Time for a Deep Breath

Time for a Deep Breath

By Leonard Shapiro

June is about to bust out all over the Virginia Piedmont, though it would be hard to imagine it could be any more frenetic than the past merry month of a Middleburg May, a seemingly never-ending swirl of spectacular events and happenings all around.

Garden parties and garden tours, graduations, weddings, concerts, anniversary celebrations, art shows, building dedications, point-to-points and spring races, lavish tailgates, Mother’s Day brunches, Memorial Day dedications, firehouse pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinner fundraisers, school auctions and junior/senior proms.

Checking out the cover photo at the Middleburg Photo studios with Doug Gehlsen.

Photo by Vicky Moon

And did we mention the Virginia Gold Cup, with the post-pandemic crowd up into the many, many thousands, just like the good old days in The Plains, praise be.

Don’t get me wrong. June should be rather busy as well, starting with the historic Upperville Horse Show and ending with the second annual Middleburg Music Festival leading into July Fourth. Bottom line is, Country ZEST was on hand for all manner of merry May events, as the following pages will attest.

Our gorgeous cover focuses on flower power, and may be the most colorful front page photo we’ve ever had, all thanks to Bridget Wilson. She’s a dynamo known to many as a workout warrior who teaches daily fitness classes to locals under the banner of her Native Barre business.

Lesser known is Bridget’s passion for plants and growing flowers—by the thousands at a time—and according to Vicky Moon’s story, word of her pretty petal prowess has been spreading throughout the countryside.

Over in the St. Louis area of Middleburg, they’re celebrating the 75th anniversary of Banneker Elementary School, originally founded as a segregated school in 1948, integrated twenty years later and now a vibrant local institution. Proud and passionate Principal Robert Carter has been leading the cheers for a school that’s been cited by the state for academic excellence. And the decibel level could go off the charts the night of the NBA draft on June 22, when Jordan Miller, a Banneker graduate and St. Louis native, could be a No. 1 pick.

Columnist Tom Northrup pays tribute to Hill School’s latest two Emeritus Teachers—Jack and Sydney Bowers, both beloved 40-year plus educators who retired in recent years. And Hunt Lyman, Hill’s academic dean, makes his debut as a contributor this month and will write regularly about artificial intelligence.

Also on the academic front, don’t miss the heartwarming story of two brave young Afghan women who just finished a year of classes at Foxcroft. It’s written by Head of School Cathy McGehee, who helped get them there in the first place.

As always, there’s plenty more to savor in our summer issue. After that exhilarating manic month of May, take a deep breath and feel free to add a touch of ZEST to your reading list.