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Pasture Talk
NEW RIVER VALLEY
P. O. Box 11816
Blacksburg, VA 24062
o: 540-961-2015
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PUBLISHER
Country Media, Inc.
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MANAGING EDITOR
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
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WRITERS
Joanne Anderson
Emily Alberts
Jo Clark
Becky Hepler
Nancy Moseley
Caitlyn Koser
Emily Meade
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Kevin Riley
Madison Underwood
Jon Fleming
Nathan Cooke
Emily Heskett Photography
Kaytlin Lane Photography
Elishia Littlejohn Photography
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wWhen I was a senior in high school, we moved to a house which had a living room and a family room, a first. The living room was vacant for a year, while my mother saved money for a couch and my dad built trestle dropleaf end tables and a matching coffee table she’d seen in a magazine. I was mortified to have friends over who might see our unfurnished living room. After the couch, she saved another year for a wingback chair and my dad built a curly maple oval end table. Teenage embarrassment aside, the valuable lesson was to save money for what I wanted.
On Dec. 9 on Fox Business channel, Maria Bartiromo was talking with a guest on her show about teaching children to save money. The week before, out of the blue, my young farm hand, 19, informed me that if he saved $100/month until he was 30, then $200/month until he was 40 and $300/month after that, he’d be a millionaire down the road, factoring compound interest and investing. Smart kid.
In my 20s, I drove to the bank with $10 to deposit in my savings account. I still have a few Mikasa stemware dessert dishes I received for opening it at thenArapahoe National Bank in Boulder, Colorado.
When I moved to Blacksburg, I connected with a financial advisor. These folks live and breathe money info. Their idea of a beach read is some lengthy, detailed, corporate document analyzing a company’s financial performance and
the creds of its executive management. Because he has managed my savings across decades, I can support my horses and myself without a pension. I walked the small-time entrepreneurial path, beholden to no one, working longer hours and making less money, reveling in my independence. Small business continues to create more than half the jobs.
According to one study, 68% of people admit needing financial advice, but only 35% actually engage with the experts. Maybe 2025 can launch you into saving and seeking expertise for growth. You can begin today, with $10. And thanks Mom and Dad for the vacant living room lesson.
For Christmas gifts some years ago, I ordered prints of several state birds with each state flower in the art. Artist Leana Fischer and her wonderful business, May We Fly, begins on page 22.
You don’t have to spend a penny to have your own print copy of New River Valley Magazine. As we enter our 19th year, we stand proud alongside our professional team of writers and photographers, and especially our advertisers. They grace these pages for you! Please seek them out earnestly for their products and services. Shop local year-round for a robust local economy and prosperous community.
Happy New Year!
Joanne Anderson ManagingEditor jmawriter@aol.com
Lindsey & Charlie
May 20, 2023
CCharlie needed a date for the junior prom at Christiansburg High School. Lindsey attended Radford High School, and her best friend, Clare, knew Charlie and suggested she be his date. “My parents knew his parents, so they let me go with him. In his words, he became enamored with me,” Lindsey relates. “He would write letters, bring me breakfast before school, burn CDs for me. I only wanted to be friends. I went to his senior prom as his date, too, still just friends.”
We know well that “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Charlie
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos courtesy of Emily Heskett Photography
[www.emilyheskett.com]
graduated a year before Lindsey and went off to college. “One night I got to thinking about him and randomly gave him a call. We began talking every day and started dating in May of 2016. We got engaged in 2021 and married in 2023.”
Wedding Planning
Lindsey admits to not being a type A personality, so the idea of planning a wedding was daunting. Once they decided to get married at her Aunt Jana Cranwell’s beautiful house in Blacksburg, “Aunt Jana
stepped right in as my wedding planner, with help from my mother,” Lindsey says. “I gladly handed over that responsibility.”
Aunt Jana was equally thrilled with planning everything. “Lindsey told me to let her know where to be and when,” Jana smiles. Organizing events fell to Jana often in her working days. She enjoyed it every step of the way, and since the wedding, she and her husband, Cliv, have been tossing around the idea of hosting weddings. Their attractive, 66-acre property offers a magnificent setting overlooking Ellett Valley and the hills beyond.
“My parents knew his parents, so they let me go with him."
“Charlie did anything that was asked of him – something I love about him,” Lindsey shares. “He helped a lot making sure everything was clean and set up for us. You want everything perfect, but there will always be something out of your control. Most of the time, it ends up being something to laugh about in the future.”
The Big Day
The bridal party got ready in the primary bedroom with mimosas and music. The guys prepared in the pool house, and the whole day was casual, just as they wanted. Guests enjoyed beverages during the ceremony, and the dance floor went crazy throughout the whole night. “Special shoutout to DJ Bobby Hash
who was absolutely incredible. Our guests raved about him for days,” adds Charlie.
Inclement weather was part of the plan possibility, and extra tents had been rented assuring no one was in the light sprinkle during the ceremony. “I wore platform heels, which were quickly taken off after pictures and replaced with slippers which can be seen in our fireworks photos,” Lindsey explains.
Happily Ever After
They are hoping for the planned honeymoon in Greece to coincide with their 5th anniversary and enjoyed a week in Florida oceanfront after the wedding. The NRV-native couple resides in North Carolina where they work in the same hospital; Lindsey as an R.N. and Charlie an occupational therapist. “It’s super fun to see other throughout the day,” they agree. “We are closer than ever and embrace the ups and downs of married life.”
Photography:
Emily Heskett Photography
Wedding Planner: Aunt Jana and Mom
Catering:
Mission BBQ, Christiansburg
DJ: Bobby Hash, Pulaski
Cake/Desserts:
Donuts!
Flowers: Gates Flowers & Gifts
Rentals: Aztec Rentals
Ryan & Lisa
July
1, 2023
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos courtesy of Kaytlin Lane Photography
Ryan and Lisa met through friends at Virginia Tech initially. Two and a half years later, their paths crossed again. They worked together setting up an outdoor TV on a patio in northern Virginia to watch the Hokies play football. Spending four hours in the backseat of a car traveling to a Hokie football homecoming brought them closer to one another – literally and emotionally.
After four years of dating, and many more VT football games, Ryan Carter Burns and Lisa Marie [Hemphill] Burns got engaged. Since half of Ryan’s friends call him by his middle name, the couple had to use Ryan Carter on invitations and signs, so to balance, she used Lisa Marie.
“The decision for the Blacksburg wedding stemmed from Blacksburg being the place that brought us together more than once,” Lisa explains. “We decided to bring friends and family back to town to make new Blacksburg memories.”
They hired wedding planner Allie Detzler, owner of Grey Cardinal Events in Roanoke. “We were planning the
wedding mostly from Northern Virginia, and it was helpful to have someone familiar with vendors and the venue. I had a lot of specific ideas about what I wanted,” she continues, “including getting married on campus in the beautiful Hahn Horticulture Garden.”
The Planning Part
Overall, the wedding planning went pretty well. Lisa advises brides and grooms to focus on details you’ll remember most and not sweat the small stuff. “Once the big day rolls around just try to have fun with it. All the preparation and planning is for you to have the most spectacular day, so remember to enjoy it!”
“Your partner should be there to bounce ideas around and help prioritize what’s important,” she continues. “Decision fatigue is a real thing, and the more you can lean on your future spouse, the stronger your relationship will be going into marriage.”
The Wedding Weekend
The rehearsal dinner and welcome party took place at Lane Stadium “overlooking the football field on one side and a beautiful sunset and the mountains on the other,” Lisa exclaims. “It was an amazing pre-event to the wedding, and we loved incorporating Virginia Tech into the wedding weekend.”
The wedding day dawned warm with clouds which made the planner and mother-in-law nervous. “The planner tossed the decision to me,” Ryan remembers. “I made the call to proceed with the ceremony as planned in the garden, which ended up under beautiful blue skies.”
They held a farewell brunch at the B&B, then took “honeymoon part one” to Maine. “Honeymoon part two” was enjoyed in Saint Lucia, their first time on a Caribbean island; likely not their last.
Married Life
The VT alumni both majored in engineering. Lisa works for a consulting firm, while Ryan has a job with the U.S. Navy. They reside in Arlington with a pup named Harley and a baby boy due in February. “We love that one day we’ll bring our kids to Blacksburg, have picnics at Hahn Garden and teach them ‘go Hokies’ at a young age!”
Photography:
Kaytlin Lane Photography
Wedding Planner:
Grey Cardinal Events, Roanoke
Catering:
Pumpernickel Pickle, Salem
DJ:
Castillo DJ Services, Radford
Cake/Desserts:
Jill’s Cake Studio, Roanoke
Flowers:
Stonecrop Farm, Giles County
Rentals:
Tents R Us, tentsrusnrv.com
Lodging and Farewell brunch:
Clay Corner Inn (now Blacksburg Bed & Breakfast)
Hair/Makeup:
Hair and Beauty by Stephanie, Christiansburg
Transforming Potential Into Reality strength and conditioning for young athletes
Text by Emily Kathleen Alberts
Photos courtesy of James Lofton
Coach James Lofton is offering something unique to the New River Valley ~ high-level strength and conditioning training for young athletes. Focusing on athletes ages 11 to 22, Lofton offers training tailored to young people who wish to improve their performance in chosen sports, as well as those who just want to feel better, stronger, more confident.
“Most young athletes have coaches who will teach them their sport, but they all would receive tremendous benefit from strength and conditioning done the right way,” says Lofton.
In a world where teens often feel they have little control – a coach determines if they get playing time, or a referee makes calls that can seem unfair – ”a gym workout
is something young athletes can control,” Lofton continues. “You’re not waiting for someone else to call the shots. It’s on you. That’s empowering.”
Growing Up
A Virginia native, Lofton, 36, has been passionate about the benefits of weight training since he was in middle school. “When I was in 7th grade, my grandfather visited from Georgia and showed me some basic lifts at the gym,” he recalls. “Granddad was a hall-of-fame high school football coach. He preached good movement mechanics, full range of motion and hard work. Those are the same
principles I use in my business.”
Lofton developed into a gifted athlete in his formative years, excelling in baseball, wrestling and track, but he was especially successful as a soccer player. He was selected as a high school All-American as a senior, and went on to play Division 1 soccer in college. Looking back, Lofton believes that part of his success as a high school athlete can be credited to his early and long-term commitment to getting bigger, stronger and faster in the weight room.
Here’s the secret of strength and conditioning: It’s not magic. “You could be the worst player on your team, but if you go to a weight room and follow best practices and work hard, you will improve your athleticism. The more you show up, the more returns you get.”
Youth Training
Lofton’s youth training program is offered after school hours on M-W-F at 460 Fitness in Blacksburg. The kids just have to show up, and Lofton provides the planning, programming, and – most importantly -- the passion to help them unlock their potential.
If you’re a teen who wants to do better on the field, the mat or the court – do strength and conditioning.
You want to improve your vertical jump? Do strength and conditioning. “Basically, this is the best investment any young athlete can make. The research is clear. Young people who do resistance training gain confidence, resilience and toughness and are less prone to injuries.”
What sets Lofton apart – aside from his generational knowledge of bodybuilding and athletics – is his access to one of the premier gyms in the nation. With this dedicated space to bring his programming to life, he is able to make huge strides as a training coach.
As a Level 2 CrossFit trainer and certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Lofton oversees the training of dozens of adults as general manager of 460 Fitness. He’s able to help them make dramatic differences in their health and wellness, and he knows young athletes can achieve life-changing results. Not to mention, the earlier they learn proper form and mechanics, the longer they can enjoy an injury-free career in their sport.
Lofton points to an article titled “Resistance Training for Children and Adolescents” in the June 2020 issue of Pediatrics, published by The American Academy of Pediatrics. It reports: “After years of research, it is now accepted that children and adolescents can increase strength with low injury rates if resistance training is wellsupervised with an emphasis on correct technique.”
To ensure that his athletic clients emphasize correct technique, Lofton creates weight-training plans that emphasize well-rounded physiology and mobility. His plans focus on improving performance in the athlete’s sport of choice, as well as counteracting imbalances and weaknesses that can occur with repeated sports training. “For example, soccer players can be very quadricep-dominant because of the way they strike the ball, but hamstrings are the major driver when running, so making sure there is no imbalance reduces the risk of injury.”
“I loved working with Division 1 soccer players, but I also dream of reaching active youngsters like I was,” he adds. “I love the fact that the gym doesn’t discriminate. No matter your age, sport, gender or background, it’s one of the best investments you can make. It’s the best odds you’ll ever play because there is a guaranteed return on hard work.”
The Art of Noticing
local watercolor artist captures nature's delicacy
Text by Nancy S. Moseley
On an old blog post from 2017, she reflects on the "art of noticing" as essential to the process of becoming an artist. And to take in any of Leana Fischer's paintings, it is clear she has not only noticed, but she has also beautifully, delicately, found a way to help us notice as well.
For Fischer, beauty is found in the little things, those everyday details that deserve to be celebrated. And her company's name, May We Fly, acts as a collective callto-action of sorts, an encouragement to notice, recognize and applaud the beauty in our individual stories.
Fischer is a Blacksburg native and graduate of Virginia Tech's architecture program. When her husband, Dan, got into graduate school in Fayetteville, Ark., off they went in 2013. In a new town with a busily studious
husband, she found herself with time on her hands; time to sink into the awareness that she was disappointedly uninspired by what the corporate world of architecture had to offer.
"I was not loving my life as an architect," she candidly offers. "It was fine, but there was a disconnect. I needed more creativity and hands-on work. The work itself, regardless of the firm, was not fitting my personality very well."
Even though both of her parents [Blacksburg residents Walter and Diane Hearn] were artists, Fischer's childhood wasn't highlighted by a nurtured interest in the craft. It wasn't something she sought out to try as a hobby, let alone turn into a career. That is, until that keen selfrealization that she really didn't like her job very much.
Photos by Jon Fleming
A New Hobby
"I had taken a watercolor class in college that I loved, and I still had all the supplies. It was what I was most skilled at. I slowly and steadily painted as much as I could and started to sell it here and there. That's when I realized I wanted to pursue it seriously. I started out strong in the craft show scene," she laughs. Her website proclaims: "Painting remains my true calling. It’s my expression of joy, my sincere offering, and my enthusiastic invitation. I work mainly with watercolor because it feels most natural in my hand. It has a language all its own, one that I am certain I will be learning for a lifetime. The elements behind it - pigment, water,
movement - all point directly to my deep love of the natural world."
Hobby to Business Model
Initially she was comfortable with the income simply covering the cost, without a thought on potential profit. But in 2014, her "hobby" grew into an LLC and in 2016, she left her day job to become a full-time career artist. Last year marked May We Fly's 10-year anniversary. The couple has since moved back to the New River Valley, to be closer to parents and reasonably attainable home ownership. Her studio is in the dining room of their 100-year-old home in the Cambria neighborhood of Christiansburg. "I find inspiration
wherever. I take a ton of photos. One place will usually inspire me to paint, but the final composition is pulled from a collection of photos."
Her subject matter is predominantly nature landscapes with quiet, dainty elements therein, like a cabin, a boat, a fence line, a duck, or a trail (unless commission work dictates otherwise, ask about the piece on skiers). Having traveled quite a bit overseas, she hopes to spend time painting from those adventures soon, with a focus on how to interpret well-known sites with her own style.
Her products range from original art pieces to thoughtfully culled products like calendars, place cards, notepads, stickers, gift tags, greeting cards and even gift wrap. She digitizes her originals to sell as high-print quality reprints at various sizes. Two of her most popular commission requests are wedding bouquet portraits and home portraits. She prefers to paint at 16x20 or 11x14 sizes which offer the most flexibility for reprints.
Collections and Relationships
In the spring and fall, Leana typically launches a collection, a more cohesive grouping of pieces that share a theme. She admits she is never short of ideas, so working with a series or collection helps keep her focused. Her
annual calendars are a popular item, along with her series on state birds. This spring she plans to offer a collection of birth flowers.
Nationally, Leana Fischer has a licensing partnership with Trader Joe's and Hallmark who use her designs on their own greeting cards. Barnes and Noble also orders original products from May We Fly and, locally, you can find her work at New River Art and Fiber in downtown Blacksburg.
One of her favorite parts? "The relationship with my customers is something I didn't anticipate would be such fun. I really know a lot of them. They feel like an extension of family."
Speaking of family, their almost one-year-old baby girl gets closer and closer to being mom's toddling studio assistant. "I can't wait to have her alongside me in the studio! I gave her crayons the other day to see what would happen. Of course, she just tried to eat them," Leana chuckles. Perhaps being a parent fast-tracks our skill to notice, because we get the joy of noticing the world around us for the first time, all over again.
Nancy S. Moseley is a writer who is also a native of Blacksburg. She felt simpatico with Leana's art, since she tends to gravitate toward images of trees. Of course, she giddily left with an 8x10 reprint of trees in the fall, and maybe even a calendar.
“Deliah Jane”
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos courtesy of Elishia Littlejohn Photography
“I have always loved Volkswagens,” explains Kim Lovern of Giles County. “My husband Gabe and I own a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, so when I saw this deserted camper bus sitting alone, in an overgrown field, partially under a shed, it was love at first sight.”
Her parents bought a property in Newport [in Giles County], and this old, abandoned, 1976 Volkswagen Westfalia Type 2 camper bus with a rusted front end was part of the package. “My parents know my love for VWs so they gave it to me under one condition: That Gabe and I help clean out the old concrete house on the property.”
That building had been vacant since 1996. Kim and Gabe rose to the task, commenting that the transformation of that little concrete house deserves an article of its own. They hired a tow truck to move the camper bus to their place in Eggleston.
“After a couple of good washes, the faded dull orange color transformed into a marigold yellow,” Kim exclaims. “We vacuumed and cleaned the upholstery and wiped down the cabinets and leather several times. To our surprise, there was little to no damage inside.” They replaced the carpet with a floating floor and removed sun-damaged curtains.
Gabe sanded the front where it was rusted and primed it. “I found the exact paint code and painted it myself,” he states. “So this bus has the original paint on 90 percent of its body, which isn’t perfect. There are a few dings and dents from the cows it shared pasture space with, but considering its history and neglect, it's in great shape.”
After the body was repaired inside and out, they had it towed to McCoy’s Auto Repair, and the bus was running again in two weeks. The engine has only 49,000 miles on it.
Book the Bus
The plan was to drive it home, set up camp and enjoy it with their daughter. “As I was going down the Pinterest rabbit hole researching camping ideas for Volkswagen buses, I found something. Many were decorated in a Bohemian theme with vintage rugs, pompous grass and vases, staged for beautiful brides, couples and families. We could totally do this!”
Kim and Gabe realized they could provide a unique backdrop for couples that get married at their venue, Lovewell Lodge and Weddings. And why not offer this photo opp for all the talented photographers in the area? They can book it for seasonal mini-sessions and other photo shoots. And that's how the "Book the Bus" idea was launched.
When it came to choosing a name, well that was easy. “I have been a hair stylist for almost 30 years, and
Delilah was a client long ago. She had the best thick, black hair and got a shampoo and roller set every week. Jane is a weekly customer in more recent years. Jane and her husband, Bill, are the original owners of the farm land my parents bought and original owners of our 1976 VW bus. Both women are smart and witty, and I adore them, so Delilah Jane is a lovely tribute to each one.”
VW Specs and Second Chances
People may not know a lot about Volkswagens, but most everyone can recognize one. The German company was established in 1937 and came to the global market after World War II. The design of this camper bus includes a bench that converts to a bed, a pop-up canvas top for more sleeping space and head room, a tiny sink, small ice chest and compartments for storage. “Everything about it is practical, making it perfect for travel,” Kim declares.
It sports a 2.0 liter, air-cooled, 4-cylinder engine with a 4-speed transmission. The brand’s signature round head lights, round fenders and the undeniable VW emblems make it one of the most recognized vehicles of all time.
“We plan on getting more creative with a variety of seasonal and special backdrops for photo sessions,” Kim shares. “We feel like we are giving this bus a second chance, along with capturing photo milestones and memories which will last a lifetime.”
Book the Bus www.lovewelllodgeandweddings.com
Say “ I Do” to a Travel Agent
Text by Jo Clark
Every little girl dreams of her wedding. Visions of the church, the dress, the first dance. Then we grow up, and maybe the church image gives way to swaying palms; the veil becomes a crown of wildflowers. Nowhere in those dreams do we imagine planning a honeymoon. In one dream, a bride sees her handsome new husband whisking her off on a romantic journey after saying “I do.”
Reality check — someone has to make all those plans: Driving or flying, tickets, where to go, where to stay, what to do, and even where to eat. Let two New River Valley travel agents help ease that planning burden.
The Path to Travel Agent
Kimberly Bates is starting her second year as an independent agent with Bella’s Travel. She is affiliated with
Archer Travel, a firm with 70 years of industry experience. Her winsome, outgoing daughter, Hannah Houston, helps with making connections at trade shows.
Kimberly completed a certification program through Archer and continues to finish up vendor training in areas such as cruise specialist. Luxury travel is her favorite niche, serving clients who want high-end luxury trips. To serve them, Kimberly launched a Facebook group for luxury cruisers. Search for The Elite Cruise Circle. “It is a private group where I hold destination showcases and provide travel tips.”
Under the umbrella of luxury travel, she particularly likes to plan cruises on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Viking River Cruises. “These companies offer smaller, more intimate groups on each ship,” Kimberly explains. “Travelers get more
individual attention and high-end, luxurious trips. The level of service and food is outstanding.”
DeAnn Shields, another New River Valley travel expert, is in her 5th year working with travelers from her home. She uses Facebook and her email list to share a newsletter and stay connected.
DeAnn’s training included in-person and online training. Her specializes in cruise packages through cruise lines like Disney and Carnival. Packages provide air travel, lodging and cruises in places like Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic, Cancún, the Caribbean Islands and other tropical locales.
Planning a Honeymoon
For honeymooners who want to enjoy a cruise, Kimberly gathers
Photos courtesy of Kimberly Bates and DeAnn Shields
Kimberly Bates and Hannah Houston
information during the first conversation about the dates, budget and dream location. Then, she reviews potential vendors to find the best fit and provides several options with a range of prices.
DeAnn and Kimberly advise couples to plan six months or more before the big day and, when possible, even up to two years in advance. However, they can’t always book flights that far out.
Prices for honeymoon cruise packages can range from $2,000 to $10,000 and more for two. Agents can add flights and lodging for extra days before or after the cruise. Kimberly works directly with cruise lines and highend hotels and can find special pricing from many luxury cruise lines and hotels. DeAnn recommends a package for honeymooners based on the couple’s interests and desires.
Benefits of Using an Agent for Honeymoon Plans
Wedding Planners get you down the aisle but are not versed in travel management. Kimberly says that using a travel agent saves time and
worry. Another bonus of using a local agent is that online scams are rampant. Frequently, people post on social media about paying for a trip or lodging package that, in the end, doesn’t exist. DeAnn says that the most significant benefit of using an agent for honeymoon planning is their direct connection to the booking agent. She also recommends travel insurance. Agents can add insurance to the cruise or trip purchase or set up a policy through an insurance carrier. She also has access to car rentals and concert tickets.
Trip Planning by Agent
For general vacation planning, an agent is better than aspirin. Consulting a bona fide travel agent costs nothing. They get the best deals, onboard credits and other insider discounts available only to agents. Many people have an agent investigate possibilities but then go the DIY route. The drawback to that is that they often pay more.
Kimberly points out that she is available 24/7 during your travels, only a phone call away. She has direct lines to vendors to say: “You better get this right
for my client.” She is proud to be able to offer personalized services, working to make your priorities her priorities: price, location, sights and culinary expectations.
DeAnn says:
“Using a travel agent can save you time. The agent is more knowledgeable and can cut out the middleman.
When you book online, you still pay a middleman; you just don’t know who.”
Both DeAnn and Kimberly mention personalized trips and little gifts they provide to clients. For example, DeAnn said she could arrange for the cruise line to decorate a room. How cool would that be? These women stand ready with the experience and connections to assist anyone, not only for a honeymoon, but also for business travel or a vacation.
Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer who loves to highlight the best spots to visit. She offers articles on RecipesTravelCulture.com and hosts a podcast at: JoGoesEverywhere.podbean.com
Kimberly Bates, Independent Travel Agent Bella’s Travel (704) 231-1513 kimberlybates220@gmail.com www.bellas-travel.com
DeAnn Shields, Travel Expert Intel Travel Affiliate (540) 580-4557 Deannbrandise@gmail.com www.Notwtravels.inteletravel.com
DeAnn Shields
Tribute to the Past. Perfect in the Present. Fit for the Future.
101-year-old farmhouse evokes grace and beauty
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Tom and Christy Wallace
In 1923, the 3-position traffic light was patented, and Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge became the 30th U.S. President. “The Great Gatzby” was published. The Reverend Charles William Stone and his sons of Bland County, Va., boarded with a family in Cambria to oversee their new house being built on land Rev. Stone had purchased. Bread was 7 cents a loaf and a postage stamp cost 2 cents.
Once the family settled in, Rev. Stone, affectionately called
Poppy, continued his rounds as a circuit preacher for Baptist churches throughout Southwest Virginia. He was instrumental in starting many churches. Life took on a comfortable routine for his wife, Roberta Nosler Stone, who supplement their income selling milk, butter and eggs. One of their sons, Ray, managed the plowing, planting, milking cows and chauffeuring the family in the 1929 Model A Ford another son, Glenn, purchased. Ray did the family laundry on Mondays, heating water on a coal stove
in the wash house. Roberta ironed on Tuesdays.
They hosted many weddings on the beautiful grounds, as well as overnight guests – traveling evangelists, pastors and weary travelers from the nearby depot. The couple had nine children.
Their son Wendell Stone was 10 when he moved to Cambria. He established the restaurant Stone’s in 1956 in Christiansburg. It became Stone’s Cafeteria in the early 1970s. Its 50-year
success included being named to the Top 100 Independent Restaurants in the Nation.
Another Family Generation of Ownership
“In 1980, Bill and I were offered the opportunity to purchase the property,” relates Wendell’s daughter Connie Moore, wife of Bill Moore. “With some preliminary renovations, we, along with our two sons, Brandon, 10, and Lance, 8, moved in during the spring
of 1981. Our goal was to preserve many of the elements that made this home special. Although the property has been downsized through the years, it is important to us to continue the farm atmosphere. The barn lot is once again being used for special pets.”
The side yard is shaded with a magnificent Norway Maple, and Connie continues to maintain multiple flower beds all around the property. The wash house is now a charming little outbuilding used for a garden shed, and the corn crib serves as a chicken coop
for their flock.
“Some of my grandmother’s flowers still make an appearance each spring – the peonies, daffodils, hyacinths and white lilac, but I’ve never had a master plan for the gardens,” Connie explains.
As teens, her sons wanted a pond, so they dug a large hole and filled it with water and fish. “Landscaping took shape around this pond,” Bill states. “With time, it was downsized to what it is today.” A towering spruce tree is climbed each year by Lance to hang a
More Property Renovation
Originally, the house was heated with multiple coal burning stoves. A root cellar and small basement were added along the way. When the Moore family moved in, the house had been updated with an oil furnace and electric baseboard heat upstairs. Not long after they took up residence, they had the electrical and plumbing systems and windows replaced. The house initially had four rooms on each of two floors. Now it contains 5 bedrooms and
3 ½ baths, plus lovely living spaces and an elegant kitchen.
“Around 1998, we had Home Depot construct a two-story building for Bill to store lawn mowers and equipment. When I saw another potential, Bill agreed, and it became the she shed playhouse. Our grandchildren enjoyed many hours of fun, and Bill found other places for the equipment,” Connie says.
Then in 2006, the couple added a “retirement wing” to the back of the house with a kitchen, walk-in pantry, den, bedroom, bathroom and laundry. The wash house and smoke house were relocated to accommodate this new space.
Throughout the decades, these high school sweethearts and New River Valley natives, married for 57 years, have been excellent stewards of the property, dedicated to renovation as needed and preserving the farm vibe that embraces the entire property. The house is built on the Eastern Continental Divide, as stated in the Deed and as shown on a map.
“We feel we have reached our goal, and there's nothing more we would change,” Connie reveals. “We hope what we have done to pay tribute to my grandparents' home place would have pleased them.”
large ball of lights symbolizing the star of Bethlehem.
Flying the Local Skies the little-airport-that-could
Text by Nancy S. Moseley | Photos by Jon Fleming
"Even now, someone will come up to me and say, 'Oh! I still have one of the airport's mugs!'" Keith Holt, director of the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport, relates.
The "mugs," as follow-up questioning reveals, were not mugs at all, but the old runway light's cover globes. When the airport wasn't protected by a fence, students would sneak in and steal the covers and, apparently, use them as drinking containers.
Long before lights, or contraband drinking mugs, the runway was a single grassy strip, conveniently 1.5-ish miles from the Virginia Tech campus and adjacent to the Huckleberry railroad tracks. It was built to be an
emergency landing destination for a popular mail and passenger route between Washington D.C. and Nashville, since plane engines were not as reliable to get to-and-fro without issue as they are now.
From Drill Field to Runway
In 1929, Virginia Tech engineering affiliates surveyed the existing airfield and by the end of the year, the Virginia Highway Department was cap stoning the new Virginia Polytechnic Institute [VPI] Airport. Before that, planes visiting Blacksburg landed on the next spacious piece of grass, the drill field.
Early users were mostly pilots taking locals for rides comically called, "barnstormers." This grew to pilots offering lessons, then eventually the site was designated by the Defense Department as a Civilian Pilot Training Program location. However, the sheer number of training flights destroyed the grassy strip. In 1941, the WPA (Works Progress Administration) built the first paved runway.
Where you have airplanes, you need airplane fixers. An early aviation mechanics program also started in the ‘40s, recruiting high school graduates to live on the property - there were barracks, a dining hall and an infirmaryduring their training. Approximately 750
students came through this program.
And ever since, the littleairport-that-could has provided services including fuel, flight training, plane maintenance and aircraft storage to air travel aficionados. T hangar space, a fully enclosed plane parking lot, was, and still is, in incredibly high demand. Currently, there is a waiting list 30 folks strong.
New Management Lands
In 2002, Virginia Tech decided to step away from all airport operations. Now the airport is run by an Airport Authority, with one representative each from Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County and Virginia Tech. Today, the airport oversees sports team charter flights, private pilots and business travel - like Amtrak, Dollar General or, even, Chicken Salad Chick
executives. The university has a hangar and VCOM (Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine) acquired Shelor's old hangar when the ground travel giant decided to build a new one. Additional hangars are under construction.
The most recent expansion in 2020 took the runway from 4,500 feet to 5,500 feet. Now airplanes can depart with more fuel because heavier planes need more runway length. Unfortunately, the historical "Hokie Hangar" sat in the safety area for the extension, so it met its demise, crumbling in fantastic style. "It was a little sad and scary to see how easily it came down," Holt laughs.
Airport Action Takes Off
Holt came on as airport director also in 2020, coming from nearby New River Valley Airport in Dublin. He got
his pilot's license his freshman year in college. The FAA's requirement to receive a pilot's license is 40 hours of flight training. Getting your driver's license takes more time.
An average day sees roughly three to five corporate flights and five to 10 private flights. There are 12 employees, four of whom are full-time, and they operate seven days a week. "On a football game Saturday, it's anywhere between 40 to 65 planes. We don't act as air traffic control, but we will marshal them into parking positions. On game days all hands are on deck."
So how does even a small airport function without a control tower? "It's a see-and-avoid type of system. It's a self-announce arrangement - 'I'm here, who else is here, and what runway are you using?,'" Holt reveals.
Looking to build, buy, remodel, or need help with your current project list? You don’t want to miss this opportunity to meet building trade and home service professionals in one great location!
Even with all the bells and whistles of technology, the billowy orange windsock is still one of the most important features from a pilot's perspective, Holt explains, as planes take off and land into the wind.
Speaking of developing technology, Vermont's Beta Technologies completed its installation of an electric airplane charger in 2023. The inaugural electric flight occurred on Valentine's Day, 2024. It landed, charged up, then took off for the next leg, perhaps foretelling the next achievement of aviation advancement.
The community may still be getting used to the massive 2020 runway extension that relocated Tech's dairy barns (so long, cows! and cow smell!).
The well-planned Southgate Drive/U.S. 460 interchange has made game day
feel like our homespun version of Chicago's O'Hare. One can't help but wonder: “What could possibly be next?”
"We're at the phase of a creating a future master plan," states Holt. "There will be a focus on what we're able to do inside the fence line. I don't anticipate we'll be going through another major land acquisition. We want to maximize the space we already have."
While the flyable sky feels endless, land, after all, is not.
Nancy S. Moseley is a local writer and proud Airport Acres neighborhood lifer, the airport her front yard. Once she and her dad got in trouble for sneaking in to go sledding, a little bit too close to the runway. Hindsight: They should've grabbed a mug for hot chocolate after.
Fun fact: The famed seismic station that measures the effect of game day's Enter Sandman song on earth's stability is located on airport property.
TIMELINE
1931: VPI Airport officially opens
1940: First hangar
1966: Second runway
1967: Runway lights
1995: New terminal building
2013: VT sold 26 acres to the airport for runway expansion
2016: VT corporate hangar was complete
2020: Runway expansion finished
2024: First electric flight
Donuts
are the New Wedding Cake?
My wonderful friend Summer [Driscoll] Casady, formerly of Blacksburg, homeschool class of 2010 and Virginia Tech class of 2014, recently made 320 or more “donut holes” for a wedding reception. Some kind of friend, right? She started at 5 a.m. the day of the wedding. When I related this to my sister, Debbie, she said donuts are popular at wedding receptions. News to me. What happened to cupcakes?
According to marthastewart.com: “Donuts are the wedding trend that’s here to stay. From donut trucks and towering walls filled with an assortment of their favorite doughy treats, to clever signs and edible escort cards, there are so many incredible ways to feature these treats.”
Most brides and grooms still have a wedding cake, albeit a smaller one with donuts, cupcakes or other desserts for the main sweet fare. Variety and novelty make things interesting. The mini-one-bite petit-four is attractive for being able to try several and not need a plate, napkin or fork, well, maybe a napkin. From single serve pies and cream puffs to the ice cream sundae station, lemon tarts, chocolate-covered strawberries, s’mores shooters and cream-filled cannoli, the options are endless.
Classic Donut Holes
2 eggs
1 cup warm milk
12 Tbl. melted butter, cooled
3 cups + 4 Tbl. flour
1 ½ cups sugar
4 tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking powder
Mix eggs, warm milk and cooled melted butter; it works best if butter and milk are the same temperature. Add everything else. Spray miniature muffin tins and spoon dough half full. Bake at 375° 11-15 minutes.
Topping: In pan on stove, melt a stick of butter with 1 ½ tsp vanilla.
In a bowl mix 1 ½ cups sugar with 3 tsp. cinnamon
Swirl top of each warm muffin in butter and shake off excess, then swirl top in cinnamon sugar and set right side up on rack to cool. Tip: You don’t have to be at a wedding to enjoy these. Summer worked with me several years at Clay Corner Inn (now Blacksburg Bed & Breakfast), and we made them yearround to our guests’ morning delight!
Photo courtesy of Summer Casady
Sweet Wedding Tarts and Mini-Pies
Unless you have a close pal like Summer Casady to make 320 or so tart shells from scratch, plan to buy them. You can purchase 100 2 oz. dessert cups for less than $15 and add custard, pudding, fresh fruit, or chocolate mousse and top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
For a build-your-own-mini-pie bar, offer bowls of cherry, apple and other pie filling flavors. Guests can put tart shells on a plate, dollop in a couple different pie fillings and top with whipped cream.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
The Recorder
an ancient woodwind instrument
Text by Caitlyn Koser
Four women. Decades of experience. And a mission to take their expertise in the language of music to their community. The result? Music that touches the heart and soul as talented musicians bring to life something that can only be described as an art – playing the recorder.
History of the Recorder
Known for its haunting melody and lilting rhythm, the centuries old recorder hails from the days of Bach, Handel and Telemann. The first recorders were designed in the Middle Ages, simple and wooden. During the Renaissance, the recorder was designed to fit perfectly into an ensemble, the instruments ranging from a few inches long to about six feet. The recorders were predominantly made of wood, although occasionally ivory was used. As musical standards and styles flowed out of the Renaissance into the 16th and 17th centuries, this musical instrument was adapted for shifting tastes. During the appearance of opera and the Baroque period, the recorder was tweaked or even revamped to become closer to what most people think of today.
However, during the mid-18th century, as larger ensembles became increasingly popular, the recorder floated into a hazy area of disuse as the flute took prevalence. The recorder became largely dormant until the early 20th century, when the ancient instrument underwent a dramatic
revival. Today, the most commonly used recorders are found in alto, soprano, tenor and bass.
Resurrecting Recorders
The recorder has not lost its charm over the centuries, and a group of four feisty women have taken this instrument and set the tune of their lives to it. The Dogwood Recorder Ensemble is a group of four musicians from varied backgrounds, melding their experience into bringing life to a beloved instrument.
Mary Rhoades, Susan Lavin, Betsy Davies Kibler, and Susan Sanders make up the quartet. Two based in Salem and two from the New River Valley, the musicians collectively draw from childhood experience to present a visceral experience to their audience. All four of the women started young, with backgrounds in an impressive variety of instruments including piano, bassoon, clarinet, guitar and others.
Mary Rhoades began her musical journey at 10 with piano, learning to play the bassoon in high school. And
while we all have our own habits to take a breather from studying, Rhoades found her happy place in music. “I learned to play recorder in graduate school so I could join a group who played as a break from studying,” she says.
In 1965, when Rhoades arrived in Blacksburg, a recorder group already regularly met, and since then, at least for Rhoades, the rest is history. The group – then and now – pours into their community, playing for local museums and assisted living homes. And what better way to unite a community than over that of a universal language?
Previous New Jersey resident Susan Lavin may be the newest member of the group. She is by no means a rookie, having taught herself to play the recorder, flute, guitar, piccolo oboe and harp. She’s been a professional musician and singer for most of her life, now playing with the ensemble. For a fun gig, she occasionally assists her Santa husband as Mrs. Claus during the holidays.
Betsy Davies Kibler’s interest was sparked by an old soprano recorder in a drawer of her Philly home, and she’s been hooked ever since. While attending Goshen College, Kibler played in a group known as the “Collegium.” She has experience in five different recorders: Soprano, Sopranino, Alto, Tenor and Bass. As to her life outside of music? “I love medicine and nursing with a passion,” she relates.
NRV resident Susan Sanders received a recorder for Christmas in high school – one she requested, in fact. “I don’t remember what spurred my interest at the time; possibly it grew from the folk revival movement of the 1960s and 70s.” Attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Lavin joined an ensemble with the School of Music. She now works at Virginia Tech in the School of Performing Arts as the marketing and publicity manager.
The ensemble covers a wide variety of music – Baroque and Renaissance, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, folk and hymns. “We play in churches, nursing homes, garden shows, wherever we find a gig,” Kibler declares.
Want to Play a Recorder?
For beginners, the players recommend starting with the soprano recorder. Its holes are close together for smaller hands, and it usually carries the melody. “Many beginner method books introduce playing with a soprano recorder,” Sanders says.
Another option is the alto recorder. “If you hope to play with an ensemble some day, a group will likely not need another soprano player,” Rhoades explains.
When asked for tips for musicians new to the recorder, these players offer valuable insight. “Yamaha offers inexpensive plastic recorders that have good intonation, and in some cases, may be better instruments than some cheap wooden counterparts,” Sanders shares. The ladies also recommend looking into the American Recorder Society. With chapters across North America, you likely won’t have to look far to find fellow enthusiasts. So do your research, play around with what you love, and who knows? Maybe you, too, like the four recorder players of the Dogwood Recorder Ensemble, will be forever hooked.
Caitlyn Koser is a Christiansburg homeschool student, freelance writer and frequent contributor to New River Valley Magazine.
Editor note: At an innkeeping trade show decades ago, I met David Young and purchased several of his CDs for background music in Clay Corner Inn (now Blacksburg Bed & Breakfast). He is an awardwinning artist, author and musician most well-known for playing two Renaissance recorders in harmony. His music is revered for its soothing sounds and healing properties. www.davidyoungmusic.com
