Middleburg Eccentric April 2022 by Middleburg Eccentric, LLC.

Printed using recycled fiber

Middleburg’s Communit Community Newspaper Middleburg’s y Newspaper

Volume 19 Issue 1

Chicken Liver Pate Page 24 mbecc.com

April 28, 2022

Middleburg Spring Races Hats, hats and more hats

Page 16

Middleburg considers Boundary Line Adjustment for entry-level housing

Jackie Fishman

Middleburg Population Changes Presenting Challenges These proposals could help address Middleburg’s current housing challenges, which have been brewing for decades. A look at the Town’s population fluctuations illustrates these concerns. Mayor Littleton provided a look at some population statistics in his presentation. In 1970, the Town’s population was 833. Fifty-two years later, the Town is home to 870

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he future is calling Middleburg, and now is the time for residents to seriously consider how they want to answer that call. Affordable and entrylevel housing is increasingly scarce in Town, which creates a problem for service personnel, teachers, and restaurant staff. This issue has been exacerbated by the recent housing crunch in our country, which has seen the cost of the average rental increase by 12.7 percent since 2019 in Loudoun County, according to a recent Washington Post report. This increase, coupled with the scarcity of housing options within town limits, burdens younger residents who work in and therefore want to live in or near Town. On Tuesday, April 19, Mayor Trowbridge Littleton held a town council public information session to introduce and discuss proposals from two property owners interested in the annexation of their land or portions of their land into the Town through a process formally called a “Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA).” This meeting and several others to occur in the next few months are the efforts by the Council to present the details of these proposals to the community, get input and feedback from residents, and answer any questions. The Mayor’s presentation is available as a PDF file. You can also download the full PowerPoint

presentation to see the animation of maps/graphics (requires Microsoft PowerPoint). These two proposals are from two different entities, and both are asking for the Town’s boundaries to be extended. An additional 55 acres of property would be added to the Town between these two proposals. These acres would help increase the affordable housing options and the green space within town limits. On the west side of Town, the Windy Hill Foundation, a nonprofit organization, seeks to turn the former Maggie Bryant estate into an affordable housing community. On the east side, Homewood Farms wants to develop 22 acres of property on Foxcroft Road, east of Salamander and Wolver Hill, and develop a housing community with condominiums, townhomes, and small, cottage-style homes. Homewood Farms already owns 15 acres in Town, and this project would add 22 acres to their property holdings.

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News of Note

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April 28, 2022 Page 3

Middleburg’s Aggressive Invader - English Ivy ost people admire English Ivy because it stays green all year and can cover up many things, so it appears harmless. BUT............ English Ivy is slowly killing our trees in town and throughout our entire community. With the help of Estee LaClare and Mark Metzger, the Town’s Streetscape Committee is launching a new program to inform us better all that English Ivy is Middleburg’s Aggressive Invader and action needs to be taken. We hope the following information will help everyone understand the English Ivy issue better and offer simple removal solutions. The Streetscape Committee meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Town Office at 8:30 AM, and everyone is welcome. So, if you have ivy/tree/shrub questions or issues, please come to the meetings as we are here to help you. English Ivy (Hedera Helix L.) was introduced to America by European colonists back in 1727. It is an evergreen climbing vine that attaches to the bark of trees, brickwork, and other surfaces through small root-like structures that secrete a sticky substance that helps the vines hold onto different surfaces. It is an aggressive invader and has made the State of Virginia’s Invasive Plant Species List. While the listing only puts it at a medium level of invasiveness, based upon its threat to natural communities and native species, it threatens all levels of vegetation. It grows along the ground as well as in the forest canopy. The ivy can displace native plant species, reduce wildlife habitat, and completely alter ecosystems. When they climb up tree trunks, English Ivy vines spread out and engulf the tree canopy blocking out sunlight and impeding photosynthesis. The decline of the tree can take many years to occur, and the weight of the vines can make the tree susceptible to blowing over in storms. Additionally, the vines can potentially pass along harmful plant pathogens. Elimination and Prevention Manual, mechanical, and chemical control methods effectively remove and eliminate English Ivy. It is often a combination of strategies that achieve the

most success and may reduce potential impacts on native plants, animals, and people. Individual vines can easily be removed from moist soil by hand. The vines can also be uprooted using landscaping tools (rake, pruning snips/clippers, cutting tools, and mowing). If the tree is encircled/ engulfed in ivy, cut the vines around the tree’s base, be careful not to cut the tree itself. Using the same technique, cut another circle around the tree at around shoulder level, then severe the ivy in two locations and its flow of nutrients. Monitor the area for new growth and remove ivy if it begins to come back. Herbicides should be used as an alternative or last resort when attempting to eliminate English Ivy. English Ivy’s leaves contain a waxy barrier that is difficult for products to infiltrate. It is exceedingly difficult to kill the ivy with herbicides alone and can

require manual, mechanical, and chemical control methods for successful elimination. Recipe for Environmentally Safe Weed Killer Only three ingredients are needed for an environmentally safe product that can be applied to English Ivy to eliminate it: Vinegar, Dish Soap, and Salt. You will need a gallon container of white vinegar, ¼ cup of dish soap, and two cups of Epsom or regular salt for one batch of weed killer. Instructions for mixing these ingredients: Pour the salt into your container.

1. Add the vinegar.

2. Shake the salt and vinegar together. Allow to dissolve.

3. Add the dish soap.

4. Combine all ingredients.

5. Pour into a spray bottle of your choosing.

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P.O. Box 1768 Middleburg, VA 20118 540-687-3200 news@mbecc.com

Editor Jay Hubbard editor@mbecc.com

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Publisher Middleburg Eccentric LLC

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• April 28, 2022

News of Note

Old OX Brewery and Silver Branch Brewing Announce Partnering to Leverage the Strengths of Each Company

ilver Branch Brewing Company and Old Ox Brewery will join forces to create one cohesive company that combines Old Ox’s brand recognition, distribution expertise, and brewing capacity with Silver Branch’s hospitality background, marketing experience, and quickly growing portfolio of beers. The combined company will be well-positioned to take advan-

tage of new opportunities emerging in the craft beverage industry while continuing to grow the Silver Branch and Old Ox brands. “This merger affords us some very exciting growth opportunities,” says Chris Burns, Founder of Old Ox Brewery. “We have amazing plans for our tasting rooms, distribution portfolios, and new product launches. We can’t wait to share them with our customers. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it’s also going to be

a lot of fun!” Each brewery will maintain its unique identity while seeking opportunities to cross-promote and bring new beer experiences to craft beer lovers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Silver Branch delivers traditional European-style beers in its Downtown Silver Spring tasting room, and Old Ox maintains a core competency in American craft styles that enjoys broad re-

gional distribution. “While our brewing styles are distinct, our philosophies are extremely well aligned,” says Christian Layke, Co-Founder of Silver Branch Brewing, “We both see beer as being as much about culture and the experience as it is about the liquid itself.” “This strategic partnership will enable the combined company to achieve efficiencies, continue growing at an accelerated

rate, and leverage diversified expertise,” says Brett Robison, CoFounder of Silver Branch Brewing. “The merger will allow both breweries to continue producing their well-known beers in addition to many new innovative beers. Beer fans in Maryland, Virginia, and DC will also have more opportunities to participate in cultural celebrations and beer release parties in Silver Spring and Ashburn. This year we get to throw two Oktoberfest parties, we’re really excited about that.” Silver Branch Co-Founder Christian Layke will be Director of Brewing, with Co-Founder Brett Robison as Director of Operations. Chris Burns, Co-Founder of Old Ox, will serve as Director of Sales. So what’s next? Time for a beer! We’re working on a celebratory collaboration project for release in May. The beer is brewed, the label is designed, and the release is being planned... We’re excited! More details soon, but rest assured there will be a party! The proposed merger is subject to an operating agreement’s final negotiation and execution. The intention is to be a fully combined and integrated company by Q3 2022.

Upperville Colt & Horse Show Site Elected to the National Register of Historic Places

he site of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, Grafton Farm, has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. The acceptance of Grafton Farm to the

National Register completes a two-year-long process led by conservationist and equestrian Canon Dr. Betsee Parker and historical preservationist Maral Kalbian. Grafton Farm was entered into the Virginia

Department of Historic Resources Virginia Landmarks Register in December 2021. “This is a tremendous day for Upperville,” said Parker. “For 169 years, Grafton

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Farm’s historic and environmental integrity has been maintained. While necessary modern improvements have been implemented, the stewards of Grafton Farm have done so with sensitivity to the importance of the grounds’ historic and environmental significance.” Established in 1853 by Colonel Richard Henry Dulany to encourage better treatment of horses and improve the local breeding stock, the Upperville Colt & Horse Show is the oldest horse show in the U.S. The show has been held annually at the original site at Grafton Farm on the south side of Route 50 in Upperville, Va. It has grown from a one-day show to a week-long event that draws thousands of spectators in addition to horses and riders competing from across the country and around the world. Grafton Farm escaped the intrusions of development that have impacted numerous horse show sites across the country, making it one of the most historically intact horse show grounds in the nation. Some oak tree canopies date to the Revolutionary War era, and the grounds were witness to action during the Civil War. The grounds’ structures date

from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. Renovations to the famous circa 1895 grandstand and the construction of judges’ stands and officials’ towers have maintained cohesion with the bucolic setting. The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultured resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a nationwide program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The 169th Upperville Colt & Horse Show presented by Mars Equestrian™ will return to Grafton Farm and Salem Showgrounds June 6-12, 2022. For more information, visit www.upperville.com.

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April 28, 2022 Page 5

Salamander Resort & Spa Receives Two Coveted Five-Star Awards from Forbes Travel Guide

Salamander Spa debuts on the list of Forbes-Five Star winners as the only Five-Star spa in Virginia, while the luxury Middleburg property achieves the industry’s highest honor for lodging for the fourth consecutive year

alamander Resort & Spa, the luxury Virginia property owned by Sheila Johnson, was today awarded two prestigious Five-Star Ratings by the Forbes Travel Guide. The resort’s Salamander Spa received the coveted honor for the first time, making it the only Five-Star spa in Virginia, while the 168-room property received the lodging distinction for the fourth consecutive year, placing it among the most iconic and revered properties worldwide. The gold standard in the hospitality industry since 1958, the Forbes Five-Star ratings are based on professional, anonymous inspections. There are only 63 properties worldwide with Five-Star ratings for both lodging and spa, and just 30 in the United States. “I am so incredibly proud and humbled to receive 10 stars from Forbes Travel Guide,” said Johnson, Resort Owner and Founder & CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. “Maintaining our unique style of thoughtful, warm and caring service, and a creative ap-

proach to the guest experience is something we pride ourselves on, particularly through the unprecedented times we’ve all recently faced and especially in a spa environment. I am so grateful to our entire team of service professionals who strive to exceed our guests’ expectations on a daily basis. They have truly earned these ratings.” Since its highly-anticipated grand opening in August 2013, Salamander Resort & Spa has received worldwide plaudits, and also become a community gathering point and executive retreat for the Washington, DC., Virginia and Maryland area. Under the guidance of General Manager David Mars, the resort continues its leadership as one of the foremost luxury destination resorts in the country. “Congratulations to Salamander Resort & Spa – what a remarkable achievement and development for the Commonwealth. Thanks to businesses like the Salamander Resort & Spa, Virginia is an amazing destination to visit, relax, and live,” said Virginia Governor

Glenn Youngkin. Located on 340 picturesque acres in the storied village of Middleburg – the heart of Virginia’s famed horse and wine country – the resort is only 35 minutes from Washington Dulles International Airport. Designed to blend into the sur-

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rounding rolling countryside, Salamander Resort & Spa draws its architectural inspiration from Johnson’s nearby farm. It offers a series of immersive experiences unique to the area, including Harrimans Virginia Piedmont Grill, a Cooking Studio and Culinary

Garden, a tree-top zip line tour, and a 22-stall equestrian center with riding arena. The resort is also developing Residences at Salamander, which offers 49 luxury, built-for-sale homes within a pristine landscape.

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• April 28, 2022

News of Note

Mature tree preservation secrets

Lynne Kaye

ike quite a few area residents, my family moved to “Greater Middleburg” from the city. We came from a world of human-designed lawns and landscaping. Little did we know how much we had to learn about living in the country! Our new home included a narrow, wooded area filled with brambles, vines, young trees of various types, rotting hay bales, the remnants of an old fence line, and a line of 80-year-old maple trees interspersed with mature wild cherry trees which had grown up along the fence line. The gorgeous, mature maples had sweeping branches and trunks far too wide to wrap our arms around. We learned that the cherries produced lovely flowers and edible fruit during our first spring on the property. We loved the maples and cherries and dreamed of reading books,

walking, and riding our horses under the spreading branches of these stately trees. There was just one problem – that mess of brambles, vines, hay bales, and wire surrounding the trees. We looked enviously at our neighbor’s park-like yard that featured mature, spreading trees surrounded by neatly trimmed lawn. My husband hired a crew of workers, pointed toward our neighbor’s property, and asked the crew to “make our yard look like theirs.” The crew arrived with chain saws and a small skidsteer and proceeded to remove everything except the mature trees. We planted grass around the trees and looked at our newly cleaned-up and landscaped tree line with great satisfaction. Little did we know that our clean-up would damage the very trees we loved. The first tree in the tree line fell within two years of the cleanup. Within ten years, a number of our trees, along with many of the trees we admired in our

neighbor’s yard, broke off and had to be cut down, were uprooted in storms or died of disease. As we drove around the area, we noted that we were not the only ones losing mature trees. As more and more people turned woodlots and old fence lines into lawns, pastures, fields, and developments, more and more stately oaks, locusts, and other mature trees succumbed to storms and disease. It seemed that the larger and more beautiful the tree, the faster it broke or fell. Despite noticing this trend, we could not explain it. Nor did we know what to do differently to preserve the mature trees we loved. After one of last year’s storms broke yet another maple in our tree line, our landscaper suggested we talk with Horticulturalist and Certified Arborist Philip Klene of Shade Tree Farm about a replacement. The tree was going to need to fit with our now almost 100-yearold maples, so it needed size. The new tree could not be a

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two-inch-thick stack of a tree from a local garden center. Shade Tree Farm provides landscaping companies and individuals with trees and shrubs grown outdoors in fields that back up to the Blue Ridge Mountains near Upperville. As Horticulturalist Erica Klene showed us, the farm’s trees and shrubs are much larger, more substantial, and more accustomed to our climate than most garden centers’ small, greenhouse-grown trees. After studying our tree line, Philip explained that four bad things often happen when a tree is surrounded by grass and separated from other trees. First, grass and trees are not actually compatible. Each wants to reproduce more of its kind, so trees produce biochemicals that are toxic to grass, and grass produces biochemicals that are toxic to trees. When a mature tree is surrounded by grass, the result is a stressed tree (and vice versa, which is why it is often difficult to get grass to grow well under trees). Second, especially with zeroturn lawnmowers, the grass gets mowed by a relatively heavy lawnmower which compacts the soil under the tree, making it even harder for the feeder roots to gather the water and nutrients the tree needs. While trees have taproots that run deep into the ground, most of the trees’ water and nutrition come from feeder roots that grow in the top layer of soil – the same place the grass grows. Third, in order to mow the lawn and keep the yard looking neat, our landscaping team and we remove sticks, leaves, petals, and seeds/nuts/ fruit dropped by the trees. In natural settings, all of these items fall to the ground and decay in the area around the trees, nourishing the trees. Removing these items robs the trees of the nourishment they need. Fourth, the water around the tree runs off a mowed grass lawn faster than it does when a tree is surrounded by understory trees, shrubs, other leafy plants, or a natural forest floor. The combination of toxic biochemicals in the grass, root compaction from mowing, removing natural deadfall that decays to nourish the trees, and more rapid water run-off produces thirsty, undernourished, stressed trees that are more

likely to succumb to disease or the strong winds of a storm. We landscaped each mature tree into an island to add insult to injury when we had the tree line cleared. Each mature tree was separated from other trees and surrounded by grass. We disrupted the mycorrhizal fungi web that serviced each tree in the process. As Philip explained, the mycorrhizal fungi web serves as each tree’s cellphone and Internet provider, electric utility, and water and sewer system. Trees and grass both tap into mycorrhizal fungi webs, but the web that trees tap into is different from the web grasses tap into. Landscaping our mature trees into islands was like confining senior citizens in nursing homes to their rooms during the pandemic. Just as the senior citizens suffered from loneliness and sometimes hopelessness, the trees suffered from being cut off from the exchange of water and nutrients with other trees. When you add the stress of a local climate that is now significantly warmer than when these large, mature trees grew up, it is no wonder we and others in the area keep losing our most mature and stately trees. The good news is that there are ways to preserve and protect our mature trees. According to the Kleines, the most important action is to reduce the stress on the mature trees. The goal is to give the trees back the resilience to stand up to changing weather, storms, and disease. The first step in reducing stress is to remove the grass around mature trees. Ideally, any grass surrounding each tree would begin just outside the tree’s dripline. The drip line is the outermost reach of the tree’s branches. After a rain, trees move rainwater to the ends of their branches, where it drops to the ground. Opening the dripline allows water to better seep into the ground, reach the tree’s feeder roots and nourish the tree after a rain. For large trees with sweeping branches like our mature maples, the dripline extends many feet from the base of the tree in all directions. We are still trying to figure out how to remove enough grass to open the dripline for our trees. Ideally, the area where the grass has been removed

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would be allowed to collect fallen leaves or needles, fallen branches, seeds, nuts, spent flowers, and the like produced by the tree. This deadfall would then be allowed to decay to nourish the tree. As an alternative, the grass-less area can be covered with leaf mulch in the spring and fall. Mycorrhizal fungi will grow in the decomposing deadfall or mulch to service the tree. Providing company for mature trees using other trees or related plants also helps make the tree more resilient. If the tree is native, younger native trees of the same species and native understory trees, shrubs, and perennials help mimic nature and provide resilience. The appropriate “friends” for the tree depend on the tree’s size, location, and native habitat. Had we cleared the tree line properly, we would have left the non-invasive understory trees and as many other native plants as possible rather than taking the area to bare earth. These understory trees and plants were likely already linked to the large, mature trees through the existing mycorrhizal fungi web. Leaving as much of the existing web in place as possible would have reduced the stress on the trees both during the clearing process and for years afterward. Horticulturalists like the Kleines and landscape designers specializing in natives like John Magee of Magee Design in Middleburg can help create a plan to improve the resilience of existing trees or safely landscape existing treed areas in ways that highlight the mature, specimen trees without harming them. Like the almost century-old maples in our yard, many large, mature trees took decades, and sometimes centuries, to grow. They are irreplaceable. As my family proved, it is easy to inadvertently use landscaping techniques that stress these gorgeous, majestic, and wellloved trees. Thankfully, it is also possible to landscape without harming the trees and improve the situation for trees that have already been landscaped into islands surrounded by grass or lawn. We worked with John Magee to create mulched beds around our mature maples and cherry trees and to introduce native plants into the beds. Shade Tree farm provided younger, replacement trees for the trees we lost over the years to help keep all of the trees connected. We are also introducing understory trees at various places to help create a rich mycorrhizal network to nourish our mature trees. Hopefully, our new knowledge and care will allow us to help the mature trees we love become more resilient and continue to keep the birds, squirrels, fireflies, and us happy for years to come.

Art in the Burg 2022 n Saturday, May 21, the Middleburg Arts Council and the Town of Middleburg will host the spring installment of its biannual arts celebration, Art in the Burg: Celebrate the Arts. Artwork from more than 35 local and regional artists of different styles, forms, and subject matter will be displayed on South Madison Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s event will also feature 10-minute musicals, a pop art exhibit, a fashion show, art activities for kids, cooking demonstrations, and street musicians from the Hunt Country Music Festival (May 20-22). “We wanted to expand the scope of Art in the Burg to encompass a broader range of art forms and showcase the many talented people in our area,” said MAC Chair Mary Ann Burns. Artists on South Madison will display paintings, sculptures, jewelry, fashion, and pottery. The public will be invited to vote on specific paintings from participating artists. The People’s Choice Award winner will be announced at the end of the day.

For the first time, Art in the Burg will include “Art of the Ox,” an opportunity for artists who focus on pop/ modern art to display or exhibit their work. This vibrant visual adventure will include paintings, sculptures, and even motorcycles. Festivalgoers can also watch a chalk artist create a chalk art piece auctioned at the end of the day. Proceeds will benefit Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association. Tagragg Productions presents 10-minute musicals. Each musical will be performed three times on the Art in the Burg stage. These fastpaced, funny musicals from Music Theater International and Theatre Now will charm and delight audiences in 15 minutes or less! Booklovers: Charlotte is secretly in love with the librarian. She rejects the idea of romance until three of literature’s “greatest” lovers escape from their books to convince her to take a chance on love. End of the Line: Four worker ants set out on a routine mission to retrieve tasty morsels for their colony and end up on the quest of a life-

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time. Franklin Pierce: Dragon Slayer: When eighth-grader Jennifer is assigned Franklin Pierce for her class’s President’s Day project, she’s bummed to have gotten one of history’s most forgettable presidents. However, late that night, Franklin himself visits Jennifer to tell her the real truth behind his presidency. Also new this year is the Art in the Burg Fashion Show. Local businesses and schools are invited to create an ensemble that reflects their business. Participants include Brick and Mortar Crème de la Crème Lost Barrel, Lou Lou Boutique, Middleburg Eccentric, National Sporting Library and Museum, Old Ox Brewery, The Hill School, Zest Clothing, and more. Also, on the Art in the Burg stage will be two cooking demonstrations by Salamander and Market Salamander chefs. This year’s Art in the Burg also includes activities for kids. An art studio will be set up on the Methodist Church lawn. Local artists will supply canvases and work with

April 28, 2022 Page 7

kids of all ages to paint a fox or a pheasant. The National Sporting Library and Museum also will be hosting bookbinding and other art activities for kids. Bring your canned goods and contribute to an Art Can Help Sculpture. Proceeds benefit Seven Loaves. Methodist Church Lawn. The Art of Run 5K Saturday, May 21 at 8:00 a.m. Please visit bit.ly/38pmA27 Hunt Country Music Festival Friday, May 20-Sunday, May 22 Saturday, May 21: Five concerts at the United Methodist Church & Emmanuel Episcopal Church plus Strolling Musicians Visit huntcountrymusicfestival.org for additional information about the Hunt Country Music Festival. DOC 5 Documentary Series May 17-21, Middleburg Community Center

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Page 8 Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022

3-Day Music Extravaganza in Middleburg & Upperville

MAY 20 - MAY 22 Tickets at eventbrite.com huntcountrymusicfestival.org

QuinTango

An Evening of Concertos

Illinois Arts Duo

An Afternoon of Song

Washington Saxophone

Quartet

Presented by Middleburg Concert Series Thank you to our sponsors and contributors: Jack Ferguson of Berkshire Hathaway Penfed Realty; Tom Gatewood and Trident Corporation; Salamander Resort & Spa; BCT Bank of Charles Town; Chris Malone Real Estate; Savoir Fare; Slater Run Vineyards; Bluewater Kitchen

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High Tea with Brahms

Swing Shift

Free Events include: Youth Music Competition Finals Brass on the Grass Street Performers • Walking Tours

News of Note

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April 28, 2022 Page 9

Land Trust of Virginia Receives Capacity Grant from Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Virginia’s United Land Trusts

Building the Capacity of the Land Trust of Virginia’s Easement Program granted $18,0 he Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) is pleased to announce they have been awarded a one year grant funded by Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) and adminis-

tered by Virginia’s United Land Trust (VaULT). As of March 4, 2022, LTV will receive $18,000 for their project titled Building the Capacity of the Land Trust of Virginia’s Easement Program.

Land Trust of Virginia Highlights Ways You Can Get Involved

pril is National Volunteer Month, a celebration of the impact volunteers have on our lives every day. Land Trust of Virginia (LTV), founded in 1992 by a group of volunteers who were concerned about the loss of open space within their community, still has ample opportunities for eager volunteers to help us continue our work preserving natural and cultural resources throughout Virginia. “As a community supported conservation group, our work would not be possible without our volunteers,” said Executive Director Sally Price. “Our core work as a holder of conservation easements starts with a voluntary legal agreement created with a private landowner to permanently protect conservation values on their property. Our dedicated Board of Directors, that manage the organization, is all volunteer as well. If you have a passion for preserving our open space, we have a way to involve you in our mission.” Here are just some of the ways you can become involved with LTV: Easement Stewardship Volunteer Conservation Easement Stewards serve as representatives of LTV and share responsibilities with LTV staff for the annual monitoring and inspection of privately-owned properties under conservation easement with LTV. The principal role is to observe and document any changes that take place on the easement property. To do that, the Steward will visit their

This grant program was created in recognition of the critical importance of accelerating land conservation throughout the Commonwealth and to highlight the power of partnership between state agencies and nonprofit land trusts. Historically state agencies have taken the majority of conservation easements, but over the last decade, Virginia’s nonprofit land trust community and specifically VaULT members have significantly increased the number of properties they are conserving each year. The percentage of the total number of easements completed by nonprofit land trusts has increased from 17% in 2015

to 49% in 2020. Of that 49%, 47% was completed by VaULT members. LTV, an accredited land trust and VaULT member, currently holds more easements than any other nonprofit land trust in Virginia. “It is long overdue that we increase our staff dedicated to easement intake, which prompted us to apply for this funding,” said LTV Executive Director Sally Price. “Over the past five years, we have expanded our organization’s stewardship, development and education programs resulting in far more interest in our easement work. With this grant, we plan to work with a consultant

and hire an additional Director of Conservation to double our easement program in the next two years.” Last year, LTV completed 16 easements for a total of 3,040 acres, compared to 1,765 acres in 2020. These new easements expanded our footprint into six new counties, resulting in LTV easements in 24 counties across Virginia. The interest from the public in our programs, and the total recorded easements in 2021, is far more than in previous years. For more information about our work, please visit http://www. landtrustva.org.

Peter Leonard-Morgan Realtor ® properties once a year, meet with the landowner if available, and conduct a thorough walking tour and physical inspection of the property within the property’s boundaries. We request a five-year commitment for this position. Tabling and Outreach Events LTV participates in multiple events each year geared towards educating the public about our conservation easement program. If you have an interest in sharing with the community what you know about conserving open space, we would love to have you join us. We will teach you all you need to know. Adopt-A-Highway Clean-up LTV has two clean-up days to maintain our two stretches of road in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties. Join us for a morning of community service, exercise, and good conversation as we maintain our scenic roadways. Event Support LTV hosts three annual events: the Garden Party, Bike the Gravel: Tour de Conservation Easement, and Sunset in the Field Party. Each event has a variety of volunteer opportunities including marketing beforehand and day-of positions. Contact us to see how you can be involved! LTV is committed to providing a fun, courteous and educational experience for all our volunteers with a comprehensive orientation to get started. For more information about our work and how to get involved, please visit http://www. landtrustva.org.

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Page 10 Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022

News of Note

Savitt, Friedenberg Equestrian Art Featured at Morven Park

ore than 60 works of art by famed equestrian illustrator Sam Savitt and bronze sculptures by the renowned sculptor Kathleen Friedenberg will be on display at the Westmoreland Davis Mansion at Morven Park, Leesburg, Va., from Sun. May 29 to June 25. The exhibition opening is 5 p.m. May 28; the $40 opening reception tickets can be purchased online at https://mhhna.org/. Savitt (1917-2000), an accomplished and prolific American artist, illustrated more than 130 books during his 50-year career, wrote and illustrated 15 books, and co-authored two others. His Draw Horses with Sam Savitt is a classic instructional text on equestrian art, garnering him the position of official artist of the United States Equestrian Team. He painted portraits, illustrated advertisements and comic book covers, and also created a series of authoritative posters about horses, including his widely-sold “Sam Savitt’s Guide to Horses,” now in the Smithsonian Institu-

The Shaggy Ram & Little Lambkins. The Shaggy Ram, now in its 31st year, has just adopted the Little Lambkins. So along with our lovely English & French antiques plus all accessories for your home, the Lambkins specializes in quality classic attire for infants & children. It’s our new look & folks are loving it! Come see us soon! New items arrive daily.

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tion. Commissioned to design the official poster for the 1991 Kentucky Derby, his artwork is now ubiquitous, found on playing cards, key chains, note pads, calendars, linens, and lamp shades. In 1980 Savitt was one of 10 internationally-recognized equestrian artists who founded the American Academy of Equine Art in Lexington, Ky. In 1998 Sam Savitt received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Horseman’s Association. The Chronicle of the Horse featured Sam Savitt’s artwork on its magazine cover 31 times. Kathleen Friedenberg, who started her career as a veterinary surgeon in England, has a background in medical and veterinary illustration, including three books and twenty covers on the Chronicle of the Horse. For twenty years she conducted an annual workshop of equestrian sculpture at the Kentucky Horse Park; in 2003 she taught the first of the Academy’s workshops at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine at New Bolton Center. In 2018 Kathleen was elected “Dean of Sculpture,” winning the Academy’s “Award of Excellence” for three consecutive years. “This exhibit would be a rare honor for any museum,” says MHHNA Curator John Head. “Sam Savitt was a leader in his field both as a painter and as an advocate for equestrian sports.” The Museum of Hounds and Hunting (https://mhhna. org), founded in 1985, seeks to preserve the rich North American heritage of hunting with hounds. It acquires and displays important artifacts related to this activity, providing a repository for them. By developing educational exhibits through research projects, hunting with hounds is viewed through the lens of the sport’s historical, sociological, and cultural heritage. Admission to Savitt and Friedenberg’s exhibition May 29 to June 25 is free. The opening reception at 5 p.m. May 28 is $40. The artists’ works will be for sale with a share of the proceeds going to the sponsor, the Museum of Hounds & Hunting, North America. (The Museum of Hounds and Hunting, N.A., is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit.)

Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 11

Loudoun Celebrates Public Safety Communications Staff

s proclaimed by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, the week of April 10 – 16, 2022 is designated as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Throughout the week, the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun

County Animal Services will join forces to honor our local 911 call-takers, dispatchers, and communications professionals. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is observed annually during the second week of April and celebrates the men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals

and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance to the world’s citizens. Across the nation in times of intense personal crisis and community-wide disasters, the first access point for those seeking all classes of emergency services is 911. Public safety communicators who receive these calls are the first and single point of

contact for persons seeking immediate relief during an emergency and often mean the difference between life and death. The importance of celebrating the hard work of these dedicated professionals is immeasurable. Please follow us on social media throughout the week using the hashtags #HeadsetHeroes and #NPSTW2022

as we recognize public safety telecommunications personnel from the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Animal Services for their service and dedication to our community.

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Page 12 Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022

OPEN HOUSE and VENDOR SHOWCASE RAFFLES, GIVE-AWAYS & SHOW SPECIALS

Take this opportunity to come touch, see, and compare hot new products in our updated showroom.

Don’t miss out on our lowest prices of the season!

Middleburg considers Boundary Line Adjustment for entry-level housing Continued from Page 1

1 2 1

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Homewood Farms Proposal

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News of Note people, having weathered decreases in 1990 (549 people) and 2010 (673). Middleburg’s population has not grown in the same way the rest of Loudoun County has, and the key reason for this is the lack of entry-level housing. While the average age of the population of Loudoun County is 36 years old, the average age of the residents of Middleburg is 50-52 years old. While Middleburg has a reputation for being a deeply caring community, the fact remains that it does not provide the kind of housing options that would welcome a broader and younger swath of residents, and this hinders the Town’s growth and vitality. As smaller and older homes are sold, they are torn down and replaced with larger estate-type houses. From 1973 to today, the ratio of square footage per person has changed from 550 square feet per person to 1100 square feet per person. Middleburg’s average singlefamily home sells for $650,000, and townhomes for $690,000. This kind of activity has thrown off the balance of the community and limited the housing choices for younger residents. Although the Salamander resort had initially planned to build housing for its workforce, they have not done so. Approved workforce/teacher housing as part of Salamander was approved in 2007: workforce/ teacher housing. Teachers’ average salary is currently around $57,000 per year. It is estimated that there is a need for over 70 units just for teachers in the Middleburg area. Windy Hill Foundation Proposal This nonprofit foundation’s proposal includes using the 33 acres it seeks to develop to create 20 age-restricted units, similar to the Levis Hill community. It also includes 40 subsidized duplex/quadplex homes with the subsidies based on the Area Median Income calculations. These communities will consist of a variety of residential services, including paths, trails, pedestrian-safe connectivity, and access to community services. The expense to the Town would involve no capital ex-

penses, and revenues from this community are expected to offset future expenses such as additional sewer lines and other infrastructure costs. Homewood Farms Proposal Homewood Farms’ proposal involves 212 acres outside Town on Foxcroft Road, east of the Salamander Resort and Wolver Hill. It is the former Pettibone Property. This plan would set aside 190 acres as permanent open space conservation land. The remaining 22 acres would be annexed into the Town’s boundaries. They would include 66 housing units which would consist of 48 condominium units in a building no higher than two to three stories, eight townhomes, and ten cottage-style single-family homes. There is also a renovated barn that would have a limited commercial use for events. Access to these housing units would be obtained through Foxcroft Road. There would not be access off route 50. The community would use public sewer, and new lines would need to be installed. Community Concerns and Next Steps The reason to annex these properties to the Town is simply to maintain control and approval over the development of these properties. Without annexation, the Town would not be able to help shape the future of these properties. Concerns over future traffic issues, sewer capacity, and noise will continue to be addressed in future town hall meetings. There is also an online form that residents can use to express their opinion of this proposal. Continual input from the community is welcomed. Online: middleburgva.gov/ input Email: townclerk@middleburgva.gov Phone: 540-687-5152 There will be Town Council Meetings: on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays at 6 p.m. A follow-up meeting will occur in the coming weeks, and there will be several Council meetings. The community can also give its input on this form.

Windy Hill Foundation Proposal

Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 13

CELEBRATE THE ARTS!

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Page 14 Middleburg Eccentric

Lungeline

• April 28, 2022

Middleburg Spring Races and Four Point-to-points Horse-Crazy

Lauren R. Giannini

iddleburg Spring Races on April 23 went quite well for Keri Brion whose ten entries in seven races resulted in winning four of the eight carded. Luck is always welcome in racing and in life, but it can’t take all the credit for Brion’s meteoric rise as head trainer. Driven by her love for horses, Brion found her vocation in racing and spent twelve years as assistant trainer to Jonathan Sheppard. In July 2020, when the legendary flat and jump Hall of Famer announced his retirement, Brion was campaigning Sheppard’s horses in Ireland. She didn’t miss a beat, took out her own license and carried on with her mentor’s blessings and priceless support of Sheppard’s owners who stayed. Brion got off to a great start and made history as the first American to train a National Hunt winner in Ireland. Under her recommendation, Buttonwood Farm purchased The Mean Queen, just five and starting over hurdles. The mare won her third career start at Wexford in Maiden Hurdles (Mares) by six and a half

lengths. Racing in the US under NSA rules, The Mean Queen won five of six starts earning $303,000 and ran away with 2021 Eclipse Steeplechase Award. The wins are real: Brion’s success reflects her lifetime passion for horses, determined work ethic, and years of experience and knowledge training some of the best horses in racing with Sheppard. Brion’s winners at Glenwood include: Buttonwood Farm’s Sa’ad - Training Flat; The International Venture’s Going Country (IRE) - Allowance Hurdle; Hudson River Farm’s Iranistan in Grade 2 Temple Gwathney Hurdle Stakes; Metalhorse Racing’s Kicking Myself (IRE) in Mare & Filly Maiden Hurdle. Storm Team, owned by Sheila Williams, trained by Jack Fisher, scored a big timber win in the Middleburg Hunt Cup with Graham Watters doing the honors (see photo). They crossed the finish way ahead of Ballybristol Farm’s Andi’amu, trained by Leslie Young. First Friday, trained by Doug Fout, was third for Four Virginia Gents. In Maiden Hurdle, Kiplin Hall’s Take

Profit, trained by William Dowling, prevailed by one length over Riverdee Stable’s Awakened. Who’s Counting, trained and ridden by Sean McDermott, won the Maiden Claiming Hurdle by two lengths. In the final race of the day, six started the Steeplethon, two pulled up. Silverton Hill LLC’s Bodes Well (IRE) took off to win by 27½ lengths (by Will O’Keefe’s CEO statistics), besting Irvin Naylor’s A Silent Prayer, trained by Brion. Kiplin Hall’s Real Good Man (IRE) finished third with Bruton Street’s Gowiththeflow (IRE) in fourth. Sunday, April 23, offered more unseasonable heat for Loudoun Hunt Point-to-point at Morven Park. The one-mile Sidesaddle Flat started four with Cherry Blossom Farm’s Soul Approval and aside veteran Devon Zebrovious winning despite the late challenge by Sky Babe and Lauren Apple. Bird’s The Word lost his rider with about two furlongs to go; Drifter went off-course. US Pony Racing was delayed one hour until the human ambulance arrived. Ponies and junior jockeys conducted themselves

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Big winning margin in the Middleburg Hunt Cup at Middleburg Spring Races for Storm Team, being chased by timber specialists Andi’amu and third-placed First Friday.

very well, considering their fitness. It was a crowd-pleaser, as expected. Small Ponies (1/4 mile flat): Lickety Split and Yomar Ortiz Jr scored a two-length win over hard-driving Mallory and Cami Kern with Imogen Weaver’s Olney Yes Ma’am and Skye Gammon in third. Ortiz also won Medium Ponies (3/8 mile flat) with EHM Stables’ Blueberry, followed by Fiona and Ellet Sharp, with Tess Garadhajian and Charleston third. Large Ponies (1/2 mile flat): Jaidyn Shore piloted EHM Stables’ Mini to 3½ length decision over Bailey and James Wyatt, followed by Goose and Carley Kern. Neil Morris saddled two winners. In the VHBPA Virginia Bred flat, Pathfinder Racing’s Gas Money, Graham Watters up, staged a late challenge to prevail by half-length over Gordon Keys’ Keys Discount, trained by Sam Cockburn. Post War, trained by Julie Gomena for Overcreek Stables, ran third. In Restricted Young Adult Flat, Shannon Hill Farm’s Best Chance, piloted by Parker Hendriks, posted a 20-length romp to the wire ahead of Big Dave and Camilla deStanley. Fisher-trained Beat Le Bon (FR) won first division of Maiden Hurdle. Montmartre D’Ange (Fr), trained by Brion, won the second division of Maiden Hurdle. Brion’s second winner on the card was Baltimore Kid (IRE) in Maiden Flat. Embrace the Grind, owned by Wendy Henriks, trained by Ricky Hendriks, won going away in Open Flat. Older Recaps On March 26 Piedmont Foxhounds’ point-to-point took a hit from Mother Nature with cold temps, rain, sleet, and wind. Sporting enthusiasts, cozily chic in waterproof coats and hats, braved the elements while some sought shelter in their vehicles until the front passed. Julie Gomena scored the first win, Maiden Timber, with Bon Nouvel Chasers II’s Ya Boy Ya (IRE), piloted by McLane Hendricks. After the last fence, when Hendricks asked, the seven-yearold gelding propelled them up the hill to prevail by 1¼ lengths

over Cracker Factory. Six maidens started: four finished, one pulled up, one went off course. The combined running of Ladies Timber and Rokeby Challenge Bowl dished up an exciting finish. Teddy Davies and Mystic Strike surged across the line a neck in front of Be Counted and Liz Scully, who finished twolengths in front of Cocodimama and Chloe Hannum for the Ladies’ win. In the Virginia Bred Flat race, Gas Money, trained by Morris, ridden by McLane Hendricks, posted a comfortable five-length finish over Zoe Valvo’s Lorinska. At Old Dominion Point-topoint on April 9, Amateur/Novice Hurdle kicked off the action: Morris-trained Knockholt, ridden by Parker Hendriks engaged in a stretch duel with Irvin Naylor’s Amschel (GB). Knockholt won by a head. Maiden Hurdle, second on the card, split 27 entries into three divisions of nine, seven and eight. Maidens (no jump wins) are new to ‘chasing, still learning the game. Unfortunately, one of our most experienced photographers out there was injured in the first division when a loose horse slammed into him. Thankfully, Richard Clay is going to be okay. Blessings and prayers for complete recovery to you, my colleague and friend! The owner of 2014 Eclipse Steeplechase Award winner Demonstrative, Jacqueline Ohrstrom, has a new contender in Connagh’s Quay. Trainer Richard Valentine knows how to pick a horse and this one ran the money in its first career start at Virginia Fall Races. Once again piloted by Barry John Foley, Connagh’s Quay put in a powerful finish to relegate two Brion-trained maidens, Caughtmeoncamera (IRE)) and L Jay (IRE), to second and third respectively. In the second division of Maiden Hurdle, Foley posted a nearly five-length win with Turbo Drive for owner Irvin Naylor whose French Light won Novice Rider Flat. In the final Maiden Hurdle division, Bruton Street US’s Agravain (GB) with Tom Garner in the irons won the long stretch battle by a head over

Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 15

Large Pony contenders make flying finishes up the stretch of their half-mile contest: nearest pony Mini and Jaidyn Shore , nearest pony, won by 3½ lengths over Bailey and James Wyatt with Goose and Carly Kern in third.

Bourke Racing’s Economic Policy, trained by David Bourke. Northern-based horses, riders and trainers won their share of timber and flat as well as hurdle races. Cracker Factory (GB), trained by Mark Beecher, ridden by Brett Owings, owned by The Hundred Acre Field, established a long lead in Amateur and Novice Rider Timber, took a brief breather and rallied to win by nine lengths. The final contest involved locals in the Leeds Manor Virginia Bred Flat Race. Bruce Collette’s Eryx established a big early lead but missed a beacon. Gomena and Over Creek Stables’ Post War, Ross Geraghty in the plate, charged to a nearly 10-length win over Lorinska, trained by Zoe Valvo. Blue Ridge Point-to-point on April 17 ran six races with two to five starters. The only local trainer to triumph was Sam Cockburn (C & T Stables) with Gordon Keys’ Keys Discount, whose longterm plans include running over hurdles. Piloted by Emmi Fullilove, the four-year-old gelding won the Virginia Bred or Sired Flat by almost two lengths over Mountain Express. A third starter, Mygrandmaisrachel, was disqualified Mark Beecher saddled two winners, both piloted by Brett Owings: Felix Leiter in Maiden Hurdle, and Real Story in Novice Rider Flat. Elizabeth Ross trains Bella Coola, winner of Novice Rider Hurdle, Colin Smith doing the honors. Casey Pinkard had two winners: Huyana (topline great-grandsire is Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew) romped with Smith to 30-length finish in Restricted Young Adult Flat, and Profiteer, owned by Frank A. Bonsai Jr, ridden by Paul Cawley, in Maiden Timber. Spring ‘chasing concludes with two popular meets: Middleburg Hunt Point-to-point on Sunday, May 1 at Glenwood Park, and the Virginia Gold Cup on Saturday, May 7, at Great Meadow. For more information: CentralEntryOffice.com NationalSteeplechase.com USPonyRacing.com

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Page 16 Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022

Faces, Fashion & Fun Middleburg Spring Races

Beautify America, wear a hat! ~ Photos by Nancy Kleck he famous milliner Louise Green was known to have remarked, “Wearing a hat is like having a baby or a puppy; everyone stops to coo and talk about it.” And indeed, there was a lot of cooing at the Middleburg Spring Races. Running around like a

mad hatter (pun completely intended) I tried to photograph all the fabulous hats I could find. Large brimmed to turned up sinamays, fedoras, panamas, floppies, a few cowboys, tons of ball caps, and the ever popular fascinator, the kind of mini-hat that anyone can wear.

Barbara Sharp, Middleburg’s resident floral designer, hat designer and fashionista judged a very serious group of contenders in the hat contest. Among the crowd of ladies, one gentleman was attired in a wonderful shade of purple from head to toe, and a tall patent-heeled fellow in a

green jacket and khaki pants with a matching green sinamay bonnet added to the colorful mix. Most elegant went to Natalie Fox, attired in a beautifully tailored cream dress and cream and black sinamay fascinator, and Susan Santarpia who took

a more casual approach with a huge black sinamay with bow and feathers. Julie Baumgartner was awarded most creative, as she decorated a large cup and saucer with greenery and flowers. Creativity knows no bounds!

Bernadette Boland rockin’ it in pink!

Better than the Oscars -- the Hat Contest gets together for the green hat selfie!

Elaine and Bernadette Boland

Jan van Haute, Natasha Folens and her husband Luc Dejager

Judy Allen, Augie Raurie and Ignacio - Nacho - Soces

Lizzie Beer and John Coles

Pam Wooley and Mary Alexandra McEachern

Best Men’s Outfit of the Day!

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Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 17

Tatiana Shoja, Dee Ann Jeremiah, Kate Noble, Tammy Murphy, Katia Nemes and Laurie Wingate Venuto

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Page 18 Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022

Faces, Fashion & Fun

Windy Hill Gala ~ Enchanted Photos by Nancy Kleck

Chloe Burch, Melanie Burch

Bob Dale, Mark and Barbara Augenblick

Ned and Kristin Quinn

Lois C. Johnson-Mead, Lisa Johnson, Susan McCaskey

Jason Vickers, Beth Ann Mascatello, Braden Timm, Brian Mascatello

Alice and Todd Fraisure

Ben and Kelly Sandala

Jennifer Austell and Anthony Fabiano

Ashley Abbottand Judy Washburn

Ben and Kelly Sandala

Jay and Megan Hubbard

Michael and Carolyn Hylton, Anne and Kenneth Terry

Chris Patusky, Kiernan Slater

Roberto and Courtney Gonzalez, Amanda and Derek Luhowiak

Kerry Dale, Emily Dale and Virginia Berg

Bonnie Piper, Ashley Abbott, Lisa Capraro

Bob Foosaner, Matt Foosaner

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Laura Gaiser Wright and Maura Hughes

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Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 19

In Virginia,

1 in 8 households spend half or more of their income on housing. This means families are forced to make impossible choices between housing and other basic needs, such as nutritious food, healthcare and reliable transportation. Which would you choose?

Join us in making affordable homeownership a reality, so families don't have to make impossible choices. Consider a gift to Fauquier Habitat for Humanity today. You can give now by scanning the QR code below.

P.O. Box 3189 Warrenton, VA 20188 www.fauquierhabitat.org mbecc.com

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Page 20 Middleburg Eccentric

Prodgeny

• April 28, 2022

Foxcroft Opens Registration for 2022 Equestrian Residential Camp

Top-tier training, facilities, and fun to highlight June 26-July 1 residential camp for girls

oxcroft is excited to offer a week-long equestrian residential camp this summer. This program is designed to further a girl’s riding skills while also providing her with knowledge of fundamental horsemanship. Riders will receive mounted instruction based on the tenets of hunter seat equitation and horsemanship seminars on topics such as bandaging, braiding, clipping, nutrition, show prep, and the like. Open to riders preparing to enter the 8th-11th grade in the fall of 2022 and who are interested in exploring attending Foxcroft School as a student during their high school years, this June 26July 1 program is designed for riders who have prior experience riding at a level of walk-trot-canter or above. Space is limited and previous riding experience is required. Contact Chief Operating Officer Deborah Anderson (deborah.anderson@foxcroft.org) for more information and application materials.

Competitors in Foxcroft School’s 11th Annual STEM Challenge Dive Into Ocean Conservation

Local middle schools Harmony, Blue Ridge, and Mercer sweep their division and Foxcroft takes third in high school division during the annual science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition.

Blue-Ridge-Dashing-Dolphins oxcroft School’s 11th annual STEM Challenge brought 100 girls from 12 schools throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, to the School’s Middleburg campus to compete for prizes on February 19, 2022. Designed for middle and high school girls, participants used their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math to take on issues like ocean acidification, microplastics pollution, ocean farming, and more as they participated in challenges revolving around this year’s “Oceans 911” theme. The winning Marvelous Manatees team from Bullis School in Potomac, MD, comprised of Grace Heinzelmann, Jalin Jenkins, Anna Rose Robinson, and Amiyah Turner, claimed the high school trophy, designed and fabricated by Foxcroft STEM students using the tools in The Innovation Lab. Second place in the high school division went to the Nifty Narwhals (Diane Nam, Shapari Ofogh, Lily Ru, and Minna Xu) from Madeira School in McLean, VA, while Foxcroft’s Terrific Turtles (seniors Claire

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FXC-Terrific-Turtles Ai, Catherine Jin, Xinyi Shen, and Selina Xu) took third. The top three teams also each won one of the five individual challenges, while an additional team from Madeira and one from Bullis won a single challenge each. In the middle school division, the Smashing Squids (Emma Edwards, Charlotte Gesell, Gwenyth Mayo, and Faith Pry) from Harmony Middle School in Hamilton, VA, took home the middle school trophy. Second place went to the Dashing Dolphins (Sarah Bader, Stella King, Norah McCormick, and Sophie Schober) from Blue Ridge Middle School in Purcellville, VA, and the Sassy Seahorses (Fiona Devaraj, Jiya Kapoor, Tanvi Naresh, and Abeni Smith) from Mercer Middle School in Aldie, VA, took home third. Each of the top three teams also won one of the five individual challenges, while a team from Washington Episcopal and another from Mercer also won a single challenge each. Throughout the day, energy and enthusiasm filled Foxcroft’s Athletic/Student Center and Schoolhouse science labs as the girls, in teams of four, took on

Harmony-Smashing-Squids Mercer-Sassy-Seahorses Between challenges, students Center for the “Sea Slinger” five different challenges. In the Biology Lab, teams an- event, students used popsicle used Kindle Fires supplied by alyzed a variety of plastic parti- sticks, rubber bands, and small Foxcroft to answer questions cles “collected from the beach by cups to create a catapult to launch about ocean conservation and local high school marine biology nanobot capsules (ping pong earn raffle tickets for prizes rangstudents,” in an attempt to deter- balls) into the Great Pacific Gar- ing from gift cards to tech demine why Ocean Sunfish (Mola bage Patch (a kiddie pool). The vices. Participants in the middle mola) were being seen less often closer students got to the cen- school competition also took off the coast of California. Stu- ter of the pool, the more points tours of campus and learned a dents measured and calculated they earned. The scoring part of little more about Foxcroft’s focus the density and buoyancy of the the event was three minutes of on “girls in STEM” during a sesplastics, determined what types pandemonium as multiple teams sion with Head of School Cathy of marine feeders might mistake were firing balls and making ad- McGehee. A leader in STEM education those plastic particles for food, justments to their catapults bethen assessed which particles fore time ran out. In the coding for girls, Foxcroft offers an innomight be contributing to the mys- event, students learned to convert vative curriculum that addresses tery of the missing Ocean Sun- binary code to letters and from challenges facing tomorrow’s fish and what other marine life letters to binary code using a tool workforce and provides relevant and stimulating learning experimight be affected by the loss of called a “Dolphin Flipper.” Each year, event sponsor ences. A signature program at the this majestic fish. In the Chemistry Lab, students Stryker Corporation brings sev- school, the STEM initiative emworked to restore harmony to the eral of their female engineers to phasizes inquiry-based labs, usGalapagos ecosystem by inves- not only create and administer ing technology with confidence tigating the cause of a shellfish one of the challenges but also and ease, and hands-on problemdie-off. During the challenge, share their experiences and an- solving that extends well beyond students tested their knowledge swer questions from the young the classroom. The annual STEM of the pH scale by arranging competitors during a career Challenge competition showcasitems in order of pH and measur- panel. The Stryker team’s engi- es Foxcroft’s innovative focus on ing the pH of several common neering challenge involved math the STEM fields. household solutions. They also on unit conversions to figure investigated the cause and im- out how much plastic to remove pact of ocean acidification in two from the ocean, calculating the carbonate needed to help marine mini-experiments. Back in the Athletic/Student animals.

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Middleburg Eccentric

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• April 28, 2022 Page 21

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Page 22 Middleburg Eccentric

Pastimes

• April 28, 2022

There is something about a jazz club In Unison

Steve Chase

here is something about a jazz club...small, intimate, a “cool” crowd, (previously) smoky, good cocktails, great acoustics. A place where you can sit close enough to really see the artist, see them sweat, and feel the music in your bones. Many of us have been to these types of venues. They stick in your memory and nourish your musical palate. Maybe it’s on this

list: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_jazz_venues. I have not been to a lot of them – but I have been to a few, and the shows I have seen are ones I have never forgotten. Here are a few you might like to visit. Blues Alley Only 50 miles from us here in Middleburg, Georgetown’s Blues Alley has been a fixture in Jazz since 1965. The sixties were a time of big change for Jazz, with many innovators first ap-

pearing on Blue’s Alley’s stage. The list of great musicians who have performed there is astounding, including John Abercrombie, Monty Alexander, Mose Allison, Tony Bennett, Gary Burton, Charlie Byrd, Billy Cobham, Larry Coryell, Roy Eldridge, Maynard Ferguson, Ella Fitzgerald, Kenny Garrett, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Freddie Hubbard, Ahmad Jamal, Dr. John, Stanley Jordan, Ramsey Lewis, Les McCann, Taj Mahal, Pat

Martino, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Metheny, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius, Oscar Peterson, Joshua Redman, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Rushing, Gil ScottHeron, George Shearing, Wayne Shorter, Ralph Towner, McCoy Tyner, Sarah Vaughan, and Grover Washington Jr., to name a few. The list gives me goosebumps. Who said DC wasn’t a center for Jazz? When we have Blues Alley to go to, no one can. More here: www.bluesalley.com The Village Vanguard As the longest-operated jazz club in-country (est. 1935), if not the world, Greenwich Village’s The Village Vanguard is a sacred site for jazz fans everywhere. With a capacity of 125 people or so, there was a time when you could sit down at the Vanguard and be assured of an intimate show from icons such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins etc. You would be lucky to get a seat in this basement venue among the clinking glasses, dashiki, and Ray-Ban-wearing patrons. But if you did, you were in for a historic show, practically every set. If I could get my hands on a time machine, I would head back for some of the seminal John Coltrane shows at the Vanguard in the early 1960s. Head up to NYC and take in a show – the lineup continues to be stunning, including some of the best of the new musicians like Aaron Parks and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, which performs every Monday night. More at www.villagevanguard. com Toad’s Place In the late seventies, I grew up in Connecticut and started seeing concerts at Toad’s Place. While this New Haven venue is much more than just a jazz club, it has

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solidified itself as a fixture on the east coast since 1976. I won’t subject you to another artist list, but suffice it to say, in the past 40 years, everyone who is anyone in rock and fusion has played Toad’s. I saw amazing shows from Bill Bruford, Billy Cobham, John McLaughlin, and Pat Metheny at Toad’s. It’s worth looking at their schedule if you plan to be around New Haven, although they have shifted their focus to more hard rock and local bands. More at www.toadsplace.com Yoshi’s Located in Oakland, California, this great venue has moved several times in the last 40 years. However, regardless of location, it has featured some of the most significant voices in Jazz and rock since its inception. With only 330 seats at their current location in Jack London Square on the revitalized Oakland Waterfront, shows are relatively intimate and exclusive. The list of artists who have played here is similar to Blues Alley, and the current schedule continues to feature some of the hottest acts in music today. See the current list at www. yoshis.com, but I recommend skipping the Kenny G. show. Ronnie Scott’s You would not initially think that a club across the pond would be a fixture in Jazz, but there’s Ronnie Scott’s in London. Established by the great British saxophonist Ronnie Scott, the historical provenance of this venue aligns with the best jazz clubs in the States. Opened in 1959 in a basement on Gerrard Street in Soho, the club hosted American saxophonists known to Scott, like Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins. After those early shows and a new address on Frith Street, the floodgates opened, and many major jazz performers would make the trip over to London. Scott put together a house band featuring a young guitarist (at the time) named John McLaughlin. McLaughlin would soon join Miles Davis and be an integral performer on the Bitches Brew and In a Silent Way album. Many important live albums were also recorded at Ronnie Scott’s, including artists like Wes Montgomery, Soft Machine, Brand X, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, and Buddy Rich. The club is going strong today and is a must-visit if you’re in London. If you want to learn more about the history and legacy of Ronnie Scott’s, get tickets to the screening of Ronnie’s at the Middleburg Community Center on Friday night, May 20th. The film is part of the 2022 “DocWeek in Middleburg Festival.” I’ll be speaking about my love of Jazz at the film’s screening. For more information on the festival, visit www.docweekmiddleburg.com Listen to this playlist of music from these live venues, and you’ll enjoy these tunes: https://tinyurl. com/362fe877 Steve Chase is watching films of live jazz performances in Unison.

Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 23

Sing girls, sing! Sincerely me

Brandy Greenwell

recently had to compile a presentation on Middleburg for an out-of-town client. Those of us that live or work in Middleburg have already been charmed by her mystique. Visitors from far and wide flood the streets to meet her and experience her glory. It was quite the task to put on paper the splendor surrounding what life is like in and around our village to someone who didn’t know she existed. As a local who has never observed our community as an outsider, I found some-

thing pretty remarkable upon doing research. Starting with a simple Google search on Middleburg, results included: The town’s history. Notable businesses and residents. The sporting lifestyle. Community events. A whole lot about the Kennedy’s time in town. I didn’t expect to see how many women were featured, so I was compelled to dig a little deeper. Middleburg is not an ol’

boys club as often assumed, nor has she ever really been. Amazing women have walked and still walk our streets, and I have a newfound appreciation for our local sisterhood. Foxcroft School has been educating incredibly strong women for over 100 years, and founder Charlotte Haxall Noland was no shrinking violet. From the school’s website, “At Foxcroft’s heart is still the belief that a school for girls is better than a school with girls .”Miss Charlotte was ahead of her time, and her beliefs have shaped

women worldwide. Take a look at some of the powerful women in town and beyond, and I would dare say one could find an emerald green ring somewhere on her person. Sing girls, sing! Foxhunting is a huge part of our local community. Do a little research into the local Masters of past and present. You will come up with a formidable list of well-respected Ladies who took and still take their places at the front of the fields across Virginia’s Piedmont. Recently, a group of local ladies has been at the forefront of reviving hunt-

ing aside. What an absolute testament to women in the sport who choose to do it sideways with skillful style amongst their counterparts with a leg on each side. Our female athletes, equestrian or otherwise, have risen to the tops of their games and have made national and international credibility for their accomplishments, including Olympic medals. Take a look at our local business owners, professionals, politicians, and philanthropists, and you will see a strong feminine presence. I love that there isn’t a limit on what women can accomplish in such a small community. They go and do, leaving their marks on many industries. I have intentionally left out names, but you all know who you are and what you contribute. Thank you, ladies, for being my peers. There was a time when intelligent and progressive women were turned into witch-kabobs. Apparently, in Middleburg, our girls have always made their own rules, and rather than becoming kabobs, just roasted weenies instead. Well-behaved women seldom make history.

Things are looking up! Around the Town

Hazel Sweitzer

am holding my breath, but I think things are beginning to look up. That is compared to the last two years. Tom explains to me that we will have Covid around for a long while, but we will adapt and that things

are getting less scary and better overall. People and dogs are out and about. Places are open, and we can gather in groups again. Although Tom still feels tentative, he still is making summer and fall plans. He says he feels out of practice when it comes to planning since it has been so

long since he had to prepare and plan for events. But speaking as his best friend, I am happy! So is Tom. Tom has reminded his friends to be still cautious and keep aware of this contagious disease, but truly there has been a lift in the darkness and a shift to hope.

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Tom and I believe one of the biggest reasons we had to deal with Covid for the last two years is because we all needed to learn more about love. He always says if you want to love deeply or live deeply, you must feel pain deeply. And there was a lot of pain within the last two years. Life is so complex, much more for you humans than us dogs. We usually take a walk, eat a good treat, chew on a toy, interact with humans, and sleep. You all, on the other hand, have very complex relationships to navigate because you all can speak, and words can do much good or much harm. You all have also been thru trauma the last two years, and it takes a while to recover and get your footing again. I should know because I spent time in a scary puppy mill before Tom found me, and it took me a year or two to get past my trauma. For the last two years, there has been so much fear and uncertain moments where you couldn’t plan on anything and were isolated from the people you love. Not to mention how wearing a mask takes away beautiful human expressions. One of a dog’s favorite parts of a human is their face, especially when their face

smiles. Tom and I have learned to only listen to the news for a few minutes and then find something uplifting to listen to. We have learned not to take anything for granted and that people need love more than ever. And that is where dogs come into play. We know how to give love deeply, that is for sure. For things to really look up, though, each individual has to begin to see life as a potential for good and do what they can to take away the negative and replace it with the positive. Everything a human says and does affect the world. Love. We all must love. This is something animals know how to do more naturally than humans do. Everyone is a part of life getting better. I can’t wait to see you all in town as, hopefully, the world gets closer, happier, and more loving again.

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Page 24 Middleburg Eccentric

Pastimes

• April 28, 2022

Chicken Liver Pate

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lavored with local Mt. Defiance Apple Brandy, sauteed onions and savory spices, this chicken liver pate is my favorite - An old school classic worth making. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely minced 1 pound chicken livers, rinsed and patted dry ½ cup chopped onions 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cayenne red pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 8 ounces unsalted butter 2 teaspoons dry mustard Pinch grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ cup Mt. Defiance Apple Brandy ½ cup dried currants

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Thinly sliced french bread for serving Heat a large saute pan to medium high heat and add the butter, rosemary, chicken livers, onions and salt and saute the mixture until the chicken livers are light pink in the center, about 10 minutes Allow the chicken liver mixture to cool In a food processor combine the chicken liver mixture, red pepper, salt, butter, dry mustard, nutmeg, cloves, and apple brandy Process until smooth Add the currants and pulse a couple of times to combine Scrape the contents into 4-5 small ramekins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours Allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving Refrigerated, the pate will keep about a week, but if you wish to hold them longer, top the ramekins with a layer of melted unsalted butter to seal them and they will keep for an additional week.

Shelly bursts with excitement when talking about becoming a Habitat homeowner. "I'm so grateful that I can provide more space for my children so they can have the pet – or two – that they want." Shelly's Habitat home has three bedrooms, so her two daughters can have their own Shelly and her two daughters, Shayla and space to learn and grow. Beyond Carina, at their home dedication. having more space, Shelly knows that being a Habitat homeowner will have a positive impact on her daughters' futures and outlook on life. "By becoming a Habitat homeowner, I have shown my kids that anything is possible. No matter what your dealt, you can go through it and come out on top." "Please don't stop doing what you're doing. It is helping a lot of people – people like me – and I know that we’re all appreciative. Shelly also shares her gratitude with Fauquier Habitat's volunteers and donors: "Please don't stop doing what you're doing. It's helping a lot of people – people like me – and I know that we’re all appreciative. This community needs a lot of people like you, especially with what’s going on in the world now. To see how Fauquier Habitat’s volunteers and donors are willing to help is huge." w w w .f au q u i e r h a b i t at . o r g

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Middleburg Eccentric

Walking Through Covid

Kirsten Edwards, Jennifer Engberg David Engberg

ince March 2020, a senior citizen and former Eccentric columnist has walked approximately 3000 miles through his neighborhood in Sterling. Eighty-six-year-old Richard Engberg, who wrote the Water World column for the Eccentric from 2011 through 2018, quit the gym he had been going to for several years when he and his wife, Lynne, began isolating on March 13, 2020; as a result, the Covid pandemic. “I needed to do something to keep an exercise program going where I wasn’t interacting

with other people,” Engberg said, “So I began a daily walking program around my neighborhood of Countryside.” He started slowly, walking only a mile or two each day for the first month but as the summer of 2020 approached, he increased his walking to three and four miles a day. For Father’s Day, his son gave him a pedometer in June. He calibrated the pedometer to the length of his step, which was 30 inches. The pedometer registered his step count daily, the number of miles he walked that day, and the number of calories expended. Engberg stated, “I had an app on my phone which counted steps, but it counted every step I took. The pedometer only counts the steps when I’m walking steadily.”

By the summer of 2021, he was walking 8 miles a day and sometimes more. His average pace is about 3.2 miles an hour. Countryside is a wonderful neighborhood for walking. Most of the streets have sidewalks, and the neighborhood has an abundance of paved and unpaved trails through wooded areas. Engberg’s home is two miles from the Potomac River, nearly all on trails. “Walking to the river is one of my favorite walks. The area by the river where the main trail ends is very peaceful. I often only encounter one or two other people when I arrive at the river, frequently dog walkers,” Engberg said. He has walked every day since March 14, 2020. During that period, he had two minor surgeries. “I walked a mile or two in the morning before each surgery because I didn’t want to miss a day,” Engberg said, “And I was out walking the next day after each surgery.” He usually walks twice a day, morning and afternoon. In the summer, he walks early and walks about five miles. In the evening, Lynne usually joins him. When asked about rain or snow days, Engberg said that if he can’t get out for all his steps, he has a course in the lower level of his house where he walks. “I really dislike walking in the house. The turns are tight and the loop is only about 100 steps long. Five miles is a little over 10,000 steps for me. That’s over 100 loops if I

• April 28, 2022 Page 25

had to walk inside for the whole five miles. Boring! Usually, I’m able to get outside for some of the walk.” Good walking shoes and foot care are essential. Engberg said that he has gone through four pairs of walking shoes and usually has three pairs going at a time. “If I walk in the morning and then again in the afternoon, I always switch shoes. I’ve been fortunate not to have had any foot problems.” When asked how many miles he has walked, he said, “I’ve walked over 8 million steps which translates to an average of just over 4 miles a day or about 3,000 miles in total. I guess that is the equivalent of walking from Sterling to San Francisco and from San Francisco to Salem, Oregon, where my daughters live.” “I would never have guessed it, but the walking program is probably the best thing I could have done for a person my age. I’ve lost over 25 pounds and am in far better shape than I ever was while going to the gym. I recommend it highly. If I can do it, many others should be able to do it as well.” Although he lives in Sterling, Engberg has a history with Middleburg. A career hydrologist, he worked for the U. S. Geological Survey for 26 years in Nebraska and Iowa and for the Department of the Interior (DOI) in Washington, DC, for another nine years heading a national program on water quality of more

than 600 DOI irrigation projects. After retiring in 1999, he went to work as Technical Director for a non-profit, the American Water Resources Association, which had just moved its national headquarters to Middleburg. “I commuted to DC for nine years. My commute to Middleburg was the same distance but so much better.” He continued, “Middleburg was a wonderful place to work – nice people, great restaurants and shops. What’s more, in 2004, I met Dan Morrow, the late editor of the Eccentric. We became very close friends getting together weekly to play a game from the 1930’s called Camelot or visiting Civil War sites. It was Dan who talked me into writing the water column for the Eccentric. I was devastated by his death in 2019 and miss him greatly.” While working in Middleburg, Engberg served three years (2000 - 2003) on the Loudoun County Water Resources Technical Advisory Committee. He also served four years (2012-2015) on the Middleburg Wellhead Protection Committee. One last note, Richard loves music. During Covid, in addition to the walking, he has posted a favorite song every day on Facebook. “On April 2, I will have posted my 750th song”, he said proudly. “I research them and post a short paragraph about each song and the artist. I dislike being idle and the walking and posting have allowed me to stay busy and yet be safe from Covid.”

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Page 26 Middleburg Eccentric

Obituaries

• April 28, 2022

Nancy Hubbard n March 27, 2022, at home surrounded by family and friends, Nancy Hubbard of Aldie, VA, lost her spirited battle against ovarian Cancer. Born January 20, 1947, in Wheeling, WV, she was the 2nd of 4 daughters of Senator Chester and Mrs. Joan Hubbard. After graduation from Wells College in 1969, Nancy moved to Washington, DC, where, through various jobs, she gained invaluable experience in direct marketing which enabled her to establish her own successful company, Hubbard Marketing Group in 1983. As she said, “I was confident that I knew how to successfully produce fundraising pieces at reasonable costs.” And she was right. During its hey-day, her company was responsible for mailing more than 15 million pieces a year for its clients. After many years in DC, she relocated her office to Middleburg, VA. She retired in 2013. Upon retirement, she fulfilled a promise she had made to herself, that when she turned 50, “if I had worked hard enough, I would let myself play more

golf. And I did. I love working on my golf game and have a wonderful coach who helps me with the hardest part - the 5 inches between my ears! I compete in a lot of tournaments.” She was an avid golfer, with a true love of and passion for the game. She won the Evergreen Country Club President’s Cup 6 times; the Ladies Senior Club Championship 8 times; the Ladies Club Championship 4 times; and the Member-Member twice. She once said, “If you take away my golf, you might as well take away my oxygen.” In addition to golf, giving to and helping others whenever she could, and life itself, Nancy had a great passion for the African Elephant, under siege from poachers. As she wrote, “In October 2014, I had one of the most “best of times” when my sister and I went to Kenya for 2-1/2 weeks on a “Save the Elephant” Safari. The trip was focused around the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which is responsible for saving orphaned baby elephants, with the goal of returning them to the wild. A totally awesome experience

with so many wild animals and beautiful scenery, it was the trip of a lifetime. We were fortunate to go back to Kenya again in 2017, for another 2-1/2 weeks, focused again on the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust facilities and Reintegration Stations. In the interim, I had also gotten to meet Daphne Sheldrick, the Trust’s Founder, another experience of a lifetime.” Nancy was a friend to so many and truly epitomizes Henri Frederic Amiel’s verse: Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us, so be swift to love and make haste to be kind.” Nancy and her family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any of the following: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Organization, http://www. sheldrickwildlifetrust.org Middleburg Humane Society, 5000 Cunningham Farm Dr., Marshall, VA 20115 LAWS/Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, 105 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

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Middleburg Eccentric

• April 28, 2022 Page 27

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• April 28, 2022

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• April 28, 2022

Opinion - Letters@middleburgeccentric.com Letter to the Editor

Littleton’s Middleburg Vincent Bataoel

The Town of Middleburg used to be known for conservation, but those days are long gone. For the past seven years, it has been known for Salamander Resort. For the next seven years it will be known for country condos and weekend McMansions. This comes as “Middleburg Mayor Bridge Littleton unveiled proposals to expand the Town’s boundaries and build 126 new homes, billing it as protecting the town… and creating affordable housing.” If you are going to open the floodgates to the

suburbanization of Middleburg with the “farmdominiums” at Blackwater Farm, at least have the guts to admit that your objective is to increase the tax base, in part to justify your new nine million dollar Town Mahal. Spare us the “lesser of two evils” logic. If you wanted to stand up against development interests, you would just do it. The Citizens for Fauquier did in Upperville when they stood up against the Easton Porter Group’s expansion of the Blackthorne Inn. The Aldie Heritage Association did when they stood up against the County’s insertion of a fire station in the

Letter from The Plains

old President of Russia, and the apotheosis of all that is bad in human nature. One single Eccentric readers have been human being has wrought subjected by our media over such death and suffering on the past several weeks as the the innocent men, women, Ukraine crisis deepened to the and children of Ukraine. use of one word that may not The courage, resilience, and usually be in most people’s fortitude of Ukraine’s people everyday working vocabulary. and their formidable leader, This word is “Existential,” Volodymyr Zelelsky, stand out typically meaning relating to, like beacons in a world put into or affirming, the experience disarray by one thoroughly of existence – our thinking, wicked and immoral human feelings, and what we do. A being. more complex interpretation I want to return to a has been the establishment statement made back in in us all of a sense of dread, anxiety, and confusion, in 1994 by the great American which the world around astrophysicist Carl Sagan. us seems meaningless. I believe that this is highly Pretty heavy stuff, you relevant for us all in this may surmise. Traditionally existentialist moment in time. Existentialists have explored His words were inspired by an the philosophical dimensions image taken, at Carl Sagan’s of the purpose, meaning, and suggestion, by Voyager 1, indeed value, of our lives, our on February 14, 1990, as the very existence. There are many spacecraft left our planetary distinguished philosopher system for the solar system’s proponents of Existentialism, fringes. The spacecraft was and I will not take up space turned one last time to look at elaborating. So what is the planet Earth. Voyager 1 was relevance of all this for today? about 4 billion miles from It’s called the Ukraine, and Earth and approximately related issues associated, for It was thirty-two degrees example, with where China above the ecliptic plane when seems to be headed in the it captured a portrait of our world and other existentialist world, a “pale blue dot.” critical problems associated The Earth was caught in the with places like Syria, center of scattered light rays, Ethiopia, Yemen, Myanmar, appearing as a tiny point of and many other trouble spots. light, a crescent only 0.12 Add to this one different key pixels in size. dimension, Climate Change, Please read his fine words the resulting energy issues, below, then pause, think, and the supply chain problems, and rising costs per gallon at let’s continue this discussion. “Look again at that dot. the pumps for all of us and our That’s here. That’s home. key allies around the globe. One can quickly see that That’s us. On it, everyone we live in a challenging you love, everyone you know, world, created in part by one everyone you ever heard of, particularly evil human being, every human being who ever Vladimir Putin, the 69 years was, lived out their lives. Anthony Wells

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middle of the historic village. These citizen groups actually cared about conservation. You play us for fools with the whole “we are doing this to protect the Town” rhetoric. We know conservation implies opposition to development, not control of it. Those who care about conservation don’t say, “hey, hold on, let’s control this development together”. Even if the build is supposedly inevitable, you sacrifice pragmatism and put yourself out in front of it. By-right use or not, if you wanted to oppose it, you would. You would at least make it more difficult for

development to occur. You would have the stomach to say “no thanks”. You would go to the County and say, “we oppose this project”. You would encourage the citizens of Middleburg to voice their opposition. Instead, you put on a pro-development theater at Hill School. As one resident put it to me, “he should have won an Oscar for that performance.” Of course you are going to say that “this will be the last development”. I am sure it will be, until there is a proposal to demolish the beloved Fun Shop property and replace it with a hideous mid-rise,

or turn east Federal Street into another kitschy country Frankenstein. When Littleton — the sonof-a-developer — initially ran for Mayor, he had a whole “Preserving Middleburg” act. He said “I am committed to being a champion for Middleburg with the County to stem development… Middleburg’s authority is exclusive to our town, but our influence must carry beyond… (we must) make our voices heard.” Four years later, he has indeed made his voice heard, as a ventriloquist throwing his voice to dummy an audience.

The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every ‘superstar,’ every ‘supreme leader,’ every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived thereon a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, and the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate.

Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, the Earth is where we make our stand for the moment. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” Please reflect for a few minutes on these monumentally important words. Those 1994 words in “The Pale Blue Dot” do, I firmly believe, reflect where we all are today, in April 2022. The Putins of this world, like Adolph Hitler and his evil entourage of SS, SD, and Gestapo, have to be dealt with. We cannot ignore the inexorable and existential threat to our way of life, indeed the planet, by the likes of Putin and his cohort of sycophantic acolytes that surround him. Our children and grandchildren need us all to stand up and be counted. In my humble opinion, we did too little, too late, and I only hope that what we and our allies are now doing will save the day in some shape or form for the courageous people of Ukraine. I will address in May’s Letter both what I think we should have done earlier, what we now need to do, what we are doing that is positive and good, and how, totally irrespective of Eccentric readers’ individual political

predilections we can, with our allies, save the day for us all on this, “The Pale Blue Dot.” We have to be resolute and courageous at this moment in time. One final thought to leave you all with: the magical worlds of the Elizabethan and Jacobean English poet John Donne (1572-1631), in his immortal, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”:

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“No Man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thine own Or of thine friend’s were. Each man death’s diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls It tolls for thee”. Volodymyr Zelensky and his people are all “a part of the main.” The bell is tolling for thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Ukraine. We cannot let them down. The bell is tolling, too, for all of us.

Middleburg Eccentric

Putin’s Killing Fields – war crimes and genocide

John P. Flannery

The Russians invaded Ukraine without provocation or reason in violation of international law and local treaties Russia made with Ukraine. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, claims Ukraine Nazified the nation Ukraine, a central element of Putin’s disinformation campaign to justify this war, proven entirely false, especially when you consider that President Zelensky is Jewish. Putin, now 69, contemplating his barbaric legacy, insists his purpose, perhaps his last autocratic ambition, is to restore the Soviet empire. Putin leans on barbaric methods to wage this war – including assaults from the skies through hypersonic missiles that travel at five times the speed of sound. Putin has turned to terror and ordered his troops to kill civilians, including disabled men, spousal caretakers, pregnant women, and children. Putin flattens historical and symbolic public buildings to the ground, with civilians inside the buildings severely injured if not crushed to death. Putin has cut off food, water, electricity, and free passage to citizens who seek to escape his death march. There is a paralyzing fear that Putin may use nuclear force and chemical weapons, intoxicated with cruelty. International law and treaties and local agreements and the law mean less or nothing when one simply refuses their command. We are the victims worldwide of an asymmetry between the law that must be obeyed and the military force of a latter-day bloody bully who makes his own law – as dictators are inclined to do. Consider the law shredded by this invasion. After World War II, “the world” established a charter for uniting the nations. Article 2(4) of that Charter prohibited the “use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

On March 16, 2022, the International Court of Justice decided that Russia’s claims that it was acting to prevent genocide in Ukraine were baseless and ordered that “the Russian Federation must, pending the final decision in the case, suspend the military operations that it commenced on February 24, 2022, in the territory of Ukraine.” There have also been charges of war crimes, namely, Russia’s indiscriminate bombing that killed 600 civilians in the first three weeks of the war, how they hit at least 43 medical facilities and used cluster munitions in dense urban areas. There have been questions whether China or India might help Russia in this war. International Law is clear on this point. Article 16 of the Articles on State Responsibility plainly say – “A State which aids or assists another state in the commission of an internationally wrongful act by the latter is internationally responsible for doing so if: (a) that State does so with knowledge of the circumstances of the internationally wrongful act; and (b) the act would be internationally wrongful if committed by that state.” We impose economic sanctions and supply billions in arms because the law is blithely disregarded. The center does not hold. Russia is supposed to take affirmative steps under Article 41 of the Articles on State Responsibility – “States shall cooperate to bring an end through lawful means [of] any serious breach.” When the Soviet Union dissolved, remaining in Ukraine in 1991 was the world’s thirdlargest nuclear arsenal. Ukraine claimed ownership of all formerly Soviet material and technical resources on Ukraine territory including weapons. Our Secretary of State James Baker thought only Russia should succeed the Soviet Union as a nuclear state. In 1992, Ukraine’s parliament, the Rada, supported a resolution that Ukraine wished to denuclearize but remained concerned about security guarantees as a condition for

nuclear disarmament. The US offered a joint draft of a commitment by the US and Russia “not to use force or threat of force against territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine, in accordance with the UN Charter.” Ukraine wanted more than a re-affirmance of existing multilateral commitments as “sufficient guarantee of Ukraine’s security.” Russia and Ukraine were at odds in the 90s over the division of the Black Sea fleet and Russia’s support for Crimean separatism. On December 5, 1994, the Budapest Memorandum was signed that prohibited the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States from threatening or using military

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force or economic coercion against Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan agreed to give up their nuclear weapons. The signatories offered Ukraine “security assurances” in exchange for Ukraine’s adherence to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In 2014, Russia seized Crimea, and consulted as the Memo provided, but agreed to nothing, and convened instead a referendum on whether Crimea should be incorporated into the Russian Federation, and, by this oppressive side-stepping flimflam, occupied and annexed Crimea. You may remember the forceful speech that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky

made at the Munich Security Conference on February 19, 2022. Zelensky said, “Since 2014, Ukraine has tried three times to convene consultations with the guarantor states of the Budapest Memorandum.” There are other legal authorities including the Minsk agreements founded in Belarus that have also been ignored. President Zelensky leads brave men and women, military and civilian, fighting for their homeland, risking their lives, fighting for the rule of international law, and treaties, and promises made by Russia. How can we do less than join their cause in the air and on the ground, rather than remain only an arms merchant.

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• April 28, 2022

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