Middleburg Life, June 2014

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Volume 32 Issue 3 • June 2014 www.middleburglife.net

Getting Along in Business and in Life in Middleburg Fred Kohler and his son Rick Kohler look forward to Father’s Day

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A Father’s Day Tale:

in this issue:

MARC LEEPSON’S New Book!

PHOTO BY MISSY JANES 11


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looking for teachers who “value relationships with students and parents,” have the potential to be teacher leaders, and who “know the community in a deep, deep way because I’m going to need that.” She and her husband Simon live in Washington, DC, but plan to move closer to Middelburg. They have two children, a daughter who attends The University of British Columbia and a son at Carnegie Mellon University. Susana Calley, member of the Middleburg Community Charter School Board of Directors, described Smith as a curriculum expert with a reputation for being an excellent mentor for teachers. “We thought those were the two keys to make this a successful school, especially from the beginning,” Calley said. “We couldn’t have found anyone better to help us introduce something new and innovative.” The Middleburg Community Charter School will operate as a public charter school, funded through an approximately $11,700per pupil allotment from Loudoun County Public Schools, as well as grants and donations through a newly formed endowment. n

“We couldn’t have found anyone better to help us intro—Susana Calley Middleburg Parent

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he principal of the Middleburg Community Charter School, who will help get a school model new to Loudoun off the ground, has been named. Barbara Smith, a former charter school principal and teacher, will lead the effort to open the first public charter in Northern Virginia Aug. 4. Smith comes with experience leading and teaching in public, private, international, independent and charter schools in Canada, Belgium and the United States. She’s served as principal of The William E. Doar Public Charter School for the Performing Arts, a Washington, D.C., charter school since 2012, and worked as an educational consultant through a company called F1 Innovations for Education since 2010. Smith also taught at the University of Toronto, University of Saskatchewan and McGill University, and has published extensively, writing about innovative and exceptional practices in education, a press release from the charter school stated. She is originally from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, and holds a PhD. in curriculum from the University of Toronto. Smith first learned about the public charter school model—which comes with flexibility to meet federal and state education mandates—about six years ago when she helped get Jalen Rose Leadership Academy off the ground in Detroit, and she’s loved what it can provide students ever since. Many schools are designed first with the teachers in mind before the students, Smith said, “but the charter model has provided this new space for putting students at the center of education, and I love that. My goal has always been to develop a dream team who felt the same way.” Smith will help guide the school’s new take on education, with a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum called the Leonardo Da Vinci Project. She will begin her post almost immediately to help the board of directors hire the school’s team of teachers. As she begins to look through the more than 50 applications, Smith said she will be

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Middleburg Charter School Names First Principal

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VICKY MOON

Editor and Advertising Director (540) 687-6059 vickyannmoon@aol.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Pam Mickley Albers Cindy Fenton Dulcy Hooper Richard Hooper Betsy Burke Parker Leonard Shapiro Emily Tyler Marcia Woolman

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

July

Doug Gehlsen Janet Hitchen Victoria Ingenito Douglas Lees Tracy Meyer Karen Monroe

Deadlines:

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Middleburg’s oldest and most respected newspaper.

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MORE THAN JUST THE CORNER GARDEN

ally Bolton and her husband, Mark Boyd, are the proprietors of The Corner Garden in Middleburg, a business Sally originally started in 1983. They’ve been together since 1988, and with Sally suffering a stroke in September, 2012, Mark has taken over the day to day operation of the business. Mark recently spoke with Middleburg Life.

Tell us your background and how you got to Middleburg?

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y background is in building custom homes along Denver’s’ front-range starting in 1977. The foundations were the easy part; you only had to excavate half a hole and drop it down the side of the mountain. By 1978, I was being trained as a construction engineer. In 1986, Denver went bust and I came to Virginia for my sister’s wedding. One day, Sally Bolton, who owned The Corner Garden, bumped into me when she was coming out of the old Magpie Cafe in the summer of 1987 and we started talking. At the time, I was working in Arlington and she told me she needed a truck. Mine was the one. Then I started moving large American boxwoods for her off the Avoka Farm over to Salamander Farm. In addition to helping with the store, I do construction work as a carpenter.

With Mark Boyd hundred dollars to large ones involving thousands of dollars in flowers and decorating.

What are some of the more satisfying projects over the years?

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he Corner Garden has been involved with many property owners in the area. Sally has worked with owners to develop small gardens and large landscapes up to several acres. Those larger projects I think were the most fun and interesting. Looking out over several acres of property you’ve done for a client who enjoys the process is very satisfying. She has also done some very large weddings, bringing in florists from around the area to help in the arrangements and setup. Flowers are a major part of a large wedding, and getting it all done takes a lot of time and effort. She always enjoys the work. I’m the guy she buys a dinner or breakfast sandwich for to take it all apart and move it out. She has always given directions well.

How has the business changed over the years?

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s the population all around us has grown, we find ourselves delivering to a wider area. That being said, every grocery store now carries flowers. As a small shop in town we can’t compete with their prices. We can only compete on a quality basis. The shop provided many arrangements to the Salamander Resort & Spa when it had its opening and they continue to order from us. The resort has been good for business.

Sally has had some serious medical problems in recent years. How is she doing?

Middleburg Memories withSEd Wright What does The Corner Garden offer to its customer base?

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e have some retail items you can purchase--vases, pots, statuary, outdo or furniture-- and we can get almost anything you might need in the way of plants and trees, installed or just delivered to your house. We also maintain properties, do spring cleanup, mowing, planting trees and gardens. We prefer to plant species native to Virginia. The maintenance is lower and the plants do better. If it takes much more than water and a little organic fertilizer to keep the plants or trees going, you may have chosen the wrong item. The weather and nature can make plantings a real chore and losing planting after years of good growth isn’t unusual.

BOOKED UP

What are your most popular products?

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he’s getting physical therapy several days a week and is walking with help a few times a week. She still knows who everybody is around town and her spirits are good. She enjoys music therapy a few days a week--singing, playing instruments. I think her speaking again may take some time. She still enjoys flowers and gardens, and when she’s up and walking I’m sure she will want to continue with the creative aspects of the business. In the meantime, I have the opportunity to learn how to read her mind. This secret will be released to all men at a later date in this newspaper.

’d say flower arrangements for all occasions. We’ve done thousands of them, for small or large events. Whatever someone wants, we’ve probably already done something similar. Weddings are a major part of the business--small ones for a few

Are there any thoughts about expanding the business, perhaps opening other shops?

The company is being re-organized. We’re getting back to basics, trying to provide the best, high quality flowers we can. The store in town is the only one we want.

And what is it that makes Middleburg so special? It’s a nice, small town on the edge of everywhere. It’s full of good, friendly people, quite safe and convenient. And it’s always been a good place to do business. n


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Middleburg’s Master of Many Trades By Leonard Shapiro For Middleburg Life

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s one of nine children raised by a single mother in a tenant house just outside the town of Middleburg, it did not take Tony Thomas very long to develop an energetic work ethic that carries over to the multi-faceted company he now owns and operates. The name “Thomas Lawn and Landscape Construction” hardly covers all the services his business can perform, from stone masonry to mowing, from painting to patio installation, from plumbing to plastering, from kitchen and bathroom remodeling to roofing, both shingle and metal. “And if I can’t do it, I know someone who can,” said Thomas, 42, who also is well known around the Middleburg area as an affable and highly-skilled bartender at countless private parties and other functions. That specialty was taught to him by his brother David, a long-time bartender at The Red Fox, with Tony often at his side. The company is a family affair, with all his brothers—James (Bubba), William, Richard and David pitching in on various assignments, as does Tony’s son, 21-year-old Jake. Tony’s

wife, Shawn, has a master’s degree in education and teaches fulltime in Ashburn, but also helps out by looking after the books. “I guess I would call us a landscaping company, with a lot of twists,” Tony Thomas said. “We’ve never done a lot of advertising. People hear about us by word of mouth. I grew up in a world where people always said the work sells itself. We’re always busy, so I guess our work does sell itself.” Thomas credits his mother Gertrude, now living in Millwood, for instilling in him and his siblings the importance of working hard and leaving idle time to others. “I still don’t know how she did it,” he said. “But she’s a very strong woman. She was always telling us that ‘nothing is going to come to you. You have to go out and get it yourself.’” The family lived on the Iselin farm just outside of town, and Thomas said he learned many of his skills simply by observing work done by various contractors who came out to the property. As a teenager, he got to know the late Billy Dew, a longtime Middleburg architect who designed many buildings in and around the town. Dew also offered many encouraging words when young Tony studied to become a certified draftsman after graduating from Loudoun County High School. There have been other mentors along the

Tony Thomas Photo by Leonard Shapiro

way. “I come from a family of stone masons,” he said. “My grandfather, Beverly Thomas, and some of my uncles did that work. My wife’s father, Gordon Croson, was a stone mason and a police officer in Luray. I learned from all of them. I built my first wall at 15 or 16 just picking up rocks and mimicking what they were doing at the Iselins. I kind of picked it up and it stuck with me. I guess it’s in the genes, but I am not just a stone mason.” Before going out on his own, Thomas worked for several years as a retail manager for the Meadows Farm location on Route 50 in Aldie, not far from Route 606. “I would look at the numbers,” he said, “and I’m doing all the work and they’re the ones who are raking it in. I just thought to myself man, I can do this on my own.” And so he did. He first started as a bartender at the

old Maxwell’s restaurant, now the Red Horse Tavern. And soon he found himself working alongside David at the Red Fox, and for many years sideby-side with his brother at birthdays, cocktail parties and weddings all around. As a result, he laughed, “I know everything that’s going on in Middleburg. But it’s all closed lips. That’s part of the deal. It’s what keeps me coming back. People know that I know a private party is a private party.” As if he doesn’t already have enough to do, Thomas also has been serving as a member of the board at Buchanan Hall in Upperville, helping to raise money and focusing on the building and grounds in a facility where he also has been known to mix a drink or three. “A lot of our family came through Upperville and I remember it before it was renovated a few years back,” he said. “Oh yeah, I bartended there a few times. But as I get a little older, I figure I also need to give back. I do a few other things around town, too. It’s where we live. It’s important.” n

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No matter where they’re from Patience Brewster’s three Wise Men Are here welcoming her

Photo by Betsy Burke Parker

A field of greens at Bull Run Mountain Farm.

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June 2014

Field to Table

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World Edition- Holy Trinity 2014

Wisdom Gallery

10 South Madison Street, Middleburg, Virginia

540-687-3909

Close By at Bull Run Mountain Farm

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By BETSY BURKE PARKER For Middleburg Life

t’s a new way of gardening without getting your hands dirty. Virginia’s oldest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm is celebrating its 20th year of continuous harvest by doing just what you’d expect— planting tidy rows of tomatoes, peppers hot and mild, thousands of sweet potato vines and hundreds of tiny herb starts. It’s more food for an army of hungry shareholders, Bull Run Mountain Farm owneroperator Leigh Hauter said. And more seasonal local delicacies passively teaching a new way of life, a new way of looking at food, he added. “Outside of doing it yourself,” he explained, “this is the best possible way to eat healthy and local, support your community farmers, and become part of something that is a growing trend.” Quite literally, it turns out. Hauter farms part of some 13,000 acres measured for CSA farms in Virginia. The family-owned and -operated farm provides fresh, subscription vegetables grown using organic techniques without chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Bull Run is GMO-free. “It’s a way to feel good about what you’re putting in your body,” Hauter said. Leigh and his wife, Wenonah, operate the business on 25 acres on the larger 100-acre Bull Run Mountain Farm parcel that stretches up the southwest marches of Leathercoat Mountain in the Bull Run range between The Plains and Broad Run. Catlett Branch tumbles off the mountain— some know the 1,300-foot peak as Highpoint— the creek running bold through the farm before spilling far below into Broad Run near Beverley Mill. Hauter, who works sunup to sundown seven days a week, 10 months a year, said the working farm utilizes practices and methods both new and old to increase production and lessen pests. Not sprayed with chemical fertilizer since the 1960s, Bull Run Mountain Farm crews spread rich compost and chicken litter on fields each spring. Pesticide isn’t required because

crops have less pressure from bugs because of Hauter’s strict field rotation schedule. Irrigation tanks are filled with spring water from two artesian springs, keeping crops well hydrated. Greenhouses are warmed with a wood-fired duct system that warms the roots of young plants to give them a head start for early harvest. Another greenhouse is kept open to allow air circulation so tomatoes and other frost-fragile crops can get an extended harvest period as the season winds down in fall. Bull Run Mountain Farm is among the region’s leaders in the winning CSA formula. CSAs, variously called a subscription vegetable program, allow members to get fresh, local, seasonal vegetables, herbs and flowers each week throughout the growing season. Bull Run’s season runs 19 weeks, from early June through late October. Members are invited to “pickin’ parties” at the farm. Hauter invites shareholders to the farm to pick spring greens and to comb over piles of garlic bulbs and other overage Hauter plucks from beds as he preps for planting. Shareholders sign up for a specific size share and Hauter measures amounts suitable for one person, a couple, a family of four, and larger by request. Costs range from $500 for a one-person share to $1,400 for a family plan. Considering that works out to less than $25 per week, it’s a good deal for buyers as well as the producer. By pre-selling his harvest, in effect, Hauter is able to better plan and execute his gardens. By pre-purchasing fresh veggies, shareholders sign up for healthy local food almost year-round. Members then pick up their weekly harvest at designated pick-up spots around Northern Virginia and at the farm entrance. Hauter and his crew harvest enough vegetables and herbs to supply the number of shares for the day’s drop spot. They place veggies in separate bins and label accordingly—“four tomatoes per share,” reads one bin sign. “Take all you want,” reads a note on a bonus crop container of onions. Hauter said his version of the “honor system” has worked well. One of the main questions about CSAs is “what kind of food will I get?” Continued on Next Page


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enonah Hauter is executive director of policy watch group Food & Water Watch. She has worked extensively on food, water, energy, and environmental issues at the national, state and local level. Her book “Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming in America” examines the corporate consolidation and control over our food system and what it means for farmers and consumers. When she was 11, Hauter’s father bought Bull Run Mountain Farm, where she says she developed appreciation for what it really means to grow food—she picked potato bugs, plucked chickens and chopped kindling. From 1997 to 2005, she served as director of Public Citizen’s Energy and Environment Program, which focused on water, food, and energy policy. From 1989 to 1995 she was at the Union of Concerned Scientists where, as a senior organizer, she coordinated broad-based, grassroots sustainable energy campaigns in several states. Hauter has a master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of Maryland. She assists with farm operations when not working out of her Washington, D.C. office. —Betsy Burke Parker

Bull Run Mountain Farm Continued from Page 6

What you get, what you love Broccoli Brussels Sprouts String Beans Lima Beans Beets Cabbage Cilantro Chinese Cabbage Cauliflower Sweet Corn Cucumbers Eggplant Flowers Garlic Flowers Garlic Gourds Arugula Mizuna Tatsoi Pac Choi Swiss Chard Lettuce Leeks Mustard Greens Stir Fry Mix Okra Onions Mesclun Mix Parsley Sweet Peppers Hot Peppers Pumpkin Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Radish Spinach Zucchini Summer Squash Winter Squash Cherry Tomatoes Tomatoes Tomatillos Husk Tomatoes Rutabaga Watermelon Honey

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“In June, in the Washington area you will get a lot of greens—lettuce, pak choi, arugula, mizuna, tatsoi,” Hauter said. “The vegetables most people are accustomed to eating in summer—tomatoes, peppers, squash, string beans and eggplant, don’t actually ripen locally until mid-July. People think that because you see it in a supermarket must mean it’s ‘in season.’ That’s not always the case.” Hauter said seemingly “seasonal” produce still comes from far away, South America much of it, or Florida and Texas. “This is a radical departure from the international food distribution system,” Hauter said. “Remember, the average distance that the food in your grocery store has traveled is well over 2,000 miles. With us, the vegetables travel less than 40 miles from our farm to your table.” Shareholders are invited to the farm anytime—whether just to spend a day in the country snipping their own fresh flowers (there are usually extras in the beds lining rows near the original 1700s stucco farmhouse) or helping plant and harvest. Special events planned all year give CSA members a sense of kinship with the farmer, a direct link to the soil. Something of an unexpected benefit of being part of a CSA program, member Jackie Burke said, is “learning how to cook what you get, rather than just doing the same old thing. Weekly offerings are standard—tomatoes, potatoes, onions. But you also get the unusual—I mean, tell me if you know what to do with a tomatillo, or a big sprig of valerian, or how to cook mizuna or pak choi. “Once I became a member, I started branching out from the endless monotony of tomato sandwiches all summer to having a sautéed tatsoi salad with a sorrel-topped omelette for lunch.” Mouth watering yet? Hauter is counting on it. “It’s just a perfect way to connect people to the bounty of the farm,” he said. “We grow more than 50 different types of vegetable, plus about every kitchen herb you could use. And eggs and honey. There’s so much choice, and you can really eat healthy without having to do the work yourself.” n

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Texas Tuxedo Gala Will Benefit Middleburg Humane Foundation By Dulcy Hooper For Middleburg Life

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rom dogs and cats and horses to furred and feathered creatures of every size and shape, Middleburg Humane Foundation has provided a safe haven for abused, abandoned and neglected animals for more than

25 years. Among those animals is “Joey,” a baby donkey who was rescued by MHF and who is now in the organization’s Equine Rescue Program. Joey is featured in the invitation artwork created by local artist David Braun for MHF’s June 14 “Texas Tuxedo: Boots & Pearls” dinner dance. The oil painting will be available in the silent auction. “This is MHF’s major fundraiser for the year,” said Hilleary Bogley, founder and president of Middleburg Humane Foundation. Bogley noted that MHF does not receive any state, county or federal money, and that the event helps raise greatly needed funds. MHF specializes in the rescue and rehabilitation of animals from a variety of abusive situations and give them a second chance at life. Among MHF’s programs are low-cost spaying and neutering, emergency medical care, compassionate feral cat population control, chained dog assistance, equine and livestock rescue, behavioral enrichment, cruelty investigations and the pet food bank. “Through the hard work of our staff, volunteers, and the whole community,” Bogley said, “we can rehabilitate and find quality homes for approximately 500 animals each year.”

The numbers tell a daunting story: There are 45 cats and dogs for every person born; only one out of 10 dogs ever gets a home and only one out of 12 cats ever gets a home. Through Photo by Janet Hitchen, courtesy of Middleburg Humane Foundation MHF’s feral cat proHilleary Bogley and Kim Zimmerman of Middleburg Humane Foundation. gram, the organization has trapped, altered and “human companions” whose lives have been released approximately enriched by the experience of taking on a rescue. 100 cats each year and MHF’s 20th annual silent auction dinner has spayed and neutered dance is going country this year. Although the more than 3,000 cats. If event has been black tie for the past 19 years, only half of those cats there is only one strongly-worded suggestion were female, it is easy for the evening’s “Texas Tuxedo” dress code, Photo courtesy of Middleburg Humane Foundation to see how a feral cat according to Bogley: Guests should wear “comfy colony can truly go viral. Local artist David Braun’s oil painting of Joey The Donkey will be in dancing boots or shoes” and plan for a fun-filled “Although we are the silent auction at Middleburg Humane Foundation’s Dinner Dance evening of dancing on gravel, cobblestone and proud of the number on June 14. grass. Live music will be provided by Urban of animals we have were cared for in foster homes and the proceeds Funk, and a Texas-style feast served up by Tutti helped,” Bogley said, “MHF focuses on the quality of care and adop- from Scruffy’s were used to cover the costs of Perricone of Backstreet Catering. In addition to Braun’s painting of “Joey,” tions.” MHF takes abused and neglected animals spaying, neutering and other veterinary care. While Scruffy’s did not raise much money, there will be a Pet Portrait Champagne Raffle that other shelters do not accept. In addition to her work at MHF, Bogley serves as humane it did generate community awareness and sup- featuring artists Gail Guirreri, Roxan Waluk, port, bringing many concerned people, volun- Kitty Dodd, and Jennet Inglis. Only 100 investigator for Fauquier County. “Although humane work is really hard,” she teers and community leaders together. In 1994, chances will be sold for four separate drawMHF was incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit ings to win pet portraits by the artist of your said, “it is so gratifying. I love what I do.” MHF’s history is well known to many: In organization, complete with a board of direc- choice. n “Texas Tuxedo” will take place on Saturday, December, 1987, Bogley opened Scruffy’s Ice tors. Plans are now well underway for MiddleCream Parlor to gain community support for burg Humane Foundation’s expansion in a new June 14, in the carriage barn at Mrs. George L. Ohrstrom’s Berrywick Farm in The Plains. Tickets a shelter in Middleburg. For the first six years, 23-acre shelter and headquarters. Bogley’s dedication to animals and her are $250 per person. Reserved tables of eiight for an adoption program called Scruffy’s Strays was run through the ice cream parlor, with pictures many years of animal welfare experience have $2,500. For more information, please contact and stories posted on the walls. Needy animals made her a beloved fixture in the Middleburg Kim Zimmerman at mhfdtn@earthlink.net or call area. She draws rave reviews from the many MHF at (540) 364-3272

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you light a fire, have a glass of wine or sherry and just enjoy everything around you.” There was not much joy when half the original property’s acreage in the Tysons area was taken over by eminent domain in the early 1980s by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to make way for more development, with plans to bulldoze the house and a barn, as well. Nevertheless, Norman Smith was determined to save the log house. It was literally taken apart, log by log, nail by nail by Charles McRaven, a Charlottesvillebased restorer, with each piece meticulously numbered before it was loaded on a flatbed truck and moved out to its

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current location. It took three years to put it all back together in its original state. Fairfax Found, accessible off the Snickersville Pike by a short driveway leading to a pine-covered circle, is now surrounded by trees, shrubbery, rolling lawns and fields. The entire estate also is lined by a perfectly constructed stonewall, built by captured Hessian prisoners after the Revolutionary War. “We did it for the love of history, the love of nature and the love of this kind of artistry. It just had to be preserved,” said Tillotson-Smith, adding that eight acres of the property are in easement and anyone who ever purchases the property must agree that the house will always be preserved. After all, the Tysons Corner land and home that Fairfax owned was part of the huge land grant given to him by King George—thousands of acres from the Chesapeake Bay west and long before there were “United States.” He was therefore presumed to be the builder/owner/occupant, and was often accompanied on his forays overseeing the grant acreage by his surveyor, the young George Washington. Tillotson-Smith said the home somehow also managed to survive unscathed through the Civil War. It was actually abandoned at the start of the conflict, with troops both blue and grey trading the property back and forth, and the house stood empty for many years after the war ended. “When my husband purchased the property, he was told by the then-owner that when he had purchased it, there were still dishes on the table from the family’s breakfast,” TillotsonSmith said. “Troops from one side or the other were advancing, so they just left the house and didn’t come back. But it was never harmed. No one tried to burn it, and it was never really affected by the weather. Now the logs are petrified. You can’t even get a nail into it.” Tillotson-Smith has gotten plenty of other things into it over the years—European antique furniture, thick Oriental carpets, period paintings and porcelains on the walls as well as vintage quilts and samplers. There’s even a Chickering baby grand piano that doubles as a playerpiano and the reconstruction also preserved a grand-double-sided native stone fireplace. “Everything is old,” Tillotson-Smith said. “And everything we did was a true labor of love.” n

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he late Norman Longfellow Smith always had a sense of history. He was the fifth great-grandson of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and when he first saw the old log farmhouse located on land that is now known as Tysons Corner, he knew he had to have it. Never mind that the house had been painted over in white, with red asphalt shingles and many other out-ofcontext modern amenities. He was in the CIA back then in 1956, a war hero with a Bronze Star and Photo by Leonard Shapiro a Purple Heart who signed up Carolyn Tillotson-Smith to fight in World War II when he was 16 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery after his death in 2008. The house, he had learned, was one of the oldest log homes in Virginia, dating back to 1732 and built on land originally owned by the Fifth Lord Fairfax. Smith’s goal “was to restore it to its original state,” said his widow, Carolyn Tillotson-Smith. “He wanted to get rid of all the modern trappings except for central heat and air conditioning so we could live in it. How do we know it was that old? When we decided to save the house, we called in a state historian and architect from Richmond. They started in the basement and went all the way up to the attic and they were able to date it within five or six years.” The property in Middleburg is named Fairfax Found. These days, the log house sits on 11 lush acres on the Snickersville Turnpike, and Tillitson-Smith has turned it into one of the more unusual bed and breakfasts in the area, the Lord Fairfax Country House. Upstairs in the saltbox home (two stories in front, one in back) is a king-sized bedroom suite perfectly suited for couples. If they want to bring family or friends along, there is another suite available in the more modern “California House,” connected to the log structure by a breezeway. “I’ll never mix two groups of strangers,” Tillotson-Smith said. “We treat it as a private house, not a hostelry. It’s a one-of-a-kind place, with a big common room (with a vaulted ceiling) and dining room for guests to gather for breakfast. It’s just such an intimate house, where

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Clean Up for Your Gardens & Property Maintenance

The silhouette portrait of Astley is from “Astley’s System of Equestrian Education” first published in 1801.

By RICHARD HOOPER For Middleburg Life

Since 1983

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hilip Astley, known as the Father of the Modern Circus, was a large and commanding man. While serving in the British cavalry, his duties included breaking and training horses, at which he became known as an expert. Discharged in 1765 after seven years of service, he decided on a livelihood centered on equestrian performances. Astley had been given his white charger by his commanding officer when he left the service, but more were needed. At the Smithfield horse market in London, he spotted a very small, brown horse, unimpressive in nearly all physical attributes. Something about this horse resonated within Astley and he purchased Billy. Astley began training Billy at high school riding and at liberty. Billy was first trained to lie on the ground until commanded to rise, carry things in his mouth, undo his own girth and take off his saddle. Other tricks were added over the years and included pouring tea and serving it from a tray, telling time and distinguishing men from women. Astley was also training other horses at this time, but with Billy, he had great plans. Little Billy, as he was called by those who worked with him, went by the stage name of Little Military Learned Horse and was a star performer. Astley would announce to the audience that Little Billy was sick and as Astley recited militaristic poetry, the horse would appear to become worse; getting weaker and weaker, he would lie down and feign death. Eventually, as Astley’s poem neared its rousing end, he declared the need to stand and fight for England, at which point Little Billy would suddenly rise and fire a pistol. It was a huge crowd pleaser, and not unusual for Billy’s prolonged “death” to bring tears to the eyes of the audience. Early on, before Astley opened his first

permanent establishment, he would mount his white charger and lead Little Billy north to perform at local fairs in the autumn. When winter began to set in, they returned to London over muddy or frozen roads, riding through rain and snow, to await the opening of the next season, which began at Easter. Little Billy earned enough money for Astley to build his first permanent show ground with a grandstand. Little Billy performed before King George III. He crossed the English Channel to France in the rat-infested hold of a wooden sailing vessel to delight King Louis XV at Fontainebleau in 1771, and performed before Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette at Versailles in 1783. The bonds between Astley and Billy grew stronger with each passing year. In London, Little Billy continued to be a major attraction. In 1793, with France and England at war against each other, Astley was in the process of re-enlisting when he was approached by a fellow performer, Abraham Saunders. Saunders’ theater had burned to the ground; subsequently his entire troop and all of his horses drowned in the Irish Channel. He wanted to borrow the Little Military Learned Horse to help rebuild his business. Astley offered him money, but Saunders pleaded for Little Billy. Distracted by his own preparations and against his better judgment, Astley relented. Saunders was deeply in debt and within a week Little Billy was seized, along with anything else in Saunders’ possession, and sold at auction. By the time the news reached Astley, no one could recall who had made the purchase. Little Billy was gone and Astley, deeply wounded from this loss, crossed the channel to engage the French. Astley had been in service about a year when he received word that his theater had been destroyed by fire. He obtained a discharge, returned to London and built a new theater, but without Little Billy. Another year passed and two men arrived at the theater requesting that Astley come down to the street. They were holding Little Billy. The two men were employees of Astley and, by chance, had spotted Little Billy attached to a cart at a far edge of London. One of the men knew that Astley clicked his thumbnail as a command. When the little brown horse responded to this cue, they knew they had found him. Little Billy did his full repertoire of tricks for several more years. In semi-retirement he occasionally performed a piaffe with fireworks all around. In full retirement he was lovingly cared for. Little Billy passed away in his sleep at an age that must have been well into his 40s. n Richard Hooper is an antiquarian book expert and dealer in Middleburg. He also specializes in art objects related to dogs, horses and equestrian sports. In addition, he does fine woodworking.


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Leepson on Key With Latest Book By Leonard Shapiro For Middleburg Life

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or historian Marc Leepson, it was one of those hot-shower, Eureka!!! moments three years ago as he brainstormed the possibilities for the subject of his next book. At first, he focused on the year 2014, when he knew his next project would likely

Middleburg author Marc Leepson

wind up between hard covers. Then he thought of anniversaries, specifically 100 years ago and the start of World War I. Over the next few days, he did his due diligence before concluding that countless other authors had examined that conflict over the years, leaving little else but slim pickings to explore. Then he went back another 100 years, to 1814. When he was researching “Flag: An American Biography,” his popular history of the Stars and Stripes in 2003, he also recalled writing about the “The Star Spangled Banner,” composed in 1814 by Francis Scott Key. It was Eureka!!! all over again, shower not included. What about Key? Had there been any recent biographies? Was he interesting enough to carry a whole book? Next came Amazon’s web site, where he discovered the last two Key biographies were published in 1935 and 1937 and were hardly critically acclaimed at that. Better yet, they were both out of print, available only on the dusty shelves of the occasional used book store, if at all. “That’s when I called my agent (Joe Vallely),” long-time Middleburg resident Leepson recalled in a recent interview. “Joe usually specializes in telling me that my ideas are the worst he’s ever heard in 30 years of publishing. This time, when I told him there had only been two books on Key, and they were written 75 years ago, he said ‘are you sure?’ Yes I was. And then I wrote the proposal and he sold it.” The result of that conversation is now available in bookstores and on Amazon, a splendid biography of Key entitled “What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, a Life.” This is not one of those doorstop 800-page snore-inducing tomes your American history professor always seemed to

So Proudly We Hailed By Marc Leepson

This is an excerpt from “So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life,” a new biography of Francis Scott Key written by Middleburg author and historian Marc Leepson.

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he man could talk. The well-connected, highly successful Washington, D.C., lawyer—the scion of an aristocratic Maryland family— was known throughout the Early American Republic for his multifaceted oratorical skills: in the courtroom, in front of patriotic, religious, and political gatherings, and in the salon-like atmosphere of his well-appointed Georgetown home. “From the moment he arose” to speak at a trial in 1811, one courtroom observer wrote, “the crowd was brought back from the doors and every adjoining part of the house,” drawn by his “peculiar celebrity… as an orator.” The celebrated orator loved poetry. From the time he was a child, he spun out rhyming verses with prolific regularity—verses that with one giant exception were at best overly flowery and at worse, embarrassingly amateurish. Verses that their author never meant to be seen or read outside the circle of his family and friends. The giant exception was the patriotic poem he wrote on the fateful night of September 13-14, 1814, during one of the War of 1812’s most ferocious and crucial engagements, the Battle of Baltimore. That night a massive British fleet of warships tried to pound the city into sub-

mission with a constant stream of bomb, mortar and rocket shells as an intense thunderstorm punctuated the darkness. The poem that thirty-five-year-old Francis Scott Key wrote that night—first titled “The Defence of Ft. M’Henry”—contained lines that have melded into the fabric of American life. Put to music, the words morphed into “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which became the official National Anthem in 1931. The fourth verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner” contains the lines: “Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,/And this be our motto ‘In God is our trust.’” Francis Scott Key, as that line suggests, was both extremely patriotic and pious from the earliest days of his childhood in the early 1780s until his death on January 11, 1843. As a young man, he seriously considered joining the Episcopal priesthood, but opted instead for the law and a secular life. Virtually everyone who came in contact with Key remarked on his piety. He peppered his letters to family and friends with references to the bible and it teachings. In him, “the Episcopal Church had one of its few great laymen,” one student of Key’s church life wrote. He took an active role in three Episcopal churches: Christ Church and St. John’s Church in Georgetown and Trinity Church in Washington, D.C. He served as a lay rector for many years, leading services and visiting the sick. Among the scores of poems he wrote, many dealt with religious themes, including several hymns. Although he disdained politics for much of his life, in his fifties Key became an ardent sup-

make mandatory. Instead, it’s a 200-plus page, fast-paced, fascinating look at a terribly complex man and one of the more important figures in the early history of the nation, with far more contributions in addition to his revered National Anthem. Leepson’s eighth book is filled with rich anecdotes, lively writing and lots of detail about Key, and as always, it is meticulously researched, as well. Key lived from 1779 to 1843, most of those years in Washington, D.C. He was a lawyer by trade who argued over 100 cases before the Supreme Court, was a close friend and confidant of President Andrew Jackson and served as a U.S. Attorney in the District for eight years, all the while also running his own thriving private practice. Leepson has been running his own thriving writing practice out of his Middleburg home since moving here with his wife, Janna, and their two now adult children, Devin and Cara, in 1988. A New Jersey native, he has a Bachelors and Masters degree in history from George Washington University, served in the Army in Vietnam, was a staff writer for Congressional Quarterly and has been a regular contributor and editor for The VVA Veteran magazine since 1985. He also teaches U.S. history at Lord Fairfax Community College. Leepson signed his Francis Scott Key book contract in 2012 and had a year before it was due on Aug. 1, 2013. At that point, he went immediately into his normal research mode over the next six months before ever writing a single word. “To me, that’s the most enjoyable part. I love it,” he said. “You’re like a detective. It’s analogous to putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. You use newspapers, magazines, letters, official documents, out of print books. I talk to a lot of people. I got a lot of guidance and help from two history professors at GW. Two books written in 2012 on other subjects had some more biographical information on Key. One was about race riots in D.C. in 1835 when Key was the U.S. Attorney. Another one was on the War of 1812.” Leepson also uncovered caches of Key letters at the Maryland Historical Society, the Frederick (Md.) Historical Society and the Library of Congress. “He rarely wrote personal things in his letters,” Leepson said. “He was a lawyer, and most of the letters dealt with boring, business matters. But I was still able to mine a few nuggets and I was able to find other letters people wrote about him.

porter of Andrew Jackson and his newly formed Democratic Party. Key became a trusted adviser to Jackson after the Tennessean won the presidency in 1828. A member of Jackson’s kitchen cabinet, Key was steadfastly loyal to Old Hickory throughout his tumultuous presidency. As a reward, Jackson appointed Key U.S. Attorney for Washington, a post in which he served for eight years, from 1833-41. A slave owner from a large slave-owning family, Key was an early and ardent opponent of slave trafficking. He became one of the founders and strongest and most active proponents of the American Colonization Society, which sent freed blacks to Africa beginning in the early 1820s. Yet Key’s legacy with respect to the “peculiar institution” is cloudy. Neither he nor the Colonization Society called for the abolition of slavery; their mission instead focused solely on sending free blacks to Africa. That was one reason that few abolitionists had any use for the society. By all accounts, Key treated his own slaves humanely, and freed several during his lifetime. What’s more, he had a deserved reputation for providing free legal advice to impoverished free blacks in Washington. Key led a fascinating and full life in a portentous era of American history. One of the most famous, admired and accomplished men in the Early Republic, Key was a patriotic, hard-working, able and well-connected attorney in the nation’s capital who played important roles in many highprofile court cases. He argued scores of cases before the Supreme Court. He was a morally upright, conservative, and

It all helped.” He began writing the book in February, 2013, a seven-day, morning-to-evening process interrupted by exercise, lots of coffee breaks, meals and a one-week sojourn to the seashore in May, with the book still very much on his mind. As always, Leepson met his August 1 deadline, adding more loose-end research during the writing process and plenty of self-editing, as well. And now, a semi-spoiler alert for just a few nuggets. For one, Leepson discovered that Key was generally known to friends and family as Frank, not Francis. As U.S. Attorney, he was in charge of prosecuting a deranged assassin who tried and failed to kill Jackson in 1835. The president was convinced there must have been a plot and wanted him to stand trial. Key thought the man was simply cuckoo crazy and ultimately prevailed, allowing an insanity plea that resulted in the perpetrator being institutionalized. In 1832, legendary Texan and Jackson pal Sam Houston came to Washington, and promptly beat up a Congressman he insisted had slandered him. Key represented Houston in two different trials—one in Congress, the other in court—and his client never did spend a day in jail. Leepson said there were two major surprises in his research. For one, Key, the father of 11, was a deeply pious man who almost became an Episcopal priest. He was a lay minister at St. John’s Church in Georgetown, was a founder of the Virginia Theological Seminary and did many hours of volunteer work with the poor, sick and elderly. Surprise No. 2: Key also was a founding member of the American Colonization Society, a movement that started in Washington and aimed to send free blacks to a colony on the west coast of Africa that eventually became Liberia. Key and others believed such a policy would put an end to slave trafficking, eventually kill slavery in the U.S. and also help bring religion and western civilization to Africa. It was all extremely controversial at the time and never really succeeded, though 15,000 freed blacks were shipped across the sea. Leepson, meanwhile expects to do some serious traveling of his own in the coming months promoting his latest book. And his next project? “State sSecret,” he said. Clearly, the shower beckons. n

deeply religious family man. And he was a national player throughout his adult life in the most important social, political, economic and humanitarian issue of the Early Republic: slavery. As the young nation came alive in the 1820s, ‘30s and ‘40s, the slavery issue remained stubbornly unresolved. Key helped shape the national debate over slavery with his disdain for abolition and with his single-minded devotion to colonization as the answer to the entire question. In short, he lived a full life, deeply engaged in the most important issues of his time. And his burst of poetic patriotic fervor on the night of September 13-14, 1814, enshrined the name Francis Scott Key into the ranks of the nation’s iconographic figures.


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The Art of Valuations … When you’ve made the decision to protect a collection through insurance, you want to be sure that coverage amounts measure up to the value of your items. Determining proper values can be tricky, as so many variables impact a piece’s worth. That’s why professional appraisals are critical.

The importance of art appraisals Collecting art – especially work by contemporary artists – has become more popular than ever. Art fairs, galleries, and even online sales are easily accessible to art enthusiasts. Although artwork is now easier to buy, assessing its current value relies on a variety of factors not visible on a computer screen including quality, provenance, size, materials, conditions and other factors. Professional appraisers keep the pulse of the vast, unregulated art marketplace and appraise items based on their expert knowledge. Given the ever-changing market, values are in constant flux. With regular, updated appraisals you can be sure that the value of your collection is always accurate. It is important to make an informed decision when choosing an appraiser. The following guidelines can help ensure accuracy and eliminate potential conflicts: • The appraiser should be certified by a recognized professional organization. • The appraiser cannot have a vested interest in the items being appraised. • Appraisal fees should be quoted in advance; avoid anyone basing fees on a percentage of the appraised values. • Appraisals should be prepared using “insurance” or “retail replacement” values, not “fair market value”, “marketable cash value”, “estate tax” or other valuations. Once your collection is appropriately valued by an appraiser, your independent insurance advisor can make certain that enough insurance coverage is in place. In addition, the thorough description of your artwork on the appraisal documentation can make the claims process quicker and easier.

Protecting your passion

For more information about properly insuring your collection and to learn more about AIG’s customized insurance solutions, please contact independent insurance advisor, Tara Trout, Director, with AHT Insurance at 703-737-2244 or ttrout@ahtins.com. Or visit us online at www.aigprivateclient.com/AHT

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AIG Private Client Group, a division of the member companies of American International Group, Inc. (AIG), appreciates the dedication it takes to build a unique collection – of artwork, jewelry, wine, antiques or virtually any other rarities – and we share your attention to detail when it comes to insuring it. We can curate a thorough plan to safeguard your prized possessions, as if they were our own. Contact us for a complimentary insurance review to ensure you and your valuable collections properly protected.

AIG Private Client Group is a division of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Insurance is underwritten by a member company of AIG, including AIG PROPERTY CASUALTY COMPANY. AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.AIG.com. Products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Not all products and services are available in every jurisdiction, and insurance coverage is governed by actual policy language. Certain products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Insurance products may be distributed through affiliated or unaffiliated entities. Certain property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

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1 According to Floodwatch USA; exclude damage due to exterior flooding

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Your Guide through

Every Step

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BEFORE

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DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION n RENOVATIONS & ADDITIONS EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES n PURCHASE CONSULTATIONS

From early planning to the first sunny breakfast, let BOWA be your guide through every step of the luxury remodeling experience. BOWA’s design build experts look after our clients’ best interests from their first thoughts of a project, throughout architecture and construction, and continuing through a lifetime of ownership. For your peace of mind, make BOWA your first call.

Tim Burch, CR Project Leader

Proud to sponsor Sean McQuillan and Casalino on their journey to the 2016 Olympics

540-687-6771

www.bowa.com


‘The Cove’ Offers French Elegance on Either 1,000 or 2,000 Acres

sive vistas. A heated pool and spa add to the long list of amenities. Dependencies include a carriage house with six bays and a one-bedroom apartment above, as well as a tenant house accessed off a separate driveway. Unique in so many ways, our featured property is ready to stand the test of time while overlooking the timeless beauty of its natural surroundings. Articles are prepared by Middleburg Life’s real estate advertising department on behalf of clients. For information on the home, contact the listing agent. For information on having a house reviewed, contact the Middleburg Life real estate advertising department at (540) 687-6059.

Facts for buyers Address: The Cove, 12410 Cove Lane, Hume, Va. 22639. Listed at: $16,950,000 (with 1,000 acres) or $23,950,000 (with 2,000 acres) by Kathryn Harrell (540) 6872215 and Lynn Wiley (540) 454-1527, Armfield, Miller & Ripley/Washington Fine Properties.

June 2014

garage. On the second level, the master retreat is a study in design excellence and sumptuous living, with prodigious closet space and his-and-hers master baths that are testaments to stylish design. There are two large balconies, and this space is home to a gas fireplace to add to the charm. Four additional, individual guest suites also can be found here, all with marble baths. One features a gas fireplace. A secondary staircase leads to the attic, which provides additional storage space. In the north wing of the second level, there is an additional guest bedroom, while in the south wing, you will find a lovely, two-bedroom suite with kitchenette. The lower is home to an impressive theater, with top-of-the-line viewing equipment. One of the specialty rooms is the sophisticated wine-tasting area (with wood-burning fireplace, arched brick detail and a brick floor), with 3,500 bottles accommodated in climate-controlled splendor in the adjacent wine cellar. An exercise room, with a wall of mirrors, also can be found here. Outside, you will find large cooking and dining spaces, with stone terraces and pergolas showcasing the sumptuous, expan-

rooms, and features floor-to-ceiling windows. The spacious chef’s kitchen offers plentiful spaces and Travertine-marble flooring, and has been outfitted to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of even the most discerning of culinary professionals, and the adjacent breakfast room is a wonderful spot to start, or end, a busy day. (There is even a summer-dining space.) The family room is attractive and enchanting, designed for informal living, an the distinctive conservatory adds to the overall ambiance of the space. As our exploration continues, a breathtaking space is the enchanting, two-story library, which is paneled in sumptuous maple and offers two levels of custom-built bookcases, a two-sided, wood-burning fireplace and a floor-to-ceiling bay window perfectly situated to capture the mountains beyond. There also is a charmer of an English pub and billiard room, where you will find an oak bar. A cherry-paneled, professional office and staff room to accommodate up to six workstations can be found on this wing of the home, as well. In the south wing, you will find an elegant lady’s office, along with storage and laundry facilities and access to the three-car

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A palatial setting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the perfect locale for this month’s featured property, a showplace estate - The Cove - whose extraordinary acreage commands one of the most stellar vistas in Hunt Country. Mountains, streams, lakes and ponds are all part of the package, set amid the tranquility of exceptional acreage. The main house, constructed in the early 2000s with the finest materials and finishes, is a combination of Georgian and French architecture that encapsulates what a classic European country estate should be: grand and majestic but still welcoming to all who enter. Attention to detail is the hallmark here, where from every room, you have showplace views and extraordinary opportunities both for daily living and entertaining in style. The property currently is on the market, listed at $16,950,000 with 1,000 acres or $23,950,000 for the entire 2,000 acres, which features more than 16 parcels and over 90 potential lots and offers tremendous conservation-easement possibilities, by Kathryn Harrell and Lynn Wiley of Armfied, Miller & Ripley/Washington Fine Properties. Our tour of the estate home begins in the grand reception hall, which sets the tone of elegance that will follow us throughout our investigation. The well-appointed formal living room, with 14-foot ceilings and detailed millwork along with a gas fireplace is a wonderful gathering place, while the formal dining room is elegance personified, with yet another fireplace and standing ready to accommodate a gathering of friends and family during the holidays or at any time of year. (The fireplaces in the living and dining rooms, along with one in the master suite, can be converted with ease to woodburning, if desired.) In both the living room and dining room, four French doors will whisk you to the sumptuous outdoor terrace. A gallery connects the living and dining

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European Estate in Heart of Hunt Country

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LONGwOOD

MIDDLEbuRG TRAINING CENTER

Comparable to exquisite Kentucky Horse Farms, the gently rolling fields are lined with white board fencing. Features include a gracious 6 bedroom manor home, pool with house, 8 barns, large machine shop, 2 ponds, 9 tenant homes and at one of the entrances, the owner’s handsome office inclusive of conference and impressive trophy room. $7,500,000

Magnificent 32 stall, 12,000 sq. ft. Foaling Barn, built in 2001, has witnessed the birth of many stakes winners and was recognized as having one of the world’s finest thoroughbred breeding and racing programs. A stand alone farm of 588 acres or with the adjacent 607 acres of the Melrose Farm land. Meticulously maintained. $4,800,000

Active Horse training center on 148+ Acres. The facilities include 11 barns with a total of 220 stalls. Each barn has access to 2 paddocks for a total of 22 paddocks. Within the premises are tack rooms, grooms quarters, office, a vet office and 3 bay machine shop. There is a 7/8’s mile race track with a 4 stall starting gate. 3 wells service the property. Convenient to Route 50 and Washington Dulles International Airport. $3,500,000

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Sub-division of 3 parcels or whole of 218.72 acres just outside of Marshall with wonderful views of the mountains, privacy and easy access to 66. Great potential. Property is in a VOF conservation easement. 4 Ways to purchase.

52.43 acres $535,000 84.26 acres $1,075,000

81.73 acres 845,000 218.72 acres $2,449,000

18+ acres of mostly open and rolling land with the home sited perfectly with vast views from both front and back overlooking the pond, gardens and front fields. Cathedral ceilings, Master on the main floor, huge library/living room, private guest rooms, apartment on lower level w/own kitchen/entrance, sprawling deck w/awning. Perfect location ~ OCH territory ~ VOF conservation easement. $2,195,000

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18 acres in the heart of OCH Territory with a lovely 5.5 Bedroom Italianate Style home in a beautiful setting. Formal and informal spaces, high ceilings, wonderful kitchen, expansive rec room, full basement, private pool, extensive landscaping and more. Property is in a VOF Open-Space easement. $1,695,000

Located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the farm is beautifully sited so that the views are enjoyed from many of the spacious rooms and porches. Wonderful finishes, vaulted ceilings, stone fireplace, reclaimed flooring, first floor owner’s suite, finished lower level incl. second kitchen, pool. Fenced paddocks, 3 stall barn and, wonderful views! $1,650,000

Expanded through the years, Takaro has wonderful entertaining areas both inside and out, many overlooking the pool. Two separate suites are wonderful for guests or home office. A dramatic main level apt. is attached to the handsome 7 stall barn. This 14.73 acre property offers a carriage barn, air conditioned dog house, paddocks and pond. $1,550,000

53+ acres of beautiful, open and gently rolling land with expansive views of the countryside and distant mountains. Located in the coveted Orange County Hunt Territory of Fauquier County, this land provides exceptional ride-out potential. A home-site has been studied including and engineers report verifying a site for a 5 Bedroom septic, well and potential pond site. Open space easement, land cannot be divided. $1,400,000

ECHO POND fARM

uPPERVILLE COuNTRy CHuRCH

LAND

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LOGANS MILL - Extraordinary, private estate area on 179+ acres with frontage on Little River, Open Space Easement, rolling fields with mature hardwood forest, Orange County Hunt Territory, great ride out, very private, less than 10 minutes from Middleburg, views in all directions. $3,500,000

POTTS MILL - on 137+ acres with frontage on Little River, Open Space Easement, rolling fields with mature hardwood forest, Orange County Hunt Territory, great ride out, very private, within 5 miles of the village of Middleburg, views in all directions. $2,800,000

SPRINGS ROAD - Sought after Springs Road location. Spectacular, verdant 182 acres with Rappahannock River frontage and pond. Beautifully protected views of the mountains, charming 3 bedroom, 1 bath cottage with living room, library/study, kitchen and breakfast room. Access road to be shared. $3,640,000

RECTORTOWN: 107.76 acres Spectacular views from this highly desirable estate location within the Orange County Hunt Territory. Board fenced with frontage on Atoka Road and Rectortown Road. Stocked, approx. 4 acre, pond w/island, spring fed from tributary of Goose Creek. Open Space Easement allows for building of main dwelling, garage or barn with apt. and appropriate farm structures. Zoned RA. $1,250,000

Stunning and recent restoration by owner/designer of c.1825 Church and Meeting Hall, now leased to an Antique Shoppe and Design Center. Zoned "Commercial Village" and "Village" in the heart of Virginia's wine and horse country. Both buildings sit within the front half of the .84 Acre parcel w/the remainder in lawn w/mature trees & lovely mountain views. $885,000

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

INGLESIDE

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Beautiful 4 bedroom, 5 bath home on over 50 acres with incredible views in all directions. Perfect for horse enthusiasts or great for enjoying country living. Elegant living spaces perfect for parties. Fencing, convertible barn, water features, lush gardens, covered porches and decks for outdoor entertaining and much more. ODH Territory. $1,345,000

23245 DOVER ROAD

Beautifully remodeled and absolutely charming home in move-in condition, minutes west of Middleburg. One level living with kitchen, living room, dining room and 3 bedrooms, 2 baths on upper level. Walk out lower level with stunning family room with fireplace, full bath, office and mudroom. 4.33 Acres including fenced paddock and small barn, ready for your horse. $665,000

The 83.55 Acre estate offers a stately Victorian Manor Home of approx. 3800 sq. ft., sited beautifully to offer privacy and views. Comprised of two parcels in VOF Easement, each parcel is allowed 1 dwelling with dependencies and farm improvements.This property is a part of the adjacent 865 Acres of Spring Hill Farm. $1,335,000

9202 JOHN MOSby HIGHwAy

Historic and handsome four level, stone residence. One of the original homes of Upperville, late 1700s. Large rooms on the main level, with open kitchen and dining room combination. Current owner replaced the kitchen in 2000, new roof in 2001, replaced the oil furnace in 2011, finished the third level including a full bath, and updated the main level powder room and upper level bath. $599,000

ThoMAs AnD TAlBoT ReAl esTATe A STAUNCH ADVOCATE OF LAND EASEMENTS LAND AND ESTATE AGENTS SINCE 1967 (540) 687-6500 Middleburg, Virginia 20118

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www.Thomas-Talbot.com

Stunning restoration and addition of c.1860’s Virginia Manor Home, yielding approximately 8,000 sq. ft. of beautiful living space. Reclaimed heart pine flooring throughout the main and upper level of home, grand kitchen, 5 bedrooms. Numerous outbuildings including a spacious tasting room/party room. Currently the 7 acres of vines are leased to another vineyard. Land in Open Space Easement. $1,750,000

OAk THORPE fARM

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90 acres w/approx. 45 fenced acres and 45 acres in woods with trails. 3 bedroom manor home, Indoor and Outdoor Arenas ,2 barns open into the indoor arena, Main barn has 20 stalls, Show Barn- 5 oversized stalls, 3 tack rooms, office, 2 wash stalls, 2 bathrooms, laundry room, 14 paddocks. Manager’s cottage. 2 add’l DUR’s and is in land use. $1,900,000

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Overlooking a serene pond, this magnificent European style manor home is on 115 acres surrounded by thousands of protected acres and the Bull Run Mountains. Custom built in 2001 using Olde World craftsmanship and materials this stunning home offers five bedrooms, 6 baths, 10’ ceilings, wide plank flooring, pool and geo thermal heating and cooling. $2,395,000

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From a quiet lane, just west of historic Middleburg, this lovely home with 4 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths was built in 2008, on 18 acres. The welcoming front porch overlooks the riding ring whereas, the wide covered deck, on the back of the home, offers a private retreat overlooking the heated pool and pond with its boat house. $1,290,000

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c.1845 listed on National Register of Historic Places. Surrounded by beautiful gardens on 98 acres sGrand entrance s Pool with 2 Bedroom Pool Houses 2 Bedroom Guest Cottage s 10 stall, 4 stall, and 3 stall barn with tack rooms, several run in sheds and a large machine shed. Attached to the 10 stall barn are two separate living quarters for farm managers.Magnificent views. $2,900,000

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Private 65 Acre Estate near historic Middleburg. 3 porches add to the charm of this restored Farm House, c.1830 w/ pool and shared pond. Other features include 4 stall barn w/ guest suite, 4 bay open equipment barn and 2 bay garage. Beautiful land w/ views, creek, meadows and board fenced pastures w/ spring fed waterers. VOF and PEC Easements do allow for two additional dwellings. $2,395,000

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c. 1774, Sited high on a knoll, the 16 room Manor Home and “Garden Tea House” enjoy expansive views of mountains, rolling hills and the property’s wonderful Shenandoah River frontage. Once a thoroughbred breeding farm, it offers 20+ stalls and numerous paddocks. North Hill’s rich history provides potential for Historic Preservation Tax Credits. $3,300,000

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Magnificent country retreat on 30 acres with incredible privacy & beautiful views. The c.1850 manor home has been graciously expanded into a 7 bedroom home with separate entertaining venue & two-story office w/T-1 capability. Pool, tennis court, gardens, greenhouse, 5 car garage. $3,495,000

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Rocco the Service Dog Rolls on as Middleburg Academy’s Pet Project

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Tanner Zyontz works with younger students teaching social skills to Rocco.

By Tanner Zyontz For Middleburg Life

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occo became Middleburg Academy’s second mascot on Day One of his arrival. If the school’s Dragon emblem signifies fire and spirit, then Rocco, the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) puppy students helped raise, stood for calm and comfort. During the 18 months he spent at the school, it wasn’t at all uncommon to walk into the library

and find Rocco stretched out on the floor with a student right alongside him. He was so good at providing stress relief that students would seek out Rocco throughout the day to give him a pat, chat with him, or just invite him to hang out under the desk or table as they studied. He is a natural therapy dog and this will serve him well as he moves further toward his career as a canine service companion. To students, Rocco was as much a part of the community as their peers. More than just a service dog, he was a friend.

U p p e r v i l l e , VA

In the heart of Virginia Hunt Country, this rare 5.07 acre parcel offers spectacular unobstructed views eastward to the Bull Run Mountains and westward

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four full bath main residence, a neo-

formal boxwood garden. Beyond the pool

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to the Blue Ridge. The four bedroom,

is a latticed pergola, and a one bedroom,

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classical Palladian villa, sits at the top of the property, accessed by a paved drive.

example, meant two paws on the wall—step one in learning how to turn on a light switch. As a member of the Puppy Club, I also worked with Rocco everyday after school, practicing the commands and teaching him patience. Eventually, a bond grew between us to the point that I would walk into the room and he would light up and come right to me. During these six months of his advanced training, Rocco will learn additional commands including “speak,” which is to bark on command; “get,” which is to retrieve and hand over an item and “pull” which allows the dog to open a refrigerator door, a dryer door or pull a wheelchair. “Rocco was so happy and relaxed when he got to the training facility,” Banse said. “The Puppy Club did a good job of exposing him to lots of different environments and people.” Students, faculty and staff Courtesy of Middleburg Academy had a chance to say goodbye Corey Hudson, CEO of Canine Companions for Independence, at a “Farewell Rocco” assemDebra Doherty, executive director for the Northeast Region and bly in mid-May, complete faculty member Jane Banse (seated), with Rocco. with a slideshow and cake. The school also welcomed the It was Librarian/Media Specialist Jane Banse’s return of Corey Hudson, the idea to create a Middleburg Academy “Puppy Santa Rosa, California-based CEO of CCI, and Club” that would take on the pleasure, challenge Debra Doherty, executive director of the northeast and responsibility of bringing-up a service dog in region. his or her early, formative stages. “I was so impressed when I came to Middleburg On May 16, Rocco departed Middleburg for Academy last fall,” Hudson said. “That visit so his advance training program in Medford, New renewed my faith in young people that I wanted York. Banse provided a personal send-off on the to come back.” school’s behalf, lovingly delivering him to the CCI Other schools also have service puppies, Hudson East Coast Regional Center for his next level of added, but Middleburg Academy’s program was skill development. special in the extent that it involved students in a From his arrival on campus as a nine-week- dog’s care and training according to the rigorous old puppy to his final farewell at age 20 months, program guidelines. The Puppy Club model made Rocco was the centerpiece of weekly Puppy Club a strong impression on the CCI organization’s meetings. Five to 10 students would work on his leadership. commands, socialization and grooming. From Rocco learned so much from his stay and I’m trips to Common Grounds, the shops in Middle- confident that he will be successful in his future. burg, and even a visit to Hill’s Lower School, Rocco If he continues to progress in the program, Banse met new people and encountered new situations and I will attend his fall graduation and have the almost every day. honor of handing over his leash to the “forever” The amount of training the students gave person he will serve. n Rocco is unmatched. During his second year, Rocco was taught 30 different commands, covTanner Zyontz lives in Middleburg and will be a ering all the basics according to the thick CCI junior at Middleburg Academy in the fall. Puppy Raiser Manual. The command “up,” for

Terraced lawns and gardens cascade downward to the swimming pool, set in a

one bath guesthouse sits below the pool area, facing back to the main house.

AnneV. Marstiller A Licensed Virginia Agent

thomas & talbot real estate

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No. 2 S. Madison Street, Middleburg, VA


SM.ML.6/14

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4:24 PM

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Oakfield

Faraway Farm

Upperville, Virginia • $5,925,000

Upperville, Virginia • $4,900,000

Middleburg Area • $3,350,000

118 acres • Main house is stone with slate & copper roof recently expanded to approximately 7,000 square feet • Amazing views • 2 bedroom guest house • 3 bedroom tenant house • 4 stall stable • Heated pool • 4-car garage & 2 ponds

Stone manor house in spectacular setting • 86.81 acres • Highly protected area in prime Piedmont Hunt • Gourmet kitchen • Wonderful detail throughout • 5 BR • 5 BA • 3 half BA • 3 fireplaces, classic pine paneled library • Tenant house • Stable • Riding ring • Heated saltwater pool • Pergola • Full house generator

Solid stone home with copper roof on 70 acres • Original portions dating from the 1700’s • First floor bedroom & 3 additional suites • Original floors • 8 fireplaces • Formal living room • Gourmet kitchen • 2 ponds • Mountain views • Stone walls • Mature gardens • Pool • Primitive log cabin • Piedmont Hunt

Helen MacMahon

(540) 454-1930

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930 Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905 Ann MacMahon (540) 687-5588

Trough Hill Farm

Belvedere

Buck Run Farm

Middleburg, Virginia • $2,950,000

Middleburg, Virginia • $2,650,000

Hume, Virginia • $1,925,000

A pastoral 5 bedroom c. 1830 farmhouse and a grand stone pavilion • Elegant but unfussy • 103 acres of open farmland • The pavilion serves as a pool house, greenhouse, banquet room, and guest quarters • Great location

Gracious home with 5 BRs • Gourmet kitchen • Two-story floor-to-ceiling window display of the Blue Ridge Mountains • 3 FPs, coffered ceilings, random width rustic cherry floors • Large home office, gym, rec room, multiple porches and patios • Three finished stories, approx. 10,000 sf. • Carriage house • Garage • Privately situated on 27 acres

Stone & stucco cottage overlooking 2 ponds & amazing mountain views • 72 acres with minimal maintenance & maximum quality throughout shows in every detail • 4 BR • 2 1/2 BA • 3 fireplaces • Copper roof • Antique floors & beams • Charming library & multiple french doors open to massive stone terrace

Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

Helen MacMahon

Ann MacMahon Paul MacMahon

(540) 687-5588 (703) 609-1905

Margaret Carroll (540) 454-0650

(540) 454-1930

Liberty Hill

October Hill

Lions Lane

Boyce, Virginia • $1,900,000

Purcellville, Virginia • $1,390,000

Boyce, Virginia • $1,329,000

Mountain top retreat with 60 mile panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley • 215 acres • 1/3 pasture • Main house circa 1787 • 3 BR, 1 BA • 2 fireplaces • Random width pine floors • 2 BR, 1 BA guest cottage • Stone & frame barn circa 1787 • Remnants of formal garden • Old cemetery • Spring fed pond • Gazebo

4 bedroom • 2 1/2 baths • 3 fireplaces • 2 car garage • Main house totally renovated, new kitchen, granite counter tops • Hardwood floors on main level • New carpeting & freshly painted • 55.24 rolling acres • Phenomenal European style stable with 6 stalls, tack, office & apartment • Owner is a licensed broker in Virginia

109 mountain top acres • Unbelievable western views • Hunters’ paradise • Over 2.5 miles of walking, hiking and/or ATV trials • 3 bedrooms • 2 fireplaces • Updated gourmet kitchen • 3 car garage • Energy efficient

Paul MacMahon (703) 609-1905

Paul MacMahon

Helen MacMahon (540) 454-1930

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

(703) 609-1905

Middleburg, Virginia • $995,000

Middleburg, Virginia • $995,000

Middleburg, Virginia • $950,000

Completely renovated country cottage with lovely kitchen & baths • French doors open to very extensive gardens, patios, porches & stone walks • 8 acres • 6 stall barn with wash stall • 2 stall run-in shed • 5 paddocks, riding ring & tremendous ride out • Studio/office • Efficient turn key property very close to town • A great find

Charming stucco, log and frame home • 10.32 acres • 3-4 bedrooms • 3 1/2 baths • 2 fireplaces • Beautiful floors • Large family room • Master bedroom with terrace • 4 stall barn with tack • 2 paddocks • Mountain views and Middleburg address • 2 recorded lots

Quality home in convenient location • Private setting • Much larger than it appears • Expanded and completely renovated • Large 1st floor master suite • Gourmet kitchen w/ Carerra marble • 4 BR & 4 1/2 BA • Hardwood floors • Natural light • French doors • 2 fireplaces & top of the line finishes throughout • Decks for entertaining

Helen MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

Paul MacMahon

(703) 609-1905

(540) 454-1930

info@sheridanmacmahon.com www.sheridanmacmahon.com

110 East Washington Street P.O. Box 1380 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 (540) 687-5588

June 2014

Adams Green Lane

Stonewood

www.middleburglife.net

Horse & Garden

Paul MacMahon

M i d d l e b u r g L i f e

Canaan

23


M i d d l e b u r g

L i f e

ML

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in Loudoun”

TWO FABULOUS EQUESTRIAN PROPERTIES!

Leesburg

w ne

ing il st

Bluemont

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Equestrian property w/hours of ride out! Gorgeous views & setting. Wonderful log home w/ open floor plan, kitchen & baths. stallLevbarn w/tack room, hay loft, wash stall, Nice colonial on 5 loft, acresupdated ready for horses! Three3fin. & cold water. 100 x 150 riding ring w/water reel, run-in shed, equipment shed. Must see els,hot large rooms, hardwood floors, updated kitchen, beauthis horse with property---they did everything right! tiful setting extensive landscaping. Big 3-car garage

with shop and 3 stall barn. All located minutes from the town of Leesburg $612,000

Leesburg

43271 Spinks Ferry Road

$600,000

Joyce E. Bush Associate Broker abr, cr Kristen Roberts ABR, e-Pro 703-861-8736 4 6 ounce skinless cod filets For more PRESERVED LEMONS info visit: 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil MAKES ONE PINT JAR 2 tablespoons fresh dill www.bushandroberts.com 2-3 lemons – blemish free Salt and pepper to taste • April, 2013

writers have gone mad for Sriracha chili www.102OakcrestManorDr.com sauce, showing up everywhere—a combination of chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. I have discovered flash frozen wild caught cod with each filet vacuum-sealed. They can be defrosted in cool water in minutes and so handy to Cod with preserved lemon sauce keep in the freezer.

¼ cup dry white wine 1 pound Haricot Verts – French green beans

Julio & Nancy Laranjo

Julio & Nancy Laranjo 703-669-9839 703-618-0088

leesburg $484,999

Amanda McCarthy

: 70

amandasells@longandfoster.com • www.ama

Kincaid Forest/ L

lovettsville $620,000

2.99% • NO POINTS • 5/5 ARM

Leesburg ~ $269,900

LORETTA FLYNN12+ acres w/creek,

June 2014

I

¼ cup kosher salt, more if needed Extra fresh squeezed lemon juice, if needed • Place 1 tablespoon of salt in the CLIENT-FOCUSED • PROFESSIONAL • TENACIOUS bottom of a clean one pint jar PRESERVED LEMON SAUCE cell • Cut the lemons in quarters ½ cup mayonnaise • Sprinkle them all over with salt 2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce – Thai chili sauce client-focused • professional • tenacious • Put the lemon slices one at a time 2 tablespoons finely diced preserved lemon rinds 13 into the jar, squishing them down so • Heat a large sauté then add the Email: julioandnancy@LNF.com Email: julioandnancy@longandfoster.com they give up some of their juice butter and olive oil www.julioandnancy.com www.julioandnancy.longandfoster.net• Season the cod with salt and pepper • Add more lemon juice to cover the 508 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176 lemons if necessary and the dill and sauté about 1 • Top the jar with the rest of the salt minute on each side for thin filets, Fabulous big, bright and and shake 2 per side for thicker • Put in the refrigeratorsought shaking the neighborhoo after • Remove the filets to a warm platter faBuLous opeN fLoor pLaN jar every day for the first few days, oNe LeveL LiviNG aT and iTsdeglaze BesT! the pan with the white biggest model offered on then occasionally. They will be ready wineacres-great scraping up any brown bits and Gorgeous 2 sided FP 10 en, front and back stairca to use in one month the dill, simmer about one minute at s in FR & 1st fl. study. for horses/cattle. n anwedge in-law • To use: rinse the lemon suite and much then pour over the filets e m Spacious! Where op 12-3p under running water totion remove the Cherry floors, • Serve withcrown Haricot Verts green beans and a sneak peak. LO can you get 2800 sq. excess salt, and discard the pulp (it and top with the preserved lemon molding, columns. retains too much salt) sauce ft. under $500K?? Wonderful screened • They keep for months in the Move-in condition! porch refrigerator To boil & thedeck. Haricot Verts xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. LO6464824 Great landscaping & wonderful patio! Directions: From Rt. 7 Bring at least 2 courts Finished walk-out LL. of water to a rapid boil, to Leesburg, take Rt. 15 Bypass North, Left on Battlefield Parkway, add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, add beans and time 5 minutes from the moment you put them in Right on Chadfield Way to home on right (#702) the water. Remove and serve

Absolutely gorgeous views! Call for details!

purcellville $825,000

Live side Brig on cou FP w/la am always looking for new flavor combinations to spice up my old favorites. bath Preserved lemons give a burst of salty brightness far more complex than just wal a squeeze of lemon and a bit of salt. Deck with TheyEd are Wright worth the effort. The food& Fenced yard, No HOA! Walk to Ida Lee, dining, shops, mo

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Gourmet kit. with granite, maple floors, stone fireplace, sunroom, screened porch and fin. bsmt. Huge master suit withlots setting Seven totalroom over 60 acres on Blue Ridge Mountain and gas fp. Four car gar. and more! $899,900 LO6435779 Road in Bluemont. Buy individually or buy them all!

CusTom Home for THe disCrimiNaTiNG Buyer!

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Serenity! ~18 acres in the middle of wine country. Beautifully maintained 4 bedroom home w/updated kitchen & baths, 3 stall barn, storage, multiple paddocks w/auto waterers, run-in shed, and gorgeous gardens. Audubon Certified Wildlife Sanctuary. Come sit in the sunroom Gorgeous 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home on 3 partial wooded acres. and listen to the birds!

24

Cod with In the Kitchen with Dill & Emily TylEr Preserved Lemon Sauce Served with Haricot Verts

www.middleburglife.net

HamiLton

closet ,Lux mba w/dbl sinks, walk out LL w/ rec room, gas fpl and rough in bath .Beautiful Deck and fenced yard overlooks pond and open space. Dir: From Rt 7W to Leesburg Bypass/ US 15 Bypass South, Take US-15 Exit to Warrenton, merge onto US-15 Right on Meade, Right on Greenway Dr, Right on Goldsworth, left onto connery Ter.

n woods, orchard. su SR. MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER n m e Panoramic views p p 3 o 12- (571) 229-6717from gorgeous

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These little muffins are made without refined GreaT privaTe sugar or any grain. Since there is very little feNCed honey in the yard! recipe, the key is to use very ripe bananas—the blacker the better. They are a Directions: From great breakfast Leesburg, takewith Rt. your morning cup of coffee.

wrap-around porch. Gourmet kit w/cusIntroducing the 5/5 ARM with George Mason Mortgage. tom cabs, granite, Thermador appliances. floors, custom trim, butlers Unlike otherOak adjustable rate loans that can adjust every year, 3 very ripeonbananas, 15 South to a right on Country Club Dr., to left Janney, peeled pantry. LoW TaXes Directions: From Leesburg, take Rt. 7 our 5/5 ARM will lock in your rate West, for five-year increments.

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1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Spotts

phone: 703.61

Leesburg ~ $189,000

Fantastic 2 BR Penthouse cond plan, includes Spacious Living Casablanca Fan Fireplace w/ m sheet, but you can use paper liners in end-unit. New dishwasher and a muffin pan Motivated • Bake at 350 home! degrees for about 35-40to Sell, Make minutes or until the tops are goldenplenty exeter amenities of visito and a tester comes out clean to nearby restuarants and Ida L • Cool on a wire rack, if you are using

House & faBuLous silicone cups remove them after they • Put the bananas in a food processor pm Your dream home is just a vaLue! phoneall call away... 3 BarN oN 21+ PurceLLviLLe ~ $1,950, are cool. and pulse until almost smooth 2 freshly painted, all new 1 t • The muffins can be12 stored PRDC Cus a • Add the rest of the ingredients and aCres Luxurious Living on Premium Acrein the Estate. s carpet! 1st flr study, 1st flr LYNN freezer – cut them in half and warm enSRORETTA process until smooth p Stock pond Brick Colonial w 8,000 sq ft. Includes 6 BRs, 6 BA, Carr o . MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER laundry. private back yard them in the toaster oven to serve • Divide the batter among 12 muffin & great views. NMLS# 215260 House w Au Pair/Guest Apartment. 6 Car Garage, Cus backs to trees. cups – I use silicone cups on a cookie Great for cattle POOL. Dramatic Dual Staircase, 10ft Ceilings, Massive St (571) 229-6717 Dir: From Leesburg bypass, take Virginia Wine Pick from The Wine Cellar or horses. 3 BR brick house w/ hardwood LFLYNN COM Fireplace, Heirloom Quality Mouldings, Ultra Gourmet Kitch Rt. 15 North@toGMMLLC a left on .Battlefield Parkway to a left on My favorite summer wine is back! Boxwood Winery produces a fantastic Rosé and has just recently floors. GreaT LoCaTioN APPLY ONLINE Appliances, Island Prep Sink. Theatre w Proje Chadfield Way to AT a left on Whitney to #307 on right. released it. As expected, the wineSS is a product of successful craftsmanship. It is made from Cabernet

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This is not a commitment to lend. All loan applications are subject to credit and property approval. Annual Percentage Rate (APR),programs, rates, fees, closing costs, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice and may vary depending upon credit history and transaction specifics. Other closing costs may be necessary. Flood and/or property hazard insurance may be required.

Franc, Merlot and Malbec. The TV, wine is a beautiful pale salmon color. The nose offers strawberry andLO66534 Wet Bar. red cherry fruit and there is a balanced acidity on the finish. This is a perfect wine to pair with Emily’s Cod with Dill, Preserved Lemon Sauce and Haricot Verts. It can only be purchased at the Winery, at the Tasting Rooms around Northern Virginia and online at www.boxwoodwinery.com


middLeBuRg

$1,300,000

waTeRfORd

$1,000,000

ASSOCIATES, INC. REALTORS

LOVeTTsViLLe

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BLuemONT

$799,000

Echo Hill – Meticulously maintained 4-bedroom, 3-bath, 4800+ SF, provincial ranch on 11+ park-like acres. Pool, tennis court, rec room, screened-in porch, and western views. Just moments from historic downtown Middleburg.

STUNNING all-brick custom colonial with 6,600 finished square feet on 3 levels. Bright and open floor plan includes 2 fireplaces, library, sunroom, 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 staircases, 3-car garage. All on 5 beautiful and rolling acres.

Former model home, 3-car garage, 2.54 acres landscaped for privacy, 5000+ finished sq.ft., sunroom, morning room, master bedroom with dual walk-ins and sitting room, walk-out basment, pool, multiple decks, theatre room, exercise room. 1 mile to MARC!

Architectural Gem – Situated on ten private acres with breathtaking views of mountains, valleys, and the Shenandoah River. State-of-the-art windows and skylights. Wonderful year-round residence or unique weekend retreat. Easy commute corridors.

Bob Vantrease 540.514.9295 Linden Ryan 703.408.4696 LindenandBob.com

Cathy Neeves

Jackie Hagenston

gilda montel

LeesBuRg

$2,499,000

"Stonegate View" on 20 plus private acres with distant views is in PERFECT condition. Stone guest house, carriage house, swimming pool, and tennis court. Wonderful Home! Event or Bed & Breakfast Potential!!!

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waTeRfORd

$579,000

Asa Moore House, loaded with charm and period details, c1803. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. Restored and renovated, chef's kitchen with granite counters and custom cabinetry, front and back porches, pastoral views, off-street parking, private 1/3 acre yard.

Jackie Hagenston

703.675.8008 Ceceliamahan.com

HamiLTON

$659,000

Stone Eden Farm - Live like you are on vacation! Beautifully maintained 4-bedroom, 4-bath with an open floor plan sited on 3+ acres. Wonderful features and upgrades throughout.

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Beacon Hill - Truly paradise with custom pool and cabana pool house (bar, Viking grill, bath). Expansive gourmet kitchen, keeping room, exotic hardwoods, 4 fireplaces, sunroom, office, lower bar, media, bonus, bath. Level lot with trees and rolling views.

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Lovely 4-level Split with contemporary flair on gorgeous .65 acre wooded lot. 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Screened porch overlooks lush and expansive yard. Hunter Woods ES district! Take advantage of all that this home and Reston has to offer!

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dC/dupONT

$1,125,000

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$625,000

Quiet retreat on nearly 25 acres, 2/3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Living room with fireplace. Woodstove in lower level. Flagstone veranda overlooks stocked pond and fenced pastures. 20kW propane back-up generator. Wildlife rich. Move-in ready.

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MIDDLEBURG OFFICE 540.687.5490

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$289,900

Convenient to future Metro, Route 7, Dulles Greenway, and Wegmans! Thousands in upgrades, move-in ready. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, open concept floor plan, and great natural light. Granite countertops, gas cooking. Fireplace in family room. 1-car garage. 1543 sq.ft.

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7 W. Washington Street Middleburg, VA 20118

107 N. King Street Leesburg, VA 20176

Established 1980 • Alexandria • Arlington • Leesburg • McLean • Middleburg • Washington, DC • Maryland

June 2014

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P.O. Box 1969 Middleburg, VA 20118

By Richard Hooper For Middleburg Life

O

ne of the genes for speech is in a group referred to as FOX genes, specifically one named FOXP2, thoroughly appropriate for the Hunt Country Writers’ Retreat on May 9 and 10. Crime fiction author Brad Parks spoke about the emergence of speech and language, which was made possible by this FOXP2 gene as it interacted with other genes. It has nothing to do with the creature that’s hunted or something we wear (spelled jeans, of course), but nonetheless it seemed serendipitous. With speech came story telling around the fire: adventures of hunting, eating new plants, scenes from across the river and several valleys distant, tales of what a neighbor did. It must have enthralled the listeners, and the desire to hear an engaging story has become part of our being. Some storytellers, no doubt, were more engaging than others and eventually, instead of just word-of-mouth stories, there were writers and books and publishers; literary agents, best seller lists and the Hunt Country Writers’ Retreat to help writers write and to negotiate all the other aspects. The two-day event was held at the Parish House of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Middleburg. This was the third annual event founded by writers Genie Ford and Jan Neuharth. Many local writers and aspirants attended, and some came from as far away as Albuquerque and Ontario, Canada. They represented writers whose interests included young adult and children’s fiction, detective and science fiction, romance novels, writing in general and non-fiction. Parks, the principal speaker on both days, is the author of a series of detective fiction novels featuring Carter Ross, a crime-solving newspaper reporter. Parks’ writing career began at age 14, when he discovered that he could submit articles on high school sports for his hometown Connecticut newspaper, which paid 50 cents per column inch and ran most articles as submitted. It was much better pay than baby-sitting. At Dartmouth he founded a sports newspaper that he published from his dorm and later he worked at The Washington Post and The Star-Ledger in New Jersey. Parks’ enthusiasm was difficult to contain

and he even sang on two occasions. The songs with lyrics about writers, set to popular music, included one about Sue Grafton, creator of the Alphabet Detective Series, titled Alphabet Sue and set to the music of the rock and roll hit Runaround Sue. His spot on, booming voice carried the melody and was much appreciated, and applauded.. Parks’ topic on the first day was the business of getting published: the necessity of an agent, advice on selecting the right one and red flags signifying those to avoid. He also provided guidelines on writing query letters when contacting publishers. Recounting his experiences and those of others provided real-world insight into the labyrinth of the publishing world. Day two opened with Parks discussing some rules for writing: creating suspense, using an authentic voice and developing characters. Examples from various works illustrated the rules in action and, in some instances, inaction. After a break for lunch, Parks spoke on “how to start thinking of yourself as a writer and change your writing life in the process.” The essential element is to make time for writing, and Parks emphasized making a certain time each day the writing time. On his first book, he said he started at 4 a.m. and wrote for three hours. Another option is to write a set goal of words each day: 250, 500 or a 1,000. He explained that at 250 words a day, a novel could be created in a year. With tongue in cheek, he described the perfect writing day with every need of the author being attended to by a man-servant bringing a robe and slippers, serving tea and scones, adjusting the lighting and opening the window to allow the curtains to billow inspirationally. Parks said he usually writes at a table at a Hardee’s restaurant. . Judy Walker, of Judy Walker Design, concluded with a presentation centered on book production and design. Some of the aspects of her talk, such as dust jacket design, page layout, illustrations and other components, were tailored to those who will selfpublish. In that scenario the writer can work with the designer, which is not necessarily the situation if the book is produced by a publishing house. In either case it is up to the author to come up with most of the marketing material and promotional momentum. Locally, Walker has worked with Jan Neuharth, Sandy Lerner and Howard Allen. n


Home of The Inn at Little Washington, The Castleton Festival, Shenandoah National Park, Fine Arts, Organic Farms, Wineries & Diverse Dining, Only One Hour West of the Beltway.

MILLWOOD C: 1836

STONECROFT

HIDDEN MEADOW

A classic Virginia estate of 154 acres. Fine detail throughout, formal and informal entertaining, exquisite kitchen opens to large porch and pool. Guest house, barns, private spring fed lake. Preferred candidate for Conservation Easement credits.

The perfect country estate with a comfortable stone and stucco home built on the crest of a Civil War signal hill. Spectacular Mountain Vistas in every direction plus a stable & professional shop. On 35 acres only one mile from The Inn at Little Washington.

A delightful country home and 17 acre estate at the foot of the Blue Ridge; perfect for fox hunters, eventers or other passions. Great Room with soaring stone fireplace, three private bedroom suites. Second kitchen in well designed walkout level entertainment room.

$2,500,000

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ech entrepreneur and web developer Steven L. Huffman, an alumnus of Wakefield School in The Plains, will deliver the keynote address for the school’s 35th Commencement on Saturday, June 7. After graduating from Wakefield in 2001, Huffman went on to the University of Virginia where he earned his BS in Computer Science in 2005. There, he and roommate Alexis Ohanian co-founded Reddit, a popular entertainment, news and social website, in 2006, which they later sold to Conde Nast Publications. In October 2009 Huffman left Reddit to form the meta-search travel site Hipmunk with co-founder Adam Goldstein. He also teaches online at Udacity to his share his expertise. His former teachers at Wakefield remember him as a quiet young man who demonstrated his interest in and brilliance with computers at a very early age. Wakefield School’s Destination Imagination Team recently traveled from their campus in The Plains to compete in the Global Finals

Noland Award for the senior who best combines high purpose, leadership, integrity, accomplishment and understanding. Eagen also earned salutatorian honors and will attend the University of Virginia. Miss Charlotte’s Trophy for Best Rider went to Miranda Gali of Middleburg, who also was elected by her classmates for the Parents’ Association Award in grade 12. The news from Highland includes word they have nearly doubled the support to their Piedmont Scholarship program and continue to offer these merit-based scholarships. Highland families and friends rose to the challenge, raising nearly $74,000 to support the programs. Highland’s boys tennis team won the program’s first VISAA state title over North Cross in Richmond. They also brought home their fourth consecutive DAC title with an impressive 11-1 overall record.

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Featured Foxcroft commencement speaker Dell Hancock -- a 1972 graduate, renowned photographer and working owner of Claiborne Farm in Kentucky – talked about the lifelong hold the all-girls boarding school has on its alumnae and the values and lessons initiated by Charlotte Noland that Mary Lou Leipheimer and others have nurtured. “Although you leave Foxcroft, Foxcroft never leaves you,” said Hancock. “Sometimes I think Miss Charlotte must have poured a fertilizer on the soil, never to wash away what makes Foxcroft girls a little different and, of course in our mind, a little special.” That special fertilizer, Hancock went on to say, includes pride in how one lives one’s life; passion to be the best you can be at your special talent; hard work; honor and integrity; fun and -- most of all -- compassion.

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Graduating Highland School senior tennis players: Adam Fenton, Timothy Bartz and Jack Thomas. Courtesy Photo

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“This was my dream team from the start,” said Coach Paola Riccetti. “It was my biggest group, with 15 kids, and great chemistry between them, which is even more important than individual talent. I was so lucky to be their coach.” Two seniors on that team are headed to Division I tennis programs, including Jack Thomas of Middleburg and Charlottesville, who will head to Wofford College. And Middleburg’s Adam Fenton will attend Elon College. At the state finals, Tim Bartz of Paris, VA, won his singles match and sophomore Rich Gerhardt of Warrenton won the final doubles match and clinched the title for Highland. “I am very proud of our tennis program,

in Knoxville and placed in the top 25 in both of their challenges at the high school level. Team F.L.I. (Formidable Legendary Imagineers), competed with other international teams in two challenges — “Dig In” and “The Tension Builds” — which asks young people to apply science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), in addition to improvisation, theater arts, writing, project management, communication, innovation, teamwork and community service. Also at Wakefield, freshman Anya Parks and seventh grader Rowan Fuchs were recently awarded The James Payton Atkins Memorial Scholarship that recognizes students who have written papers on the Civil War. The scholarships are awarded in memory of Mr. Atkins’ grandfather. At Foxcroft’s 100th commencement, retiring Head of School Mary Photo by Mona Botwick courtesy of Middleburg Academy Louise Leipheimer awarded diplomas At Middleburg Academy, the Grant Cain Memorial to 46 girls from 11 states (with six from Scholarship was awarded to rising senior lacrosse Middleburg), the District of Columbia, player William Morgan of Marshall/The Plains for showing “both tenacity and perseverance on both and four foreign countries. the practice and playing fields. A teammate who Valedictorian/Pillsbury Prize brings out the best character of those around him honors went to Lillian MacDonald of and demonstrates a 110% commitment to the Bluemont, who is headed to MiddleDragon Lacrosse Program.” Attending the award bury College. Katelin Eagen of Middlepresentation are Grant Cain’s mother, Laure, father, Scott, and sister, Carolyn. burg was awarded the Charlotte Haxall

and our coach has done an amazing job promoting this sport,” said Athletic Director Gary Leake. “This team was very talented, but perhaps their success can also be attributed to their work ethic, determination and the commitment to finishing their goal.” Middleburg Academy’s Valedictorian for the Class of 2014 is Caroline Greer, daughter of Cindy and Robert Greer of Aldie. Greer has had major contributions to life at Middleburg

Photo by Mona Botwick courtesy of Middleburg Academy

Middleburg Academy’s Valedictorian for the Class of 2014 is Caroline Greer, daughter of Cindy and Robert Greer of Aldie.

Academy as that rare student who excels in the full range of subject areas, as well as in creative writing, the visual arts, and athletics (varsity field hockey and soccer). She recently received the school’s departmental prizes in English and the visual arts. She heads to Pomona College (Claremont, CA) in the fall. Jake Singh, son of Brenda and Ike Singh of Middleburg, is Salutatorian at Middleburg Academy. He was named All Around Senior by his classmates and also received the Math and Science Departmental Prizes. He is UVAbound with an interest in engineering. A lacrosse and soccer player who enjoys ice and inline hockey, Singh served as president of the National Honor Society chapter and volunteered in the “Lunch Bunch” program at A Place To Be. n


Photos by Doug Gehlsen and Karen Monroe of Middleburg Photo

Joan Gardiner- The Pope’s Dove

Marci Nadler-Dream of the Fox

Peter Wood Petal to the Metal

Debbie Cadenas with her work Fox Trot

11th - Middleburg Community Center’s - “A Step Above the Rest” Art Auction of hand painted, decorated step stools to benefit the center These lovely young ladies took bids for the artwork

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Michelle Woodruff-Sea Horsing Around

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Middleburg community center’s art auction A STEP ABOVE THE REST

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fter 17 years as a popular and creative theater and music teacher at The Hill School, Tom Sweitzer had a feeling he was reaching an early mid-life crisis, brought on by two totally unrelated occurrences. The first came when one of his students showed him a poem he had written about the recent death of his father and wondered if he would help him put it to music. Not long after that, Sweitzer found himself performing in a production at Shenandoah University called Seussical The Musical, based on the works of Dr. Seuss. He was playing Horton the Elephant, in full pachyderm regalia, and sitting on an egg trying to make it hatch. “At one point, I started to ask myself, what am I doing here?” Sweitzer recalled in a recent interview. “Between sitting on the egg and helping that student with a really important project in his life, I started to think I was ready for a new chapter in my own life. I had a fantastic experience at Hill. I learned so much from working with those students. I knew I also loved teaching, mentoring and guiding young people. But it was time for something else.”

tion to make a difference in so many lives, dealing with ages that range from 5 to 80 and challenges that include autism, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy, among others. Starting on Friday night, June 27, some 40 students will appear on stage at Hill performing “Best Friend,” a 75-minute musical production written by Sweitzer. The next night, Saturday, June 28, APTB will hold its fourth annual gala along with the show, and patrons are encouraged to bring along goods for the animals at Middleburg Humane. A final performance will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 29. Sweitzer owns a rescue dog (Hazel) from Middleburg Humane himself. He said the new musical “is about a boy who doesn’t fit in and he finds a dog who also doesn’t fit in. One of the main themes of the show is acceptance. Whether it’s a challenged human being or animals who are not purebreds, they’re both just as beauPhoto courtesy of A Place To Be

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A Place To Be Presents ‘Best Friend’ at Hill School

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Tom Sweitzer and Kim Tapper

The next chapter began with Sweitzer, a native of Altoona, Pa., enrolling at Shenandoah and earning a master’s degree in music therapy, becoming certified to practice in 2011. And Hill’s loss was clearly a huge gain for the 125 families he and assistant Kim Tapper now work with at “A Place To Be” (APTB) in their often cacophonous Middleburg headquarters on Federal Street. Launched four years ago, the non-profit’s mission statement is simple enough: “helping people face, navigate and overcome life’s challenges using the therapeutic arts.” They employ music, art, movement, writing and conversa-

to agree. “A person with a stroke can use music to recall words so they can speak again,” Sweitzer said. “With kids with autism, we use music so they can communicate their feelings and their emotions. It’s all evidencebased, clinically-based. The arts can be just as important as physical therapy and occupational therapy.” Success stories Photo courtesy of A Place To Be abound. A girl with cerebral palsy whose hands seemed tiful on the inside and as worthy as glued to her chest sat at a piano anyone.” and tried to play with one hand. That is a message that reso- Soon after, she was able to hold a nates throughout APTB on a daily fork. “Before you knew it,” Sweitzer basis, and it’s been that way since recalled, “she was trying to regain Ben and K.C. Graham became walking and movement by dancing early supporters and benefactors of to Frank Sinatra. There’s no questhe program four years ago, offer- tion that music opens a portal…It’s ing Sweitzer the use of the build- this universal language.” ing that now houses APTB. “They Another student, Forrest were the first to see that this could Allen, had suffered a traumatic work,” Sweitzer said. “They were brain injury in a skiing accident. both interested in music therapy He underwent a series of surgeries and they said we think what you do and had several life-threatening setis important.” backs that left him unable to speak. Certainly the burgeoning “But when you hugged him, number of families from all around you could hear a ‘huh,’ you heard Northern Virginia utilizing the a sound that told you his vocal facility and the therapy would have cords worked,” Sweitzer said. “For

6 ½ months, we had him humming on pitch. Then on Dec. 12, 2012, he basically sang his first words— ‘good morning.’ No one thought he could vocalize. Then he began to sing everything he said. It was a great breakthrough.” On June 1, in fact, Forrest Allen appeared on stage at Hill for his own reading of a play he wrote—“44: A Young Man’s Journey With Traumatic Brain Injury.” Sweitzer and his staff also have made a significant connection with the community. A number of area high school students work with younger children as mentors, and more than 45 adults from the Middleburg area also volunteer. In October, APTB will go on the road, putting on productions at a number of Loudoun County Schools emphasizing diversity, acceptance and empathy, followed by discussions with the students after the performance. “I want to connect the entire community with the community we’re working with,” Sweitzer said. “There are children and adults who can’t function, and if we can make a dent in that in this corner of the world, we’ve done our job.” So far at A Place To Be, it’s obviously been a job well done. For information, go to www.aplacetobeva.org or call 540-687-6740. n


AT SUNNYBANK FARM

Jake and the Burtones

Colleen O’Malley Basinger

Debbie Cadenas

Photos by Doug Gehlsen and Karen Monroe of Middleburg Photo

Tom Trail and Michelle Lawrence

Donna Clark

Ronald ChaRles Maggiano

61, of Middleburg, VA died on Monday, May 19, 2014. Ron was born on September 27, 1952 in Minneapolis, MN. He attended Brophy College Preparatory, Arizona State University, the University of California San Diego and George Mason University. In 1975 he married Laurie Anne Bergner and together they had 2 sons. A history teacher for over 30 years, Maggiano most recently taught at West Springfield High School in Virginia. Maggiano won the American Historical Association’s Beveridge Family Teaching Prize for outstanding K12 teaching in 2006 and the Disney Teacher Award for innovation and creativity in 2005. He pioneered innovative techniques long before they were mainstream – including the use of music and multimedia in the classroom. Maggiano made headlines last year when he publicly resigned two years shy of retirement in protest over the dominance of testing over teaching and numbers over substance in public education. A dear husband, father, brother, grandfather, teacher, mentor and friend, Ron passed away unexpectedly from cancer related complications. Ron is survived by his parents Michael and Diane, his wife Laurie, his brother David, sons Grey and Chase, and granddaughter Isabella.

Passionate about education, music, God and his family, he leaves behind a legacy of compassion and love. In life and in death, Ron continues to remind us to “be excellent to each other”

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A memorial service will be held at the Trinity Episcopal Church-Upperville, 9108 John S Mosby Hwy on Saturday, May 31st at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Ronald Maggiano Music Scholars program care of Emmanuel Church, Middleburg. Checks made payable to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 105 E.Washington Street, Middleburg,VA 20117. Memo Line: Music Scholars.

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REMEMBERING

Mia & Monty

The original class of 1961: Howard Kaye,Van Merle-Smith, Norris Royston, John Phillips, Chad Somers, Jeanne Moon, Susan Miller, Susan Somers, Mia McIlvaine, Tina Tener, Dana Mooney

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ncy boutonnieres and sweet corsages were not optional when the eleven members of the Hill School eighth grade class of 1961 gathered for their graduation photo. Dressed in their Sunday best of suits and ties and pretty white dresses high school loomed large, followed by college, a career, marriage and children. Mia McIlvaine was a member of that class. In 1970, when she was 22, Mia wrote a book, “I Wish You’d Be There Too” about her friend Monty Grasty, who died in the late 60s when he was just 19. Mia was away in art school in Philadelphia at that time. Her mother Jane McIlvaine McClary was a journalist and author (best known for her roman a clef of Middleburg “A Portion for Foxes”) In 1989, she found the strength to write this upon the publication of the book her daughter had written… “In 1969 Mia and her new husband bought a boat in Denmark. Always adventurous, brought up to be fearless, Mia was enthusiastic about the plan to sail across the Atlantic, back to the United States on their honeymoon. In November 1971, after fitting out the vessel and sailing it from Copenhagen to Cornwall, they left England. Caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay, the boat sank. Mia died with it. She was 25.” Members of that class of 1961 and other alumni recently gathered for the dedication of a sculpture, John McCarty called Ianua, which translates from latin as the door. (See photo) McCarty, an awarding sculptor and retired professor at University of Maryland, was born in Washington, DC and is a long time resident of Virginia. “The children can walk through it,” said McCarty, a retired professor of sculpture at the University of Maryland

Sculpture created by Mia McIlvaine and her book I Wish You’d Be There Too

Photos by Middleburg Photo and Leonard Shapiro Anne Dudley Walker, Head of School Treavor Lord and Phillip Dudley with Elizabeth Walker peeking from behind

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...gone too soon

Ianua by John McCarty in memory of Mia McIlvaine

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Steve McIlvaine, Brooke McClary, Heather Beargie and Chris McClary

Members of the class of 1961 today: Norris Royston, Susan Somers, Howard Kaye and Jeanne Moon

Sunny Power-Kronick and Nani Power

Joel Garreau chats with Tom Northrup, headmaster emeritus


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“Many skills are learned by our students”, said Wipfler. “Creativity, art, math, team building, collaboration, fundraising, and a sense of community are just a few of the macro skills being learned through the “Canstruction” project.” n Seven Loaves was established in 1994 to provide nutritious food, personal supplies and

other assistance to those in need in Middleburg and the surrounding area. It is located in the basement of the Middleburg United Methodist Church and is always looking for volunteers to help fulfill its mission. Those interested may call (540) 687-3489.

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or the last four years, the seventh grade class at The Hill School has worked to raise money and awareness for Seven Loaves, the Middleburg-based food pantry. Through their annual “Canstruction” project, the partnership has been successful in raising money and awareness to fight the growing needs of hunger in the Middleburg area. The partnership was formed after Mike Wipfler, one of the Hill teachers who organizes the annual event, became aware of the “Canstruction” movement from a Washington, D.C. architect. Recognizing cans were the primary building material, and Canstruction is about raising awareness about hunger, Wipfler reached out to Melanie Maloney, president of Seven Loaves, and the “Canstruction” partnership was formed. “Canstruction” is actually a non-profit organization founded in 1992 as a way to unite the design, engineering, and construction industry through a unique and fun event that provides canned food to hunger relief organizations worldwide. Today “Canstruction” is a unique charity that hosts annual competitions, exhibitions and events showcasing immense structures made entirely out of food cans. At the close of the event, all the food is donated to local food banks where the events are held. “Canstruction” has raised 25 millions pounds of food since 1992 and has grown to become one of the largest food drives in the world. Events are held annually in over 150 cities around the world in North and South America, Australia, Europe and Asia. The first step in Hill’s annual “Canstruction” project is a visit to the food pantry to learn about hunger and food insecurity in our community. Students are provided with a tour of the food pantry from Maloney. They can watch and interact with volunteers, ask questions and learn more about food hunger in the community. The tour provides hands-on experience and helps each student develop a better understanding of what hunger means and what the community is doing to address the problem. “It’s been a great partnership,” Maloney said. “The passion and enthusiasm from these kids to address the seemingly endless problem perks us up. Plus, they raised a lot of money to help us help others.” The next step is fundraising. Through leadership, planning and careful execution, the seventh grade class hosts bake sales and runs a school-wide carnival drawing hundreds of people. All proceeds collected are contributed directly to Seven Loaves. Over the past four years, Hill seventh graders have raised almost $2,000 for Seven Loaves. After fundraising, the students being their “Canstruction” project. Each student presents their own idea using graph paper and colored pencils. Through discussion and collaboration, three designs are chosen for the final event. Cans are donated from Seven Loaves to begin the process. Students then engage mathematical equations to determine the amount of paper needed to wrap each can. They are each properly dressed with the right color and placed in the proper location

to form the final message about hunger. In the end, they form “ b i l l b o a r d s” of sorts and remind passersby at Hill that there are people in this area who need help. “I was amazed at the creativity and ingenuity the students showed,” Maloney said. “These kids are really clever -- and they displayed a passion for helping to address the seemingly endless problem of food needs in our community.”

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www.middleburglife.net

June 2014

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Memorial Day Tennis Tourney

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Members, friends, family and guests gathered at the Middleburg Tennis Club for the Memorial Day Compass Draw Tournament

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n June 30, Bea Ramsey will celebrate her 100th birthday. Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Cleveland and attended Ohio State, majoring in Fine Arts with an eye on fashion design. She and her sisters later opened one of the first airport gift and telegraph shops at the Columbus, Ohio airport. She found her dream spot 25 years ago when she purchased the 25-acre Shadow Gate Farm near Upperville, where she owned and bred racehorses. She reads The Washington Post each morning, loves the Washington Redskins, horses, dogs, sunbathing, her tomato garden and the Upperville Horse Show. Her friend, Sheila Keenan, calls her funny, upbeat and oh so wise. “I call her Bea Ramsay celebrates her 100th for advice birthday and she’s always right on. A remarkable, one of a kind lady.” Actress Bo Derek quietly slipped in and out of Middleburg recently for a stop over at the Goodstone Inn, one of her favorite spots. She was here to once again meet private equity specialist William Hasselberger of Middleburg for meetings in Richmond with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and other state film,

Hasselberger, who is providing seed money for the project, said he strongly believes he can negotiate with the state to film “Capitol Crimes” in Virginia, “especially as it’s in the best interests of Virginia for us to do so.” He indicated that if a deal can be reached, Derek likely would make several public service announcements promoting the state that would air during commercial breaks and be featured on the show’s DVDs. “She’d be the perfect spokesperson for Virginia tourism,” he added.

has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. She also purchased the Unison Store and donated it to the Unison Preservation Society for use as a community center. Accepting her award at Judy Kozacik and Ron Rust’s Thomas Birkby House garden in Leesburg, Parker said she considers history to be entwined with land conservation. The restoration at Huntlands has been a labor of love and she’s not finished yet. “We tried to preserve as much as we could,” said Parker, who

Bo Derek stayed at the Goodstone Inn recently

commerce and tourism officials. Their talks focused on providing future tax credits for television and film production companies as an incentive to use the Commonwealth as the location for their new television series, “Capitol Crimes.” It likely will feature Derek as a producer and playing a starring role in a series that probably will be filmed in Richmond and Northern Virginia. “It’s clear that the governor and his senior staff are enthusiastic,” Hasselberger said. “He’s already said he wants Bo to do a film or TV series in Virginia, and politicians don’t usually do that unless they really want it to happen.”

Photo by Janet Hitchen

Joanne Turley, Rose Uran. Faith Fort, Greg Lough, Betsee Parker, Steven Putnam, Gerry Coxey, Denise Pierce and Keri Fisher

Meanwhile….Middleburg’s Betsee Parker recently received the 2014 Loudoun Preservation Society’s Preservationist of the Year award. Parker has restored the historic Huntlands house, gardens and slave quarters, which

credited her team, headed by farm manager Jerry Coxey. “I am the most blessed landowner in Loudoun to have such a manager.” Mark Betts, owner of the Goodstone Inn, also honored at the same event, was one

Mosby Heritage Trail Ride

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oe Dempsey led the Mosby Heritage Trail ride with 40-plus riders for “Exploring Historic Rectortown.” Rich Gillespie,

MHAA Education Director, spoke at the Rectortown building on the historic significance of the Mosby Rangers at Rectortown.”

Photo by Douglas Lees


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Photo By Leonard Shapiro

Photo by Middleburg Photo

ormer Middleburg Life advertising manager Noel Ryan returned to the area for the Virginia Foxhound Club Show at Morven Park on Memorial Day weekend. Now huntsman of the Palm Beach Hounds, he did a tip of the hat to our photographers Karen Monroe and Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo.

of four to receive a Community Blue Ribbon award from the Loudoun Coalition Rural Roads Committee. The inn was cited for the protection and continued preservation of the former early 20th century estate, whose land ownership dates to the mid-1700s. The remaining buildings have been converted and enhanced to create a luxurious 18-room country inn and retreat. A belated note from the April running of England’s 167th Grand National Steeplechase… Guy Dove made a trip across the pond to watch his horse, Hunt Ball, (listed early at 50-1) finish 17th. Trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Andrew Tinkler, the horse is owned by the group “Hunt Ball, LLC” and includes friends from Baltimore and former Maryland Hunt Cup riders and owners. “I lived in England for five years and had been to Ascot and Cheltenham, but never to Aintree,” he told Middleburg Life. The grueling 4 mile, 3 ½ furlong race with 30 king-sized jumps had 40 starters and was

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Yard Sale

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fficer Tim Thorpe and Mabel at the Chinn Lane Yard Sale which raised money for Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Upperville. Photo by Leonard Shapiro

Deputy Chief of Navy Chaplains, will preach this year’s community sermon at Middleburg’s 39th annual Free Church Homecoming, Sunday, June 15 at Middleburg Baptist Church, 209 East Federal Street. The unique ecumenical service where Admiral Kibben will preach is held every year at the site of the original “Old Free Church,” constructed in the late 1700s. In the mid-19th century the original building was destroyed, the second Free Church, built on the same site in 1840, today serves as the sanctuary of the Middleburg Baptist Church, host of the Homecoming celebration. The service begins at 11 a.m. and is followed by a potluck picnic. Childcare is provided for the service and all events are open to the public. n

June 2014

Photo by Leonard Shapiro

Stephanie Bates, Rev. Rob Banse and Cindy Thompson shared the successful results of Upperville’s Trinity Church’s Hunt Country Stable Tour at a post event supper.

Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben

on Stout, Shawna Stout, Patricia Stout and Jose Urteaga in the gardens at Shawmark Farm. Friends and supporters of Fauna & Flora International gathered to support biodiversity conservation and a brief review of their programs with Urteaga, a marine turtle specialist.

der Resort & Spa for a memorable evening on Tuesday, June 10. Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben, Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and

www.middleburglife.net

won by the 25-1 Pineau De Re ridden by Leighton Aspell. And speaking of horses…kudos to Stephanie Bates and Cindy Dougherty Thompson, cochairs of the 55th annual Hunt Country Stable Tour presented by Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville on Memorial Day weekend. With a number of new stops of the tour, the event attracted visitors from all over the country. A noteworthy amount of funds were raised for the Outreach Ministries. This just in...Wagenburg Farm in Middleburg has a selection of Virginia-grown trees from 6 feet in height. Call (703) 727-8132 to make an appointment to pick out your tree or to visit the greenhouse, and they also offer stump grinding/removal service, along with other landscaping services. Oatlands, built in 1804 by George Carter and substantially renovated by him in the late 1820s and early 1830s, is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture and has been open to the public since 1966. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a plaster repair

project to restore damaged areas has been completed. This included a large area of ceiling, which fell in the 2011 earthquake. Andrea McGimsey, Executive Director of Oatlands near Leesburg, said she was pleased with nearly year-long endeavor with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and addtional funding from National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. And these social notes: Talented winemaker Peter Mondavi of the award winning Charles Krug Winery of Napa Valley partners with Chef Chris Edwards of Harrimans Virginia Piedmont Grill at Salaman-

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Tip of the Hat

enore Haley of Middleburg and her daughter Earline Coleman of Herndon attended the annual Memorial Day graveside service at Middleburg’s Solon Cemetery. Mrs. Haley’s late husband, the Rev. Theodore Haley, began the tradition in the 1990s. Rev. Lewis Christian III of The Plains officiated the service, aided by Mrs. Haley’s son, Rev. Louis Haley of Manassas. American flags were placed on the graves of close to 100 veterans buried at Solon, Middleburg’s long-time African-American cemetery dating back to just after the Civil War.

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Fred and Rick

Kohler: The Father-Son Feeling Is Mutual By Leonard Shapiro For Middleburg Life

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lmost every morning, the daily sign-in sheet for the Middleburg Tennis Club’s fitness room leads off with the name Fred Kohler, who usually checks in shortly after 6 a.m. A man who served in the military during World War II now only takes Tuesdays and Sundays off from his normal workout routine—30 minutes on an elliptical machine, 10 more on a recumbent bike and then a little weight work to top it off and get ready for another busy day. All this despite four hip operations and three knee surgeries over the years, not to mention countless hours a week operating a bustling property and casualty insurance business as the Middleburg subsidiary of Leesburg-based Moore, Clemens. “Isn’t it just amazing what my dad does,” said his son, Rick Kohler, who has his own thriving real estate business—Rick Kohler Real Estate in Washington, Va. “He’s always been active for as long as I can remember. He’s played very competitive tennis only until very recently. I think it’s great.” Father and son clearly have an abiding mutual admiration and loving relationship. As usual, they will spend Fathers Day together later this month, perhaps a long lunch with family members in Middleburg, or a gathering down in Bedford, Va., where one of Fred’s three daughters lives. Rick and his three sisters recently made a CD recording for their dad of all the favorite songs the family used to sing on vacation road trips. Fred loves to sing and would accompany the family on the ukulele. He’s a Richmond native with a long and somewhat colorful past. He and his wife Courtney moved to Middleburg in 1968 where Fred ran three different businesses—real estate, insurance and bloodstock agent. Fresh out of the

University of Richmond, Rick, a Hill School graduate, joined his father in the Middleburg real estate business in the early 1970s before he decided to go out on his own, with his father’s blessing. “I just never really liked the real estate end,” Fred said in a recent interview, adding that not long after Rick left, “I said to myself ‘I’m out, too.’ At one point, Fred was insuring high-priced, world-class thoroughbreds, a good fit because he’d been around horses since the age of nine. An outstanding horse show rider, he performed in Madison Square Garden and earned a ribbon there as reserve open jumping champion in 1949. As a teenager, he and his twin brother, Tyler, who lives in Vermont, broke yearlings and galloped horses in the morning and worked making hay in the afternoons. While stationed in Texas with the Army Air Corps during the war, he and a pal rode bucking broncos in the rodeo every once in a while, using tack borrowed from the local cowboys. Over the years he also was a fearless steeplechase jockey and, oh yes, an avid foxhunter, as well. When he was still in the horse insurance business, he wrote policies on two Kentucky Derby winners. Spectacular Bid (1979) was insured for $22 million, plus another $15 million as fertility insurance. Kauai King (1966) had a $15 million policy on his life. “I still do some equine insurance,” Fred said. “But in that business, I had to travel so much. I was at tracks and farms everywhere, here, in Europe. You just always had to be there. After awhile, it just got to be too much. Then I hooked up with Moore, Clemens, a great little company, and it was a perfect match for me, a wonderful relationship. And I’m available 24-7 because I work out of an office in my house.” Over the years, Fred had time for other pursuits, as well. He appeared in a number of

Photo by Missy Janes

Rick Kohler with his father Fred Kohler

productions put on by the Middleburg Players, and his son Rick joined him in the cast for several musicals. “My dad has a wonderful voice, and I learned how to sing from him myself,” Rick said. “I grew up listening to all his records, the Mills Brothers, things like that. We had a lot of fun doing those shows together. One time I remember they got off track and jumped to the wrong scene. I got up and said ‘oh that’s a good story, but didn’t you want me to tell you about this other story.’ They figured it out and got back on the right scene.” Rick also recalled having to sing a love song right after he had lugged a heavy wrought iron chair across the stage during a change of scenery.

“When the curtain went up, I was still out of breath,” he said, “but I did manage to get through it.” Fred said he thoroughly enjoyed the time Rick worked with him in the real estate business—and on stage—and his son loved the idea of being an “executive” at the age of 22 and living in his hometown. “We had no problems at all, we were always simpatico,” Fred said. “He’s a great kid, and the smartest move he ever made was going out on his own. He’s active in civic work, he’s wellestablished and that area is just booming. I’m really proud of him.” Said Rick of his father, “just an amazing guy.” n

Picture Perfect With Missy Janes

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n 1981, Courtney and Fred Kohler had a memorable journey with their friends Polly and Jim Rowley. They traveled to Kenya for one month. They camped with guide and tent crews in Masai Mara, Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Samburu game preserves and stayed several days in Nairobi, Malinde and Mombasa. Of course, they had their cameras in tow. Since that time, Fred Kohler, a long time advertiser in Middleburg Life, has created his ads for Moore, Clemens & Co. insurance company around his African adventure. The tag lines, like one in May with a lion peeking out “Insurance protection against formidable hazards,” have been Madison Avenue-worthy (see also page 3). His son, Rick Kohler, has inherited that sense of skillful marketing with his Rappahannock real estate business. He recently created a campaign to come meet the Beatles with clever

cut lines for various properties based upon the Fab Four’s songs: “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me,” “Eight Days A Week” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” among others. There was a sense of wonderment and reverence as we watched one very early morning as photographer Missy Rowley Janes met up with Fred and Rick Kohler to shoot the cover photo for this month’s Middleburg Life. The coincidence of the photography adventure her parents had taken with Fred and Courtney Kohler did not escape us. Life is sweet, especially in the soft early light. Now, let us tell you about Missy and her Stone Barn Photography in her own words: “ So much of who I am has been influenced by growing up in the Virginia Piedmont surrounded by woods, wildlife, dogs and horses. Since life on a working farm unfolds throughout the seasons into so many vignettes of visual and purpose-

ful stories, my eye has been busy recording from an early age.” Missy got serious about photography as a teenager (no doubt influenced by her equally artistic mother). She learned to shoot with an old 35 mm camera and develop and print in the red light of the darkroom. In her early work, she documented projects for the community--a hospital’s expansion and examples of erosion for a county conservation effort. After graduation from Goucher College, Missy bicycled across the U.S., and then rafted an uncharted river in Nepal. By then, she says, “I was shooting Kodachrome slides to document my travels.” (Sound familiar?) In the early 1980s, she worked for an art director at National Geographic where “I had the amazing opportunity to be surrounded by award

Photo by Vicky Moon

winning photographers and graphic designers. “Grace and symmetry catch my eye,” she says. “Charm and a sense of fun make us smile. Most of all, I search for that unique perspective where patterns, shapes and light intersect for a pleasurable composition whether in a portrait or a landscape.” --Vicky Moon


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45662 Terminal Drive, Suite #150 Dulles, VA 20166 571-375-2602 Sunday School • 10am Morning Worship • 11am Wednesday Bible Study • 7pm Thursday Night Prayer • 7pm (via conference • 1-712-432-0430 access code 190597#) Saturday Intercessory Prayer • 7am (in the Sanctuary)

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ongtime Middleburg resident Ed Wright has collected a number of old photographs from the town and surrounding areas,

many of them supplied by Jim Poston. Every month, Wright, a retired executive after many years at the Middleburg Bank, takes readers down

memory lane with recollections of what used to be.

With the Saffer Family, It Was Always Fun

May 2014 Middleburg Life Ad_Layout 1 5/22/14 7:18 PM Page 1

OpenTable Diner’s Choice Award: 100 Most Romantic Restaurants USA 2013 Condé Nast Johansens: Most Excellent Inn USA Finalist 2014, 2013 & 2012 Wine Enthusiast Magazine: America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants 2013 & 2012

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June 2014

Claudia Saffer Young and her brother Doc Saffer

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Enjoy Goodstone’s Midweek Restaurant Specials! MONDAY: Wine Night at Goodstone ½ price on bottled wine (maximum price $100) TUESDAY: Special $44 Three-course Prix-fixe Menu * WEDNESDAY: Special $44 Three-course Prix-fixe Menu * THURSDAY: Special $44 Three-Course Prix-fixe Menu * * in addition to the regular menu

Thursday is also Date Night for Inn Guests: Purchase dinner and your room is 30% off regular rates. CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY WITH DINNER AT GOODSTONE!

36205 SNAKE HILL ROAD, MIDDLEBURG, VA 20117 540.687.3333 / WWW.GOODSTONE.COM A 2 0 1 3 L O U D O U N D E S T I N AT I O N R E S TA U R A N T

y late, great friend, Thornton “Doc” Saffer, wrote a wonderful book, “It Was Mostly Fun,” that was later turned into a magical musical performed by the Middleburg Players. It was all about growing up in Middleburg, and all the great times we always seemed to have. “Doc,” who passed away seven years ago, got his nickname because his father, Dr. D.T. Saffer, was a beloved general practitioner in town for many years. The family lived in what is now the Parish House at Emmanuel Church. Dr. Saffer had an office in the walk-in basement at the house, but saw most of his patients at the old Health Center located back then in the brick building on Pendleton St., right next to where the Highcliffe clothing store is now located. Next door to his office was the town’s liquor store. In his book, Doc wrote that “when someone would come to the house

Photo by Leonarad Shapiro

looking for the doctor and dad was at the Health Center, the exchange would go like this: No, he’s not here, but you can go to the Health Center. Where is that? Do you know where the drug store is? No. How about the fire house? No. The liquor store? Yes!!! It never failed.” Dr. and Mrs. Martha Saffer had four children—Tommy, the oldest, followed by sister Claudia, Doc and Stuart. When all of us were growing up in the 1940s and ‘50s, the Saffers’ place was the meeting house for all the young people. I saw Claudia not long ago and told her that her parents never complained about having all those kids hanging around their house. She said “they didn’t. They loved it.” Doc was the best man at my wedding. He also signed a copy of his book to me that read “growing up with you as a close (best?) friend, and feeling a part of your family was special. Man did we have some laughs.” As for his father, in addition to his medical practice, Dr. Saffer also loved baseball and he coached and financed the Middleburg Junior League baseball team for many years. It wasn’t Little League, but a team made up mostly of teenagers up to 17 years old. Dr. Saffer’s nurse was Miss Virginia Williams. When she first interviewed for the job, she was coming in to town to meet the board of directors of the Health Center for an interview. Dr. Saffer saw her, wheeled his car around and caught up with her before she got there. He asked her if she was planning to take the job, and she said she just didn’t know, she hadn’t made up her mind quite yet. “He said ‘well dammit, just make up your mind.’” She soon took the job. The Saffers were a big part of Middleburg, a wonderful, wonderful family. When Dr. Saffer died, sadly much too young, someone over in St. Louis said “how can we live without Dr. Saffer?” n


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FI N E P RO P E RT I E S


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ProPerties in Hunt Country 11 S. MADISON STREET

LIBERTy HALL

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Paris/Upperville sCirca 1770, Lovely Stone and Stucco Farmhouse sits at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains s20+ acres surrounded by Protected Lands sIncredible Views sMeticulous exterior renovations include newly Re-Pointed Stonework, Metal Roof, 2 Large Additions, Covered Porch, Basement, Buried Electric, Well and Septic sFully Fenced, Mature Trees, Stone Walls, and Boxwoods sReady for all your interior finishes. $1,950,000

COMMERCIAL - in heart of historic Middleburg, VA.

Rebecca Poston (540) 771-7520

Rebecca Poston (540) 771-7520

WISDOM GALLERy

BEDLAM

Main level retail/restaurant space, Currently vacant and available for lease. Three level, detached, mixed use building with parking. Upper level-3 one bedroom apts-leased. English Basement Lower level- leased, Main level small shop-leased. Leases are verbal, month to month. $1,700,000

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This 26.29 acre horse farm near Philomont with its Center Aisle Stable with 5 stalls, wash stall, tack & feed rooms, sits in the middle of Loudoun Fairfax Hunt’s territory. There is an extensive trail system at your doorstep.The stucco & stone manor house was built in 1994 on a rise overlooking the Blue Ridge Mtns. The living room and dining rooms are large and have fireplaces. Great windows and good moldings give this house an elegance that is not flamboyant. $1,500,000

Susie Ashcom (540) 729-1478 544 TILTHAMMER

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TURN-KEy BUSINESS: Stunning upscale gift shoppe in the center of Middleburg's Commercial District! Sales price includes real estate, business & inventory. Approx. 1/2 of inventory is offsite & included in sale. Wonderful opportunity for a true "turn-key business" in the heart of Virginia's horse & wine country. With the opening of Salamander Resort & Spa, and The Annual Film Festival, this is a tremendous location! $1,400,000

Turnkey horse farm with c. 1800’s fully renovated 5 bedroom/4 bath traditional VA farm house on 23+ acres in Blue Ridge Hunt. Light filled Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room, Library, Separate Office, 1st Floor Master Bedroom, Hardwood floors, 4 fireplaces, finished lower level. Covered Patio off Kitchen, 5 stall barn with feed & tack room & 2nd floor Studio. 4 fenced paddocks and great ride out. $973,000

Custom stone and brick 1-level home on 20+ acres with lovely mountain views. No details spared in this 4 bedroom, 3 bath architectual gem. Brazilian teak flooring,all custom cabinetry & built-ins, 9’ ceilings, Cathedral ceiling in Great room, gas fireplace, Gourmet Kitchen with stainless appliances, island & eat-in area, luxury master Suite. patio with fire-pit, separate Studio, 3 car Garage with workshop. $925,000

Cricket Bedford (540) 229-3201

Cricket Bedford (540) 229-3201

SHENANDOAH RIVER

LAND

ZULLA COTTAGE

Rebecca Poston (540) 771-7520

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ZULLA ROAD - Build your dream home on a rare 3 Acre Parcel on prestigious Zulla Road located just minutes to Middleburg. Board fencing installed. County approved 4Bedroom Septic Field. Last parcel left. $255,000

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Turn-key horse farm. Dressage, show jumping & cross country can be taught here on 18 acres and only minutes from the I-81 & I-66 merger. Currently leasing additional 15 acres for grazing for $1/year. Dressage arena, 220x100, Riding arena, 100x250 and indoor 50x76. Brick Colonial (completely updated & modernized) sits majestically on a knoll in a curve of the Shenandoah River. $750,000

Susie Ashcom (540) 729-1478

EDMONDS LANE - Rare 3.5 acre parcel at base of Blue Ridge Mountains on road leading to SKY MEADOWS State Park! Build your dream home within walking distance to 1,800+ acres of preserved parkland with trailhead to the Appalachian Trail. Open, cleared land with stunning pastoral & mountain views. Stone walls. Minutes to Delaplane, Upperville, Middleburg, etc. EZ access to I-66 & Rte. 50. 45 min. to Dulles, 1 hr to DC. $290,000 RIVER ROAD-Beautiful open, rolling land with panoramic views of the Shenandoah River and Blue Ridge mountains with almost 700 feet of river frontage. A private retreat just 4 miles from the Route 7 bridge in Clarke County. 34.51 acres $570,000

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Fully renovated home on 1+ acre with 2 bedrooms, 2½ baths on sought after Zulla Road. Freshly painted, new windows, new appliances, new carpet & refinished woods floors. Living Room/Dining Room combo with fireplace, Galley kitchen & Family Room with picture window. Bedrooms have full BAs & walk-in closets. Sep. entrance to spacious Mudroom. Large front & side porch. Great commuter location. EZ to I-66 & Rte. 50. Walk to park. $365,000

Cricket Bedford (540) 229-3201

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

Please see over 100 of our fine estates and exclusive country properties by visiting www.THOMAS-TALBOT.com Our listings receive over 35,000 visits worldwide per month.

June 2014

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RISING MOON

Susie Ashcom Cricket Bedford Catherine Bernache John Coles Rein duPont Cary Embury Barrington Hall Sheryl Heckler Julien Lacaze Anne V. Marstiller

THOMAS AND TALBOT REAL ESTATE A STAUNCH ADVOCATE OF LAND EASEMENTS LAND AND ESTATE AGENTS SINCE 1967 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 (540) 687-6500

* Washington, Virginia 22747 (540) 675-3999

Phillip S. Thomas, Sr.

Brian McGowan Jim McGowan Mary Ann McGowan Suzanne Meyle Andrew Motion Rebecca Poston Emily Ristau Alex Sharp* Ashleigh Cannon Sharp* Jayme Taylor


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