speed. Many naysayers feel that this “eat local” theory is out of control. Every one wants to know where everything comes from, and this hampers big chain restaurants who source the bottom line for the most part (if I may be so bold to say so). There is something to be said for eating a freshly picked vegetable or fruit, no doubt about that. Kathy and I talked about the

WELCOME TO OUR GREAT OUTDOORS It’s Beautiful ~ Night and Day!

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

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

Local Night Life Spencer Devon Brewing By Jeremy Sutton To be honest, this town has been a little remiss in the local craft beer arena. Stalwart Blue and Gray has been around for years, but that’s been our lone entry into an attraction that has become de rigeur for any town with our size, surrounding population and tourism. Well, we’ve moved up a class, and done it with class, with the addition of Spencer Devon Brewing to the downtown scene. Fully open and operational as of the printing of this article, Shawn and Lisa Phillips are bringing a serious brewery to our town. At the risk of inserting myself, I’ll relate the story of my introduction. As I pulled up to the 106 George St. location, I bumped into Bill Harris and Sarah Lapp, bringing in some of their artwork for the walls of Spencer Devon, as well as a few

Phone: 540-899-0969 E-mail: soupntaco@yahoo.com photo by susan larson sustainable practice methods that they support. She explained that this means buying from local sources, supporting local farmers, therefore keeping prices down with less of a carbon footprint. In other words, less money and time spent in shipping and processing can then be transferred to better value to customers. Kathy explained it in a nutshell, “What’s good for the earth is good for the people.” Kathy has started an Indigogo campaign to raise funds for renovation of kitchen space. She needs about $18,000 for equipment and construction. Find the campaign online here: www.indiegogo.com/projects/kicksha ws-k kitchen. And stop by the store after you visit the Saturday Farmer’s Market, and see how things are progressing! Mary Lynn Powers reports the laest on interesting people, places and businesses in the FXBG area.

The Sunken Well Tavern

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

other local artist’s work. I hadn’t seen Bill in a while, and was happy to help schlep paintings in up the stairs as well as catch up quickly. Bill had painted the “upstairs” sign in the entryway and is going to add a mural to the space as well. Local restaurants hanging local art is nothing original, but it seemed like a nice bit of serendipity all the same, and showed that there’s already some community momentum behind Spencer Devon: we’d all like this to go well. Pretty much all the brass tacks and backstory are on the website (www.spencerdevonbrewing.com), but I’ll include the skinny here: Shawn is retired Marine Corp, and he and his wife Lisa (along with two kids, titular to the name of the brewery) have settled down in Fredericksburg and look to the brewery to start a second career. A local chef in Justin Cunningham (above) and a Michigan transplant in his head brewer John Ritenour and his assistant Maria Gavin.(above, right) But here are some real morsels that should get your appetite up to get in

and check these guys out as a serious operation: Spencer Devon will have 6 yearround beers, among them an excellent Belgian-esque Old Town Ale with rich dark fruits and a punchy 7.8% ABV, the opposite end of the spectrum is held down by the Fall Line APA, a quaffable 5%er that had great hop lift and clip that provided a full palate without any hop exhaustion. The APA will see seasonal changes to the recipe to keep it in tune with the weather, a novel idea A Pilsner, Milk Stout, Brown and the requisite IPA round out the mix. Seasonals will in part be contributions of the community. Spencer Devon plans on helping local folks with aspirations beyond the basement brewery to come in and develop recipes and beer and bring them to full term in their facilities, and for sale at the bar. SD will work with Bowman’s Distlilery (they’ll carry their spirits exclusively), using their barrels for oakaged beers and allowing their sours (the current style de jour in the hyper-fad driven craft beer world) to ferment and flower in those same barrels on the brewpub floor. Shawn will be using the new “George” still for some special brewing projects as well. SD already has hop contracts with local farms for their coming crop. A few years out, they’ll be sourcing local hops soon. There’s a great menu to go with all this serious beer, and along with a comfortable, well-lit space in which to consume said treats, Spencer Devon seems poised for success. Fredericksburg needs and deserves this kind of attraction. We’d all be remiss not to get out, introduce ourselves and welcome Spencer Devon to the scene.

Jeremy Sutton can tell you from his 15 years in the wine industry that there were good beers.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Cooking With Kyle Simple, easy, delicious by james kyle snyder

June 2015

If you would like to cook with Kyle contact frntprch@ao.com, atten kyle

Front porch fredericksburg

WELCOME TO OUR GREAT OUTDOORS It’s Beautiful ~ Night and Day!

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

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

The Sunken Well Tavern

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

Jeremy Sutton can tell you from his 15 years in the wine industry that there were good beers.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

june 2015…Happy Father’s Day, Dads! Monday, June 1

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 2

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm Acoustic Onion @Bistro Bethem. Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live music on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover Bluegrass Night @Colonial Tavern, 8pm Lafayette Blvd

406

Wednesday, June 3

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage St Open Mic at the Rec Center 8 pm .Scott Wagner hosts the coziest and best sounding open mic in Fredericksburg. Sign up starts at 7, music at 8. 213 William St. Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar at La Petite Auberge Restaurant & Lounge. Featuring Chris Phil Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, June 4

The Life & Films of Frank Capra, CRRL, 1201 Caroline St, 6:30. Hollywood's "The Common Man" director who won an unprecedented three Best Director Oscars within a decade. Free The Mitchell Brother, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar

Friday, June 5

PONSHOP Five-Year Anniversary Party @ PONSHOP Studio and Gallery, Jun 5 @ 6–10pm.celebrates five years of business in their Caroline Street storefront location. First Friday’s event will include music by DJ Moog in their garden with new artwork by owners Scarlett and Gabriel Pons as well as work from over thirty local and regional artisans in the Gallery.

CALENDAR of events

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 6

Art in the Park ,In conjunction with the Fredericksburg Farmer’s Market, an amazing showcase of local artists and their talents. Hurkamp Park 9am-1pm Rock the River, all day. activities for folks who enjoy the Rappahannock River. a multi-sport river and foot race, outdoor activities for grown-ups, kids, & furry friends, unique art and crafts, as well as the enjoyment of great craft beer, tasty food, and live music throughout the day! Kids Fishing Derby, 8:30-11am, Fishing, boat rental, games, prizes, vendors, hiking, picnicking...fun for the entire family! VA Game Dept. ‘Free Fishing Weekend’ – no license required! Fred. Parks & Rec, 540-372-1086 Saturday’s in Mary’s Garden, Mary Washington House, 1200 Charles St. 11-2pm. Join Jeanette Rose will share some of her expertise and anecdotes in Mrs. Washington's garden Ballet & Beyond II, UMW Dodd Auditorium A unique concert fusing the passions of dance and music – this concert brings together some of the finest talent in Fredericksburg and the surrounding areas. Contact lisa@averyballet.com, 540-371-6088 Historic Fredericksburg AACA Annual Antique Car Show @ Downtown Fredericksburg, 9am –3pm Over 150 Classic cars will line Caroline and Hanover Streets displaying the automobiles of the 1890s through 1990. This free, family-friendly event is open to spectators all day National Trails Day Walk @ Spotsylvania Battlefield Exhibit Shelter. 9:15 am Join us for a walk through the trails of Spotsylvania Battlefield in celebration of National Trails Day. The walk is free and open to the public. Virginia Renaissance Fair, 10am, Lake Anna Winery, 5621 Courthouse Rd, Spotsy

Sunday, June 7

Virginia Renaissance Fair, 10am, Lake Anna Winery, 5621 Courthouse Rd, Spotsy

THE WORX with The Jerry Wimmer Trio @ Hard Times Cafe – Four Mile Fork. 9:30 pm – 1:30 am

Monday, June 8

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 9

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm Ashleigh Chevalier @ Bistro Bethem, 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm. Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live music on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover

Wednesday, June 10

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage St Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar at La Petite Auberge Restaurant & Lounge. Featuring Chris Phil Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

Thursday, June 11

Natalie York, Justi Trawick, & Ray Zaragoze, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar

Friday, June 12

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 13

Rappahannock Regional Soap Box Derby, 8am –4pm. One of the biggest events in the City and the largest local race in the world, open to children 818yrs racing down the William St hill at top speed Visit fredericksburgsoapbox.com for info Civil War Paddle. Join Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) and National Park Service for a daylong canoe trip, highlighting many of the Civil War sites along the Rapidan River. 8am –5pm. Please preregister at riverfriends.org/eventspage. Call (540) 373-3448 for more info Life of a Waterman Tour @ Simonsons, 8am – 12 pm. Join Friends of the Rappahannock for a boating trip on the Rappahannock River to gain an understanding of the challenges of a fisherman.Minimum age is 12 years. Preregister at www.riverfriends.org as space is limited.

Critiques with Joseph Dibella @ Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Father’s Day Festival, A. Smith Bowman Distillery presents its 4th annual Father's Day Festival! Join us for Bourbon, Beer, Blues and BBQ!11am –6pm. FREE. Contact 540 373-4555 pioneer@asmithbowman.com

Shakespeare on the Lawn, Historic Kenmore Plantatio, 7pm. A tradition each June at Historic Kenmore! Enjoy a well-loved production, performed in an 18th-century style—as if a young George Washington was in the audience. Come early, bring folding chairs, or a blanket, and a picnic! Second Annual Beard and Mustache Competition 6 p.m. at Hard Times Cafe Four-Mile Fork located at 5099 Jefferson Davis Hwy.All proceeds from the event will go to benefit MANARC.contact Deborah Franks MANARC-Borne The Battle, manarc2014@gmail.com, 540.371.1643

Sunday, June 14

Shakespeare on the Lawn, Historic Kenmore Plantation, 7pm. A tradition each June at Historic Kenmore! Enjoy a well-loved production, performed in an 18th-century style Come early, bring folding chairs, or a blanket, and a picnic! Artist’s reception at Kybecca featuring new oil paintings by David Wold. 4:30 to 6:30 PM, 402 William Street Laura Shepherd, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar Rise Nepal! Benefit Concert and Silent Auction, Sunday, 4:00-7:00 pm Old Silk Mill 1707 Princess Anne St. Fredericksburg $10 adults $5 students Reservations: RiseNepalBenefit@GlobalPeace.org. Tickets available at the Fred. Visitors Center.

Monday, June 15

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 16

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm

The Approach @ Bistro Bethem, 8 pm – 11pm. Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live music on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover!

Wednesday, June 17

Thursday, June 18

Ruination Road, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar Evening with Expert @ Catherine W. Jones McKann Center, 1001 Princess Anne Street, 8 pm. It Smelled Like Money with Mr. Eric D. Powell . discuss how Fredericksburg weathered the storm of the Great Depression. Free

Friday, June 17

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 20

Art in the Park ,In conjunction with the Fredericksburg Farmer’s Market, an amazing showcase of local artists and their talents. Hurkamp Park 9am-1pm Book Art Workshop w/Gina Cullen @ Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts 9 am – 3 pm Illustrated talk and make it book art activities with Gina Cullen. $ Climb Out of the Darkness 2015 @ Alum Spring Park, 11 am – 2 pm http://postpartumprogress.org). Juneteenth @ Juneteenth 2015 12pm 150th year of the freeing of the last slaves in Galveston, Texas. An African American Independence Day Shakespeare on the Lawn, Historic Kenmore Plantation, 7pm. A tradition each June at Historic Kenmore! Enjoy a well-loved production, performed in an 18th-century style. Come early, bring folding chairs, or a blanket, and a picnic!

Sunday, June 21 Father’s Day

Thursday, June 25

Shakespeare on the Lawn, Historic Kenmore Plantation, 7pm. A tradition each June on the Lawn at Historic Kenmore! Enjoy a well-loved production, performed in an 18th-century style— as if a young George Washington was in the audience. Come early, bring folding chairs, or a blanket, and a picnic!

Friday, June 24

BATTLING CANCER 5k RUN/WALK, 9-12 MWH Regional Cancer Center Trolley Winery Tour 5 hour tour of Spotsylvania’s 4 wineries. Ticket includes trolley pass, snack lunch, and wine tasting fees. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Go to FredericksburgTrolley.com for more information and to order tickets Eden Try Estate & Winery @ Eden Try Estate & Winery 12 5 pm. Treat Dad to a day at the local winery! Private gardens and boutique winery open for wine tasting

Monday, June 22

ArtBug’s 25th Session One @ Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts thru June 26. Different art class each day. Contact Cathy Herndon 540-373-6763 or herndoncathy@gmail.com

Eddie D & Garner Sloan, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Sunday, June 28

Elizabeth Monroe’s Birthday Celebration @ James Monroe Museum, 2 – 4 pm. an elegant afternoon tea and conversation with Mrs. Monroe’s good friend Rosalie Stier Calvert (portrayed by Mary Ann Jung)! registration is required at 540/6541043 or auphaus@umw.edu.

Monday, June 29

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 30

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm Marc Allred @ Bistro Bethem 8– 11pm Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover.

Tuesday, June 23

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm Brokedown Boys @ Bistro Bethem Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live music on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover!

Wednesday, June 24

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage St

If you are reading this 215th issue of FP, thank an advertiser as we celebrate our 18th year of continuous publication! If you are an advertiser, list your events. Deadline for July issue is June 20th. To submit events, follow this link: frontporchfredericksburg.com/how-ttosubmit-online

Light Jazz @LaPetite Auberge, 311 William St, 8midnight. Light jazz and Latin piano guitar at La Petite Auberge Restaurant & Lounge. Featuring Chris Phil Andy & Harry. No cover. lapetiteaubergefred.com

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

540-8 899-6 6787 16

June 2015

fortemusicstudios.com Front porch fredericksburg

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

2478 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”

Series @ Market

Front Porch on

homeinstead.com front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

june 2015…Happy Father’s Day, Dads! Monday, June 1

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 2

406

Wednesday, June 3

Thursday, June 4

Friday, June 5

CALENDAR of events

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 6

Sunday, June 7

Virginia Renaissance Fair, 10am, Lake Anna Winery, 5621 Courthouse Rd, Spotsy

THE WORX with The Jerry Wimmer Trio @ Hard Times Cafe – Four Mile Fork. 9:30 pm – 1:30 am

Monday, June 8

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 9

Wednesday, June 10

Thursday, June 11

Natalie York, Justi Trawick, & Ray Zaragoze, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar

Friday, June 12

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 13

Sunday, June 14

Monday, June 15

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 16

Picnic in the Park Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation’s Picnic in the Park concert series, in Hurkamp Park. 11:30-1:30pm

The Approach @ Bistro Bethem, 8 pm – 11pm. Join us for drink specials, $5 pizzas, and live music on our “stage” from 8-11PM. No cover!

Wednesday, June 17

Thursday, June 18

Friday, June 17

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Series @ Market

Saturday, June 20

Sunday, June 21 Father’s Day

Thursday, June 25

Friday, June 24

Monday, June 22

ArtBug’s 25th Session One @ Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts thru June 26. Different art class each day. Contact Cathy Herndon 540-373-6763 or herndoncathy@gmail.com

Eddie D & Garner Sloan, Live Music at 7:30 Kenmore Inn. featuring drink specials at the copper top bar

Sounds of Summer Concert Square, 7-9pm. Free

Sunday, June 28

Monday, June 29

Open Mic w/Thom Schiff, Bring your instruments and play or just come to listen and enjoy some of Fredericksburg's best musicians. 21+. 9pmmidnight. Colonial Tavern. 406 Lafayette Blvd

Tuesday, June 30

Tuesday, June 23

Wednesday, June 24

Trivia Night w/quizmaster Josh Cameli @Sunken Well Tavern. 7:30pm. Get there early to get a seat! 720 Littlepage St

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

540-8 899-6 6787 16

June 2015

fortemusicstudios.com Front porch fredericksburg

540.899.1422 Each HomeInstead Franchise Office is Independently Owned & Operated

2478 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”

Series @ Market

Front Porch on

homeinstead.com front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

history’s stories

NAT M. WILLS By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

By John Reifenberg

Dedicated to the memory of Ada Broyles, Don Weeks, Sarah Fines Bill Greenup, Art Poyck and Bill Marrs Tuffy has infinite knowledge of Fredericksburg history and brings us the little known facts, 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 June 2015

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

JOE DI BELLA

A look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

Pictures

I recently discovered in family papers a folder on a very interesting Fredericksburg born vaudeville entertainer and recording artist. Along with the photo of him was a record that Wills recorded in 1911. Nat M. Wills (born Louis McGrath Wills) July 11, 1873 in the Town of Fredericksburg. I have been unable to discover much information about his early years in Fredericksburg. He would always reply if asked that he was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. His family moved to Washington when he was a child and he alternated between theatrical stage and vaudeville performances. W. C Fields, Charlie Chaplin and Red Skelton were all called tramp comedians, however, it is said in many of the early reviews that Nat Wills was just as famous with his toothless, grin scruffy face, and oversized shoes. In 1909 Victor introduced him saying, “No entertainer on American stage is more popular with the public than Nat Wills. His familiar impersonation of a tramp is unique and always amusing, without a touch of offensiveness or vulgarity”. His release of “No News, or What Killed the Dog” was one of his most popular and copied acts. During World War I he would read make believe telegrams: “SCANDAL IN PARIS-FRENCH OFFICER FOUND IN BED WITH GERMAN MEASLES” is one of the amusing examples. Wills was married four times and his third wife a fellow vaudeville performer who sang French songs with white horses included in his performance. Wills was quoted as saying after their divorce, “I should have married the horse”. In the years 1908 thru 1915 Wills recorded over 30 comic monologues along with No News, or What Killed the Dog. The Elks song (BPOE). Wills describes his time as a member of the Elks which he calls “The Best People on Earth”. Many of the lodges feature this song on their websites. James Thurber in his autobiography that he and his brothers would listen to Wills’ recording of “No News” over and over, to the irritation of their father. Nat Wills dies on December 9, 1917 while working on his car of carbon monoxide poisoning. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York. In 2007 Archeophone Records released a CD containing all existing songs by Wills remastered from their original cylinder or disk formats such as the original I own.

OUR HERITAGE

Artistic troublemaking By dawn whitmore retirement, I will have taught for 40 years," states Di Bella. Teaching has been a large part of Di Bella's life. He is honored when past students become Art teachers and wellknown artist. Di Bella's teaching is an extension of his artistic life. Di Bella's lifelong long affair with art started at four years of age. "Artist are troublemakers," explains Di Bella, "we make/create problems but also find solutions." His current work encompasses this philosophy. The three pieces are large. Two of the pieces contain multiple canvases…creating problems and finding

The vivid nature of the optical world presents a graphic feast of record for the mind. At the Heritage Center, there is a postcard representation of a photo depicting a group of Fredericksburg Civil War soldiers, eyeing a cameraman in Stafford County. They are standing upon the destroyed railroad bridge. A NPS historian has done a magnificent job identifying at least some of the individuals. Intriguing. But what really captured my attention was the left hand side of the photo, showing the John L. Marye Mill. Granted, there is nothing very captivating about viewing a relatively common structure. What caught my eye was the waterwheel. Higher than and perpendicular to the Rappahannock River. At first the old brain just thought, “yeah, a river, a waterwheel, yawn”. The fact it was not in position to articulate with the river at that angle and manner slowly eroded my complacency. What, then, was feeding the mill its’ water? Many people know of the Kenmore canal, the millrace(s), the turning basin, the crib dam, etc. There is even a map dating from the mid nineteenth century showing a canal planned for the Sophia (Water) St. corridor. But nothing appeared on any documents (yet) to indicate what water source turned the wheel. Or any other businesses with a similar alignment. Ignorance moved me to (a little) action. Volunteers at the Heritage Center have unfettered access to a large volume of documents and photographs, so I began pursuing the object of my interest. Fortuitously, I enjoyed a career with the NPS which allowed me to become acquainted with some very interesting people. The historians at FRSP know how to turn a page and through them I was lucky enough to find a book donated to the Center and authored by NPS historian Noel G. Harrison. Eric Mink initially steered me in the appropriate direction.

Noel's book, entitled Fredericksburg Civil War Sites, Volume Two, states on page 160, the following; "It", ( a secondary waterway five feet deep and 15 feet wide),..."continued--underground--400 yards to Marye's Mill, powered that enterprise and then dumped the water into the river". Case closed? Questions remain. How many of these underground waterways existed, and is there any relationship between these and the "tunnels of Fredericksburg," outlined in archived copies of the Fredericksburg Times, July 1977 and copies of the FreeLance Star, 9/13/76? The Heritage Center holds many thousands of documents dealing these and a myriad of other subjects, it's easy to begin one research journey and become engrossed in a separate one. The public is encouraged to come in and spend some time, and/or search your attics and basements and consider adding a collection.

John Reifenberg is a CRHC Volunteer

Professor Di Bella is how a large portion of the Fredericksburg-area knows him. Di Bella, a distinguished UMW professor, holds numerous distinctions, titles and awards. He is a guest juror for galleries in the area and will participate in a critique workshop in June. Yet, how many people take time to meet Joe, the gifted artist and interesting human being? Joe Di Bella is an artist, who for almost 40 years has been teaching his love of art and art history. While attending college, he had teaching assistantships and his wife worked at a daycare. During his college years, studying Art History, Di Bella spent a lot of time in the studio. He even had a professor tell him, "You need to decide Art History or Art." Di Bella's artistic journey would not choose, instead it has incorporated the two. Long hours in the studio would not be a problem for the young married couple. "My wife and I had an arrangement. I could spend as much time as I wanted in the studio… except Friday. On Fridays, I cleaned our little apartment." After graduating from Northern Illinois University, Di Bella would accept a teaching position at Northern Illinois University. "We had our first child on the way. The position opened up and they knew me from my teaching assistantship, " Di Bella said. He would teach at Northern Illinois University for one year before moving to Fredericksburg to teach at UMW. "When my wife and I come to

solutions. Di Bella suggests only through understanding the principles and rules of art can an artist then challenge them. "Spitting on the floor, framing it and calling it art does not make it art," explains Di Bella, "we need to comprehend the rules and principles of art before challenging them." His own work challenges him through 'investigation of personal identity' whether through ethnicity, spirituality, or psychologically, his desire is for the artwork to impact him first. "A piece should impact the artist first, then if or when it impacts someone else, that is a bonus," Di Bella said. Di Bella's series, "Patient of Job" (part of series above), one of his favorite series encompasses the investigation of personal identity. His journey through a time of suffering and illness provided fuel and inspiration for the works. The 42 piece series is a compilation of new works being brought forth with portions of failed pieces. Old pieces were torn and thrown into a blender to be incorporated into the series. "The whole series since completion has not been shown together at one time," Di Bella, said, "I would like to see all of them on display together when the opportunity arises." Dawn Whitmore is a landscape photographer and writer who lives in Spotsylvania.

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

history’s stories

NAT M. WILLS By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks

By John Reifenberg

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 June 2015

Maury Commons

900 Barton St

Front porch fredericksburg

Fredericksburg

JOE DI BELLA

A look at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center collection

Pictures

OUR HERITAGE

John Reifenberg is a CRHC Volunteer

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Companions

Canning Comeback

the benefit of using a pet sitter

preserving memories

Renew

10,000 Steps

by Meg Sneed

By Alexis Grogan It's summer time! We all know what that means, the beach! Then we come across a dilemma. The hotel or rented location you're staying at doesn't allow pets, I know I know, why not? It's the beach! Dogs love water! What am I going to do now? Do I board them? Sure lets call the a pet boarding and find out a price, that's really expensive! There is a much better alternative that is less stressful on you and, more importantly, your pet. “Pet sitting” is defined as “the act of caring for a pet in its own home while the owner is away.” Pet owners often use pet sitters when they go on a vacation, travel for business or are working long hours. You can call a pet sitting service, they come into your home instead of your furry friends being in a kennel all day long. Animals being in a crate for hours develop poor eating habits and anxiety because they are in an unfamiliar environment. Kennels can also harbor illnesses such a kennel cough, intestinal parasites and distemper, plus unfamiliar

scents, sounds and sights….. cats meowing, dogs barking and people running around. It doesn't matter how many toys you bring for them to feel comfortable, they still come home stressed. And no wonder, their daily routine has been interrupted. Pet sitting services have been proven to be a great alternative because your pet is in its own home, familiar scents, sights, sounds and their own bed! .During the pet-sitting visits, pet sitters perform a variety of tasks, including: Feeding the pets and changing their water bowls Providing exercise and play time (may include walking the dog) Cleaning litter boxes and cleaning up any other pet messes Administering pet medications, if needed Providing lots of TLC! Pet Sitters can also bring in

your mail and newspapers, turn lights on and off and deter burglars by giving your home a “lived-in look”. Your pets are always happy to see someone come into their home that is going to give them the best of care while the owner is away. Pets are so much happier in their own home, they can lay on the couch and watch their favorite cartoons and snack on their favorite treats and have no worries or stresses. Pets with pet sitters can take their favorite walking route each day, or

play their favorite game in the back yard. No matter if it's rain, snow or shine your pet sitter is always going to be there for your little furry friend. Would you like a happy stress free furry friend? Choose a pet sitter, they love your pets a much as you do!

Alexis Grogan is the owner of a cat and a dog and is the owner of Lexi’s Pet Sitting Services’. She can be reached at 540-903-0437, lexig0892@gmail.com and on facebook.

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Grooming Salon Canine & Feline Boarding Dog Training with Play Time Alternative Therapies: Therapy Laser: Helps with Pain Relief, Decreases Inflammation & Enhances Healing Chiropractic Adjustments: Provides Comfort & Restores Motion & Function to many patients

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

You can hardly walk into a store this month without seeing it – a ubiquitous line of glass jars packaged in green boxes and decorated with pictures of garden-fresh green beans and glistening strawberry jam. They harken back to the days of our mothers and grandmothers; to distant memories of summer evenings spent watching as they canned freshly picked produce, preserving it for the months to come. While many attribute the recent resurgence of mason jars to the next generation of home-decorating hipsters, canning itself is also making a comeback. Whether as an enjoyable summer hobby or a cost-effective way to eat fresh, local produce year-round, more and more Fredericksburgers are exploring the possibilities of home-food-preservation. Personally, I can like crazy all summer long – from strawberries in May to green beans, tomatoes (in all forms!), peaches, and apples in the fall. Buying fresh, organic, local produce in-season and in bulk means I usually pay less per pound than I would at the grocery store – and I can control exactly which ingredients go into the foods my family eats. Fortunately, since I did not learn how to can until a few years ago, Fredericksburg is abundant with local resources for everything you need to start canning. I’ve listed a few of my favorites below for you:

Supplies can be found almost everywhere, from Target to Michaels, but some of the best deals can be found at Earl’s True Value Hardware and at garage sales! Everything except the actual lids can be reused for decades of canning – so you can pick up plenty of old mason jars, rings, funnels, and even the occasional water-bath or pressure canner for pennies on the dollar at garage sales or second hand stores. Produce is also wonderfully easy to find. If you are just starting out, pick a recipe (Ball’s “Blue Book of Preserving” is a great one for beginners) and buy only the amount that it calls for. The farmer’s markets around town will give you a variety of farms and produce to pick from. Blenheim Organic Gardens (at the Downtown Market at Hurkamp Park on Saturdays) is fantastic source for organic produce and will sell in bulk if you’re stocking up. C&T is not organic, but has stands at almost every market as well as their own throughout town, making it very easy to pick up a little or a lot when you’re already out. Braehead Farm is in Fredericksburg City, and has a pick-your-own option (get the kid’s to help!) as well as a market on their property (for when the kid’s poop out). Lessons are a little trickier to come by, but they are out there! I’ve taught a few Canning 101 classes at the Dr. Yum Project, as well as a class at the Fredericksburg Women’s Forum. The Virginia Cooperative Extension also offers occasional Canning 101 classes. Of course, you can always find tutorials on You-Tube, and Pickyourown.org has some excellent tutorials to get you started as well. And if you want to see what all the fuss is about before you start canning your own at home? Wildwood Farm has a stand at the Downtown Market where they sell their own canned goods! Meg is the practice manager at Old Dominion Osteopathic Medicine, a mom of 2.5kids, and an ardent lover of all foods local, natural, and un-messed-with.

by Joan M. Geisler Someone has calculated that walking 10,000 steps a day will keep us healthy. No doubt there will be days when you might not want to move, but stick with it and you will be so glad you did! Here are some tips to keep you moving toward our goal of taking 10,000 steps a day. If You Feel Sore Starting a new exercise regimen can bring on sore muscles. The good news is that soreness goes away as you become more fit. You can avoid or lessen sore muscles by starting with “light” exercise and gradually building the intensity over time. But if you do experience soreness, try ice on the area to reduce the inflammation. Do some light stretches after the cardio part of your workout (that’s the brisk walking), when muscles are warm and pliable. Also reduce the length or intensity of your next walk. Soon the activity won’t be “new” to your muscles, and the soreness will be gone. If You Don’t Feel Well A little under the weather, but don’t want to skip your workout? Try reducing the length of time and the intensity. Remember that all movement has benefit. You don’t always have to be at full throttle! And if you are really sick, it’s best to rest and let the body heal, then start back on your plan as soon as you are feeling better. A few days off because of sickness is not a setback. Just start back on the plan as soon as you are feeling better. Invest in Fitness as Much as You Can You don’t ever have to purchase a thing to walk yourself fit. You don’t need fancy sport clothing or expensive gadgets. Fitness is FREE! However, getting the best fitness shoes that your budget allows is a very smart investment. A walking shoe, cross trainer, even a running shoe can all work. Good shoes will absorb some shock from

each foot strike, allow you to feel stable, and be comfortable when walking. This will help you to enjoy your walk time more and stay motivated to continue. When I get new fitness shoes, I keep my used pair in my car. You would be surprised how many opportunities to walk arise when you always have fitness shoes with you. Adapt the Training to Suit Your Level If the first few walks feel easy, try challenging yourself with your next walk. Each day add a new level to your walk. Either add distance, speed or elevation. Always make todays walk better than yesterdays. Our mantra should be, “Today I am better than I was yesterday.” If You Want to Stop DON’T QUIT. Just a few extra steps a day will build strength and endurance. You will get fitter and healthier if you don’t give up! Over a lifetime, fitness walking will bring back more healthy rewards than any other lifestyle choice that you make. Fitness walking is THE BEST form of exercise. It’s convenient, safe, you have been doing it since you were 1 year old and it’s FREE. Joan Geisler is a Certified Personal Trainer. contact her at joangeisler@gmail.com

When it’s time to say “Good-bye”

Private, Individual Cremation Personal Pick Up & Delivery

Stacy L. Horner-Dunn, DVM , Gary B. Dunn, DVM Melanie M. Bell, DVM , Sandi L. Pepper, DVM Melissa A. DeLauter, DVM , Jennifer V. Skarbek, DVM Sheree M. Corbin, DVM

540/374-0462 www.woahvets.com 20

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

10 Walsh Lane

Respect for all “Best Friends” Serving the Area for 11 Years (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

Visit Us at Our Website: www.animalritesusa.com Call Us At: 540-361-7487 front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Companions

Canning Comeback

the benefit of using a pet sitter

preserving memories

Renew

10,000 Steps

by Meg Sneed

Alexis Grogan is the owner of a cat and a dog and is the owner of Lexi’s Pet Sitting Services’. She can be reached at 540-903-0437, lexig0892@gmail.com and on facebook.

ANIMAL RITES, USA

Full Service Hospital featuring:

Pet Cremation Service

Lexi Grogan’s Pet Sitting Service

When it’s time to say “Good-bye”

Private, Individual Cremation Personal Pick Up & Delivery

Stacy L. Horner-Dunn, DVM , Gary B. Dunn, DVM Melanie M. Bell, DVM , Sandi L. Pepper, DVM Melissa A. DeLauter, DVM , Jennifer V. Skarbek, DVM Sheree M. Corbin, DVM

540/374-0462 www.woahvets.com 20

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

10 Walsh Lane

Respect for all “Best Friends” Serving the Area for 11 Years (540-903-0437; lexig0892@gmail.com) On facebook as “lexi grogan’s pet sitting service”

Visit Us at Our Website: www.animalritesusa.com Call Us At: 540-361-7487 front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Senior Care convoy: part 1 By Karl Karch

“Breaker one nine. This here’s the rubber duck. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy. Ain’t she a beautiful sight?” I’ll bet many of you remember this 1975 C. W. McCall hit brought on by the CB radio craze. It was made into a movie in 1978 staring Ali MacGraw, Kris Kristofferson, and Ernest Borgnine. I remember driving down the interstate listening to all the truckers on my CB radio (I was too shy to chime in on the chatter) and being pulled over in Virginia because the state trooper thought my CB antenna cord was attached to a radar detector which was illegal. Here’s a video of the song that brought back many memories for me as I wrote this article: www.youtube.com/watch?v=le2bPRGvKXE. In the mid-‘60s I was one of those “…long-haired friends a’ Jesus in a chartreuse (actually blue) micra-bus.” OK, enough nostalgia. Why am I talking about convoys? It so happens that one of the many theories on aging is called the Convoy Theory which was developed by Robert Kahn and Toni Antonucci in 1980. The convoy theory explains how an individual’s personal and situational characteristics are influenced by the quantity and quality of their social relationships, or convoys. Personal characteristics are things like age, gender, race, ethnicity, and personality. Situational characteristics are things like social roles, expectations, norms, and demands placed on an individual. Kahn and Antonucci demonstrated that the convoys an individual has impact their psychological and physical well-being. The convoy model assumes that everyone needs some social relations and networks, but the quantity, type, and quality of these relationships will vary based on an individual’s personal and situational characteristics. They are also impacted by their environment and life changing events. The convoy model has been

June 2015

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

studied extensively since 1980 and is now a widely accepted theory on aging. Our close convoys at an early age include family and BFFs (best friends forever). We want our children as they are growing up to have a network of friends that are positive influences on their lives. Some convoys, like family, remain throughout our lives. Other convoys change as we travel down life’s highways such as: fraternities and sororities, church, civic organizations, coworkers, friends, and neighbors. I was often told during my working career to broaden my network of business relationships (i.e., expand my business convoy) to further my career. Some convoys are in our “inner circle” of trusted and reliable relationships, while others are social or casual acquaintances. Convoys can provide emotional support when faced with significant stresses in life such as loss of a spouse, loved one, or close friend. On the other hand, some relationships can have a negative impact or cause stress such as dysfunctional families. The convoy model is very dynamic with applications throughout one’s life. In part II, I will discuss how the convoy model is applied, differs, and impacts an older adult’s mental and physical well-being depending on factors such as their living arrangement: in-home, assisted living facility, or nursing home. So, for now “mercy sakes good buddy, we gonna back outta here.” Come and join my part II convoy next month.

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

Front porch fredericksburg

Emancipated Patients social media & support groups by patrick neustatter, MD

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

In another example of someone fending for themselves where the medical profession is deficient, Caitlin Barlow, and her mother, are in the process of starting their own support group – because, as Caitlin says rather sheepishly, “doctors don’t have all the answers.” Caitlin, age 23, has alopecia areata – an autoimmune disease that attacks the hair follicles and causes the hair to fall out. In the course of a few months Caitlin has gone from having a lush and admired head of blond hair, to being completely bald (hastened by shaving her head). This has not only impacted her emotionally but prompted her to move back home, call the plumber twice because the drain was plugged with hair and lead to a break up with her boy friend. Like so many autoimmune disease, the trigger is not well understood – nor is any infallible treatment available, and Caitlin has been frustrated by doctors lack of know-how (in defense of my profession, I would point out a 2010 article in PLOS Medicine notes there are now seventy-five trials and eleven systemic reviews of trials published each day. So it is impossible for any doctor to keep up – providing justification for the patient to be as involved and informed as possible). Creative, and sometimes desperate, people are filling this void by sharing information about their illness through social media and support groups. The internet provides great facility for people to connect and help each other. A dramatic example was that of Leo Kogan who had been diagnosed with strep throat/Scarlet fever but wasn’t getting better as he should – and his mum posted a picture and comment on Facebook which a neighbor saw and realized he had what her son had had. Potentialy fatal Kawasaki’s Disease and not Scarlet Fever.

Leo’s mum wrote for Slate.com about “How Facebook Saved My Son's Life.” Blogs, forums, message boards, wikis, video sites, and other mediums allow people to share and compare experiences. Probably best known of the on-line sites is Patients Like Me (www.patientslikeme.com) - founded by Jamie Heywood, whose brother had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). “We have learned so much about what patients need to know,” says Heywood. In person support groups are also becoming popular – but the nearest alopecia support group is an hour and a half drive away, in Reston. Prompting Caitlin and her mum to start their own – so they have been trying publicize Caitlin’s story. She has already received e-mails from 50 odd people interested in the group. She plans to actualy start after she has attended the annual National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) conference in California. “God helps those who help themselves” as they say. Though I am no great theist, this is a maxim I believe in. And nowhere does it apply more than to being an emancipated patient and taking charge of your own healthcare. Like Caitlin. NOTE: To help Caitlin attend the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) conference, go www. fundme.com (fundme.com/nxqyik)

Patrick Neustatter is the Medical Diector of the Moss Free Clinic. He is interested in stories of emancipated patients/people and would like to hear any stories of this kind from any readers. Contact him at pneustatter@aol.com

Wellness My vision for healthcare reform By christine h. thompson, D.C. I doubt that many people would deny that our healthcare system has problems. I also doubt that many people have confidence that the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is going to adequately solve those problems. The fact is the PPACA will need to go through many revisions as it is enacted and new problems are discovered. Like our healthcare system, the current crisis we are in is complex and involves everything from the cost of medical school and malpractice insurance to overuse of medical services and technology to insurance and pharmaceutical industry strangleholds, not to exclude the average person’s negligence of their own well-being. I am NOT an expert in healthcare policy, but I am experienced in how healthcare affects people on a daily basis. My vision of real healthcare reform is based on the issues and changes I have witnessed over my 19 year career in private practice. From this small but unique viewpoint, these are the healthcare changes needed most: 1) Healthcare needs to be patientcentered, meaning that the patient’s needs and best interests are the primary objective and take precedence over all other factors in consideration. 2) Healthcare providers are public servants and should be compensated with respect to their knowledge, skill and ability to help patients achieve or maintain health, not on the number of patients they can see in a day or the number of procedures they can perform. This will require reduction of the cost of education. 3) Healthcare providers are humans and capable of mistakes. Incompetence and negligence should be taken up by the governing board or a peer panel, NOT the civil court system. If the practitioner is accused of a crime, we have a criminal court system for that. 4) Advanced and innovative medical technology can save lives and raise the

quality of life for many people, but when over-utilized or used inappropriately can add to the escalating cost of healthcare. Decisions to use expensive diagnostic and treatment technology must be based on potential patient benefit and quality of life enhancement compared to cost. The art of sifting through a patient’s health history and using instinct and intuition to determine a course of treatment can be as valuable and effective as advanced technology and the extra time that takes can actually cost less in the end. 5) Humility and integrity are needed in medicine. Human beings are complicated and unique and historically the scientific study of health and disease is fraught with well meaning, but flawed ideas. Once we have discovered our mistakes, we must be willing to acknowledge so and change our treatments to reflect current knowledge and research findings. Holding onto outdated and disproven concepts and treatment methods is harming the health of our country. 6) Corporations (pharmaceutical and insurance) who wield power over how healthcare, medicines and technology are administered need to be regulated. I too prefer keeping government out of our personal lives as much as possible, but when an industry has a proven record of attending only to their own financial bottom line with total disregard to the consequences of their decisions on the health and well-being of the people, they need to be regulated. Period. 7) The people of our country need to accept that insurance works best when it covers emergency and catastrophic problems. It was never designed to cover health maintenance or the treatment of minor health issues. In order to avoid bankrupting our country, healthcare must return to mainly cash, out of pocket services. Obviously, this is a grass roots effort of epic magnitude. We better get started!

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

~Nature’s Sunshine Products ~Quantitative Fluid Analysis ~VoiceBio Analysis ~ionSpa Foot Detox ~Zyto Bioscan Compass Natural Products for Health & Wellness

online: www.save7lives.org

Barbara Bergquist, CTN Board Certified Traditional Naturopath

891-6200

www.thenaturalpath.us

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg

in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

Senior Care convoy: part 1 By Karl Karch

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Emancipated Patients social media & support groups by patrick neustatter, MD

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

The Natural Path Holistic Health Center

~Nature’s Sunshine Products ~Quantitative Fluid Analysis ~VoiceBio Analysis ~ionSpa Foot Detox ~Zyto Bioscan Compass Natural Products for Health & Wellness

online: www.save7lives.org

Barbara Bergquist, CTN Board Certified Traditional Naturopath

891-6200

www.thenaturalpath.us

4413 Lafayette Blvd. Fredericksburg

in person: Dept. of Motor Vehicles front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

PONSHOP celebrates five years on caroline St. Brier and Ashleigh Burbidge teaching workshops throughout the year. Art Workshops enrich the lives of both children and adults and create an environment for artists to build confidence in their skills and meet other like-minded individuals.

PONSHOP Public Service Announcement

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery celebrates their Five-Year Anniversary On "First Friday" June 5, 2015. Gallery Owners Scarlett and Gabriel Pons will be showcasing their latest work in the gallery including ceramics, fine art and two new tshirt designs. The garden space of the gallery is where the party will be staged: DJ Moog will be spinning on the turntables with refreshments catered by Caroline Street's newest coffee shop, Agora. PONSHOP has built their business around the central philosophy of community engagement and promoting the value of growing a local economy

through creativity and culture. The majority of their shop has always been stocked with ceramics, jewelry, accessories and fine art from Fredericksburg and the surrounding regions. In keeping with the entrepreneurial history of downtown Fredericksburg, the owners feel it is important that local artists have a space to hone their craft and also market their products. Since opening in the spring of 2010, PONSHOP has hosted over sixty consecutive First Friday Art Openings including over a dozen juried and community art exhibits including The Art of Recovery and the Remixed Vinyl Record Show. Each of these events builds upon the sense of pride for the downtown and offers a venue for artists and the public to connect. Art classes have also been an integral part of PONSHOP with Scarlett and Gabriel, as well as local artists, Leslie

June 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a means of celebrating their Five Years on Caroline Street, PONSHOP lists Five "High Fives" in the form of a Thank You Letter: 1) Thanks to our fans and clients who we have worked with over the years. You help us to continue to innovate in our mediums and challenge us to raise the bar each and every time we take on a new project. 2) Thanks to all of the Artists that have contributed to our shop throughout the past five years. We value the dedication and the caliber of work that we show here and we are proud to showcase your work as representative of our area's rich culture. 3) High Fives to our past PONSHOP Students and Student Interns! We've taught over 200 Art Classes in the past five years and it has been a rewarding experience to know that we've impacted so many kids and adults with our class programs. The most gratifying aspect of teaching is watching our students mature and continue their trajectory in life with their creative interests. Also, we value the collaborations we've shared with our local schools, churches and universities throughout the years. 4) Thanks to our fellow downtown business owners. We're confident that our city's historic downtown is on an upward trajectory and will continue to inspire entrepreneurs and small business owners to follow their dreams in this city. Our neighbors have become not only close

by megan byrnes Scene: Jannan Holmes grabbing coffee between clients at Agora (p.s. I must give a special shout out to Jannan for all her inside tips for this month's column); Lisa Olsson out for a night with friends downtown; Candis Wenger and Christie Doherty both shopping sans kiddos at Wegmans; and Catesby Payne and Chris White enjoying an early dinner at Castiglia's.

a cool magazine- what's not to love? to Mike and Laura

First Friday to celebrate this monumental and exciting milestone. Congrats, Trista!

Craig on the arrival of baby Dorothy on April 23! The sweet girl is doing well getting settled in her new home and big sister Nora is already smitten!

fond farewell to his epic winters beard. I imagine our recent 90+ temps didn't help the mans internal temperature regulation.

Congrats

Scene:

Scene: Heard:

Scene:

Scene: Jake Morgan celebrating his recent graduation from Catholic University with a degree in architecture over dinner and drinks with friends and family at Bistro Bethem. Congrats, Jake, on this huge accomplishment!

Congrats

to Hooked's Lauren

Kennedy for her feature in Impeccable Virginia. A cool spread about a cool girl in

Chris Park( above) was

back on the right coast for a short stint to visit friends and family - he met up with Tom Byrnes, Jeff Gandee( above) and Mike Payne in our nation's capital for dinner and general merriment.

Alex Capshaw-T Taylor celebrated the impending arrival of her first bebe last month with her closest gal pals. Danielle Payne, Alicia Morgan, Claire Ellinger, Rebecca Thomas, Will Mackintosh, and Brian Lam crafted their hearts out AND played a friendly game of baby Jeopardy (and by friendly I mean there was almost blood spilled, what I can I say, we're competitive). Can't wait to meet your little one, Alex and Alex!

Chris

and

Emma

Schmidt running the Marine Corp half marathon; Bob and Barbara Antozzi and Kent and D.D. Lecky at the Libertytown auction preview; Kathy Harrigan at the Water Street Studios on First Friday; Chris Muldrew emceeing at the Mental Health American Fredericksburg Walk.

Scene:

Kevin Rodrigue bid a

George Foster, Chris

Foss, Julia Foss, Sam and Ralph Lewis, Linda Harris and Ginger Burke all lent a hand at the annual College Heights pool clean up day. The group donated their time and energy to getting that water perfectly ph'd and free of debris so that by the time you read this, you may have already gone for your first dip!

Heard: Kerry Devine, Debbi Girvan, Barbara Miller-Richards and Elizabeth Rehm were at Lafayette Upper Elementary to celebrate its 10 year anniversary.

Beloved local artist

Trista Chapman (right) celebrated 20 years in Clay last month at her Sophia Street Studio. Neal Reed, Ann Tierney, and Mary Deitrick were just a few of Trista's friends, family and fans who came out on

friends, but colleagues and mentors alike. We are grateful to open our doors next to such a motivated and driven individuals. 5) Finally 'Gracias' to our family, who have been a generous source of support from the day we arrived in Fredericksburg back in 2005. Thank You for helping us literally build our business brick by brick.â&#x20AC;? ~ Gabe & Scarlett Pons

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

PONSHOP Public Service Announcement

June 2015

a cool magazine- what's not to love? to Mike and Laura

First Friday to celebrate this monumental and exciting milestone. Congrats, Trista!

Craig on the arrival of baby Dorothy on April 23! The sweet girl is doing well getting settled in her new home and big sister Nora is already smitten!

fond farewell to his epic winters beard. I imagine our recent 90+ temps didn't help the mans internal temperature regulation.

Congrats

Scene:

Scene: Heard:

Scene:

Congrats

to Hooked's Lauren

Kennedy for her feature in Impeccable Virginia. A cool spread about a cool girl in

Chris Park( above) was

back on the right coast for a short stint to visit friends and family - he met up with Tom Byrnes, Jeff Gandee( above) and Mike Payne in our nation's capital for dinner and general merriment.

Chris

and

Emma

Scene:

Kevin Rodrigue bid a

George Foster, Chris

Heard: Kerry Devine, Debbi Girvan, Barbara Miller-Richards and Elizabeth Rehm were at Lafayette Upper Elementary to celebrate its 10 year anniversary.

Beloved local artist

Front porch fredericksburg

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

PORCH LIGHT...

The Road to becoming a fredericksburger

By Georgia Strentz On this dripping morning ,the seemingly endless rain was making unpacking our family belongings and babysitting with my two preschoolers nerve wracking. Now,we were running out of food. No close neighbors,out there in the country, in our temporary housing, no clue where to shop. The one bright spot so far, was meeting Ruth at Ruby, who ran a tiny one room post office and store. Ruth knew everyone and everyone loved Ruth. Ruth was a lady who had the endearing qualities of the many wonderful "Fredericksburgers," who would eventually fill my families life . She explained, that since Aquia Harbor had only a few houses and Rte 610 had no shopping at all in those long ago days, that I should head to Fredericksburg,a town 25 miles distant. Ruth explained the route numbers ,which were followed by a quick,"and a left turn at Sterne's store." Off we went, my children and I,on this dark, stormy morning,in our enormous 1979 Station wagon. The rain pelting my windshield as I looked at

the rolling rain soaked farmland,as we bumped along curving, single lane roads,more suited for horses than cars. I was heading toward a bridge I had never seen, a city I did not know, in a hurricane named, Agnes. After driving an endless 25 miles, I saw a faint light as I approached a bridge. Standing in the road was a fatherly looking policeman who said, "Hey young lady, what are you doing out in this weather?" He listened to my sad story, and told me that the storm was what they called a hurricane in the South. He said they were only letting one car at a time over the Falmouth Bridge and he would be waiting for me on my return, but please hurry. This was my first feeling of comfort and connection with what I call, the "Fredericksburger" way of life. As I crossed the bridge, my feelings of well being were replace by the horrific feeling of a shaking bridge, the vision of massive trees pinned to the upriver side, by the dark,debris gorged water only a few feet below the roadway. I was thankful my children were asleep. The clerks in the store rushed to help me through the door in the pouring rain. They gathered everything I needed, and a free treat for my children. Kindness,"Fredericksburger" style, touched me again that day. Approaching the bridge, I saw the flickering light, the familiar face, my guardian angel waiting for me, to usher my children and I to safety across the quaking bridge," Fredericksburger" style. Our magazine,"The Front Porch", gives us the opportunity for our "Fredericksburgers" to share all that is positive in life. Georgia Strentz has lived in Fredericksburg for 43 years. She is retired to her little English cottage in downtown Fredericksburg.

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Rise Nepal!

Stories that shine a light on life

Honestly, it did feel a little weird. I mean, my friends and I used to go to Georgetown all the time back in our high school and college days, heading out from our suburban backwater on Saturday night expeditions hell-bent for a taste of big city glamour (and big-city beer). But all that was a while ago. Quite a while ago. So long ago, that unless I had been mistaken this past Saturday night for a particularly-dense frat boy on, say, the forty-year college plan (instead of the "mere" seven years it actually took me to complete my four-year degree, thank you very much!), there was little chance that all those quick-stepping and freshfaced youngsters flowing along M Street's river of partying neoadulthood were going to mistake me for a fellow collegian. And yet, despite the fact that my chronological aspect differed so greatly from most everyone else I passed, there I was, late on a weekend night, part of that youthful stream, dipping into the occasional watering holes for some liquid refreshment. Just like I belonged there. Which I didn't. And not because the young folks thronging these bars were unwelcoming. In fact, those with whom I casually chatted over the course of the evening were perfectly decent and friendly. (Although their conversations were filled with too many carefully polite "sirs" for my liking. Does anything make a guy feel older than to be addressed, even when it's meant well, as "sir"?). No, my sense of not belonging was purely interior – my problem - a byproduct of insecurity. I just didn't feel right being in college-aged crowds anymore. Time - now there's a river that flows quickly - had simply moved on. Personally, my Saturday nights had evolved into quieter and more domestic affairs comprised of board games with my wife and kids, a little reading, maybe SNL if I could stay awake that long. A glass of wine if I were feeling particularly frisky. It had been a long time since Saturday nights meant beery excursions into the belly of the urban beast. I came to the somewhat painful realization that bar-hopping was best left to the young. But in any case there I was, all half-a-century-plus of me, shuffling along beside my old friend Tom - we'd gone through Basic Training together thirty years ago - as the midnight hour approached, looking for a couple of bar stools on which to alight. Full of bluster and fortified by a couple of pre-cap beers, we figured it would be just like old times. Only problem, we were now old timers. Honestly, I felt more

benightclubbing

Benefit for earthquake Victims

by Rob Huffman

by David & Collette Caprara

anthropologist than participant once Tom and I claimed a couple of seats at the rowdy Georgetown Piano Bar. What intriguing customs these young folks had! How wide-awake and alert they all seemed! How full of laughter and noise and room-scanning zest. Isn't night-clubbing really just a liquid-assisted mating ritual anyhow, with behaviors and protocols as well-defined and choreographed as fireflies sparkling on summer nights? And sure, I know this isn't the only reason folks find themselves clustered around a piano at midnight, belting out a spirited if barely musical rendition of "Sweet Caroline." (With horror, I realize that Neil Diamond is as temporally removed from these college students as the Jazz Age crooner Rudy Vallee would have been from me at their age.) But what often drives people, like those fireflies, out into the night is the search for companionship, a partner, a comrade with whom to wait out the darkness. Maybe even the chance at romance. (Hands, touchin' hands/Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' you...) Which is one reason it no longer interests me quite as much as it once did. Once you're mated - as I have been for over a quarter century now - mating rituals loose some of their intrigue. Why bother? Sure, it was fun to sit there with Tom and knock back a few while talking about old times. But more than once I had to think we could have done this just as easily, easier really, back in his comfortable living room rather than here, where the caterwaul around that infernal piano - okay, that's mean; the kids were just having fun after all - made it hard to understand what Tom was saying. And the beer would have been a whole lot cheaper, too. And yet the magic of the night persists. Before we did head back to Tom's place - towards middle-aged comfort, towards quiet - an attractive young college girl bought me a beer! Me, a guy probably close to her grandfather’s age! Okay, the buying it for me part is a stretch. But she did offer me a cold one that she had bought for a friend who didn't show up. I guess she figured the old guy looked like he might appreciate a Bud Light, gratis. And even though my craft beer arrogance was provoked, I accepted it graciously. A free beer is still a free beer. Rob Huffman is a frquent contributor to Front Porch and the source of much of our laughter.

In the tragic aftermath of the 7.8 earthquake in Nepal that took the lives of more than 8,000 people and injured tens of thousands—and a subsequent 7.3 quake at the cusp of the Monsoon storm season-the music, arts and business community of Fredericksburg have joined together to contribute to a June 14 th Rise Nepal!

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg Call Us at 540-891-9911

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Benefit Concert and Silent Auction at the Old Silk Mill from 4-7 7pm. Entertainment will be provided by the Cabin Creek band, Save the Arcadian, and Pete Mealy and Laurie Rose Griffith, as well as performers featuring the culture of Nepal. Support has been offered from area artists of Artful Dimensions, Art First, Brush Strokes, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, the PONSHOP, and Liberty Town Arts Workshop, Purna Shrestha of the Here and Abroad Deli, and Ann Glave, executive director of the Fredericksburg Main Street initiative, Pitayo, and numerous other local businesses, as well as a major newspaper of the Nepali diaspora in the Washington area. All proceeds from the benefit will directly support on-the-ground relief and rebuilding efforts in Nepal. Donations and sponsorships can also be made at www.globalpeace.org/risenepal/donate . As a vice president of the Global Peace Foundation, David has a personal relationship with many Nepal young leaders who are volunteering on-site in relief and rebuilding efforts. He is supporting the area benefit host committee in collaboration with Jurgen Brat, an artist of the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts and David Hall of the Cabin Creek band. Brat and Collette Caprara are coordinating contributions from artists in local galleries, On-tthe-G Ground Assistance In March, one month before the tragic earthquakes, David was in Kathmandu for the launch of the Asia Pacific Peace and Development Service Alliance, which built a hub of volunteers of youth, civil society, and various agencies,

including UN Asia, the Peace Corps, Nepal’s Ministry of Youth and Global Peace Foundation - Nepal. After the earthquake, this ready-made foundation of young volunteers rolled into action with the launch of Rise Nepal! a youth-led campaign of relief and rebuilding. The volunteers embody the resilience of the Nepali people. Many were sleeping in tents after their homes had been devastated. More than 300 volunteers went into action within a week, clearing debris, serving on medical teams, putting up tents, distributing food, and establishing basic hygiene to avert the outbreak of disease. Now with the oncoming Monsoon season, they are racing against time to set up semi-permanent housing structures and schools. As the larger disaster agencies continue strong relief efforts, Rise Nepal! is uniquely engaging youth in both shortand long-range grassroots intervention called Nepal Youth Vision. The sub-title of the event, “Virginia Reaches Out!” conveys the generosity of the Fredericksburg community. We hope all of the Rappahannock Region will come to celebrate the resilience of the people of Nepal in this Benefit Concert. The Nepali people in Kathmandu have written with great appreciation and excitement to hear that Virginia is reaching out to support this benefit that will boost their progress on the great comeback that they are striving to mount, even in the midst of earthquake aftershocks. As they say in Nepal, “Namaste.” For reservations and information, RiseNepalBenefit@GlobalPeace.org. For updated Rise Nepal projects, visit facebook.com/RiseNepal72 and APpeaceservicesalliance.net. Silent Auction Donations, contact Collette: Caprarac@aol.com or Jurgen Brat jurgen.brat@verizon.net Tkts can be purchased at the Fredericksburg Visitors Center

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June 2015

PORCH LIGHT...

The Road to becoming a fredericksburger

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Rise Nepal!

Stories that shine a light on life

benightclubbing

Benefit for earthquake Victims

by Rob Huffman

by David & Collette Caprara

Advanced Dental Care of Fredericksburg Call Us at 540-891-9911

$599 Crown

With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/15 A $239 .00 Value

$699

Per Arch Full Denture/Partial With this Coupon only for non-insured patients. Not valid with other offers or prior services. Offer Expires 7/1/15 A $1100.00 Value

Because we care for you! www.virginiadental4u.com 10524 Spotsylvania Ave. Ste #104 Fredericksburg, VA

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

A Perfect Marriage

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Garden Clubs & Hospice Organizations

Tara Hefner By susan larson Riverbend High School ESL teacher Tara Hefner is the 2014-2015 national winner and “Teacher of the Year” in the Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest. Hefner was nominated by Riverbend senior Jeimy Alfaro, and was chosen from more than 7,000 entries at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide. Students nominated their favorite teacher by writing essays, poems or thank you letters sharing how that teacher influenced their life. "Entries were judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation and the quality of expression and writing," said Sarah DiFrancesco, vice president of Business Development for Barnes & Noble. As Barnes & Noble Teacher of the Year, Hefner received $5,000. Riverbend High School also received $5,000. Principal Dr. Troy Wright said half the money would be used for ESL classes and half for student needs. Excerpts from Jeimy Alfaro's Essay “Dear Mrs. Hefner, …I need you to know what a difference you have made, not only in my learning, but most

importantly in my life. As you know, I spent the first 16 years of my life living in the most dangerous city in the world, San Pedro Sula, Honduras. While living there, I witnessed gang murders, drug abuse, and violence just on my walks to school. I had so much anxiety and fear every day, and I literally dreamt of what it would be like to have an opportunity to live and study in America. “When that dream finally became a reality, I was faced with different struggles. I started school only knowing the words “no English,” and that became my response to everyone that spoke to me. I thought about giving up, quitting school, and finding a job to help my family more times than I can count. Then I walked into your classroom. You greeted me with a smile, and made sure I left each class with a hug. Most importantly, you made me believe in myself and that all my dreams could really come true…You said something that I will never forget. You told me, “I will never give up on you.” You put those words into action. When I told you that I couldn’t complete my homework because I didn’t own a

(L to R) Riverbend High School ESL teacher Tara Hefner and Riverbend senior Jeimy Alfaro. computer or printer, you started an afterschool Homework Club for all the ESL students so we could use these things. My grades improved a lot from this. “When I needed to pass my Writing SOL in order to graduate this year, I thought there was no chance. But you did. You came to my house in the evenings and on the weekend to work with me on my writing and reading. The day I was called down to my guidance counselor and told that I passed my Writing SOL was the happiest day of my life. He told me that I passed, and that it meant I could graduate! What made me even happier was telling you, and seeing how proud you

were of me. You cried and took me and a friend out to a steak dinner that night, just as you promised. You’ve always kept your promises to me, and I admire and respect how much you care for me and your students more than you will ever know.”

Susan Larson is Publisher of Fredericksburg .Today online news and interim host of "Town Talk" 8 - 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on News Talk 1230 WFVA photo by Susan Larson

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Cate Sutter of Lake Wilderness missed the garden club she was part of when she lived at Arden in Maryland. Twenty Lake Wilderness residents, from teens to seniors, indicated an interest in helping found a club. This spring the club had its first meeting at Cate’s house. “I was astonished to see all the joyful faces coming up the driveway and people carrying armloads of plants to share. People are so enthusiastic and had all kinds of ideas for benefitting the community. We exchanged plants, got answers to gardening problems typical to our woodsy, animal-rich community, and shared a lot of laughter.” Cate has done hospice work off and on for decades, and a few days after the meeting wondered if some club members would like to volunteer to help ‘hospice families’ who have so much on their plates. “I’ve had a lot of surgeries and was so nourished by looking out at my garden and bird feeders, even if I couldn’t get out and work in it. Arden's club members helped me maintain my yard whenever I was recovering from surgery.” Cate remembers hearing a woman at a Board Meeting who said she had been in Johns Hopkins for 6 weeks and received a citation while gone because her yard deteriorated. “I’m not saying our Board is uncaring. I’ve no doubt they

waived the fine, but it would have been nice for the woman, and her neighbors, if her yard had been kept up and she didn’t have the physical and emotional stress of going to a meeting to ask for leniency.” Cate contacted the National Garden Clubs, Inc. (www.gardenclub.org) and asked them to mention the idea of clubs offering their services to hospice organizations at their conference in May. She would like to see garden clubs all across the United States make their skills and time available to their local hospice’s families. Cate located Capital Caring’s Fredericksburg office with the help of Virginia Association for Hospices and Palliative Care (www.virginiahospices.org). “Those of us in the Fredericksburg area are very fortunate that Capital Caring, formerly Capital Hospice, opened a branch here a couple of years ago. When my mother was dying of ovarian cancer in 2005, hospice was not an option for us. And we are luckier still because Capital Caring offers Palliative Care in the community.” Palliative Care is an outpatient service that offers pain and symptom management for people living with a serious illness. Capital Caring’s warm and competent team in Fredericksburg includes Volunteer Services Coordinator Davishia Baldwin. Davishia conducts statemandated training Cate said, “While it is obviously moving being involved in people’s lives at such a difficult time, it is also very satisfying to know you’re doing something genuinely helpful. I encourage other garden clubs to mention to their members the possibility of volunteering. All kinds of skills are needed at hospice organizations: notaries, office workers, and gardeners.” Contact Davishia Balwin at Capital Caring , regarding Hospice or Palliative Care at dbaldwin@capitalcaring.org or 540 735-0 0974 Contact Cate Sutter regarding the Garden Clubs initiative at catesutter@gmail.com

Champions Together Special Olympics & VA High School League

By Rick Jeffrey In my 20+ years in Special Olympics I still, on occasion, make the same mistake. I underestimate the abilities of our Special Olympics athletes; athletes with intellectual disabilities. But by continually making this mistake, I, in essence, pretty much make them like everyone else. You see, the limitations that all of us place on each other determine how we perceive each other, treat each other, like each other, fear each other, raise each other up or marginalize each other. Ask most coaches out there and they will tell you that the biggest limitations on any student athlete are the ones coaches place upon them, too slow, not big enough or not tough enough. It is not much different in the classroom where teachers might see a student as too lazy, too distracted or not interested. Now compound that with Down syndrome, autism or an undiagnosed disability resulting in a student's inability to keep up with peers. In most cases, the limitations in a school environment that moves all too fast, are enormous. And even in schools with wonderful inclusive classroom environments, the opportunity to interact and really build friendships and relationships remains limited. These students with intellectual disabilities are, in most cases, not receiving an opportunity to really participate in sports; an activity that, at its heart, teaches teamwork, trust and communication. Sports are probably more conducive to building relationships and creating friendships than possibly any other school activity. Throw in the opportunity to "wear the colors" and represent your school and you create an emotional bond that may be the most inclusive opportunity for any student. Imagine a partnership between Special Olympics and high schools

Law Offices of

Rick Jeffrey has been the President of Special Olympics Virginia since 2000.

ROBERT H. DEADERICK, PC

Give a Child

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Something to

Former Captain U..S.. Army "Serving the Service" Military Welcome Millrace North, 725 Jackson Street, Suite 218, Fredericksburg 540.371.5100 Deadericklaw.com deadlaw@verizon.net

throughout Virginia. Imagine the opportunity for a student with an intellectual (or any) disability to play alongside his or her peers without disabilities in a Unified Sports team environment; to rely on each other, to communicate with each other, to become Champions Together. Imagine no more because Champions Together is here. In fact, it's right here in Spotsylvania at Gateway & Courthouse Academies, and Massaponax and Riverbend high schools - and in 21 other high schools in Virginia. This partnership with the Virginia High School League is aimed at bringing together youth with and without disabilities to build the first unified generation - a generation where youth will not be afraid to live, work and THRIVE alongside their peers with different ability levels. Champions Together high schools formed inclusive track and field teams this spring that compete against other local high schools. The Champions Together program is new, and as it develops, we will learn a lot. And do you know who we will learn this from? We will learn it from our young people with and without disabilities who, through their participation and ownership of this inclusive program, will prove to us they are the future. Let's Play Unified!

June 2015

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Think About FREDERICKSBURGCOLLABORATIVE

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

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

A Perfect Marriage

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Garden Clubs & Hospice Organizations

Susan Larson is Publisher of Fredericksburg .Today online news and interim host of "Town Talk" 8 - 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on News Talk 1230 WFVA photo by Susan Larson

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

540/371-9890

Champions Together Special Olympics & VA High School League

Law Offices of

Rick Jeffrey has been the President of Special Olympics Virginia since 2000.

ROBERT H. DEADERICK, PC

Give a Child

Personal Injury Criminal Law Wrongful Death DUI Suspended License Reckless Driving CDL Traffic

Something to

Former Captain U..S.. Army "Serving the Service" Military Welcome Millrace North, 725 Jackson Street, Suite 218, Fredericksburg 540.371.5100 Deadericklaw.com deadlaw@verizon.net

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Think About FREDERICKSBURGCOLLABORATIVE

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

810 Caroline Street (540) 371-5684

front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

My Favorite Places

Fredericksburg Sketches

June Pick: kenmore park

A visual Celebration of our community

By Callista Kathryn Dunn

By Casey Alan Shaw

I interviewed Alea Bryar from the Fredericksburg Area Service League. She is their current President. They funded the playground equipment at Kenmore Park.

Q: How did you raise the money? A: We had two major fundraisers: the Junior Cotillion Program and the Decorator Showcase. The Junior Cotillion program teaches Middle Schoolers etiquette and dance and is held every fall. For the Decorators Showcase, designers decorated a house downtown and it was open for tours. Between the two events, we raised enough funds to renovate the playground. Q: Do you have plans for any new equipment or parks? A: There are no plans for new parks right now. New plan ideas are submitted to the Board and then voted on by membership.

Fredericksburg Time Co.

Six year old Callie loves FXBG!. She especially loves the time she and her brothers get to spend in Kenmore Park.

- By Frank Fratoe

Sometimes a sketch is simply about a tree. Or a chair. Or an intriguing brick wall with cool blue shutters. But sometimes a sketch isn't about what you see at all. It's about people who don't even appear in the sketch. It can be about friendships and camaraderie, even though the sketch may appear somewhat lonely to the casual observer. This particular sketch is my personal farewell to a great lady. She's retiring, closing the store and moving to live closer to family. As a result, her days will, I'm sure, continue to be filled with joy. But I just wanted her to know that her "family" here will miss her. Plus, I'll have to admit, it was great fun to draw those cool blue shutters. Casey Alan Shaw is a local artist. He exhibits his original artwork at Art First Gallery and at www.caseyshaw.com.

Exclusively at 606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg

Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940

373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org

jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com

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

212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9:30-6; Sat 9:30-5

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

Time Traveling and Gardenias

By Rim Vining

THE POETRY MAN SKETCH #8: Patio behind the Griffin Bookshop.

From My Porch

roll model Boomers are the model building generation. Revelle, AMT, Monogram – the greats. Allowances and grass cutting revenue spent buying models at Western Auto on a typical Saturday morning accounted for 50% of the store’s weekly take. My father built trains and my brother built airplanes and ships. I built cars. Go figure. Car models were pretty cheap. The 29 cent versions had very few parts and the bodies weren’t even one piece. You had to glue the sides on the damn car which is when you found out how bad you were at gluing anything together without getting glue everywhere. Step up a little to an AMT kit and you get a one piece body and maybe a few extra “hot rod” pieces to jazz up the stock kit… and this is where we come to the fork in the road. There are two kinds of model builders; those who strive for accuracy and attention to detail like my father who built HO gauge trains but didn’t do layouts because you can’t make HO scale water and those who have to modify

Q: How did you get the playground equipment? A: We had fundraisers to purchase the new playground equipment. We were able to raise $50,000 in donations for the renovations.

Q: How do I get a brick with my name on it for the path? A: The bricks are $50 a piece. The form is on The Fredericksburg Area Service League Website. The money raised goes to our signature programs such as the Books in Hand program. This provided 2000 books to local children. We also offer college scholarships and funding for middle school science camp. Our newest program is the book bank at The Children's Museum of Richmond in Fredericksburg. The funds are used to purchase books for their reading room. We also donate money to several programs including Head Start and the Fairy Godmother Project.

AutoKnown Better

Hidden Presence (At Snowden Wetland)

Nearly everytime I look up when roaming the canal path I can hear a Carolina-Wren singing his three loud notes redone twice, then suffixed by one note as exclamation. But no image appears there because he uses the foliage to project a thicket-wall concealing the perch above where melodies reverberate out of a miniature throat. Snarers have not caged him nor clipped his wingfeathers to render escape hopeless for he will dart unhindered anywhere the air takes hin and call with hidden voice. Do we have to see something before knowing it is there? Frank Fratoe lives & writes in the city.

everything they touch. Don’t pretend you don’t know who I’m talking about. My father built the engines, the rail cars and the shops along his HO track and his Pool Hall had all the balls on the table painted the correct colors… with stripes. Others get a ’66 Galaxie from AMT and take a section out of the middle, shorten the frame accordingly, use deep-dish chrome wheels from a T-bucket kit and add a teardrop hood scoop ‘cause why not? Model building was considered an acceptable gentleman’s recreation. Building a ship in a bottle is considered a noble pursuit like stamp collecting. Putting glue on the wings of a plane or under the hood of a car, setting it on fire and then rolling it down a ramp into the creek? Not so noble. The model industry of my youth gave us special saws to cut plastic and glues and bondo to reassemble our creations. They also gave us special files and the Dremel tool to finish the job. Testor and Pactra had all kinds of paints and even candy colors for hot rods. A 50’s Studebaker pickup in flat black with a light overspray of gold metallic still looks pretty cool. Many of the model builders of my generation moved on to using torches and plasma cutters on the real thing doing to steel what we did to plastic. I have one in the shop now that started life as a ’51 Mercury and then at some point twenty years ago a custom shop made it into the AMT model of someone’s dreams. It is chopped and lowered, the grille is from a Vette, the tail lights from a Lincoln and the interior is rolled and pleated on the roof, the doors, the seats and even the floors. One local model guy is still collecting AMT kits and has most of the wall space in his garage at work stacked with unopened ‘future’ projects. I notice he has the same abundance of ‘future’ projects at his house and just one little table to build them on. I also don’t see any completed cars. Hmmm… maybe he sells them at the Model Auto Auction or maybe they’re in the creek? I do have a question. Model parts come attached to ‘trees’ in the kit; should you paint the pieces while they are still on the tree or take them off first? There’s always that pesky little nub when you tear it off the tree…

We are treated every month to Rim’s wit and wisdom.

By Jo Loving Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. ~Charles R. Swindoll I have been traveling today. I never left my porch, but I have traveled through time and space. No, this is not going to be a science fiction story. This morning, I stepped out onto the porch with my Earl Grey tea, sat in my favorite wicker chair, and listened to the morning birds. A few minutes after I sat down, a familiar scent wafted in on the whispery wind. Gardenias. The Gardenias are in bloom. Did you hear me? THE GARDENIAS ARE IN BLOOM! Good grief, who gets excited about Gardenias? Me. Why? I’ll tell you a story. I’ll start out as my granddaughter, Ava, does, when she tells a story: One time, there was a house. It was a simple house: white clapboard, black shutters, small front porch, a single story. In the house lived an old lady, an old man, and a little dog. The old lady cooked all the time. There was one time of year when she did not like to cook, because of the heat, but she did cook a meal of only vegetables. She cooked peas and butterbeans, fried cornbread, sliced fresh tomatoes, and rice. For dessert, she baked a pineapple upside down cake in a huge, black, cast-iron skillet. This was not “meatless Monday,” as we know it today. She just did not like to cook or eat meat when it was hot. It was early summer in Florida, and it was hot. “Tommy,” she called to her husband, “Supper’s ready.” Tommy moseyed into the kitchen, patted her shoulder, and said, “OK, Shug.” She asked, “Can you put ice in

the glasses and pour the tea?” Again, Tommy replied, “OK, Shug,” got the ice, put it in the fancy iced tea glasses, and poured the tea in. You could hear the ice cracking slightly as the still-hot, freshlymade tea entered the glass. He took the glasses in and put them on the table. “Jo,” the old lady said, “It’s time to eat.” “Ok, Nanny,” I said, and skipped my 7-year-old self to the table. We said grace, and then we started talking. Nanny said, “I love this time of year.” “Why, Nanny, I said. “Because the gardenias bloom.” “What’s a gardenia?” I asked. “It’s the most beautiful and sweet-smelling flower of all, Jo.” “Where are they?” I asked. “On a bush in the front yard. We’ll go see them after supper.” I couldn’t wait to go outside. I hurried through the delicious supper, helped clear the table, and asked, “Nanny, can we go see the gardenias?” “I guess we can,” she said, as she walked out onto the porch. We walked across the yard, my hand in hers, and she stopped at a bush covered with white flowers. “These are gardenias, Jo, and I love when they bloom. It makes me think about prom and graduation, when the boys would give the girls gardenias to wear with their dresses. Here, you can take this one. Smell it.” I inhaled its fragrance, the sweet smell of, to my grandmother, youth. We sat on the porch for much of the evening, me in Nanny’s lap in the rocking chair, talking about everything and nothing, and of gardenias. Jo Loving is enjoying the sight and scent from her porch of her large gardenia bush, the memories of her Nanny, and drinking iced tea while enjoying a vegetable supper on this early summer evening

Every Child Deserves A Family

Learn about our adoption opportunities Domestic & International

301-587-4400 Cradle of Hope Adoption Center front porch fredericksburg

June 2015

My Favorite Places

Fredericksburg Sketches

June Pick: kenmore park

A visual Celebration of our community

By Callista Kathryn Dunn

By Casey Alan Shaw

I interviewed Alea Bryar from the Fredericksburg Area Service League. She is their current President. They funded the playground equipment at Kenmore Park.

Fredericksburg Time Co.

Six year old Callie loves FXBG!. She especially loves the time she and her brothers get to spend in Kenmore Park.

- By Frank Fratoe

Exclusively at 606 Caroline Street Old Town Fredericksburg

Your Hometown Jeweler Since 1940

373-7847 www.gemstonecreations.org

jewelboxfredericksburgva.webs.com jewelbox14k@yahoo.com

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

212 William Street,Fredericksburg 540-373-5513 Mon-Fri 9:30-6; Sat 9:30-5

June 2015

Front porch fredericksburg

Where Fredericksburg Gets Engaged

Time Traveling and Gardenias

By Rim Vining

THE POETRY MAN SKETCH #8: Patio behind the Griffin Bookshop.

From My Porch

Q: How did you get the playground equipment? A: We had fundraisers to purchase the new playground equipment. We were able to raise $50,000 in donations for the renovations.

AutoKnown Better

Hidden Presence (At Snowden Wetland)

We are treated every month to Rim’s wit and wisdom.

Every Child Deserves A Family

Learn about our adoption opportunities Domestic & International

301-587-4400 Cradle of Hope Adoption Center front porch fredericksburg

June 2015