September - Chesapeake Style Online
Transcription
September - Chesapeake Style Online
e l y t Chesapeake Volume XIV • Issue 1 • September 2011 © S www.chesapeakestyle.com Priceless September 2011 2 Fast Times on the Rivers With this issue of Chesapeake Style, we begin our fourteenth year! Except for a brief hiatus when we were online only, we have been in Style since 1998. When we began in print again in 2007 we added our Teen Style pages. Each month teachers and staff from local high schools send work from their students. This has given local teens exceptional exposure and, we hope, encouragement. For these past two years we added a Teen Style Awards Contest, with winners receiving cash. This year we had entries in all five categories, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Photography and Fine Art. In the center of this issue are five pages celebrating the winners of the contests. Many thanks go out to the teachers who encouraged their students and collected and delivered their works: Lee McKenzie, Shauna McCranie from Lancaster HS, Holly Ransone, Washington and Lee HS, Eddie Barnes, Northumberland HS. We also had entries from Rappahannock HS and from Home Schooler, Leslie Sadler, from Gloucester. Members of the Rappahannock Art League, with help from Tom Norris, judged the Fine Art and Photography: Linda Byrum, Jacquie Colligan, Barbara Dolney, Maggie Gilman, Karin Heffernan, Faith Kauders, Nancy O’Shaughnessy, Joan Robinson and Margaret VanEtten. Judges for poetry this year were Ellen Dugan, Alessa Lemming and Ficklin Bryant. Their comments are included on the winners’ page in this issue. Judges for Fiction (two entries) and Non-Fiction included Jeremy Peill, Elizabeth Stokes and Ran Walker. Each judge added a comment about each essay. These will be published when the essays are published—two in this issue, the remainder in future issues. Businesses and individuals who contributed to the cash prizes include: Phyllis Davis, Hall and Sally White, Women of Moose Tappahannock, Rivah Interiors, Marie Stone, Kathy Brodtman, Walter Brodtman, NetCruisers, Marcia Peters, Dawn Miller, Ellen Dugan, Hope Jackson. All submissions will be published in future issues. Winners will be contacted and teens will receive prize money to spend as they choose. In an effort to make the monthly Teen Style pages more “user friendly” the guidelines and entry/parent-guardian permission forms are now online at www.chesapeakestyle.com; click on Teen Style and download the forms. Work may also be submitted electronically. Please note the monthly Teen Style pages are for teens in ninth through twelfth grades in the ten county Chesapeake Bay Region. Entries may also come via the local schools and home schoolers. Many thanks to all who contributed money, judged, entered the contest! Also included in this issue are additional Books in Style. These reviews will appear periodically and will be written by local authors about books written by local authors. Specifically, work from members of the Chesapeake Bay Writers and the local critique groups will take precedence. We ask that folks who want books reviewed either find a reviewer or agree to review another author’s book. Ask for our guidelines, please. Several writers have series of articles in each issue of Chesapeake Style; Paula Shipman, Jean C. Keating, Elizabeth A. Stokes. Others write monthly columns of interest. We appreciate and celebrate the contributions of all of our writers. This month we also have a “First” from one of our regular advertisers, White Dog Inn. Folks with “smart phones” can scan the ad and instantly find current information about the business. Check it out! They have great food and ambiance! Chesapeake The mission of Chesapeake Style is to serve and celebrate the Chesapeake Bay Region and its people, past, present and future. Editor, Publisher Janet Abbott Fast Writers & Photographers Betty Bridgeman, Kathey Brodtman, Joseph T. Buxton III, Bud Disney, Ellen Dugan, Deborah Figg, RuthE Forrest, Megan Freeman, Bill Graves, Mary Duley Guy, Sarah C. Honenberger, Gwen Keane, Jean C. Keating, Spike Knuth, Rob Mink, Colleen Morgan, Tara Ann Neville, Chris Schaefer, Paula Shipman, Elizabeth Allen Stokes, Kelsey S. Smith, Diana Wise Teen Style Writers, Photographers Tyler Bradford, DaVonte’ Hager, Natalie Jackson, Ellery Sadler, Heather Jones, Tonya Jones, Callie Morgan, Summer Newsome, Tameka Parker, Raven Roy, Danielle L. Shelton, Cecilia Noel Shriyock, Mary Sisson, Ad Sales, Distribution Betty Bridgeman, Susan Christopher, Bud Disney, Bill Graves, Michelle Harbour, Kathleen Kehoe, Marie Stone Style Letters to the editor are welcome. The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity, lousy spelling or any other reason that strikes her fancy. Chesapeake Style is a free circulation magazine published eight times a year by Chesapeake Bay Marketing. To have it delivered for one year, please send your name, mailing address and a check or money order, for $24 for postage and handling, to the address below. Chesapeake Style P. O. Box 802 Warsaw, VA 22572 804-333-0628 [email protected] www.chesapeakestyle.com The opinions expressed in Chesapeake Style are those of contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Chesapeake Style or its advertisers. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material in this publication without permission is strictly prohibited. © 2007-2011 All rights reserved Chesapeake Bay Marketing. Proofreader Marie Stone Ad Composition, Graphics, Layout Ellen Dugan, Janet Abbott Fast, Michelle Harbour Chesapeake Style Magazine About the cover~ the Bee Balm in the cover photo to Deborah Figg was born and raised on a farm in Middlesex County where she grew up with a love for animals and plants. After working as a technician at a local veterinary hospital she decided to pursue a job in property management. It allowed her gain a copious amount of knowledge about flowers and plants. Deborah has spent the past ten years learning which plants are most beneficial to gardens. Adding her garden tripled the number of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies buzzing around her home. Deborah's love for nature is demonstrated through her photography."I don't go anywhere without a camera; Nature is full of surprises and we never know when we might get the opportunity to capture the beauty of God's Creations." she added. Editor’s note: See page 31 for her stunning hummingbird photo. September 2011 3 First Manassas~An End to Innocence O By Jean C. Keating n July 21, 2011, Virginia’s governor, government officials, the head of the National Park Service, the entire service community of Prince William County and special guests gathered on the hallowed grounds of the Manassas Battle Field Park near the slow running waters of a wandering stream called Bull Run. They came to honor the men who fought and died there 150 years ago, to pay tribute to the courage, stubbornness, fortitude and dedication of those soldiers, Union and Confederate, whose blood saturated the ground beneath their feet. That day marked the end of innocence for both sides in a conflict that spanned four years of bloody war and claimed the lives of 620,000 men and 1.2 million horses. Park Rangers volunteered from facilities all over Virginia to guide participants and guests on the hot July day. One of the speakers commented that 150 years ago the day had been hot, also, but not as hot as this day. Trouper Eric Evans from the Washington Capital Mounted Police stood prominently in front of the speakers’ stand, providing sign language support to the crowd. Despite the 107 degree temperature, Evans managed to remain poised and neat in riding pants, highly polished boots and spurs, though he admitted that his horse, Stoney, was just as glad to have been left in a cool stall in Washington. Speakers attempted to bring meaning to the horrific battle which opened the worst carnage ever experienced by our country. Decades of controversy finally erupted in the battle fought on these rolling hills of open farmland on July 21, 1861. Sectionalism had increasingly divided the country. The extension of the railroads through the west, linked western and northern segments of the country, forming a voting block that overpowered the south. One of the main quarrels was the tariffs—taxes— levied on goods from and to foreign countries. Higher taxes were imposed on Southern goods than on Northern ones, so southern profits were being sacrificed to support inferior northern products, in the minds of southerners. Ethical and human rights issues of slavery fanned the divisiveness. John Brown’s raid and his stated intent to cause insurrection and a blood bath in slave owning territories inflamed the south. Segments of the north, especially the radical elements of the abolitionist movement, intensified the ill feelings by treating Brown There Stands Jackson Like A Stone Wall as a martyr and memorializing the day of his execution . Southerners saw the threats as hypocritical since it was northern interests that, at high profits, had brought slaves to American shores and sold them to southern agricultural enterprises, and then threatened secession from the Union in the early part of the 19th century when the importation of slaves was abolished. Southern attitudes solidified regarding the states’ rights to decide on issues of slavery and on their choice of remaining a part of what was viewed increasingly as an unfair union. The Corwin Amendment passed by the United States Congress on March 2, 1861 would have forbidden attempts to subsequently amend the Constitution to empower the Congress to abolish or interfere with the domestic institutions of the states, but by that time, it was too little, too late. Sectionalism had replaced any willingness to talk or compromise. Young men rushed to battle eager to ‘save the Union’ or ‘preserve our state from invaders.” The Union called for enlistments for three months to put down the insurrection. The Confederacy saw this as a second revolution, and strongly held to their right to separate themselves from a government that took advantage of them as had the English crown. The lines were drawn. Some 22,000 Confederate troops were poised at a sleepy little crossing of the Orange and Alexandria Railroads some 28 miles southwest of Washington. President Abraham Lincoln wanted the threat removed, was concerned that the three month enlistments were drawing to a close, and rejected Union commander, General Irvin McDowell’s concern that his 35,000 troops were green and not ready for combat. “You are green, it is true, but they are green also,” he reassured McDowell. “You are all green alike.” Union politicians pressed for the suppression of the rebels. And so the blood bath began. In their innocence, both sides expected a quick and easy victory. They were both wrong! The forerunners of modern warfare and the medical support we use today for our wounded warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan had their birth here at First Manassas. McDowell marched his green troops toward the Washington side of a stone bridge over Bull Run creek, making diversionary attacks there while he moved his main column of 20,000 north to flank the Confederate left. The first use of signal flags in battle came with the message from Porter Alexander to Colonel Nathan Evans: “Look out for your left, you are turned.” Evans shifted his reduced brigade of 1,100 men to meet the threat. They were soon reinforced by two of the four brigades, those under Brig. General Barnard Bee and Col. Francis S. Bartow, that had been rushed by railroad from the Shenandoah, the first tactical usage of railroads in battle. Even with these reinforcements, the badly outnumbered Confederate lines along Mathews Hill were forced to retreat and fall back toward Confederate lines a mile away on Henry House Hill. The retreat became a rout and Union troops were jubilant, believing the ‘only’ battle of the war to be a crushing victory. McDowell rode along his lines proclaiming the win—a bit prematurely. Beverly Abbott photo. This is the first in a series. September 2011 4 Collection Goes Back Twenty Years O By Ellen Dugan nce upon a time— long before Carole Jean McConnico began collecting them—T-shirts hung out on the fringes of respectability. They were viewed as little more than undergarments, seen in public only on clothes lines or perhaps neatly folded in a stack of unmentionables on the back shelf of a clothing store. Today it’s a vastly different story. Due in part to Marlon Brando’s Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and James Dean’s role in Rebel Without A Cause, T-shirts became sexy. From there, it was a short trip down the fashion runway to respectable outer-wearhood. No longer confined to sweat and hard labor, today’s T-shirts have become mobile billboards. They sport pictures and messages, sometimes bold, sometimes funny, but always impossible not to stop, look at and read. The T-shirts Carole Jean has been collecting go back 20 years. The messages they convey underscore a memorable part of her long association with The Turkey Shoot, A Hospice Regatta that is much beloved by boaters throughout the Northern Neck and Chesapeake Bay areas. Each of Carole Jean’s T-shirts commemorates a specific year in the regatta’s history. As such, they serve as fond markers for her. They bring back memories of the role she has played in the regatta’s success and the good times she and her husband John have enjoyed throughout the years as active “turkey shooters.” This year Carole Jean and John, recently back from a trip to France to visit John’s brother, have decided to enjoy the regatta less actively from a spectator’s perspective. John, who, with friend, Chuck Harney, started the Turkey Shoot more than 20 years ago, recalls the event’s early days. “When we got Calling All Quilters! ➤ Start your Machines, ➤ Pick up your Needles! ➤ Get Ready to Sew! ➤ If you need it, we have it! Fabric, Classes, Patterns, Kits and More! AUTHORIZED DEALER 577 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone 804-435-3838 Tues - Thurs 10 - 5 Fri - Sat 10 - 4 www.bluecrabquiltco.com to 20 boats, it was unbelievable!” he remembers. After that, the event just seemed to take off. Today, with more than 100 boats each year, the Turkey Shoot is the largest Hospice Regatta in the nation and the second largest on the Southern Bay. It has been officially associated with Hospice Support Services of the Northern Neck and the Riverside Hospice Agencies in Tappahannock and Gloucester for 15 years and is their major fund raising event. Since its inception Carole Jean has worn many regatta hats and T-shirts. Chief among them is a hospitality cap that ensures captains and their crews begin each race day with enough energy to win. This means fixing as many as 1,000 breakfasts! Somewhere in the neighborhood of “200 plus dozen eggs” according to Carole Jean, and lots and lots of Hardee’s biscuits, Edward’s sausage links, grits, Starbuck’s coffee and juice. As Captain of the Breakfast Brigade, Carole Jean’s culinary crew over the years has included Colleen and Meade Shore, Janice We invite you to come and browse~there is something for everyone. Jewelry, Pottery, Soaps, Furniture, Art Prints, Whimsical Sculptures, Tie-Dye and Tee Shirts. So much to awaken the senses and delight the soul! Nucklos, Nancy Wells—chief ‘egg cracker’—Ron Koris and Gwyn Nethaway. “We have perfected a synchronized system of scrambling the eggs,” laughs Carole Jean. The Turkey Shoot is a famously fun event for skippers, crews and spectators. It celebrates the joys of sailing in a classically-designed boat and will be held this year on October 7 thru 9 at the Yankee Point Sailboat Marina in Lancaster. For more information or to register for the regatta, contact Karen Knull at the marina 804-462-7018 or go to www.yankeepointmarina. com and tab to regatta at www. turkeyshootregatta.org. Ellen Dugan photos of John and Carole Jean McConnico. [email protected] Pottery Classes: Introduction to Ceramics ➛ Tile and mask making ➛ Pinch pot and coil techniques ➛ Slab construction ➛ Glazing-Intro to wheel 16228 Northumberland Hwy, Burgess Hours: Sept.~May, First Saturday 10 to 4 p.m. www.firefliesstudios.com 804-580-1711 September 2011 5 Spotlight on People in Style By Ellen Dugan Everyone knows that computers are designed to test your frustration level, but what would we do with them? Like it or not, the Internet has become an important part of our culture almost overnight. Recognizing this, the question we asked is: How much time do you spend online? Farnham resident Jeanine Bordeau is an enthusiastic computer user who seems to thrive on all things technical. Maybe this is because she works for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and has to be prepared all the time. Jeanine works “mostly on grant programs,” ones that will ultimately help to prepare us for responding to terrorism or acts of nature. She enjoys working on her computer and is online “quite a bit.” Since moving to the area over a year ago, Jeanine says that social networking is very important to her. “It has become a way of life. I’d be lost without the Internet,” she says. “And thank goodness for the libraries!” she adds, “Especially when my system is down.” Seventysix year-old Charles Towles of Lancaster is at the opposite end of the computer user spectrum. “I’m too old for computers,” he says. “All I have is a cell phone to talk to my son up North.” But, as an avid reader of western stories, Charles does enjoy “paper technology,” and he likes to watch TV. Charles served in the Korean War and is a decorated veteran. He remembers returning home from the war and being refused service in a restaurant. “Now ain’t that something,” he says. “Off fighting for your country and come home and be treated like that?” We noted that it wouldn’t happen today. Charles’ grandfather was born a slave on Towles Point and hence, his family’s name. “I’m a mixture of everything,” says Charles. Perhaps one of the liveliest people in the town of Lively is Nancy P. Carter who owns and operates The Oaks Restaurant on Route 3. Nancy is an “import from the military” she says and has lived all over the world. She settled in Lively after meeting and marrying a local guy named Carter. “His name is Marty but his family calls him Pete,” she laughs. Nancy describes herself as a “one horse and pony show” during restaurant hours, and says she’s actually not online that much, about two hours a week. “I’m still very hands-on about people. I prefer to talk to you face-to-face or on the phone,” she says. And Nancy’s daughter Cameron? “Well, that’s another story!” says Nancy. If you purchased stamps, mailed a letter or unlocked your postal box at the Mollusk Post Office on River Road, you’ve probably been greeted by a friendly smile and a welcoming hello from Karen Lewis. She is the Postmaster. Karen is married and doesn’t look old enough to be a grandmother, but she is. “I have two grandchildren,” she smiles. Karen says she probably spends “perhaps a couple of hours” online at home each day. “More than I watch TV,” she adds. She likes to browse and shop online, and Craig’s List and EBay are among her favorite sites to visit. [email protected] Chesapeake Style Magazine Now you can make history instead of just reading about it... with authentic historical costumes. I can put you in a replica of George Washington’s military coat...maybe you would prefer Scarlet O’Hara’s Barbecue Party Dress or Green Drapery Dress from the epic Gone With The Wind. Pegee® of Williamsburg, LLCPatterns From Historie P.O. Box 127, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-0127 [email protected] 10 to 5 Monday thru Saturday September 2011 6 Style Spotlight~Creating History at the Bay T By Kelsey Sipes ucked away in a corner of Mathews is restaurant loved by locals and enjoyed by travelers who visit. Located at former Girl’s Baptist Camp, Sandpiper Reef is a locally owned business that has been around for more than 20 years, though Liz Scribe has owned it for four. The restaurant serves fresh seafood—all of the ingredients come from farmers and watermen local to the area in and around Mathews. Though the restaurant is at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, it isn’t just a seafood restaurant; it’s much more than that. In addition to fresh seafood, Sandpiper Reef also serves sandwiches, brunch, fresh steaks which are cut to order, homemade desserts, and more. All of the food served at Sandpiper Reef is completely fresh and they have a full bar with a wine selection that is updated weekly. To Liz, the Sandpiper Reef isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a way to be a part of the community and to watch families grow. Plenty of people have gotten engaged, and even married, at the Sandpiper Reef. Liz says, “It is so wonderful to be a part of their history and I love when they return for anniversaries. We’ve even hosted a few of their baby showers which is really meaningful and special for me. It is so wonderful to see generations of families returning. To me, this is what having a local business is all about.” Liz loves that Sandpiper Reef has become a regular part of so many families’ routines. She enjoys watching people grow up and grow together. The most difficult part of running Sandpiper Reef is that it’s hard to balance work and family time—which is why Liz is happy that her daughters work with her. Jason, her husband, supports by keeping things calm on the home front even after a long day’s work so that Liz can devote her attention to her restaurant without worrying about home. When at work, Liz loves to see customers return again and again and she likes nothing more than sitting at the bar listening to customers tell their stories, how their days went, or the newest joke. For her, Sandpiper Reef is more than what she wanted as she says—“I am happy to work with people I truly love and I am proud of the job they do and the food we serve.” When it comes to food, Sandpiper Reef is easily set apart from many of the restaurants in the area. There isn’t a single frozen item served. Everything is made to order and the meat is prepared and fish caught the day before the restaurant opens for their weekly business. Take the crabs, for example, they are caught on Wednesday and Sandpiper Reef opens up on Thursday. The most popular item they serve is their fried oysters. Their seafood sampler is also a favorite because it offers their own homemade crab cakes as well as the rest of the seafood that is currently on the menu. Their prime rib comes in two cuts and is requested often. Fish tacos are a staff favorite and have turned out to be a great seller. The whole experience at Sandpiper Reef isn’t like other restaurants. As Liz puts it, “Our motto is casual fine dining and that’s what we are all about—casual, friendly atmosphere with great food. We’ve been around for more than twenty years and we are Mathews oldest dinner restaurant, come in and find out why!” Her dedication to making those who come to visit Sandpiper Reef feel at home is shown by her comment, “We offer a full menu and invite you to check it out. I want you to come in and not only celebrate a special event, but also to feel welcome for a sandwich or a piece of homemade cheesecake.” As far as entertainment goes, Sandpiper Reef has it covered. They feature live music on most weekends and keeping a running schedule on their website. The music can vary from dinner music to a live late night concert after dinner has been served. They host a Shag Dancing Night once a month and a Halloween Costume party after trick-or-treating is completed. For kids, tweens and teens who come with their parents, they have a menu with smaller portions depending on the age—and plenty to do to keep them occupied. Sandpiper Reef can be reached for reservations at 804-725-3331, for catering or special events at 804-832-7338, and by email at [email protected]. They can also be found on Facebook by searching for Sandpiper Reef and online at www.sandpiperreef.net. Liz Scribe, Greg Howell, The Shaggin’ DJ. Megan Freeman photos. September 2011 7 The D C Connection~Bookworm Tendencies Appear M By Elizabeth A. Stokes ama said that the war improved the economy. Families like ours could afford now to buy more things for their families. Nobody wanted the Hoovervilles to come back to the big cities—veterans under Hoover, after having been promised bonuses set up shacks on the Anacostia Flats with other homeless persons to protest against the government. They lived in squalor and crime, sometimes causing riots, soup lines supported by the Red Cross until Hoover had them squashed by the military, and burned. With the election of FDR in the ensuing years came social programs to aid the poor, WPA, a works program, CCC—civilian conservation program—designed to give young men jobs, relief to the poor, the Federal Reserve and others. We listened to FDR’s fireside chats on our second hand radio. After seven years of a leaky kitchen roof, my uncles came and re-tarred it and cleaned our chimneys. They also installed a bolt rope secured with toggle bolts on the inside steps so Mamary could get up and down the stairs. The owners put in electricity but still no inside plumbing and wanted to increase the rent, but Mama balked, citing the improvements she had made herself. I was excited when we got a telephone with a party line! Mama bought new linoleum for the floors and a new divan for the living room. One Christmas I got a record player! Those were the days of the victory gardens, air raid alerts and sirens and blackout shades. I came home one day from school to the aroma of baked ham, fresh string beans, potatoes and onions, Mamary’s rolls on the wood stove in the kitchen. We were celebrating brand new dining room table and chairs! Soon we were painting the walls with Kemtone again, those walls sucking it up like a sponge. Mamary, in her eighties on her cane, supervised the small garden plot that my brothers dug in the back "jungle", a tract of trashy, weedy space in the rear of the woodshed. We grew all the veggies we needed for the table: tomatoes, string beans, cressies, sometimes, corn, squash. Neighbors cleared more of this plot where they sat up tables, steamed crabs over a bonfire, we kids roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. The grown-ups played Louie Armstrong, Hadda Brooks, they gambled, drank beer and we played tag and board games. The grown-ups sang, somebody had a harmonica, a guitar. We were serious at the end of each party. We gathered in a circle, held hands and prayed for FDR, he was very ill. Most Sunday evenings I sat on the front in the glider with Mamary reading to her from her Bible. When I got tired of that I read her chapters from Hemingway or Faulkner, Little Women and occasionally make up stories with my own characters. Around this time a German neighbor was tutoring me in a little German and let me read Mein Kampf. I was obsessed with reading adult novels. My Uncle Earnest, who had been a brilliant scholar at Hampton came to live with us for a short while. He provided the male stability in the household that my brothers needed. Photos courtesy Elizabeth A. Stokes. Brother Robert Alexander(deceased), Elizabeth Alexander Stokes & brother George Alexander in 1941. My Maternal grandmother, Mary Carter Elizabeth (Williams)Allen, 1863-1945 For the Occasions Cafe Fine Dining in a Casual Atmosphere Lunch & DinnerCarry-Out Available Open 6 Days Specializing in Fresh Seafood, Steaks and Chicken Coming in September: Tuesday-Thursday Blue Plate Special 4:30 - 6 p.m. NIGHTLY FEATURES~In addition to our regular menu TUESDAY A Full Breakfast Menu Steak & Cheese Sub WEDNESDAY Shrimp and Crablegs THURSDAY All You Can Eat Fish Fry w/FF & Cole Slaw FRIDAY - SATURDAY Chef's Choice SATURDAY LUNCH A l l Yo u C a n E a t P a n c a k e s , E g g s , B a c o n 803 Northumberland Highway 804-529-6993 Callao, Virginia [email protected] Accepting Mastercard, Visa, Discover Cards Member September 2011 8 Style Spotlight~Home Style Ice Cream is Short Lane Away S By Kelsey Sipes hort Lane started as a desire to restore an old building and has grown into a staple of the Gloucester community. For Kim Williams, the two years prior to opening Short Lane were enough to get her through the training that it takes to run her own ice cream shop. Coming from a family of foodies, Kim learned how to make ice cream at home from her mother and, as a mother, was the reason her children enjoyed freshly made treats. Before opening up Short Lane, Kim worked at an interior designer firm, a prior profession that shows throughout the store. While some of the store’s decorations come from the antique store that had been housed in Short Lane’s building before the ice cream shop, others Kim picked up through her travels—some she travelled to obtain. She and her husband co-own both Short Lane Ice Cream and Ware Neck Produce. This means that, while not everything that’s put into the ice cream Kim makes is grown on her farm, she does get fresh berries and other items from her own backyard. One thing that most people notice about Short Lane is that the store doesn’t take credit cards. Though this may be a surprise, there’s actually a very good reason behind their insistence upon only taking cash or check. All small businesses are charged a fee for each transaction with any card. While this isn’t a huge issue for most eateries, it is a problem for one like Short Lane, where most sales are less than five dollars. The only way that credit sales would be able to make their way into Short Lane is if the prices were raised and Kim doesn’t feel the need to do that. Short Lane itself is homage to the original Short Lane Post Office, located in the same building. The location of the shop was not chosen specifically because of where it is located—but because it was one of the only old buildings on the market when Kim was looking for www.thepaperhanger.net one to recreate. While they were remodeling the building, Kim and her husband toyed with the idea of having a lunch menu in addition to their ice cream shop but eventually decided that, in order to keep the freshness of the ice cream at its peak, it would be best to devote the store entirely to frozen desserts. All of the ice cream is handmade every week with natural ingredients. Any additions that are made to the ice cream, like nuts or fruits, are all mixed in by hand. The most popular ice cream flavor is chocolate, though seasonal ice creams are a favorite among visitors, too. Kim tries to have something that will suit everyone and is not afraid to try new things. In fact, one of the current featured flavors at Short Lane is Caramel Popcorn Nut ice cream. In many ways the team at Short Lane is very much like a family. In fact, some of them are family! They don’t necessarily have to be related to Kim but Short Lane does hire family members of prior employees and Kim jokes about hiring a family full of people. All of the staff at Short Lane are trained to be able to do a variety of things and are very good at multitasking. Each and every staff member assists with the ice cream making. Short Lane promotes the family atmosphere by not only being a fun, family friendly place to go at any time—excluding Mondays and the winter months—but also by taking suggestions for ice cream flavors from customers and those who work at the store. What once was a Post Office— though some remember it being an antique store—has grown into an ice cream shop that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Short Lane Ice Cream has become a stop for out of town guests, family outings, and sports events alike. Short Lane Ice Cream, located on Route 17 at Ware Neck, can be reached by phone at 804695-2999 on any day of the week other than Monday. Here’s your cone! Kim Williams. Photos by Megan Freeman. September 2011 9 What will you do in Retirement? By Mary Duley Guy In retirement, I am so busy, I had to go out and buy an appointment book. Johnny Hayes. hen you think of retirement, do you visualize cottages nestled at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where hammocks whisper love songs in moonlight; and fishing poles, cans of iced Bud Light and Coke are stacked close by like obedient children? Although that kind of retirement sounds appealing, today, unlike our grandparent’s day—since sixty-five is the new forty-five—retirees aren’t W settling for the sedentary life of afternoon naps, cold beer and fly fishing; but they, like new parents unwrapping their infant for the first time, embrace their “bucket lists” that in some cases wrap around a city block. Here, in the Chesapeake Bay region there are retirees whose passion for the visual arts overflows like vintage wine. “In retirement, I am so busy, I had to go out and buy an appointment book,” says Johnny Hayes with a twinkle in his eye. “I have always been interested in art, although I only participated in it later in life.” Johnny grew up in Newport News, graduated from the University of North Carolina, served in the army, retired as a general contractor in l998, moved to the sleepy village of White Stone where he lives with his wife Anne, also a painter. Together, they eat and breathe art—art shows, art classes and volunteer work at the RAL Gallery. Every year, Johnny attends Spring Maid Water Media workshops in Myrtle Beach for intensive classes with nationally knows artists like Alex Powers from Nags Head. This past spring, Johnny received honorable mention from the Virginia Watercolor Society for his painting, Kia. Another retiree who chose art in retirement is Ed Ramsey. After a twenty nine year career with the Virginia Power Company in the Corporate Office, Ed retired to the village of Sharps where he and his wife, Sue, a painter, restored a l9th century fisherman’s cottage and began his journey studying pottery, as of it were a nine to five job, with noted master potters in Richmond and across the country. Every summer, he attends workshops with potters such as Chris Gusten at Haystack Mountain in Maine. First loves are memorable. Ed says his first love is, “hand building using slabs or coils.” Even though he renders both decorative Raku pieces and practical stone ware, he prefers Japanese Raku firing because of the “surprise in the crackling.” In retirement, Professor Ken Baker re-kindled his love of watercolor after years of working in the performing arts, directing theater works, musicals and operas. He also taught theater at the University of Kansas, Hollins College and was Director of Theater at American University where he holds Emeritus status. “I see the stage as a picture as movable art, a movable painting…” says Ken whose paintings with titles like, Near Smith Point, and Gathering Storm, are on display at RAL Gallery. So, what will you do in retirement? Do you smell the sweet lavender of the Chesapeake Bay with summer porches and hammocks that tango? Will you fall in love with Picasso’s cubism or Degas’ soft pastels? Will you paint passionately in watercolor like Johnny Hayes or Ken Baker, turn Raku pots like Ed Ramsey? Or will you perform with the community theater, write steamy romance novels, learn to play golf like Tiger Woods, dance like Ginger Rogers, volunteer for Hospice, swim the English Channel? What will you do? Ed Ramsey, Johnny Hayes photos by Mary Duley Guy. This is the first in a series. [email protected]. September 2011 10 Style Notebook~Forensic History in Action O By Ellen Dugan n a quiet June evening in 1892 Francisca Rojas ran screaming from her home. Her two lifeless children, six year-old Ponciano and his four year-old sister Teresa, lay forever still in their beds. Both had been viciously beaten in the head. Blood was everywhere. It spattered their pillows and sheets. Thirteen years later in the Chapman Oil and Colour Shop near London, seventy-one year-old Thomas Farrow lay dying on the floor of his shop. His sixty-five year-old wife Ann was near death upstairs. The shop’s cashbox was empty. And a few years later, in New York City, Charles Crispi was on trial for burglary. The evidence against him included a pane of glass. These crimes were not committed by the same person, but historically they are very much related. Each was a landmark in its day. In the Rojas case, Francisca accused her neighbor of killing the children in revenge and anger because she had refused to marry him. In the Farrow case, an alert detective noticed something important about the empty cashbox. And in the Crispi trial the prosecution engaged in an impressive dramatic display. What these crimes had in common was the use of comparative dactyloscopy, the new “individualizing” technique more commonly known as fingerprinting. There was a bloody thumbprint on the door jam outside the Rojas children’s bedroom, a greasy smudge on the cashbox’s inner tray, and a perfect print on the glass that was removed from the door at the Crispi burglary scene’s point of entry. Francisca was probably not the first mother to kill her own children, but she is believed to be the first criminal found guilty through fingerprint evidence. Although it didn’t help her case when gossips informed the police that Francisca had another, younger suitor who had refused to marry her because of the children, what really sealed Francisca’s fate was her confession. She made it after being told that her thumbprint matched the bloody one. In the tragic Farrow case (the couple died), the greasy smudge on the underside of the cashbox tray turned out to be a thumbprint. Since fingerprint identification was in its infancy at the time (1905), police relied on witnesses and good detective work to arrest Alfred Stratton and then his brother Albert. With a 12-point match to the right thumbprint of Alfred, the brothers were convicted and hanged less than two months after the crime. This case is widely regarded as the trial that truly launched forensic science. In the Crispi trial of 1911, the first to obtain a conviction solely on fingerprint evidence in the United States, it was the jurors who were fingerprinted. Lieutenant Joseph Faurot fingerprinted each juror on a paper card. Then he left the room. While he was gone his assistant asked a juror to place a fingerprint on a piece of glass to simulate burglary conditions. (The prosecution had Crispi’s print on glass found at the scene.) When Faurot returned with the cards, he developed the print that had just been left on the glass. Then he consulted his cards and correctly identified the juror who had made it. Needless to say, Crispi changed his plea to guilty. [email protected] The Stock Market Volatility~So What’s Next? I By Bill Graves have been writing on the subject of Reverse Mortgages for more than three years. It has had its ups and downs but the bottom line is they are great products in many situations. They are certainly the most transparent loans and require a Counseling The Wellness Place Clinical Counseling & More! Now Offering: ➤ Depression Group ➤ Anger Management ➤ Substance Abuse Intervention ➤ Domestic Abuse & Respectful Relationships For more information 804-472-3706 1549 Oldhams Road, Warsaw www.wellnessplace1.com Certificate for consumer protection. Reverse Mortgages are Federally Insured Loans for homeowners older than 62 to use or set a side for their retirement years. You have to have good equity, that’s it. You don’t need good credit or income. You will not be personally responsible for the loan, your property will. Your heirs don’t have to worry about it either. The HECM—home equity conversion mortgage—saver product came out about a year ago. It is a dramatic change and is effectively a no load reverse mortgage. This means there is no up front sales charge. It was developed for customers who desire to reduce the up front costs and may not have the need for the maximum amount of monies that a reverse mortgage may provide. What does this all mean? It means you could pay the closing cost up front, set up a credit line with a 4% growth rate and have zero loan balance. You don’t pay for money you’re not using. You don’t have the annual mortgage insurance premium either. A quick example: 68 year old couple with no mortgage on a $500,000 home gets a HECM SAVER loan at 2.44%. Pays $4,500 in closing cost. Now they have a credit line of $216,000 that in ten years, if not touched will be worth approximately $335,000. No tax liability and it’s insured. If they never use it they are out the closing costs and that money remained in the home’s equity. A loan that looks like an investment? A hedge against falling property values? Too good to be true? It’s just the facts. I predict that the day will come when people will get reverse mortgages whether they need them or not. The rainy day fund of choice, only time will tell. Another important point is effective October 1, 2011 they are considering rolling back the Principal Limit—the amount of money available with a reverse mortgage—from the current level of $625,500 to $417,000. There is a lot of contention in Congress and the White House about this. I’m opposed to it. If it happens it will mean fewer monies available across the board. Also, rates will certainly start to climb. So if getting a reverse mortgage is something you’ve been debating, call your financial advisor, attorney, CPA or have them call me. I’m not one to use fear of loss as a marketing ploy. Many folks take years to make the reverse mortgage decision and that’s fine with me. I think Wall Street has cornered that technique. To learn more call Bill Graves 866-936-4141 September 2011 11 What is my IP address? I By Rob Mink and Chris Schaefer f you are connected to the internet via a broadband connection you usually have two IP addresses. Local IP address. This is the IP address on your local network. This usually changes unless you have set it to be static. The only static IP address on your local network is probably your router, if you have one. If not, you don’t have a local address. Your local address is likely to be 192.168.1.x, 192.168.0.x or 10.0.0.x. To find your local address, hit Control Shift Escape. This will bring up the task manager. From here, select the Applications tab. Then click the New Task… button. At the Open prompt type in ‘cmd’ and hit enter. A black box with white text will pop up. Type in ipconfig and press Enter. Find the connection that has information in it. Your IP address will be the one listed after IP Address. Internet IP address. Finding your internet IP address is easier. To do this, open a browser and go to www.whatismyip.com. Why does my computer keep a history of where I look online? Every browser keeps at least two copies of where you have been online. The first copy is the one you FREE Tasting at Rose's Steak House Kilmarnock Tues. September 20th at 5:30 p.m. see through the browser, the history field. This is kept so that users can go back and see where they have been. This can be cleared. Mozilla Firefox and some other browsers can be set to clear your history every time you close the browser window. The browser’s history also only shows the history for that browser. The other place that your browsing history is kept is in your temporary internet files. Every picture, module, and page loaded is kept as a copy on your computer. By looking through this copy, one can see where and when someone has been to a site. How do I remotely access my home computer? The easiest option is to use some free web options such as www. logmein.com or www.gotomypc.com. To use these sites, you sign up, download a program that will run in the background of the computer and allow you to remotely access it. From there, you can log into the web site, and then connect remotely to your computer. This method requires two passwords, one for the online account, and the other to connect to the computer. Does updating my flash player plugin help protect me from viruses? Yes, plugins such as Silverlight, Flash and Java load and execute programs without asking your permission. Because of that, and security holes that could let the programs do malicious things, keeping an updated version of these plugins can greatly improve security on your system. Updating the plugins is easy as they typically let you know when they are out of date and offer you an easy upgrade option. Just keep an eye out for the notifications on the system tray by the clock in the lower right hand corner of your screen. Editor note: Most of this information applies to PCs. Frequently the information for a Mac is different. NN Computer Consultants is at 84 South Main St in Kilmarnock. [email protected] • Supplies for Quilting • Punch Needle & • Rug Hooking Classes 804-453-6003 Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 to 4 [email protected] www.materialgirlnn.com 16658 N’umbld Hwy Reedville Minwax Check out our full line of Minwax products Wood Finish, Gel Stain, Polyurethane, White Wash, Tung Oil, Furniture Refinisher. Celebrating 40 Years of Service 1971 - 2011 Northumberland Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year-2011 Route 360, Lottsburg www.allisonsacehardware.com 804-529-7578 September 2011 12 Style Spotlight~Putting Bills In Your Wallet W By Tara Ann Neville ith today's economy, everyone, young and old, rich and poor, working and unemployed are looking and listening for smart saving tips that keep their bills in their wallet. Some ideas might involve discussions of investments, the housing market and health care. Without a doubt, Americans are becoming more and more aware of their personal financial portfolio and taking charge of their financial future. While most of us believe we know enough to make educated decisions about our finances, many people need to learn more about how reverse mortgages can serve seniors and the families that love and care for them. “The baby boomer is about 65 years old—65% of them are not prepared for retirement,” says Bill Graves, a federally licensed loan officer and reverse mortgage specialist. “Good online sources for seniors to learn about their options include the AARP and urban development websites. But, health fairs and corporate presentations are also great at getting the message out.” He regularly speaks to groups about how reverse mortgages can be a viable financial tool for retirees. Bill explains, “The reverse mortgage is a financial tool to supplement income. That's why it was put into place. It is a way to tap into equity in the home and help with everyday expenses.” To understand how the process works involves talking with a specialist and learning the details. Reverse mortgages are available for people over 62 years old—whomever is on the deed of the home can be on the reverse mortgage. With a reverse mortgage, the senior is not personally liable for the loan. The house is liable for the loan—it is a non-recourse loan. “It's not your problem if the house can't pay off the loan. The misconception is that the bank owns your home. You own your home and any money left over after the home is sold goes back to the client” says Bill. The amount of money an individual receives is based on their age and the property value. Of course, with property values dropping in most regions of the country, loan amounts are following course. The reverse mortgage typically provides about two thirds of what the house is worth. There are many ways in which a reverse mortgage benefits seniors. For some, feeling relieved of the house debt and knowing cash is available is liberating in itself. For others, the money is likely to be used to fund elderly care for a spouse, purchase a second vacation home, travel or for supplemental income for bills. “The majority of my customers get it to retire an existing mortgage— they want to get rid of that monthly expense. They then can have peace of mind and can grow their equity and still have cash available for an emergency or a change in lifestyle,” says Bill. “I’ve never had an unhappy customer. I've had people say 'If It wasn't for you I couldn't put my wife in assisted living' or 'buy a home near my kids' or 'pay bills'.” Deciding when, how and for what purpose to utilize a reverse mortgage loan means educating yourself about your own finances and taking a realistic look at your financial future. Anticipating lifestyle changes and medical needs, as well as fulfilling life-long dreams should be considered. But, knowing that the unexpected costs of aging means more pressure on a fixed-income senior. Talking with a federally licensed loan officer about your interests and concerns can minimize the stress of an uncertain future. Bill advises, “Be patient. Don't make quick decisions. You have to be informed and understand your options.” He believes more and more seniors are discovering reverse mortgages and are spreading the word about how beneficial they can be. “The thing that's starting to happen now and will be going on indefinitely is that anyone who can get a loan, will get one. It gives them great comfort to know they have a growing line of credit readily available and they are not paying for money they’re not using. It can be a no-load loan.” Bill says. Consider a reverse mortgage to help you manage your financial needs now and in the future. Call Bill Graves at 866-936-4141 or email him at [email protected]. Bill is a federally licensed loan officer and a nationally recognized leader in reverse mortgages He prepares professional presentations about reverse mortgages and senior financial options to health care organizations, elder care attorneys, certified financial advisors and families or groups of any kind involved in financially advising seniors. Bill will give you the time and education necessary to ensure you make the best decisions for your lifestyle. [email protected] Bud Disney photo. [email protected] Chesapeake Style Magazine September 2011 13 Books in Style~The Ballad of Johnny Madigan Y By Jean C. Keating oung Johnny Madigan's life has been filled with hardship. At sixteen, he is an orphan struggling to keep himself alive by working in a stable which gives him a roof under which to sleep even if it is with the horses. The sales pitch of Union army recruiters to Irish emigrants fresh off the boats at the New York waterfront of a $50 sign-up bounty and free food and lodging as army recruits seems to offer a chance for betterment. In spite of depressing reports of the killed and wounded resulting from a clash of arms at Antietam, Johnny lies about his age, leaves one of his only friends, a near-fifteen year old girl named Deirdre, and volunteers as a soldier. John A. Bray's carefully researched and written The Ballad of Johnny Madigan follows this young soldier through the rigors of training and into the battlefront as a replacement in the 88th regiment of the Irish Brigade. Thanks to the details of his writing, the reader feels the sway of the train ride taking him to training camp, tastes the hardtack biscuits soaked in coffee, feels the ruts in the road through his poorly constructed shoes and enjoys the beauty of night camps enriched by the songs of Irish soldiers. A new friend Liam helps him fit in with the seasoned troops and steadies him as he moves to his baptism of fire at Fredericksburg when the Irish Brigade is thrown against the stone wall at the base of Marye's Heights. He falls with a bullet in his gut, but is rescued by his sergeant and eventually nursed back to health. Sent to provost guard duty while he recovers his strength from the horrific wound, he distinguishes himself with his sharp observations and response to a possible assassin. His ability to identify the assassin leads to his detached assignment with the National Detective Service where he helps to break up a ring plotting the assassination of the President and to the capture of all the gang save one out-of-work actor. When Johnny returns to New York City on furlough to spend a brief time with his young girl friend, he is carrying a hidden gun and uses it to defend her from an old enemy. But Deirdre is shocked at the changes in the young boy she has loved and waited for. Bray's descriptions of settings, depth of characterization, and superb handling of dialogue make this a must read for civil war buffs, historians, Irish history devotees to name but a few. Readers are left wondering what will happen in the lives of these young people torn apart and aged prematurely by a brutal civil war. Can a sequel be far behind? Spellbound readers hope not. Far nham Manor Assisted Living Residence Taking Care of Life’s Necessities so You Can Enjoy Life’s Niceties The Villas at Farnham Manor Independent Living • One and Two Bedroom Apartments • Two meals daily • Weekly housekeeping • All utilities included except telephone • Maintenance free living Assisted Living Residence Offering two levels of care • Regular Assisted Living • Intensive Assisted Living • 24-Hour care with ADL’s and Medication Management • Choice of Private • Semi-Private or • 3 Bed Suite • On-site Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapy • Hospice Care • Respite care • Daily activities • Delicious home cooked meals and snacks plus more! Your Family Becomes Ours • Privately owned with a family atmosphere • No large endowment fee • Professional caring staff Call Us Today For A Tour! 804-394-2102 511 Cedar Grove Road Farnham, Va 22460 Take a break for the Holidays, Vacation or just because~with Respite Care at Farnham Manor Visit our website at farnhammanor.com September 2011 14 Spike’s Wildlife Almanac~ Sora Rail T By Spike Knuth he first time you hear the cackling, laugh-like call or “whinny” of the sora, you might think a bird of the jungles has somehow gotten into the marsh. The first time you see a sora, you might think it’s an exotic dark-colored chicken with striped sides. The sora is the smallest of the rails that are hunted, measuring about nine inches in length. They spend most of their time hidden from view, deep in the tangles of marsh vegetation, feeding in the mud on various insects, mussels, and other small, marshdwelling animals, as well as various seeds of marsh plants like wild rice. Soras tend to be nocturnal in their feeding habits, usually getting active at dusk, and this is when they often step out of the thick marsh vegetation, walking chicken-like, along the edges where mud flats are exposed. Though cautious, soras are curious birds, and just throwing a stone into a marsh or making a clapping noise is often met with a responding chorus of calls and chuckles. Its call is often described as a rapid series of notes running together, descending in scale and slowing down at the end. The sora is the smallest of the rails that are hunted, measuring about nine inches in length. They spend most of their time hidden from view, deep in the tangles of marsh vegetation... Often called the Carolina rail, the sora’s colors are basically olivebrown above with some feathers edged in white. Its under parts are gray and its flanks are heavily barred with white and dark olive-brownish or brownish-gray. It has a black face and throat What’s Your Plan? patch and yellow bill. The sora breeds over most of southern Canada from coast to coast, and in the northern tier of states as far south as Maryland, southern Ohio and Illinois and Kansas. It favors freshwater marshes, but will nest in brackish marshes on the coast, with a special liking for cattail marshes or wet meadows near water. The nest is a cup like affair made up of the available grasses and emergent vegetation, often with an arch of taller grasses over the top for cover. An average of 10 to 12 eggs are laid, but as many as 14 to 18 eggs have been found in some nests, in layers of two or three. The young when hatched are little fluffs of black down with red chins and breasts. Young and eggs often fall prey to crows, herons, muskrats, raccoons, snakes, bullfrogs and even turtles. When startled and flushed, the sora rises, seemingly with great effort, in weak, fluttery flight. It makes one wonder how this bird is able to migrate as much as 3,000 miles or more to places like Venezuela and Peru. Occasionally they land to rest on vessels hundreds of miles at sea, or maybe in a city backyard. Many winter around the Carolinas south to the Gulf Coast. Come spring they make the trip back and soon the freshwater marshes in It can cause many serious respiratory May will again resound and health problems. Here are a few with the piping chuckle simple things you can do to improve call of the sora. the Air Quality of your home: HAVING A BAD AIR DAY? ESTATE AND LEGACY PLANNING Since 1978 Delivering peace of mind through Asset Protection and Multi-Generational Planning. Joseph T. Buxton III, P. C. 110 Grace Ave Urbanna, Va 23175 804-758-2244 www.trustbuilders.net Bad Air is No Joke! √ Mold Clean-up √ Air Duct Cleaning & Sanitizing √ Deep Restoration Carpet Cleaning www.KingsCleaningServices.com 804-529-7697 September 2011 15 Teen Award Contest Winners Encouraging Young Artists, Photographers, Writers For Guidelines and Permission Forms go to www.chesapeakestyle.com, click on Teen Style. Poetry~First Place Tameka Parker~Poetic Soul Washington & Lee High School My soul is poetry itself Abstract as it may be A scroll of mystification Worn on my sleeve For the world to see A beautiful combination Of misery and pleasure Of nightmares And of dreams A twisted fairytale Or strange reality Beyond any measure Among a few lessons learned Many tears have been shed My soul is an endless poem Just waiting to be read Interpret it as you wish No two verses are the same The lines are my life And the title is my name My soul is a work of art Whether or not you know it The world is my audience And I am the poet Poetry~Third Place Callie Morgan~Trampled Washington & Lee High School Trampled, Mistreated, Underappreciated, No one respects me, I hold them up, I help them stand, Everyone looks down on me, I look up to them, But I shouldn't, Trampled, Mistreated, Underappreciated, I am the floor. Poetry~Second Place Ellery Sadler~A Tribute Home School Another day is dieing, Sacrifices they render, light begins to fade, so huge and great, My thoughts drift back to him, The honor, gratitude they deserve, Given only when too late… Him so kind, so good, so brave. My hero is the soldier. My hero is the soldier. Battle is continued, love for freedom beats, Within the heart of each brave man, Sacrifice with pride meets. My hero is the soldier. When they die do we care, do we even see? These ones who finally give their lives, They die for you and me. My hero is the soldier. At home I sit, content, unafraid and free, While they fight and bleed and die, For freedom and for me. My hero is the soldier. Heroes each one, whether great or small, These one’s who give their lives-their all For God and for freedom My hero is the soldier. Poetry~Honorable Mention Poetry~Honorable Mention Mary Sisson~My Shoe Heather Jones~To Anyone Who Cares Washington & Lee High School Washington & Lee High School My shoe spoke to me softly, He asked me to let him go. His face was worn and his tongue was torn, So I laid him softly in his grave, And watched as he let go. To anyone who cares: Is anybody there? Can you! hear me screaming inside? Would you even care if I died? I feel so alone right now. I’ve got to get away somehow; away from my desire for Iife to end. I’m so miserable, You can't even comprehend. To anyone who's listening: Can You see that my eyes are glistening? I’m trying not to let these tears fall, so let them fall within my wall. If they remain inside, this won't show. Leave me alone; let it go. Comments from Poetry Judges: We sincerely thank everyone who participated in this contest. Poetry is a unique art form that often defies definition. Often, we know what we like but not exactly why we like it. Something about the poem just seems to click. It sounds right or strikes an inner cord. In this year's submissions we looked for “that special quality.” It could be defined as creative originality,thoughtfulness, use of words, ability to evoke empathy or perhaps the best definition is “imaginative expression.” In any case, judging a poem is always a subjective process. If a poem did not win in this contest, it does not mean that the poem lacked merit. It simply means that a particular set of judges chose another poem at this particular time based on their life experiences and knowledge. Another set of judges may have made a different choice. So, congratulations are in order for everyone who submitted an entry. This in itself is an achievement to be proud of! September 2011 16 Teen Award Contest Winners Encouraging Young Artists, Photographers, Writers For Guidelines and Permission Forms go to www.chesapeakestyle.com, click on Teen Style. Fine Art Second Place Raven Roy~Social Desperation Washington & Lee High Schoo Fine Art~First Place By Natalie Jackson~Hope Lancaster High School Photography~First Place Taylor Bradford~Bay Ropes Washington & Lee High School e September 2011 17 Photography Second Place n Summer Newsome~Untitled snail on a reed ol Northumberland High School Fine Art Third Place DaVonte’ Hager~A Bird On A Tree Washington & Lee High School Photography Third Place Tonya Jones~Old Barn Washington & Lee High School September 2011 18 Teen Award Contest Winners Encouraging Young Artists, Photographers, Writers T For Guidelines and Permission Forms go to www.chesapeakestyle.com, click on Teen Style. Fiction~First Place~ he coast off the Outer Banks of North Carolina is littered with the remains of ships that were laid to rest at the hands of infamous pirates. I would like to tell you a tale that has been passed down in our family by oral tradition for generations. There once was a pirate named Julianna, who sailed her ship, the Megan Elizabeth, in these same waters. She made her living on raiding ferry boats carrying tourists from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island. She had established a system with the spinster Jocelyn and her slightly dimwitted brother James. They were the keepers of the light house on Hatteras Island, and due to the economic hardships of the time, they aided Julianna in return for a percentage of the loot. They used a coded system with the lights to inform her when she would be safe to travel into the Pimlico Sound and await a vulnerable ferry without being spotted by the Coast Guard. Now, the Coast Guard hadn't posed much of a threat to her, until a new officer was appointed to man the fleet. Captain Matthew Gregory Barnes was polished and decorated. He was a no-none-sense seaman, and had been assigned to the area to rid the Outer Banks of this scallywag. Very single minded in his pursuit of Julianna; he would stop at nothing to bring her to justice. One late afternoon, when the dog days of August were upon us, Julianna set out to the Pimlico Sound, having received a signal from the light house. She hid the Megan Elizabeth in a shallow marsh, and waited patiently for the ferries to make their return trip to Hatteras. Her plan was to take siege of the last boat crossing that evening. Unbeknownst Cecilia Noel Shriyock~The Dread Pirate Julianna Washington & Lee High School to Julianna, Captain Barnes had wandered the crusty old crabber, set up a trap to ensnare her. Capt. Nick. He rolled the maiden The tide was coming in as the sun over, and pondered whether or not began to set, but the waves seemed to leave her for the seagulls. Nick to be coming in harder than usual. didn't recognize her, but when Something in the salty air didn't feel Maisie came leaping over the dunes right to Julianna, but she needed to protect her; he immediately this last raid before heading south knew who she was, the dreaded for the winter. She began to set pirate of the Outer Banks. Gathering the sails as the sun began to set, some driftwood, the crusty crabber and in the distance she could see fashioned a makeshift gurney and a thunderstorm brewing. Through transported her back to his humble his binoculars, Captain Barnes was shanty. For the next nine months he scrutinizing the approach of Megan nourished Julianna back to health. Elizabeth. He could taste his success, When May came around and and was ready to pounce, but the the weather was fair and the water weather was not cooperating with was placid; Julianna got the itch to his best laid plans. As the pirate ship go back to the sea. She told Nick of neared the ferry, the storm hit. her plans, and promised to pay him Before she could even board the back for all his kindness. They were ship and plunder the unsuspecting laying out crab pots, when a stranger vacationers, waves from the hurricane spotted them. Julianna quickly hid Noel pounded against the hull of the her face, but it was too late. She'd ship. The speed boats from the Coast been made. They rushed back and Guard had nearly surrounded her, she gathered food and meager and it became clear that her plans belongings and headed out to sea were foiled. She attempted to turn her on one of Capt. Nicks old skiffs. sturdy ship towards the open seas, but She soon realized the makeshift the winds and rains were unrelenting. boat wouldn't make it, and steered Suddenly, as she was surrounded, towards the light house. On arrival, lightning from Noel hit the mast, she docked and went ashore to and split it in two. One of the large find her old friends, in hopes that shards struck her head and knocked they would harbor her. Upon her unconscious. As the ship began entering the lighthouse, she was to sink, pirate Julianna's faithful dog, immediately surrounded by the Maisie, came to her aid. The cunning Coast Guard. It all happened so canine latched on to her ponytail, fast she never saw it coming. and began to paddle against the Captain Barnes proudly displayed current towards shore. Captain his shackled prisoner to the media. Barnes realized his opportunity His patience has finally paid off, had been foiled by the storm, and and he was ready to reap his headed full speed for shelter. reward. This would definitely mean The following morning the sun a promotion. The rank of "Rear arose on a beach strewn with the Admiral" would soon be his to boast. shattered pieces of the once beautiful The captain was determined that Megan Elizabeth, and amongst Julianna would meet demise befitting them laid Julianna, more dead her crimes of piracy. He brought her than alive. Strolling up the beach to the Aquarium on Roanoke Island, and planned an execution by sharks. A plank was placed above the glass tank of sinisterly hungry sharks, and yet Julianna, who would be forced to walk, showed no fear in her eyes. Faithful Maisie still chained to her side was awaiting the same fate. Julianna is forcefully shuffled at blade point to the end of the plank. She turns to the masses who have gathered to witness her demise. The crowd roars as she plunges head first into the shark infested waters, with her first mate, Maisie, right behind her. She comes to the surface, and the great whites begin to circle. The end is certainly near. The circle gets continually smaller. Suddenly, the largest of the carnivores speeds towards her like a bullet. The crowd gasps and awaits the carnage still to come. The torpedo comes within inches, and Julianna stealthily latches herself onto its dorsal fin. The shark breaks the surface of the water with Julianna saddled to its back. It hurdles itself over the side of the tank and into the open bay. Ben, the shark trainer, who had been watching the events from his feeding tower, chuckled softly to himself. All the hours of endless training had finally paid off. It was ironic that Barnes had selected this method of execution. Julianna looked back and smiled, she always knew she could count on her big brother when the time came, even though there had been years of sibling rivalry between the two of them. As the shark reached the mouth of the bay, Julianna jumped off and swam to the jetty, where a jet ski had been left unattended by the Coast Guard and sped away into the sunset, with Maisie riding shotgun. They were never to be seen again. September 2011 19 Award Contest Winners Teen Encouraging Young Artists, Photographers, Writers For Guidelines and Permission Forms go to www.chesapeakestyle.com, click on Teen Style. Non-Fiction~First Place~ Danielle L. Shelton~Beautiful Water W ater beholds a strong power to encompass you with its beauty, serenity, and calmness. The way it sways back and forth, sends a calming sensation throughout my mind and body. Born and raised on the water, I have always cherished the water for the fun it has supplied me throughout my childhood. Now that I have matured, I cherish it not only for the fun it provides but also for the power it has to overtake me with calmness and serenity. My experience that is memorable is neither adventurous nor expected, but it has always stuck with me as one of my most cherished experiences. Have you ever been tired of your life? Just wanted to escape and get away? Well this was me, two years ago. I was going through a rough time. I had lost both my grandfather and great uncle to heart attacks within a month of each other. It was a very Lancaster High School that all could do was stare. The sun difficult time in my life considering I was going down and it was at the had never lost someone close to me tip of the water perfectly so that the before then. I was having a stressful ripples in the water reflected the sun day about two weeks after loosing as it was seeing taking in its final the two of them. I had got home from school to find out that I had a C in one minutes of the world for that day. The colors were so bright and beautiful. of my classes. This was unacceptable Cascades of yellows, pinks, and in my household. I knew it was oranges spread out and enclosed because I had been so overwhelmed everything. It made the whole world with all that was going through my appear beautiful and at peace. I mind. That was my breaking point; can't explain why or how but I felt I calmly got up and walked out the serenity and peace. A sensation house. I was only fifteen years old shot over me that made me feel like therefore I couldn't drive so I everything was going to be okay. At decided to walk as far as I could that moment, I looked and saw two to escape from all the stress and holes shining through low clouds pain. On my quest for an escape, I that seemed extra bright. It looked as discovered something has forever though someone had taken their two changed me. I walked about a mile hands and spread the clouds open down the street, through a field, to look down upon the world, upon beyond a small wooded area, until me. I smiled and for the first time I reached where I couldn't walk since my grandfather and uncle had any further. I broke down and cried because I knew nobody could see me past away, a tear rolled down my face that was from joy not pain. but I was wrong. About five minutes Something inside me knew that my passed, and I finally looked up to see grandfather and uncle had spread a beauty that was so breathtaking Non-Fiction~Second Place Emma East Hollowell~Emma’s Day at the Beach Lancaster High School Fiction~Second Place Ellery Sadler~A Day on the Bay Home School Non-Fiction~Third Place Emma Hand~Trailing Tranquility Lancaster High School Editor’s note: Space permits inclusion of First place in the Fiction and NonFiction essays. Other placements will be published in future issues of Chesapeake Style. Look for entries from all categories to be published in future issues of Chesapeake Style. For each essay, Fiction and NonFiction, each of the three judge’s comments will also be published. The Dread Pirate Julianna: ✔ This writer has a strong sense of story and how to deliver an entertaining yarn. ✔ The author of The Dread the clouds to make those holes so they could look down upon me to tell me that they knew I was having hard time and needed an escape, and that this was their way of showing me that they are always there for me. From that moment, I knew I would be okay. I knew they were gone in person but they weren't fully gone. To this day, when I am having a stressful day, I go to this spot and stare at the water and sunset. This experience would never have happened if it wasn't for the water. I cherish the water and that spot especially to this day. The beauty of staring out into a calm river, creek, bay, or ocean as the sun sets on it is a feeling of calmness and serenity that I hope everyone can feel one day. So my experience with the great outdoors isn't adventurous or exciting but it changed my life forever. Nature stories aren't just about adventure and near death experiences, they are also about realizing the beauty within nature. It can change a person. Pirate Julianna has a stirring imagination, with strong details, and adept tense switching. ✔ The Dread Pirate Juliana brings back Blackbeard the Pirate! Kudos!! Beautiful Water: ✔ The author gives a vivid portrait of how the water can soothe personal wounds. ✔ The author of Beautiful Water is a gifted teacher of life-lessons. ✔ I enjoyed this story about the solace and beauty of nature, especially in our times of need. Thanks to essay judges: Jeremy Peill, from Moratico, Elizabeth Stokes, from Burgess and Ran Walker, from Hampton. September 2011 20 One of Life’s Moments~RRYC T By Gwen Keane he Rappahannock River Yacht Club (RRYC) in Irvington, was home to many local hard core sailors, during the 1940’s. Sailing was the local sport during and immediately after the war years, when it was hard to obtain gasoline for powerboat racing. Today the RRYC is an active sailing club and home to many avid sailors. This fall they will celebrate their 75th anniversary. Recently I attended their Jr. Sailing Regatta. Our granddaughter, Sam Fuller, was a participant. For me, returning to this facility was a step back in time, a reminder of stories I was told as a child, about the early sailing days, when both my grandfather Carter Keane, and my father Paul Keane, sailed competitively. This connection prompted me to give back to RRYC the regatta trophies my Discover Kinsale's Rich History Kinsale Museum Open year round Fridays and Saturdays, 10-5 449 Kinsale Rd., Kinsale www.kinsalefoundation.org 804-472-3001 804-450-7651 family won during 1941-1943. On the morning of the Jr. Sailing Regatta, Sam and I arrived early at RRYC. We found ourselves amongst many local sailors and others from sailing clubs as far south as Hampton and Norfolk. This was Sam’s first regatta, and I, the typical grandmother, sensed the seriousness of this event. Everyone was busy, and focused on getting their child ready to race. Everyone, except us, seemed to know what they were doing. It had been fifty years since I had raced! Sam got her boat rigged and off she went, out of sight, into the Rappahannock River. It was a beautiful scene with all of the young sailors heading out to their courses. The course for the younger sailors was laid out in Carter’s Creek. Sam’s Mom, Sandy, and Sam’s best friend Sarah, had driven up from Virginia Beach to help cheer her on. They boarded the Spectator Boat, while I waited on shore for Grandpa to arrive. We then joined the other parents and grandparents left behind to sit, rock and wait on the front porch. On that day the temperature soared into the high 90’s and we knew then, it would be a long day. Not being able to see what was happening in the Rappahannock River created tension. Yet, the cell phone did play a vital role. Sandy texted me a picture and status report. Sam had finished fourth in the first race. I was thrilled because one week of sailing each year is the only exposure Sam has for the sport. Later the Spectator Boat returned. I greeted Sandy and Sarah. They told me Sam had problems with the second race and was way off course. That sounded strange! Sam was a competent sailor. What could be the problem? We’d probably never know, but that was the beginning of a stressful afternoon. We ate lunch and by 1:30 the younger sailors returned, tired and hungry. The older kids began to show up too, but not Sam. At 3:15 everyone, except Sam, had returned to shore. “Where is Sam?” we asked. “Oh, she’s still out there.” “But why?” No one knew. Finally a boat spotted Sam and towed her in. Needless to say, we were overjoyed to see our precious fourteen-year old safely back on land. “What happened?” we asked. At the end of the first race a boat hit Sam. From then on she could only make right turns. Her words were “My boat was broken.” I then asked myself, “Could this experience have caused so much frustration, that she will never want to go sailing again?” Later that night, Sandy called to say Sam had told Sarah the regatta was a great experience and she wants to do it again. My guess is, her sailing school, Premier Sailing, will again see Sam next year. Sailing teaches a great lesson in life. We learn that no matter how skilled and prepared we are for those unknown situations, we can’t always control the outcome. For anyone interested in serious sailing, contact RRYC at their website, www.rryc.org. Interested in taking adult or child sailing lessons? Contact the Premier Sailing School, located at the Tides Lodge in Irvington, www.premiersailing. com. Sailing is a fun sport but competitive sailing is just “awesome.” Junior Sailors Returning to Port. Gwen Keane photo. [email protected] Women's FITNESS CENTER Fitness Made Easy Recession Buster! $19.99 per month Free One Day Pass! Hours Mon - Thurs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Sat. 179 Northumberland Hwy, Suite B Callao 804-529-9599 www.ubeefit.com September 2011 21 Invasive Plants and Native Alternatives A By Kathey Brodtman fter a difficult summer for gardeners, fall may be a good time for planting new additions to your yard. Let’s talk about some plants you do not want to consider. Invasives! An invasive, alien plant—non-native—will spread easily producing a large number of new plants every year in any weather condition and soil type. It does not have the normal checks and balances of native species. Most invasive plants have been imported from Asia and Europe. Some cause harm to the environment and animals. Here are a few that are familiar to us: Burning bush, Barberry, Tree of Heaven, Yellow Flag, Japanese Wisteria, English Ivy, Kudzu, Japanese Honey Suckle, Phragmites and Purple Loosestrife. A complete list for Virginia is located on this website. www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_ heritage/documents/invlist.pdf Burning Bush is sold in nurseries and catalogs. This alien forms dense thickets in eastern North American forests choking out native plants becoming a monoculture. Growing in the shade, the plant remains green until the leaves fall in winter. Birds eat the berries and spread the seeds Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Saturday, September 17, Free! Farmers Market ~ 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Produce, Organic Clothing, Longerberger, Local Artwork, Plants, Candles, Pottery Honey, Baked Goods & Bread Be a part of across the land. Instead, encourage a non-poisonous native sumac to grow in place of Burning Bush. It has a beautiful red fall color with berries that are favored by birds. Barberry is deep red with sharp spikes. It spreads when birds and other animals transport the fruit. Sadly, it is sold as a shrub everywhere. Coppertina™ Ninebark is a beautiful native alternative. Tree-of-heaven grows quickly and can be very tall. It is persistent and most plants cannot survive in the area where Tree of Heaven is growing. Yellow flag grows in fresh water and will choke out all other aquatic plants. It forms a thick mat of roots and is extremely difficult to remove. Most of us are familiar with Japanese Wisteria, English Ivy, Kudzu—seen along local highways— and Japanese Honeysuckle. These plants will take over an area and can be a problem if you don’t cut them back every month in warm weather. Phragmites grows in brackish creeks and will choke out the native grasses that benefit fish and crabs. Purple Loosestrife rapidly degrades freshwater wetlands, out-competing native plants and diminishing their value for wildlife habitat. A better choice would be Blazing Star—Liatris. Let’s all try to plant native! Kathey Brodtman photo, Sumac in fall. [email protected] Chesapeake Style Magazine Boxcroft, Inc. Nursery & Landscaping Spinning and Weaving Day! Would you like to learn Blacksmithing? Weaving? Woodworking? Quilting? We have Guilds! For more information or to be a vendor, call 804-580-3377 Support Your Local Historic sites – they need your help! Proceeds Benefit Historic Heathsville Tavern Foundation Ficklin Bryant Upholstery For Those Who Know The Difference FABRICS-FOAM-SUPPLIES VINYLS, SUNBRELLA Open Monday ~ Friday 11975 Richmond Rd. Warsaw, Va. Furniture of the Month 804-333-3343 Ball & Claw Arm Chair 804-313-7303 Belonging to Pam Bosmans of Reedville, Va $5 Discount Clip this coupon for a $5 discount 25% - 50% Off SALE~All In Stock Plants Open Monday through Saturday 867 Fleeton Road, Reedville (804) 453-4462 Open Year Round Plant Sales September 2011 22 Nutty Buddy~Part III T By Paula Shipman here I was, watching from home the race that could forever separate two friends. The relationship between a horse and groom can be compared to the bond of a mother and child. You spend countless hours with the horses in your care. You are responsible for their health and well being. You care for them when they are sick and nurse them back to health. You know that horse inside and out, better than the owner or trainer knows his or her horse. Race horses are a business, a means to make money. They are sometimes sold—it’s the nature of the racing world. How would I have ever come to have Nutty in my care if his previous owner had not sold him to my employer? Horse racing is a tough business, competitive and, at times, vicious, but it is a way of life for a lot of people. I love horse racing. I was ''bitten'' by the horse racing bug at an early age and once it bites you, it is in your blood. You never, ever get attached to your race horse. Easier said than done for me anyway. I am sitting on pins and needles as I watch Nutty race, listening to the race announcer call the race. Then I hear it, the announcer says,''Here comes Stirseventimes, going to a new barn tonight!'' To say my heart broke is not an adequate description of what happened to me after hearing those words. I was crushed. That night was rough, I could not sleep, knowing that in the morning I would not see Nutty when I arrived at work. Morning came and I seriously thought about not going to work. I did go to work however—Nutty might not be there but the other horses needed me and I could not just sit at home. I needed to be busy, I needed to go on, without Nutty. I walked in the barn that morning and my eyes went straight to Nutty's stall. It was empty. I fed the other horses their breakfast, and then I broke down and cried. I didn't know If I could get through the day. I had so many emotions that day. A few weeks later Nutty's new owner entered him in a race. I was at home watching the races on my computer, waiting to see Nutty race. What I saw was ''Stirseventimes scratched.'' That meant he was not going to race. My mind raced with questions, what was wrong, is he sick, lame? I found out later that Nutty had been turned out with another horse and that horse had kicked him the day of the race. He would be OK but would not race that night. The next week Nutty was entered again. Jan was there racing one of hers that night too. She called and told me Nutty was in the paddock but something was terribly wrong with him. Paula Shipman photo. [email protected] September 2011 23 Chip’s Tips~Living Will V By Joseph T. Buxton 111 irtually every estate planning client that comes through my door signs an advanced medical directive. Exactly what is this document and why should everyone make sure they have such a document? As we age we often encounter a variety of serious health conditions such as stroke, dementia and other diseases. If we are unable to make informed decisions regarding our treatment, someone needs to be authorized to make decisions for us otherwise a court will have to appoint a legal guardian to make those decisions. An advance medical directive (AMD) can eliminate the need for court involvement and can dictate how you want to be treated if there is no possibility of your recovery. We need to think ahead and plan to protect ourselves and our families from slipping into a situation where we are hospitalized, unable to make decisions, perhaps attached to tubes, intravenous feeding, on pain drugs and helpless. We need to allow our loved ones along with our trusted doctors to “pull the plug,” as we call it, when it is in our best interest to pass away peacefully. This part of an AMD is commonly called a “living will” and upon admission to a hospital one of the first questions staff will ask is if you have signed an AMD. No one likes to think about such times, but my job as an area elder law attorney is to urge you and your family to take of these matters now—while you are well. There is nothing quite so sad as when a loved one is in a helpless state and the family has no authority or directive as to what it can to do to help a loved one who is suffering. Our advanced medical directives give your loved one the right to make decisions for you, to transfer you to whatever health care facility that could provide treatment and care, employ and discharge any of your health care providers, have full access to medical records and to act as your agent and make decisions on your behalf even if you cannot speak. Our medical directives come with an added benefit. Upon signing them our clients can be immediately registered with DocuBank, a company that offers your health care providers world-wide immediate 24 hour access to your AMD 365 days a year. Our clients do not have to worry about where to keep such records and whether they have them on their person whenever emergency health situations may dictate immediate access. One more tip to readers who may already have a medical directive on hand. The Commonwealth has recently changed the law applying to AMD’s. You can now give your agent authority to deal with mental incapacity and dementia. It would be wise to have your attorney look over your existing directive and make any changes that may be needed to update it. Life is short. Make plans while you can. Make sure each member in your family has a will or trust, power of attorney, and medical directive on hand. These are basic tools each person needs for the journey we make in life. Time is passing. None of us is getting any younger. My best advice is don’t wait to plan for these necessary documents until it is too late to have them when you need them most. Summer is passing by quickly and autumn is almost here. Enjoy the last few months of warm weather. Joseph T. “Chip” Buxton III is a Certified Elder Law Attorney with offices in Urbanna. Chesapeake Style Magazine September 2011 24 Style Spotlight~Bay Seniors’ Best Friend M By Tara Ann Neville ore and more families are finding themselves using Skype and email to stay in touch, and many jobs require some degree of regular travel or relocation. Often hundreds of miles separate parents from their adult children and grandchildren. Frequently the elderly are left to manage their own housing, health and financial needs without direct support of their family members. For many, this burden is too much and our aging population’s health and stability are tested. Fortunately for residents of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, Bay Aging is the best friend our aging population needs and deserves. Bay Aging has proven their support of seniors and disabled adults by providing services that continue to give the greatest opportunities for a better quality of life. About 1100 volunteers and 375 employees enable Bay Aging to serve a 2,600 square mile region that includes four of the oldest— by population percentage— counties in Virginia. Originating from the Lyndon B. Johnson idea of The Great Society, which placed a heavy emphasis on taking care of our own people, Bay Aging was formally established in 1978, first with Meals on Wheels and later adding home repair. Since 1978, Bay Aging has expanded its programs and services to correspond to the needs of local citizens. One need was for public transportation. In 1996, Bay Transit service was established with one bus in Gloucester County. Now, in 2011, Bay Transit has a fleet of buses, provides transit in 12 local counties, with ridership averaging 150,000 rides per year. Bay Transit provides transportation for people of all ages and for all reasons. The need for affordable, accessible senior housing was identified as another growing need. The Meadows in Colonial Beach was their first senior apartment complex. Bay Aging now has developed and manages ten senior apartment sites which offer supportive services— there remains a huge demand for affordable housing, not only for seniors but for middle to low-income families throughout the region. Over time, as foreclosure concerns arose all over the country, Bay Aging met our local need for community action and financial counseling services to help families maintain their independence. This service may also identify clients who have other service needs. Bay Aging strives to have a No Wrong Door approach to helping people connect with needed services. Kathy Vesley-Massey, CEO of Bay Aging, explains, “A volunteer may be delivering a meal for our Meals-On-Wheels program and notice a housing repair is needed. Or he may notice potential depression or suicidal indications, in which case we would make a referral to the Community Services Board or Bridges at Rappahannock General Hospital. In-home companions have identified instances of physical and financial abuse—a growing problem in the current economy—which allowed us to involve Adult Protective Services at Social Services…we refer to our partners at Rappahannock Community College when adults are looking for continuing education.” Long-term clients receive biannual assessments to ensure they are receiving services necessary for optimal health and well-being. Bay Aging strives for continuity in care whenever possible. Kathy says, “Our clients are our friends, and it is our volunteers and front line employees that really bring the community together.” Because Bay Aging regularly joins forces with similarly-focused organizations, time, money and talent are not wasted—services are enhanced and programs flourish. As we have witnessed the country’s changes in economy, concerns about federal, state and local funding for senior care cannot be denied. This reality disturbs Kathy. “Our partnerships with foundations, churches and other service providers allow us to stretch resources; however, we still rely on government funding as the safety net for our frailest clients. Meals, travel to a doctor or work, in-home care—these provide for a basic quality of life... “The budget decisions being made could be a statement about our society—should we pull out life supports from our oldest and most vulnerable neighbors? I hope everyone will pay attention to budget reduction proposals—to ensure we don’t overlook basic human needs and dignity.” Bay Aging will continue to provide services for the thousands of people who depend on them as long as their volunteers and community support is available. Their services speak to their sincere desire to offer our community a friendship and a better way of life— one that transcends political trends and challenging economic hardships. Bay Aging is a non-profit organization which depends on and appreciates community support. To learn more about the services offered at Bay Aging, please visit their website at www.bayaging. org. Consider making a donation or volunteering your time—visit the website or call 800-693-6109 in the Middle Peninsula or 800493-0238 on the Northern Neck. Megan Freeman photos. September 2011 25 Balanced Change T By RuthE Forrest BA,NCBTMB,CMT he Earth Mother archetype for persons oriented toward the transitional rhythm of Solstice/Equinox describes them perfectly. This fifth rhythm identified by ancient metaphysicians has no season of it’s own, but describes the period of change between the seasons. It manifests as that tipping point on the scales of time when a balanced pause spills into the next cycle. Indian Summer is a time of both gathering the second harvest of summer’s bounty, and putting up stores for the upcoming winter. It holds the balance of opposing forces, the past and the future held in the present. Solstice/Equinox people are great diplomats. They can see both sides of an issue. They hold a steady strength while nurturing the necessary change going on all around them. Like the eye of the hurricane they bring a centering, calming, supportive touch to all within their sphere of influence. The colors of this rhythm are the yellowgolds and browns of Indian Summer foliage as Nature transitions through the Fall and into the fallow time of Winter. Earth-energy persons walk with a slow rolling side-to-side stride that never seems rushed or hurried. They are light-footed though, and speak with a singing rhythm that inspires trust and confidence in others. Fairminded, and empathetic, they often go into healing professions, volunteer, or seek other altruistic pursuits. This energy rules the organs of nurturing the body—the stomach and spleen, lips and mouth, saliva and flesh. All things sweet exist within Earth’s rhythms. Persons of Earth persuasion may have a sensitive digestive system, being prone to belching or retching after having too much fun or stress. It is often easier to see what is best for another than to look at our own needs objectively, so they have a tendency to hold back. Retarding change in their own lives, they stay too long in unfulfilled relationships or in jobs that do not support their highest good. Resisting loss even when you know it is a valuable and necessary part of life can be a challenge for them. Because they have no set season, Solstice/Equinox people may wonder “when is it my turn to be nurtured?” In their zeal to help others they may not take the time to nurture their own growth, turning their strongest characteristic into a self-imposed handicap. They may fall into excessive worry as their stress emotion is manifested in codependent sympathy. In this mode they may be overprotective to the point of stunting another’s growth, babying them into submission instead of nurturing healthy balanced change. As we transition through the seasons of our lives we must allow the lessons of the preceding season to teach us how to better navigate the Irvington United Methodist Church 13th Annual Bazaar October 1 November 5, December 3 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.~Cafe Lunch Oct - Vegetable Soup, Salad Nov.- Bonnie Pettey's Baked Spaghetti, Salad Bakery Booth • Specialty Tables Snowmen • Angel • Santa • Bath • Candle • Nautical • Hostess • Children’s Book • Gift Baskets • Christmas & Specialty Wreaths Please Bring a Non-perishable Item For Our Food Bank challenges of the next season. It is in this Solstice/Equinox energy that we process and integrate these two energies. Balanced in the pause, we transform past mistakes into wise and compassionate lessons for the future. During this Indian Summer take time to pause and reflect on Summer’s fullness, and be inspired by the incoming brisk energy of Autumn. This is a continuation of a five-part series of articles discussing the five rhythms of life as described by traditional Asian medical theory. See previous installments www. chesapeakesyle.com. Contact RuthE Forrest at Spa 2 U 804-453-5367 Chesapeake Style Magazine The Crazy Crab Restaurant Come Dine with us at the foot of Main street In Reedville. Deck & Dockside Dining, overlooking Cockrell’s Creek 804-453-6789 Visit the Reedville Fishermen's Museum where history of Northern Neck Watermen comes alive Walk our dock, inspect our boats, visit our museum galleries Take home memories of your trip from our gift shop Visit the 1875 Walker House and learn how Reedville's early residents lived For a complete listing of our activities and events go to www.rfmuseum.org 504 Main Street, Reedville, Virginia 804-453-6529 September 2011 26 Tidewater & Timber~Fall Appreciation A By Chelly Scala s summer drifts into fall a great number of fish will be available to welcome cooler weather. The numerous throw-back flounder that we have been releasing throughout the summer may have grown to keepers. Croaker season will come to a close this month, after some terrific catches in both Maryland and Virginia waters. Blues, Spanish mackerel and rockfish will provide some great fun. Trolling, bottom fishing, chumming and casting will all be options in the bay and its tributaries this month. Watch for diving birds, swirling baitfish and feeding, splashing predators showing the way to the hottest ongoing action. This is one of the premier times when fish are feeding on baitfish. So, even when signs of fish on the surface don't show, trolling familiar areas can produce catches as long as there are baitfish schools nearby. This is the month when anglers working Southern Maryland waters from the Patuxent River to the Virginia line can find mixed schools of rockfish, blues and mackerel, all willing to hit the same trolled lures. The croakers—or hardheads as they are sometimes called—will school up along the deep channel waters as they head south and out into the Atlantic Ocean after a late spring and summer in Chesapeake Bay. Anglers drift fishing the slopes along the Bay and Lower reaches of the tidal tributaries can enjoy some great finale season action with big croakers. These fish will be feeding in anticipation of their long trip into ocean waters. Double hook rigs baited with squid strips or bloodworms will remain the best bait for these late season croakers. Other baits to try include shrimp or peeler crab pieces. Large bluefish surprised anglers in both Maryland and Virginia Chesapeake Bay waters last month Save 50% to 70% off store retail prices. Wide variety of the latest, most popular children’s fashions. Many brand name items but HURRY! At these drastically reduced prices, they won’t last! Log on to www. magickidsusa.com Mention Discount Code MK79201 for HUGE Savings! For a free catalog Call 828-276-6316 and their catches continue. While some of these 5 to 7 pound slammers have been caught in the chum slicks in Southern Maryland's Middlegrounds and the Triangle area, the best recent big bluefish action has been by trolling. Big lures may sometimes produce big catches, however September is still the time to match lure size to the predominant size of bait in the waters being fished. Shiners and medium size Alewives are among the more prevalent baitfish in most Chesapeake Bay and tributary waters, so mid-size Tony Accettas and #2 Clark spoons are some of the best options to fish with. Spanish mackerel will hit the Clark and smaller Tony Acettas or crippled alewife spoons, however drone spoons are favorites for the mackerel this month. Mix up the colors of the lures for blues, mackerel and stripers to see which ones get the most attention. When the fish are near the surface, just a few ounces of in-line sinker are needed with 25 to 30 feet of 30 pound test leader. Planers in #1 or #2 sizes will also work well when trolling. Enjoy the relaxation of fishing and enjoy the fall with cooler weather. Until that cooler air sets in, enjoy fishing early or late in the day. Mike Agnew and son Tom have enjoyed the 2011 croaker catches. Photo courtesy of Chelly Scala [email protected] Historical Lancaster Tavern Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. & 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday Bed & Breakfast Call for Reservations 7:15 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. & 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday Open All Day 7:15 a.m. - 9 p.m. Down the street from Lancaster Court House, Across from Mary Ball Washington Museum. 8373 Mary Ball Road (Rte 3) Lancaster, Va 22503 (804) 462-0080www.lancastertavern.com Auto Bonds Business Homeowners Long Term Care Life Health Marine Workers Comp B. H. Baird Insurance Agency Locations Warsaw 804-333-4013 Burgess 804-453-4060 Tidewater Auto Insurance Clinic Tappahannock 804-443-3800 September 2011 27 Walter Dean Myers, One Hundred Books Later N By Sarah C. Honenberger o high school dropout or selfproclaimed street scrapper could have predicted that fifty years later he’d end up on a stage in rural Virginia telling the story of his checkered youth to an auditorium of children and adults on a steamy summer day. But on August 1 Walter Dean Myers, nationally acclaimed author, related his journey before a rapt audience as a guest of the Northumberland Public Library. Many listeners were familiar with his blunt, but optimistic voice, from his 100 plus award-winning young adult (YA) novels about teenagers in trouble. In characteristic self-deprecation he described his troubled youth and his journey to self-realization through writing. “Despite 11 years of speech therapy, when I spoke, everyone laughed. When they laughed, I’d fight. I liked to play basketball, baseball, but I had a talent for fighting. I stopped fighting after I lost a few fights. Writing was just something to do in my spare time.” Myers attributes early failures to his “15 year-old brain.” When his uncle died, his father was depressed, and his family fell apart. Foster parents in Harlem raised him. He read all the time. “My sister complained that I read in the bathroom.” Poised to quit school at fifteen, he remembers one teacher’s advice. “She told me no matter what I did, keep on writing.” After an army stint and factory work, he published his first book at 29. That hobby-turnedcareer made him a millionaire. His constant appetite for books meant that he had enough of an academic background to turn his life around. “The idea of being an artist starts with having your own voice and strengthening that voice.” He takes a pen and notebook wherever he goes. Sixty years old, Myers is now at a point where he can write what he likes. “I try to do the best I can. I love the process.” Five books will be released this year, including Kick, co-written with Ross, a young writer who emailed after reading one of his novels. Myers’s themes explore tough decisions faced by city kids, where parents are missing or create additional challenges. To emphasize the hard work of writing, Myers explained his hands have typed so long they require regular therapy and aspirin. Typically he has three books going at once. “At 5 a.m. I feed my wife’s ugly cat.” He starts on Book #1, five pages daily. Afternoons are Book # 2 and evenings, he plans Book # 3. Each book requires a month of outlining. “From 9 to 12 I irritate my wife. She’s fun to irritate.” He conceded that she helps by creating photo murals of people and places for each novel. Currently he’s planning a novel about the Bedford Boys, charged with protecting black soldiers at Normandy in a segregated army. For research he reads newspapers from library archives and interviews veterans. Myers believes education is the pathway to opportunity, but notes that job opportunities are not as plentiful today. He speaks regularly with young people in prison. “Those kids want the same things we wanted, jobs, families, houses.” Recently honored with the first Coretta Scott King Lifetime Achievement Award, he’s received every major award for children’s literature. “I want to touch the lives of my readers, to give hope to those kids like the ones I knew.” Sarah Collins Honenberger lives and writes fiction in Tappahannock. Her award-winning novels include White Lies (2006), Waltzing Cowboys (2009), and Catcher, Caught (2010). Nannette C. Smith photo. Catering By The Bay With Big Jim Specializing in Chicken and Pork Many Side Choices Everything Cooked on Site Free Estimates, No job too small Church, Business, Retirements, Birthdays Customized Corn Hole Games, Any Color, Your Favorite Teams 804-450-6060 September 2011 28 Books in Style~I Found the Key I By Sarah Collins Honenberger f you know Buzzie the Clown from Callao, you know Greta Baker Ward’s infectious smile. And her unusual jest for life. That enthusiasm extends to her percussion spot in The Praise Band, her line dancing at area nursing homes, and her children’s book series. Ward’s latest book is different. Over two decades ago she was abducted and raped. I Found the Key: Love and Forgiveness in the Face of Evil is a memoir, one day in her life, the kind of day you don’t ever forget. The author’s faith sustained her through that day and inspired this 57 page journal of her thoughts and emotions after she made the decision to pick up a hitchhiker. He looked like every college kid she’d ever known, headed home to his parents. Ward’s narrative, interspersed with passages from the Bible, recites the gruesome experience and the wonder of God’s love, which she believes saved her from being murdered. In easy prose Ward conveys the circumstances that put her in harm’s way. A story within a story, I Found the Key describes the harrowing twist that changed a Samaritan’s kindness into an opportunity for evil to manifest itself. Unusual in its lack of graphic detail, Ward’s scenes are sharp and chilling in their simplicity. Despite the horror of her direct recitation of events that day, her own particular blend of optimism and understated grace radiates in these 14 short chapters. Astra Publishers Announces the release of it’s first historical romance ... Love’s Enduring Bond by Jean C. Keating When he rode away to war as a colonel of Confederate cavalry, she took their son and moved back le! toyoung d Washington DC to nurse in K Union wounded. She tried n o to put the war and her love a le b rebel officer out of her mind ila a until his battered body was Av carried into her surgical ward ow N ISBN 978-0-9674016 Special Autographed Copies available at www.jeankeating.com With bible verses and personal reflections Ward relates her ability to forgive and the rapist’s inability to commit the murder he’d planned as examples of God’s lesson of forgiveness begetting forgiveness. Through her faith Ward was able to move beyond bitterness and anger at the stranger to a stronger commitment to Jesus. Familiar with books as pathways to share experiences, Ward hopes that other women who have suffered similar traumas will be moved to let God work through them toward forgiveness and release. Since the book’s publication by the author earlier this year, she has spoken about these issues to several Northern Neck groups and hopes to continue to use the book as a vehicle to spread the Word. Parental advisory: This book is for adults. Sarah Collins Honenberger writes mostly fiction and loves to ‘talk books.’ Her third novel, Catcher, Caught, is set in Tappahannock and is available online and at bookstores; locally at Twice Told Tales and the Essex County Historical Museum. She will be speaking at the Chesapeake Bay Writers’ September 15 meeting in Williamsburg. Chesapeake Style Magazine Country Cottage ◊ Florist ◊ Fudge ◊ Ice Cream Coffee, Smoothies, Frappes Homemade Fudge! Route 3, White Stone 804-435-3812 www.countrycottagews.com 443 Main Street Warsaw Antiques, Collectibles, Rarities We also purchase Individual and Quantity Items J.C. Howell, Proprietor 804-313-1876 September 2011 29 Hard Decisions~Euthanasia and Your Pet A By Colleen Morgan, DVM t the risk of making my readers sad, it seems that many people want to see an article about euthanasia. I can tell you my feelings on the subject and how Homecare Vet goes about it. There is no set list of rules about when to help our furry friends out of their misery. If your pets end up with a painful disease where they can’t walk, won’t eat and are never going to improve, the decision is pretty easy—yes it’s time. Oftentimes it’s not so black and white. The slowly declining pet is the tougher one to decide. The three main conditions I see are old cats with declining kidney function, dogs with hip or knee pain and brain dementia. Questions I ask are: 1. Can the pet get up and walk without assistance? 2. Are they still happy to interact with you? 3. Are they still eating and drinking normally? Answering no to any of these is a pretty sure bet that it’s probably time. This being said, don’t forget the importance of having a veterinarian check to make sure the problems can’t be resolved. In my experience, the brain dementia and blind patients are the toughest call. They get lost, they pace endlessly, they urinate and defecate all over the house, but once you touch them or put a bowl of food down, they are happy. This decision I must leave to the family, with the understanding that I fully support any decision they make. On to how we do it. As you know, Homecare Vet is a full-service mobile unit—basically a hospital on wheels. After arriving at your house, we like to take care of the business end first, before emotions get even tougher. This means entering your chart information, getting a permission form signed, and paying the bill—our price to date is $250. Our next step is to go in and spend a few minutes saying hello to the pet, then we give a strong sedative that just slips in under the skin. We go back to the unit and give you some time to spend with your pet while they are getting very relaxed and sleepy. Once we are sure the pet is comfortable and relaxed, we use a butterfly catheter to inject the euthanasia solution. The actual name of the drug is Pentobarbitol. Back when I first got out of school—26 years ago—Pentobarbitol was used in pets and people to induce “sleep” before intubation and surgery. This means we know exactly how it feels— it’s that countdown from 100 where you never get past 97, no matter how hard you try. The difference is that we continue to give the medication to a dose that will stop the heart and respiration. Since it is first an anesthetic, the use of Pentobarbitol ensures that your pet is completely Peake into Life~A Soulful Connection W By Tara Ann Neville hen I think of my growing years, I remember the swim meets and soccer games. I remember loving pizza and wearing Jordache jeans. I recall the faces of my older “crushes”. One of my strongest memories is not an event or an occasion—it is a feeling—a feeling of unconditional love. One of my best friend's mother always seemed to be intuitively aware of a little girl's needs and concerns. She always asked the right questions and say the right things when I felt alone. There were plenty of cool moms, I noticed, but this mom was beyond cool—she was special. I found myself wanting to be with her as much as I could without hurting my own mother's feelings. As I grew into a teenager, I spent many evenings at her kitchen table—my friend, her mom and I sipped iced tea and talked. My friend would get bored and leave the room, but I'd stay, talking with her mom. She was my “mom” too, I felt. She was a confident, a friend, a mentor and, when boys came into the picture, she was a counselor. There was nothing I didn't share with her. And, she loved me anyway. I know she loved me because she lit up when she saw me and she always answered my calls— no matter the time of night. I know she loved me because she opened her home to me anytime I needed a place to go. She held my hand as I walked into adulthood, found love and got married. When I was a nervous new mom to a little boy, she calmed me down with stories of the early days with her son. She made me feel as if what I was saying really mattered. She validated my feelings. Yet, she always found a way to interject her opinion and advise—most of which I took to heart. Despite the generation between us and having our own family, I always felt we are connected at our most basic level. As time has moved on, my oldest is almost 16 now, I have less frequent phone talks and even fewer visits with my second mom. But, she is never out of my mind. Whenever I think of my childhood, or explain my own growing years to my kids, it undoubtedly includes story after story of shared experiences with her and brings a giant smile to my face each time. We have a soulful connection that gave me confidence asleep before everything stops—no awareness at all. Once the injection is complete, I check for a heartbeat or breathing. Normally, all has stopped before I even remove the injection. We then slip out quietly, or help you get the pet to the burial site. If you have opted for cremation, we take the body for transfer to the cremation service. Cremation does cost more, based on weight, but we take the pet and after cremation, bring the ashes back to you. Again, this information is based on my opinions and how Homecare Vet goes through this difficult time with you. It’s always better to talk with your vet and make plans as soon as you see your pet’s quality of life declining. It’s hard enough going through euthanasia, but it’s even worse if you are scrambling to plan when you’re already out of time. Contact Dr. Colleen Morgan, at 804815-7616 or www.hvsdoc.com and strength during the most trying times. She gave me the courage to be who I am and not be ashamed, yet inspired me to want to be better all the time. I was given her love and companionship because I needed it and am grateful for her sincerity and patience. To share a second mom with a second family has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. [email protected] September 2011 30 Cooking with Style by Betty B. D on't put that grill away yet. It's still grilling time. As a matter of fact, some people grill all year long. Why fire up the grill for just the meat; grill your vegetables too. Grilled Shrimp Ingredients: 2 sticks of butter or margarine 2 cups of water 1 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons of minced garlic 1 pound of peeled shrimp with tails on. In a medium sauce pan, melt margarine in water. Add sugar, salt and garlic. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and stir, coating them thoroughly with the mixture. Place pan in the refrigerator, allow the margarine to harden again. Skewer the shrimp and grill. Do not overcook or they will toughen. As you are grilling, brush the excess liquid mixture on the Restaurateur Wanted shrimp to add additional flavor. Grilled Summer Vegetable Medley (Makes 8 - 1 cup servings) 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 3 garlic cloves, minced One-half teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning 1 large onion, sliced 1 pound whole fresh mushrooms 1 medium red pepper cut into one-fourth inch slices 1 medium zucchini cut into chunks 1 medium eggplant cut into chunks 1 medium yellow squash cut into chunks Combine olive oil, garlic, parsley and lemon pepper seasoning in medium bowl. Place mushrooms, onion, red pepper slices, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil and seasoning mixture evenly over vegetables. Seal foil tightly. Grill covered over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes on each side. Vegetables will be crisp-tender. Contributed by Diana Wise Grandma Schrupps Dill Pickle Recipe 3 quarts Water 1 quart apple cider vinegar 1 cup canning/ pickling salt cucumbers and dill pinch of alum to each jar, add just before sealing garlic (optional) touch of sugar (optional) slices of onions (optional) Pack cucumbers in jars, putting a head of dill in the bottom of the jar and another piece of dill when you have the jar half filled with cucumbers. Boil water, vinegar and salt—touch of sugar, optional—together and pour over the cucumbers in the jars and Add a pinch of Alum to each jar. Seal the jars and process in a hot water bath about 10 minutes, just long enough to be sure jars are sealed. You can also add onion slices and garlic to each jar, if desired. Recipes kitchen tested and photographed by Diana Wise. 22645 King's Hwy, Warsaw Be the Chef and Owner of a Local Historic Restaurant. Be responsible for it all. Serve Great Food to the Community. Experience a plus. Send resume to: [email protected] 804-761-2412 Open 7 days/week www.garnersproduce.com September 2011 31 Photos in Style Male hummingbird protecting his territory. The others come to the feeder, this bird flies around and chases them away or takes a drink, leaves and comes right back. Deborah Figg photo. Reedville Fishermen's Museum Boats for Sale~List is subject to change 1990 21 foot Sunbird fiberglass O/B 200 HP Johnson, good condition. Asking $2700. 1985 Bayliner 18 foot Capri 2.1 liter Volvo I/O with trailer. Asking $2000 1934 Hartge built Chesapeake 20’ Sail boat and trailer, glass over wood. Asking $4000. 1971 20 foot Highlander Sailboat and 1998 Venture Trailer. Asking $2700 1992 Yamaha jetski with trailer. Asking $300 Not Shown 1985 Mistral Equipe Windsurfer. 1971 Windjammer 17 foot fiberglass sailboat Homebuilt 8 foot row/sail dinghy with Asking $300 w/1997 Venture trailer. Asking $1600 oars, sail and rigging. Asking $550. Not Shown If interested, please contact Committee Chairman Clif Ames through the RFM 804-453-6529 WE ARE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS If you have a boat with clear title that you wish to donate to the museum please contact Clif Ames at 804-453-3506 or RFM at 804-453-6529. Made in America Made in America Made in America Symbol Mattress 50th Anniversary Set Firm or Pillow Top 50% off and receive a $50 gas card! Made in America Made in America 838 Northumberland Hwy., Callao, Va 22435 804-529-7770 Monday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday • Saturday • 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.RivahInteriors.com