Observer of Clarke County June 2016

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June 2016 vaOBSERVER.com A monthly magazine serving clarke County

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June 201 6

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Bluemont Concert Series Celebrates 40 Years

722-9560

By claire stuart

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vaobserver.com Life of a Farm Boy, Bob Reed remebered

By Alice hough hummer

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ON THE COVER the observer’s Jennifer lee captured this view of the shenandoah river from her kayak. the image introduces a summer of shenandoah stories and events, beginning with river and roots June 24–26; see riverAndroots.com.

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Aging in Place

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community Briefs

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Around clarke county

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As the crow Flies

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oldest Blue ridge Fire & rescue volunteer Passes Away

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real estate

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community Briefs

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healthy outook

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Ju ne 201 6

From the EDITOR

:

Oh Shenandoah, Our Neighborhood River STAFF

David lillard, editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher Aundrea humphreys, Art Director hali taylor, Proofreader

CONTRIBUTORS karen cifala Jess clawson Wendy gooditis victoria kidd Doug Pifer JiJi russell claire stuart

COVER PHOTO Jennifer lee

ADVERTISING SALES Jennifer Welliver

Advertising Information 540-398-1450 (mon-Fri, 9-5) sales@vaoBserver.com

AD DEADLINE 1ST OF EACH MONTH

The Observer prints signed letters-to-the-editor of uniquely local interest. Letters containing personal attacks or polarizing language will not be published.

Letters may be edited. Send letters to the editor of 300 or fewer words to: editor@vaobserver.com.

THE OBSERVER 540-440-1373

www.vaoBserver.com

June 12 marks the beginning of Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. Truth be told, for most of us along the Shenandoah, the Bay is a distant idea.

We enjoy the crabs and oysters, but the personal connection is more like relations with distant relatives. More immediate for us are the freshwater tributaries in our neighborhood. That’s okay; keeping our hometown streams is what it’s all about. That’s where we paddle, get our water, cast a line, enjoy the view.

After spending a few hours recently at the wastewater treatment plant just outside Berryville, this connection with the Shenandoah feels even stronger. So we’re planning a few summer stories on and about the river — and the issues facing the Shenandoah.

The summer slate includes a story about an Iraqi war veteran who has paddled the entire Mississippi River, then moved home to West Virginia to found an organization called Paddle for Peace.

Annie Balthazar takes veterans on overnight paddle trips to connect them with the healing power of nature and water. She’s planning a 3-day paddle with veterans on the South Fork Shenandoah, which we look forward to chronicling. If you’re a vet — or know someone who is — and would like to paddle with Annie, check out her program at paddleforpeace.org.

Another story will cover a new “data visualization” project developed for Friends of the Shenandoah River by Berryville-based The Downstream Project. This effort presents all the stream monitoring data of hundreds of volunteers and several Shenandoah-focused groups in ways that help all of us understand the health of our river. It takes complex data, and presents it in a way we can all connect with. Learn more at fosr.org.

It’s high time, too, that we did a story on the Shenandoah Riverkeeper program of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. Those of you who know about Riverkeepers might think of them only as the enforcers. Forcing government to uphold its own laws is important, sure, but the Riverkeeper also helps us connect with our river through programs like paddle trips. There are several planned June 8–19. It’s not too late to get on one in the Shenandoah. See potomacriverkeepernetwork.org for details.

Then there are pocketbook issues for people on public water in Berryville, like how our good stewardship of our community river costs a lot of money — we see it in our water bills. It forces us to put our checkbooks where our values are.

The water Berryville puts back into the river is actually cleaner than the water we take out; that costs money. We’ll explore that in July.

Rivers are also fun! The summer in Clarke County really gets underway with the River and Roots Festival June 24–26. Music, dancing, a farmers market for folks camping at Watermelon Park, tubing, and lots of fun on the river.

See riverandroots.com for details. This year’s lineup includes Tim O’Brien, the Keel Brothers, Furnace Mountain, Ragtime Annie, and several other regional favorites.

Of course, you don’t need an organized event to enjoy the Shenandoah. Get your fishing license and chill on the river; dust off your old canoe and paddle; dally down River Road at sunset to get some photos; find a place for a picnic.

People drive a long way to find peacefulness on the Shenandoah. You don’t have to; it’s right here.

THE GROOMING SALON at

BATTLETOWN ANIMAL CLINIC

(540) 955-1151 Professional Grooming by Sara Anderson located next to the veterinary clinic at 3823 Lord Fairfax Hwy, 1/2 mile north of Berryville

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June 201 6

QUALITY CONCRETE & MASONRY Over 20 Years Experience Sidewalks, Patios, Repairs, and More

(540) 955-4977 www.qualityconcreteandmasonryva.com

“Brown Girl Dreaming” Jacqueline Woodson Sunday, June 19 3 – 5pm

“One of today’s finest writers tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.”

Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult readers

Josephine School Community Museum Book Club 303 Josephine Street, Berryville | 540-955-5512 | jschoolmuseum.org

Poe’s Home Improvements New Building & Remodeling Est. 1976

No Job Too Small Bobcat and Small Backhoe Work Land Clearing • Snow Removal Tree & Brush Removal • 60’ Man-Lift Service

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Aging in Place

Struggling With The Costs Of Home Care By karen cifala I have people in my world right now who really need assistance with day-to-day stuff like dressing themselves, cooking meals, or for that matter, eating. They struggle even getting out of bed or getting to the bathroom on their own. At a point in each of their family’s lives, they all come to the conclusion that they can’t do this alone— or that they know they need extra help and can’t afford to hire someone.

The EDCD Medicaid Waiver program allows and helps to pay for services to individuals that live in their own homes or communities instead of a nursing home. Eligibility requires that someone be 65 years or older or that someone any age have a disability. They must be dependent upon another person for their support, and that they have medical or nursing needs.

Readers of this column may be familiar with the types of home care available, along with which may be the most appropriate in their situation. However, paying for it is usually another difficult decision.

In Skilled/Medical Home Care, all skilled care must be physician-ordered, verified through an assessment, and provided by licensed professionals. Therapies include physical, speech, and occupational therapies. Care is paid for by Medicare for a designated number of days. Skilled home care companies are inspected by the state and regulated by Medicare. To check out care facilities in your area go to: www.medicare.gov/ homehealthcompare.

Non-Medical Home Care is available wherever the person lives. It is not covered by Medicare.

However it may be covered by Medicaid, longterm insurance, or veteran programs. Services include: • Companion Care: medication reminders, light housekeeping, shopping and errands, grooming, meal preparation, transportation, and live-in services.

• Personal Care: bathing, hygiene, walking and mobility assistance, oral hygiene, continence and toileting care, and eating assistance.

For many, once they have the information, the immediate question arising is how to pay for it when they can hardly afford what they have now.

The Department of Medical Assistance Services, or DMAS, Virginia is a good place to start.

Talk to them about your situation. As with all Medicaid services, there are certain financial

criteria that you will have to meet. If you meet certain requirements, they will refer you back to your local social services office or health department to schedule a meeting to enroll in the EDCD Waiver program. There is no cost to be screened for eligibility. EDCD offers two types of services for those in need: • Agency-directed: You can choose an agency, and they will place hired staff with you.

•

Consumer-directed: You are the boss and choose a provider, or are your own service and hire and schedule your own attendants with the assistance of a service facilitator.

To enroll in the EDCD Waiver program the request must originate from 4 possible sources: local social service, local health department, acute care hospitals, or nursing facilities.

You also must be Medicaid-eligible and have a Virginia Universal Assessment Instrument that was completed by one of the sources listed above. Whether a patient is responsible for paying for care — as well as how much — will be determined by the local social services department based on earned and unearned income. Once you have been found eligible for the EDCD waiver, you might be also eligible for other Virginia Medicaid Services like adult daycare, medication monitoring, and respite care.

To see if you would qualify for the EDCD Medicaid waiver visit, www.VirgniaNavigator.org and select “Departments of Social Services” or “Health Department,” then put in your zip code.

For children under 21, contact Early Periodic Screening and Diagnosis and Treatment program at www.dmas.virginia.gov/Content_pgs/ mch-home-aspx, or (866)323-1088.

Other resources include: • Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging, (540)6357141 •

Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. www.dmas.virginia.gov

•

Clarke County Health Department, (540)9551033, 100 N. Buckmarsh St.,Berryville

Karen Cifala is a Remax Roots Realtor with a special interest in seniors. To receive a list of the home health care providers in Northern Shenandoah Valley contact her on her cell (303)871-9374 or stop by her Remax office located at 101 E. Main St., Berryville, (540)955-0911 or email kcifala@gmail.com.

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community Brief

JJ Niemann to Perform at Blue Ridge Studio

JJ Niemann of Wilmington, North Carolina, will be joining the cast of The Blue Ridge Studio’s The Little Mermaid in performances June 11 and 12 at Millbrook High School. For this 20-year-old actor and Elon University student, the trip to Berryville is more than a job. It’s also an opportunity to visit and work with his aunt Nela Niemann, director of The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts.

JJ has been performing since he was 8 years old when he took the stage at the Children’s Theater in Annapolis, MD. After his family moved to Wilmington, he performed in over 20 musical productions over the course of the next 8 years, enhancing his skills in dancing, singing and acting. During his three years thus far at Elon University, he has continued to train extensively for a career in the performing arts. He has traveled to Ghana to study African dance, and has performed in, directed, and choreographed numerous productions on campus.

During the summers, JJ has performed around the country at regional and equity theatres. He has appeared in Hairspray at the MUNY in St. Louis, (the largest outdoor theatre in the country); Mary Poppins at the Grandstreet Theatre in Helena, Montana; and Peter Pan in Lewiston,

New York. Later this summer, he will appear in Damn Yankees, Shrek, Aida and South Pacific at the Pittsburg Civic Light Opera.

Right now, he’s concentrating on the role of the Prince in The Little Mermaid, and the director couldn’t be happier: “I’ve been watching my nephew dance and sing since he was old enough to walk and talk. Finally, finally, he’s performing for me!” The Blue Ridge Studio’s production of The Little Mermaid is an original ballet based on the classic story by Hans Christian Andersen. The choreography is original, and the music carefully selected. Says Ms. Niemann, “This isn’t Disney. This is actually a tragic story, so I really needed a strong dancer who has equally strong acting skills. JJ is perfect for the role.”

The Niemann family has a long tradition in the performing arts. Ms. Niemann’s mother, Cornelia Niemann, was a professional actress who met her husband Donald Niemann on the stage. Together, they moved their family to Clarke County, where Cornelia performed in and directed many productions at the high school and in community theatre groups. Donald Niemann’s mother, Irene Bentley, was a Hollywood screen star in the 1930’s. “I cannot remember a time in my life when I wasn’t involved in some area of the theatre.” Says Ms. Niemann. “JJ is a fourth generation performer.

I’m incredibly proud.” JJ seems equally excited about this newest opportunity: “I am so honored to be working with The Blue Ridge Studio.

The dancers, teachers and choreographers have worked tirelessly to create a completely unique show. I can’t wait to work with them to bring this story to life!”

Performance times for The Little Mermaid are 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 11 and 2:00 pm on Sunday, June 12. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Sweet Peas Children’s Shop at 5 East Main Street in Berryville, or at the door on performance days. The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts is a non-profit organization that has been an active part of the community for 25 years.

For additional information, you may call 540-9552919, visit www.blueridgestudio.org or Facebook.

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June 201 6

Around Clarke County Promote your event in TO send notices by the 1st of the preceding month to jennifer@vaobserver.com. keep event descriptions to 125 words, following the format of these pages. one or two cmyk photos, saved as tiff or jpg at 200 dpi, are always welcome.

June

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Fish for B.A.S.S.

(Brave American Servicemen and Servicewomen).

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane.

10am–2pm. Honor our national heroes while enjoying a day of fun at Turner Pond.

Bring your fishing poles, Virginia fishing license and wallets for a day of fun and giving to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 9, of Winchester (https://www.dav.org). Your donation of $10 or more enters you into the charitable fishing contest and supports DAV’s efforts. Kids fish free with an accompanying adult. Support our vets and DAV while enjoying good fishing, great prizes, activities for kids, live music, a cookout, and other festivities. For information call (540) 592-3556 or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

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BRWC Baby Shower

Long Branch Plantation. 830 Long Branch Lane.

Millwood.1–3pm. Sixth annual fund-raiser for the BRWC. The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center rescues and raises thousands of wildlife orphans. Learn how they raise wildlife orphans. Educational programs with demonstrations of native wildlife.

Meet some of their Wildlife Educational Animal Ambassadors.

Bid on Silent Auction items.

Face painting and wildlife games for the little ones. Come hungry! BBQ plates and hot dogs will be available for purchase from Boyd’s Nest Family Restaurant. Fun for the whole family! Rain or shine. Please bring a Shower Gift to help the BRWC raise these babies in need. Visit www.blueridgewildlifectr.org to view the Wish List or call 540-837-9000 For information.

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Arboretum Walking Tour

Blandy Farm. 400 Blandy Farm Ln. Boyce.1-2:30 p.m. Meet outside the Blandy Library and enjoy the Arboretum as spring turns the corner to summer.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Free but Reservations Required. Space is Limited. Register online at www.blandy.virginia.edu or call 540-837-1758 Ext. 287.

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Family Firefly Festival

Blandy Farm Library & Grounds. 400 Blandy Farm Ln. Boyce. 8–9:30 p.m. Rain Date: June 24. Everyone loves fireflies, but how do they make their light—and why? We’ll begin with an illustrated talk in the library for adults and older

kids, and with outdoor crafts, activities, games, and a short talk for families with younger children. We will then catch and release fireflies and watch them in action. FOSA members and UVA alumni $10. Nonmembers $12,. Member and UVA families $20. Nonmember families $25. Reservations Advised.

Register online at www.blandy. virginia.edu or call 540-8371758 Ext. 287.

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Poetry and Prose Open Mic Night

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Come out to read your original poetry and stories in a creative and supportive atmosphere! Show up between 7 and 7:30 to add your name to the list of read-

ers. Reader slots are limited to five minutes. Participants must be middle-school through high-school students. Home schooled students are encouraged to participate. Local writers will serve as emcees. Doors open at 6. Readings start at 7:30. Free event. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill. org.

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Herrmann Herrmann McLaughlin and Wilborn Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Don’t miss this collaboration between these iconic and highly-respected musicians Joe Herrmann, Sam Herrmann, David McLaughlin, and Marshall Wilborn. The group plays songs and

instrumentals that draw from their backgrounds in Bluegrass & Old-Time traditions as well as contemporary sources. Their songs express a range of experience that can make you laugh or make you cry—and occasionally do both at the same time.

Their ballads tell stories of bad men and disappointed lovers.

Their instrumentals will make you want to get up and dance or just sit back and listen. Doors open at 7. Show starts at 8pm. $15 in advance. $20 at the door.

12 and under free. For info visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Brown Girl Dreaming

Josephine School Community Museum. 303 Josephine Street. Berryville. 3–5pm. Middle grade, young adult, and

Your Window and Door Specialist (540) 837-9351

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7

Ju ne 201 6 adult readers are invited to join a discussion of Jacqueline Woodson’s book Brown Girl Dreaming. In vivid poems, Woodson shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. An eloquent narrative that is not just a story, but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery. Book is available at Handley, Clarke County and Bowman Libraries, and Winchester Book Gallery.

For information call 540-9555512 or visit jschoolmuseum. org.

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Opening Reception

Boxcars and Walls Photography Exhibit. Barns of

Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville.Join us for the opening reception of our latest exhibit “Boxcars & Walls” featuring photography by Bob Wade in our upper gallery. One Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words. Bob Wade looks for fragments of our visual surroundings that appear to him to offer interesting, sometimes very colorful, compositions. These are all around us but sometimes difficult to isolate in the mind’s eye. He says, “For every ten attempts, you’re lucky to get one.” Doors open at 3:30. Show starts at 4.

Free event. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Writing in Nature

Blandy Farm Library & Grounds. 400 Blandy Farm Ln. Boyce. 7–8:30pm. Tap into your creativity through writing that is influenced by nature.

We’ll learn how to bypass your

inner critic to read landscapes and discover how elements in nature reflect your own experience. Grab a notebook and pen.

Dress for the weather; unplug from technology; and plug into nature’s flow. FOSA members $10. Nonmembers $12. Reservations Required. Space is Limited. Register online at www. blandy.virginia.edu or call 540837-1758 Ext. 287.

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-26 River and Roots Festival

Watermelon Park. 3322 Lockes Mill Road, Berryville. A Family-Friendly festival of Music, Food, and Culture supporting the Shenandoah River. Featuring Tim O’Brien, The Keel Brothers, Furnace Mountain, Pat Donohue, The Woodshedders, and more. Festivities include Concerts, Dances, Workshops, Band & Pickin’ Contests, Kid’s Activities, Open Jams,

Blue Ridge Studio for the

Performing Arts presents

Two Great

Performances

In One Weekend! featuring

All Local Talent

The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts 5 E Main Street Berryville, VA 22611 (540) 955-2919

www.blueridgestudio.org

Food & Craft Vendors, and more! For tickets and information visit www.Riverandroots. com or call 540-955-1621.

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/26 Great American Camp out

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane.

Delaplane. Don’t miss your chance to camp out in the beautiful Historic Mount Bleak backyard. Activities will begin at noon on Saturday and run until noon on Sunday. Park rangers

will be on hand to help you set up your campsite & tent. First time and experienced campers won’t want to miss all the fun camping classes, a campfire sing-a-long, and, of course, S’mores! Enjoy the following activities: Tracking wildlife - Learn about the animals that call Sky Meadows home. A variety of activities are offered by Virginia Master Naturalists and Sky Meadows volunteers, along with a live animal presentation by the Blue Ridge Wildlife

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June 201 6

t Your Home Town Agen

Center. Tracking history - Dig into the past. What do the things that people have left behind tell us about the past?

Tracking You - Learn what to do if you get lost in the woods.

Meet a K-9 Search and Rescue team, the Northwest Virginia Regional Search and Rescue Task Force. For information call (540) 592-3556 or visit www. virginiastateparks.gov.

26 VAOBSERVER.COM

Dixie Rhythm

Christ Church Concert Series. Christ Episcopal Church. 809 Bishop Meade Road. Millwood. 4pm. Come be entertained by Clarke County’s own Dixie Rhythm. Concert on the lawn, followed by an ice cream social. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket. Free. For information please call the church office at 540-837-1112.

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Gardening workshop

Clarke County Recreation Center. 255 Al Smith Circle. Berryville. 1–3pm. A popular Clarke County Fair judge, Patsy Smith, explains the guidelines used for judging plant materials, conditioning, grooming and staging of exhibits at the fair. Also, pointers on the newest category, “fairy gardens,” will be addressed, especially horticultural compatibility. Lite refreshments offered

by Town and Country Garden Club. Free.

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Mosquito-Borne Diseases 7-8:30 p.m.

Blandy Farm. 400 Blandy Farm Ln. Boyce. With Meredith Davis, District Epidemiologist from Virginia Department of

Health. Mosquitoes are more than a summer nuisance—they are effective carriers of disease.

Which mosquito-borne diseases circulate in Virginia? Should Virginians be concerned about the Zika virus? Get answers to these and other questions and learn effective strategies for prevention of mosquito-borne diseases. FOSA members $10. nonmembers $12.

Reservations Recommended.

Register online at www.blandy. virginia.edu or call 540-8371758 Ext. 287

July

1

Mile Twelve

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Join us for a night of Bluegrass & BBQ with Mile Twelve! Mile Twelve is fresh, hard driving and fast gaining recognition for its outstanding performances in New England bluegrass and folk circles. This young band brings to the table its own spin on original and traditional bluegrass and beautifully walks the line between the two. Banjo Luminary Tony Trischka says, “Mile

“A beautiful smile starts with healty teeth”

Main Street Smiles Ahmed Al Attar, D.D.S.

• Family & Cosmetic Dentistry • Implants & Dental Surgery • Root Canal Therapy

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New Patients Welcome!

Twelve is carrying the bluegrass tradition forward with creativity and integrity. Doors open at 7. Show starts at 8. $15 in advance. $20 at the door. 12 and under free. For information visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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All About Dragonflies

Blandy Farm.

400 Blandy Farm Ln. Boyce. 1-3 p.m.

Presented by Patrick Crumrine & Melissa Zwick. What would summer be without dragonflies patrolling the shoreline defending territories and searching for prey. This family event begins with an illustrated talk for adults and older kids in the library and outdoor crafts, activities, and a short talk for families with younger children.

We’ll then watch dragonflies in action at pond’s edge. FOSA members and UVA alumni $10. nonmembers $12. Member and UVA families $20. Nonmember families $25. Reservations advised. Register online at www. blandy.virginia.edu or call 540837-1758 Ext. 287.

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Hiroya Tsukamoto

Barns of Rose Hill.

Don’t miss internationally acclaimed guitarist and composer Hiroya Tsukamoto as he takes us on an innovative, impressionistic journey filled with earthy, organic soundscapes that impart a mood of peace and tranquility. “Hiroya Tsukamoto takes us to an impressionistic journey.”– Boston Herald. Doors open at 7. Show starts at 8. $15 in advance. $20 at the door. 12 and under free. For info visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Ju ne 201 6

As the crow Flies

Nature’s Gift: Glossy Ibis story and illustration by Doug Pifer

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Yard Sale & Chicken BBQ A glimpse of the unexpected is probably the biggest reward to anybody who spends time observing nature. For me it can happen when I’m tramping the woods and fields, but more often when I’m busy or thinking of something else. It’s a welcome gift that always brings me back to the present moment.

On April 29 our gift was a flock of glossy ibis. My wife and I were in the car about a mile from home on Turner Road just outside Shepherdstown. A flock of about 20 dark bird shapes rose up from the lush grass along Rocky Marsh Run. Cruising towards us, they looked about the size of ducks, but the shape was different. With long, sickle bills, and legs trailing behind, they moved and shifted in and out of formation like ducks or geese.

We stopped on the little-traveled road and backed up to watch them, not quite believing we were seeing a flock of glossy ibis. This was not the Eastern shore marshes, not south Florida or the Louisiana coast, and not the marshes of the Great Basin of Utah, but a lush streamside pasture near Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Against the sky they were dark silhouettes.

Gliding behind some still leafless trees, they looked more purplish or maroon colored against the lush green of streamside pastures. They set their wings and coasted as if to land and then they flared. The flock acted nervous and skittish in unfamiliar surroundings. Once again they glided toward the ground. Their backs and wings had a sheen that wasn’t green, blue or bronze but a combination of those colors. They were a series of graceful curves — rounded backs, bending wings and dramatic, down-curved bills.

Next day I glimpsed a few stragglers near the same spot, landing on a grassy stretch beside Rocky Marsh Run. The day was brighter. I could better see the iridescent wings and backs of the glossy ibis we’d seen the day before.

Glossy ibis are wetland birds that frequent the East Coast marshes. They feed on insects and aquatic life in shallow waters, marshes and meadows. They nest colonially from south Florida up the coast to New York and New Jersey.

They’re strongly migratory and often wander widely before and after the breeding season.

While not impossible to see hereabouts in the Potomac River Valley, they’re certainly a treat.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

9 South Buckmarsh Street, Berryville

Yard sale starts at 8am with “Fill a Bag for A Buck” at 6pm.

Meal starts at 4:30 • Annual Cake Sale starts at 6 Menu Includes: BBQ Chicken, Country Ham, Chicken Salad, Green Beans, Cole Slaw, Drinks, and Homemade Desserts Adults - $10 • Children 6 and up - $5 Children under 6 eat free.

Free Fire Truck Rides!

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June 201 6

Bluemont Concert Series Celebrates 40 Years By claire stuart

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This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Bluemont Concert Series. Starting as home-grown entertainment for family and friends, it blossomed into the summer events that are anticipated across the area. This year, Bluemont Concerts will be coming to audiences in Ashland, Culpepper, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Middleburg, Warrenton and Winchester. The season will be kicked off with a Winchester performance by the Pan Masters Steel Orchestra on June 24 at the Old Frederick County Courthouse on the Downtown Mall.

The Pan Masters have been favorites with Bluemont audiences since 1982. Steel pans are percussion instruments originating on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. They are not drums but are sometimes called steel drums because they were traditionally made from 55-gallon industrial oil drums.

Pan Masters are winners of many Baltimore, Washington and New York City steel band competitions, and some current players are the children of the first members. They play everything from traditional Caribbean music like reggae and calypso to their own interpretations of popular perennial favorites.

Lily Dunning, Executive Director of Bluemont, explains that the concerts were founded by her father, Peter Dunning, who was then caretaker of the Bear’s Den Hostel on the Appalachian Trail at Bluemont. He had many friends living nearby who wished for an opportunity to hear live music without traveling long distances.

In the 1970s, it was a rather arduous trip to drive to the Washington/Baltimore area on the local two-lane country roads. So, they did what people

in small communities have always done—they got together to make their own entertainment.

In 1976, they started holding country dances in the Bear’s Den hall. They recruited callers for contra dances, found area musicians and those that happened to be passing through, and passed the hat to pay them. The first concert series was held in 1977 in the old Bluemont School. In 1979, Bluemont became an official non-profit organization and began presenting programs in Winchester and Clarke County, with the first school program held at D. G. Cooley Elementary in Berryville.

Although the Bluemont Concert Series is well-known throughout the area, Bluemont represents a lot more

than the concerts. Their Artists-in-Education programs bring performing artists to schools to add exciting dimensions to the learning process in classrooms, workshops, assemblies and even science labs.

Teachers recommend the subjects that can use help, and the artists work up programs for all grade levels. They can complement just about any subject, including history, literature, world cultures, character building, science and the environment. Participating individual artists and groups include musicians, dancers, actors, puppeteers, poets, mimes and storytellers, each with a variety of programs. Over 500 school programs have been presented right here in the Winchester-Clarke County

concertgoers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or a blanket to sit on, and a picnic to enjoy before the show. All Winchester concerts begin at 7:30 pm. Admission is $5 per person, $4 for Bluemont friends and seniors, $2 for kids under twelve. no pets, alcohol or smoking are allowed. in case of bad weather, the concerts are held indoors at the Winchester First Presbyterian church, 116 s loudoun st.

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area and over 6,000 throughout Virginia.

Another important Bluemont program of which they are very proud is Healthcare Outreach. Every Bluemont Concert performer also does a 30-minute acoustic concert in a nursing home or residential treatment center. These performances are free to the facility, paid for by Bluemont.

“It’s wonderful to see the effect that live music from a certain time has on the residents,” said Dunning. “It has a visual impact—you can see people start to smile as they remember the music.”

The Bluemont Concerts are tailored to the particular tastes of each of the participating communities. Bluemont’s Board of Directors works with local boards, communities and volunteers.

“We count on them to recommend performers,” Dunning explained, “and we see a live performance before it is scheduled.”

Performances can vary widely among the communities, with everything from 60s pop to boogie-woogie to Latin American folk. Winchester’s offerings this summer will include gypsy jazz, brass funk, traditional Celtic, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, and Appalachian-Brazilian fusion.

Along with concerts, Blue-

mont still holds country dances on the third Saturday evening of each month, October through May. They are held in Hillsboro at the Old Stone School. Dances start at 8:00 with beginner workshops at 7:30, and everyone is welcome, young and old, experienced dancers and beginners.

While most of the Bluemont Concerts feature well-known genres of music, there are often those that are just quirky and fun. Dunning recalled some of the more unusual acts that they have presented over the years.

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were a group known for bizarre costumes and crazy hats, playing music that is difficult if not impossible to categorize—maybe just avant-garde or experimental with a vaguely Indian or middle-eastern jazzy sound. Their instruments included guitar, trumpet, percussion, saxophone and accordion.

The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra grows gourds and makes them into musical instruments. These include drums of various types, guitars, lutes, harps, flutes and more exotic instruments such as Indian ektars, and African balafons and mbiras. The group dresses in odd costumes with hats made from gourds.

Big Blow and the Bushwackers mixed music with comedy, playing home-made didgeridoos, saws, bones and tuba along with more conventional instruments.

Plan to join the celebration of Bluemont’s 40th Anniversary this summer by attending some of the concerts in your area. Visit their web site at: Bluemont.org for a complete schedule.

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Clarke County Community Band PRESENTS THEIR ANNUAL

Spring Concert Bring the family and a picnic and enjoy an evening of traditonal band music and show tunes.

at the gazebo

Rose Hill Park in Berryville

Friday, June 10 6:30pm

Free Admission The Band is sponsored by the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

On the Left is John Hall, unknown, Donnie Hope, Duchess Ann (the cow) and to the right of the cow are: Bob Reed, Dora Reed and The Reed children: Karen, Robin, Kathy.The photo was taken at an awards presentation party for Duchess Ann for being a top milk producer in the state and country.

I learned that a dairy farmer’s life can be difficult and lonely at times, just by living on a farm myself and helping my dad while I was very young. But for all of the grueling days in the hay field, herding cows to the barn during snow storms, milking, seeking a veterinarian on a sick animal — just to name a few responsibilities of running a farm — the rewards can be just as satisfying. Here’s a glimpse into why farming life is special and a tribute to a friend, Robert Reed, and the great relationship between a dairy farmer and his black and white Holsteins.

During the early 1960s I was an older teen who lived on the slopes of Paris Mountain in Clarke County with my mom and dad. Dora Lee,

a childhood friend, lived across Route 50 highway with her mom and dad, and she commuted to work in the city. Dora Lee and I had been friends since birth. We both began school at Boyce Elementary, and both graduated from Clarke County High School, Dora in 1962 and me in 1963.

Dora Lee met someone who loved music and dancing. I remember at any given time or any moment Dora Lee would disappear, and her mom Mrs. Erickson would tell me she’s off to see Bob. I learned to expect that because Bob lived on a farm, a hard working farm in Purcellville, just over the mountain. He worked with his dad and family; milking happened every morning and every evening like clockwork. The other chores were sprinkled in between those two important times of the day.

Dora Lee was happy, and she soon learned the routine of a farmer’s way. Sometimes Bob was free to join in an important event or two, but most often he was with his Holsteins making hay or mucking out the barn and singing Willie Nelson tunes. I can still see Bob guiding Dora Lee around the dance floor, with his arm pumping up and down and stepping to ‘Rocky Top Tennessee”

13

Ju ne 201 6 in a Paul Jones dance. Just having fun, a farm boy’s way.

Because Bob was already working and living at Green Hilltop Farm when they married in 1964, their life together began there, and during the following years their four children were born.

Karen, Kathy, Robin, and Joe learned early how to help their parents. Both our families grew to be the best of friends.

Over the years I learned a lot about black and white cows, Holsteins that is. Bob transferred his knowledge of showing the Holsteins at the 4-H and county fairs to his kids and grandkids. The world of showing cattle, especially milk cows, was new to me — and competitive — but it was an event farm kids planed for.

On my first encounter at a black and white show, I saw Karen, the oldest child, lead the big Holstein around the show ring and, yes, the cow followed behind holding her head at just the right angle for Karen. Karen was dressed in whites and very serious. She constantly held the judge in her sight.

Can you imagine coaxing a huge cow into obedience?

Karen maneuvered her Holstein in just the right position to be judged. Bob was always in the background, quietly observing and appearing mighty proud.

During fair week the farm kids camped out in the barns with the cows. Dora brought food and supplies along with their farm feed box with Green Hilltop Farm painted on top.

The kids watched over the cows during the night waiting for a new day to dawn. A new day at the fair brought more competition, awarding of the awards and ribbons, and music to conclude the week with the sale of the selected farm animals and clean up. Bob had chores back on the farm

as well, and he was back and forth, often milking Holsteins at both places.

Whenever we pulled up to Dora and Bob’s house we parked at the barn. There was usually music filtering through the barn doors. Sometimes we’d hear someone singing in the distance. There were many and different kinds of sounds coming from the barn.

The smell was overwhelming at first. Farm kids get used to that, I guess. Believe it or not, as I looked through the barn door there was harmony in the stalls. The black and white cows were chewing hay and swatting flies with their long tails, the milkers humming, and the kids, with their assigned chores helping collect and store the fresh milk into large cooling tanks. The orchard grass and Timothy shared the air with the other barn smells.

There must be something to music making a cow happy.

Duchess Ann, a special black and white Holstein was born on December 14, 1958. During her lifetime at the farm, she made a record of becoming the first cow in Virginia, and the seventh in the United States, to make over 300,000 pounds of milk, as told and referenced.

Duchess Ann’s formal name was Green Hilltop Duchess Ann, and her mother was Lillith All Var Dandy George. Her father was Pabst Leader Duke.

Farm life was everyone’s life in the family. The early morning hours brought the black and whites to the barn for needed milking. During the evening hours Bob was in the barn and the kids had their appointed times to help out.

In the evening when the barn was cleared and the milkers cleaned and put away, Bob came to dinner.

After their chores the kids, one after the other made their

way to the house. After a good meal, we played cards and the kids had the best time doing whatever kids do. The card games were a stitch. I learned quickly Bob did not like to lose.

I learned some of the tricks, and we played cards every evening after supper when we visited.

The girls teamed up against the guys and a battle was on!

Bob Reed loved his fellow man. When he walked into a room, he was bigger than life. The room just opened up, and you knew something was different. Bob’s zest for life and his big laugh were contagious, and you knew your day was going to be a good day. Money was short for both our families, but our children shared some of the best times of their lives visiting Green Hilltop Farm.

Bob gave back to his friends and family his knowledge of Holsteins, the simple life, a farm life. Because of Bob and his family, our lives are made better every day. Thanks to the farmer who gets up early in the morning to milk and goes to bed by the stars at night.

Bob’s dedication to farming and his dedication to his beloved Holsteins was remarkable. He showed us why a good “belly laugh’ is the best medicine. Sure could use one now.

I believe farmers just know how to work their days to best meet their needs, and yes, farmers do have fun. We may soon realize and come to understand: Growing Up Country Is The Best.

Celebration of Life Service for Robert Kennerford Reed was May 21, 2016 at Clarke County Fair Ground Ruritan Building. January 5,1937-May 15, 2016. Memorial Contributions may be mailed to Clarke-Frederick 4H Dairy Club, 2308 Longmarsh Road, Berryville, VA 2261

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Oldest Blue Ridge Volunteer Member of Fire & Rescue Company-8 Passes Away By rené locklear White

One of the toughest calls a public safety responder must handle is responding to the death of a loved one, then being responsible for the aftermath and coordinating funeral arrangements. On May 24, Fire and Rescue Company 8 gave their oldest volunteer member, Ms. Louise Elizabeth Tapscott McClaughry, 92, of Bluemont, Va., one last ride.

Those close to her call her “The Mayor of Pine Grove.” She was a wife, race car driver, poker player, fire-department volunteer, and leader with an unpredictable charm and infectious humor. She loved living in Clarke County.

When Ms. Louise was young growing up here, she attended a one room school then called Pine Grove Elementary School, fitted with his-andher outhouses. In the 1930s, Ms. Louise relied on kerosene lamps and ice from the river. She learned poker on the mountain and made an early living cleaning and mopping for 25 cents an hour.

She graduated from Berryville High School, married childhood sweetheart Ray McClaughry, and moved into their first home, a little wooden house beside the Shenandoah River.

Ms. Louise opened the local store to the community, providing essentials, hunting licenses, gas and babysitting — she babysat for our local Sheriff Anthony W. Roper. She lived through 16 U.S. Presidents and retired from work at age 88, yet never stopped giving.

She served the northwest Virginia community for most of her life including volunteering and being an active associate member at the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company 8.

“The loss is great, and we are all heartbroken,” said Ginny White, who volunteered alongside Ms. Louise at the firehouse. Ms. Louise attained something meaningful, fun or beautiful that continues to live inside of those of us who love her.

The Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company 8 Fire Chief Jason E. Burns said, Ms. Louise taught him life skills like pride and honor during his 24 years with the fire company.

“As fire chief, every decision I made for Blue Ridge I would think about how Louise would feel,” Chief Burns said. “She had so much pride in her community and the fire department. It was always a joy to pick her up and take her for rides in the fire truck.”

Deputy Fire Chief Jacob White said, “Ms. Lou-

Ms. Louise and Jason E. Burns Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company 8 fire chief at a fire company picnic by the Shenandoah River.

ise always referred to Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Company responders as ‘my boys,’ and she would check on us often.”

“Sometimes she would stop at the station if she saw that we were there, and say hi. Until about a year ago, she would hop in her car when we got a call and drive by the scene. When we would tell her that we saw her drive by, she would say, ‘I got to check on my boys … make sure you all are alright’. I know that Ms. Louise will always be checking on us as we continue to provide services to the community,” White added.

During her memorial service May 24, surrounded by hundreds, including rows and rows of area firefighters and volunteers, Ms. Louise held a worn deck of cards as a Blue Ridge radio voice made a final on-air announcement honoring her memory. Then the Blue Ridge team drove Ms. Louise’s casket on top of a fire engine to her Berryville cemetery grave site.

If Ms. Louise could speak to us now, she might say something positive like, “I’m proud of you,” “You did good,” or “Be of good cheer,” or “Don’t think of today’s sadness, but of the happiness that may come to you tomorrow.”

Ms. Louise you behaved magnificently. You lived in defiance of any bad in the world around you. Your life is a marvelous victory–thank you for sharing 92 years with us. We miss you already.

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real estate

The Need to Experience Water

By Wendy gooditis

Maybe this is you: You have a primal need to be in, on, under, part of, or at least next to a body of water. The body of water might be a frigid, clear, mountain lake in the high elevations of a Rocky Mountain summer. It might be tinged golden-brown and deliciously warm in a cedar lake in the Pine Barrens of South Jersey.

It might be one of any number of oceans — the pale turquoise one that whispers over a pink beach in Bermuda, the dark mysterious one that rattles the rocks below the pines on a Maine shore, the reliable one that totes load after load of surfers in on every wave in Huntington Beach, California.

I have felt compelled to leap from docks, lie down in fountains, slide down boulders, “fall” off the pool

edge to get into that water.

One memorable walk-turnedswim happened once upon a November in Ithaca, New York.

My brother and I were hiking on a gray and seasonably chilly late-autumn day when we came upon a waterfall. The siren song of water instantly began to influence me. I probably went into a trance-like state. What else could possibly explain why I would sit down on a rock, remove my hiking boots and LL Bean rag socks, my jacket, mittens, and sweater, and roll off the six-foot drop into the pool in my jeans and turtleneck, to revel in the sensation of moving through water, hearing and tasting and feeling the waterfall massaging me, however glacial the temperature might be? Nota bene: I was young — college-

age — but just sensible enough to know I mustn’t remain in water that cold for more than a couple of minutes … I think of those moments with great pleasure, even now.

I am not the only one so powerfully drawn to water.

With summer temperatures having finally arrived, I can speak to the wider audience of water-lovers out there. People who like to swim, yes, but also people who like to boat, or fish, or paddle-board, or simply float supine in a tube. There are people who are content just being near a body of water for the serenity it can so often confer on us insignificant humans. For many of these, only a natural body of water will do for enjoyment of an activity or rejuvenation of a spirit.

From a real estate perspective, Clarke County and surrounding areas can satisfy a fair number of the desires of a water-lover. Between the Shenandoah River and its North and South Forks, Lakes Frederick, Holiday, and Saint Clair and others, Opequon Creek, Spout Run, Lewis Run, Chapel Run, Cedar Creek, Hogue Creek, Back Creek, many other creeks and numerous ponds, there is actually a fairly large number of properties with access to a body of water.

More than you thought, I’ll bet.

This access adds to a property’s value most of the time, since many buyers are attracted to the proximity to water.

And there are, of course, many properties with pools — these days mostly in-ground, with a few above-ground here and there. As you may have heard, a pool is an added value

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to some buyers and a detriment to others. Some people look at a pool and only see hours of hard labor in the hot sun, which seems illogical to me, I must say. After all, the great pleasure in getting hot and tired working on the pool is falling into it when you’re done. Or before you’re done. Or before you start. Well, you get the idea.

Right now there are quite a number of properties available on a river, stream, pond, or lake, or with a pool. In Clarke County, properties on the river range in price from $133,600 for a cabin on Locke’s Mill Road to $1,700,000 for the noble old North Hill manor house on 87 acres. Right now there are two cute cabins with river frontage available in Calmes Neck, priced at $335,000 and $385,000. In Warren County, the range is similar, with an expansive 7-bedroom house on 61 acres in a bend of the river for $1,650,000, to several houses in the high $100,000s and low $200,000s in and around the Shenandoah Shores area near Front Royal.

In the middle range, there are some nice properties on the North Fork, including a rather gorgeous log house on 35 acres

with a lovely meadow on the river, complete with swimming hole, for $689,000.

For lake lovers, there is always Lake Holiday, with its community access to the beach, and a marina. So many nice houses are priced in the low to mid $200,000s there, with some priced even lower.

There are a few available right on the lake, ranging from the high $300,000s to the low $500,000s. Also, Lake Frederick near Stephens City has houses and townhouses available, with community access to the lake.

As far as swimming pools go, well, the price range becomes even wider. In Clarke County, the upper range goes to $3,000,000, while the lowest priced house with a private pool at the moment is $525,000, on Vista Lane in White Post.

There are some fantastic pools looking for new owners, including a peaceful salt-water lagoon in The Hermitage, which goes with a house for $599,000.

So Clarke County pools might be a bit pricey right now, but there are more affordable ones to be found in neighboring Winchester and Frederick County. Believe it or not, up in the woods in Gore is a house for $209,900 with a 14x28 indoor pool! And closer to town, there

are quite a number in the $200,000s with nice in-ground pools. If it’s a priority for you, chances are you’ll be able to find one that suits you.

When I started thinking about writing about water access, I thought it would be pretty easy to locate properties on all types of nearby bodies of water, but I’m having no luck finding properties for sale on our beautiful local creeks and streams. I’m sure they must exist, but there can’t be many of them, because I looked pretty carefully. My team has sold a number of them in the past few years, and we know our clients just love them. What this says to me is people really like living on these streams, and they are not rushing to sell their houses on the banks of the babbling brooks they love.

And now I think I’ll just slip outside and dip my feet in the water.

Wendy Gooditis is a real estate agent on the Chip Schutte Real Estate Team with ReMax Roots at 101 East Main St., Berryville, VA 22611, phone (540)955-0911.

Wendy would be happy to answer any questions you may have about real estate, and can be reached at gooditis@visuallink.com or at (540)533-0840.

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Community Briefs Music in the Park returns to Berryville

With the summer outdoor weather, it’s time for the popular Music in the Park program at Rose Hill Park sponsored by Berryville Main Street — with historic ghost walking tours as an added enticement to attend. The June lineup includes: • June 10, Clarke County Community Band.

•

•

June 17, Matt Szechenyi and Cornelius Conway playing jazz and guitar.

June 24, the Rolling Coyotes, with their blend of easy country and folk.

For information and ghost tour sign-up, call 540-955-4001.

BRCTR seeks volunteers

The Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Riding hosts an Adaptive, Recreational Day Camp for children aged 7 to 12 with mild to moderate disabling conditions. Activities include therapeutic riding, basic horse handling and un-mounted games with horses and a onehour art component. The center is seeking volunteers ages 14 and older. Volunteers work under the direction of certified instructors. Experience with horses is preferred, but not

required. Camp is held the weeks of June 27 and July 11 from 9am–12:30pm, Monday– Friday at the BRCTR facilities at 644 Lime Marl Lane in Millwood, VA. Volunteers can work one or both weeks. To register for training and for information, contact Margie Youngs at 540-533-2777 or at brcthinc@ hotmail.com.

Handley Regional Library Hosts book sale

The Friends of Handley Regional Library holds its annual three-day book sale Thursday, June 23, 10am–8pm; Friday, June 24, 10am–5 pm; Saturday, June 25, 10am–5pm. The library is still accepting donations for the sale — books, CDs, and DVDs. Proceeds aid the three local libraries: Clarke County Library, Bowman Library, and Handley Library. For information contact Barbara Dickinson at 540-662-9041 ext. 31 or

reach her by email at friends@ handleyregional.org.

Garden Club donates $550 to Arboretum

Town and County Garden Club appreciates the mission of the Foundation of the State Arboretum to provide summer camps for children interested in nature. From the Club’s perspective, the Arboretum provides the perfect environment for children to learn through activities, experiments, and crafts. To support the 2016 FOSA Summer Program Scholarship Fund, the Club donated $500 towards this summer’s program.

(540) 450-8110 Volunteers Needed

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Just about four years ago, I stepped from the chaotic home/work shuffle, and went away for five days into the Catskill Mountains of back into the workplace after a New York to immerse myself in the experience of seven-year stint on a part-time, self- Mindfulness Meditation. employed, child-bearing track. My children were only five and seven at Time to Let Go At first, I was a ball of nerves, mostly worrying the time, and the switching of gears about the logistics and safety of my children felt crushing some days. I adopted while I was away. That lasted about a day. Then, a somewhat desperate strategy I started to relax into the surrounding beauty of the high mountain valley where the retreat center of sitting down for five minutes was situated. The group that had assembled for before anyone else in the house these five days included educators, corporate was awake and visualizing my day’s leaders, parents, writers, doctors, nurses, and many others. Interesting people with stories that activities and obligations from start ranged from tear-jerking to hysterical.

As we practiced the meditation techniques, to end as one smooth progression of under expert guidance of Marturano and coevents. I reasoned that if I could at instructor Dawn MacDonald, I started to return least start there, I might be better to a felt sense of wholeness. The fragmentation positioned to experience that that had plagued me in my efforts to get things done and keep pace with a life in transition vision. Sometimes it worked. Other began to fade. One practice in particular pulled times, not so much. it all together to me. It remains my “go to” for About a year into the often-painful transition, an opportunity to go on retreat with Mindful Leadership founder Janice Marturano landed in my lap — a gift from colleague who had a conflicting and emergent event. I extracted myself

honing focus and concentration, for returning to a state of greater equanimity.

As Marturano and MacDonald led us through the practice they called “open presence,” I thought how smart they must be to have figured out that the mind craves this kind of training.

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And how powerful it can take us toward realizing clarity. Turns out they spend time reading a lot of neurological research — and they practice, practice, practice, both within groups and on their own.

Coming Home

I’ve used the practice on and off throughout the last four years, and it came back to the fore when I recently was invited to co-facilitate a corporate training on “Mindful Listening.”

Perfect, I thought. I’ll take this group of managers through the “open presence” style of meditation so that they can experience the mental training and effects of honing focus. Coming home to the practice myself, as a means of preparation, reminded me of its deep, yet practical power.

I’d like to share the short form with you, and invite you to visit the Mindful Leadership website for recorded meditations in a similar vein (although this particular one might be available only on CD).

My experience of the practice is about cultivating the ability to hone your focus closely; then to cascade it farther away; then bring it back close once again. It’s about “aiming and sustaining your attention,” as Marturano says, on one object at a time, beginning within as you locate and follow your breath.

Find a partner and a timer for this exercise.

Ask your partner to read out the directions for each stage, and also to keep track of the time for you. That way you can keep yourself in the mode of practice even during the transitions from one stage to another. The transitions, themselves, offer a pivot point for observation and learning.

Cascading Awareness Setup

Sit comfortably on a chair or perhaps on a floor cushion. Sit as tall and erect as possible, without

straining. Comfort is of utmost importance because once your body starts “talking back” to you, your attention will drift.

Stage 1

Three minutes on the timer: Focus on your breath. Breathe in; breathe out. Follow the flow of your breath by keeping your attention focused on the act of simply breathing. Nothing to change, improve, or accomplish here. Just observation.

Stage 2

Three minutes on the timer: Notice the thoughts that bubble up for you as you sit and breathe. Notice everything that arrives – thoughts, emotions, sounds, physical sensations – without biting the hook and letting any one of them carry you away. Just notice, and let them drift onward. Nothing to block, change, or accomplish here. Just observation.

Stage 3

Three minutes on the timer: Notice the sounds that you can hear. There might be some nearby; others further away. Notice how sounds arise and dissipate. Nothing to block, analyze, or get hooked on. Just observe and let go.

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PAYING THE HIGHE$T PRICE$ ON SCRAP GOLD & SILVER

Come try us!

HOURS: Mon. - Thurs. 9:30AM - 5PM • Friday 9:30-5:30 Saturday By Appointment CLOSED SUNDAYS ~ Appointments Available Upon Request ~

Competitive Buyers - COME SEE!

540-955-8067 • (Fax) 540-955-8171

familytrustnumis@yahoo.com • www.johngulde.com

Stage 4

Three minutes on the timer: Go back to the Stage 2 practice. Notice the thoughts that bubble up for you as you sit and breathe. Notice everything that arrives — thoughts, emotions, sounds, physical sensations — without biting the hook and letting any one of them carry you away. Just notice, and let them drift onward.

Nothing to block, change, or accomplish here.

Just observation.

Stage 5

Three minutes on the timer: Return to your breath. Breathe in; breathe out. Follow the flow of your breath by keeping your attention focused on the act of simply breathing. Nothing to change, improve, or accomplish here. Just observation.

The fruits of the practice can only be experienced by the practitioner. Toil a little in the realms of mindful training, and you might find that your clarity, creativity, and flexibility all improve. In my case, the feeling of wholeness returns like an old friend. Who couldn’t use a little dose those things?

Find out more about Mindful Leadership, and practice with recorded meditations at instituteformindfulleadership.org JiJi Russell, a yoga instructor and Integrative Nutrition health coach, manages the corporate wellness program for American Public University System in Charles Town, W.Va. Reach her at jijiyoga@yahoo.com.

Duck Pond, Boyce Fine house with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on 39 acres – Well cared for and well maintained – Wrap-around porches - Master bedroom on main level – Kitchen and baths updated – Lovely property - Excellent 4 stall barn with hot and cold water wash stall and heated tack room – Board fencing – Paddocks - Very good run-in shed – Level land, mostly open – Pond - Invisible fence on 10 acres - Blue Ridge Hunt territory. $1,027,000

540-247-5408

Tom Cammack

www.sheridanmacmahon.com

110 East Washington Street - P.O. Box 1380 - Middleburg, VA 20118

Summertime is here!

Let us do the cooking so you can enjoy it.

GRADUATIONS — WEDDINGS — PARTIES We Love it here in Clarke County, and are honored to know that people drive for hours for our barbecue, pies, custom cakes, specialty baked breads and pastries!

We strive to make your event memorable — and affordable — with great food and unbeatable customer service.

6967 Lord Fairfax Hwy, Berryville, VA 22611 hillhighpies.com

• info@hillhighpies.com

CALL NOW TO BOOK YOUR EVENT (540) 535-8466

Do you have enough money to last your lifetime?

How you will pay for long term medical care for you and your spouse?

What about your heirs? How can you ensure they will receive the money you intend?

AT THIS WORKSHOP, YOU WILL LEARN:

• How to protect assets from nursing home costs  How you can save more than you expect, even if your loved one is already in a nursing home.

• One of the most important legal documents you need, and the three things it should contain.

• How to ensure your estate provides an inheritance for your heirs and supports a home-bound spouse.

• How to qualify for little-known Veterans benefits to help you or your loved one stay at home.

• Which Trust is ideal for 2nd marriages and blended families?

• What is ELDER LAW, anyway?