Lifestyles in Keswick and its environs - December 2014

Good Tidings To All

KESWICKLIFE

In this issue

also:only in keswick, life happens, horsin around, overheard, keswick scene and much more

MAY 20132 KESWICK LIFE

KESWICK LIFE

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$2,500,000$2,500,000$2,500,000$2,500,000$2,500,000

HOMESTEAD

Privately located in Cismont area, 14 mi from downtown

Charlottesville. 173+/- acres primarily being used as a

horse farm with horse amenities situated in both

Albemarle and Louisa counties and within the Keswick

Hunt Territory. Historic home has been painstakingly

restored with finest materials such as heart pine in the

floors, kitchen cabinets, copper roof and incredible stone

fireplace. $3,200,000

CISMONT RIDGE

Privately located in the Keswick area of Albemarle,

yet convenient to town. Large screened in porch,

pumpkin pine floors, ceramic tile countertops,

stainless steel top of the line appliances, media

room, fireplace in master bedroom and separate

sitting area. Large outbuilding that could be used

as a barn, workshop or another garage. $595,000

GREENWOOD, c. 1800

Historic, Orange Co. Equestrian Estate dating to c.

1800. House sits on 111 rolling acres of productive

pasture with some hardwoods. Well built 9-stall center

aisle stable, fencing. Dependencies include guest

cottage, smokehouse and summer kitchen. Property

on National Register. Formerly owned by James

Madisons family and is next to Montpelier. $1,625,000

LITTLE ENGLAND c. 1716

Historic Georgian home is one of Virginias least

altered and best preserved colonial plantation

houses. The property is bordered by the York

River and Sarahs Creek which provides

protective docking for a large yacht. The

surrounding land is mostly lawn and pasture and

contains one acre freshwater pond. Little

Englands fourteen rooms showcase some of the

finest examples of colonial paneling and

woodwork in Virginia. $7,000,000

WILLOWBROOK, C. 1869

Charming renovated horse property in a desirable

area of The Keswick Hunt, 35+/- acres, a six stall

center -aisle stable and a four bedroom house,

with a new gourmet kitchen located 10 mi. from

Charlottesville and UVA. A small gem surrounded

by some of the most impressive larger estates in

the Old Dominion. $2, 500,000

OLD KESWICK, C. 1736550+ acre horse property with board fencing

throughout is one of the premier estates in Keswick.

For the past 6 decades, the farm has been well know

for breeding and raising some of the finest

thoroughbred horses in the industry. The manor has

11 1/2 ft. ceilings and original woodwork as well as

graciously proportioned rooms (including 7 bdrms.)

Extensive horse facilities (36 stalls), several cottages,

summer kitchen and pool complex. This is a rare

opportunity to purchase one of the finest estates in

Virginia. $13,500, 000

PIEDMONT OFFICE132A East Main Street, P. O. Box 430, Orange, Virginia 22960

540-672-3903 Fax: 540-672-3906www.wileyproperty.com

Equal Housing Opportunity

JACKSONS CAMPJACKSONS CAMPJACKSONS CAMPJACKSONS CAMPJACKSONS CAMP456 acres located in the beautiful Rapidan area of456 acres located in the beautiful Rapidan area of456 acres located in the beautiful Rapidan area of456 acres located in the beautiful Rapidan area of456 acres located in the beautiful Rapidan area ofOrange County. This mostly open parcel isOrange County. This mostly open parcel isOrange County. This mostly open parcel isOrange County. This mostly open parcel isOrange County. This mostly open parcel iscurrently operated as a cattle and hay farm withcurrently operated as a cattle and hay farm withcurrently operated as a cattle and hay farm withcurrently operated as a cattle and hay farm withcurrently operated as a cattle and hay farm withmuch of it newly fenced. The property has anmuch of it newly fenced. The property has anmuch of it newly fenced. The property has anmuch of it newly fenced. The property has anmuch of it newly fenced. The property has anabundance of water, including three ponds (idealabundance of water, including three ponds (idealabundance of water, including three ponds (idealabundance of water, including three ponds (idealabundance of water, including three ponds (idealfor duck hunting), long frontage on Mountain Run,for duck hunting), long frontage on Mountain Run,for duck hunting), long frontage on Mountain Run,for duck hunting), long frontage on Mountain Run,for duck hunting), long frontage on Mountain Run,and automatic waterers in most all fields. A currentand automatic waterers in most all fields. A currentand automatic waterers in most all fields. A currentand automatic waterers in most all fields. A currentand automatic waterers in most all fields. A currentwildlife management program has generated anwildlife management program has generated anwildlife management program has generated anwildlife management program has generated anwildlife management program has generated anincredible crop of large deer. The land isincredible crop of large deer. The land isincredible crop of large deer. The land isincredible crop of large deer. The land isincredible crop of large deer. The land iscompletely private with many great building sites,completely private with many great building sites,completely private with many great building sites,completely private with many great building sites,completely private with many great building sites,yet conformant to the look of Orange and only 1yet conformant to the look of Orange and only 1yet conformant to the look of Orange and only 1yet conformant to the look of Orange and only 1yet conformant to the look of Orange and only 1 hours from Washington DC. A portion of the hours from Washington DC. A portion of the hours from Washington DC. A portion of the hours from Washington DC. A portion of the hours from Washington DC. A portion of theland is protected by a conservation easement.land is protected by a conservation easement.land is protected by a conservation easement.land is protected by a conservation easement.land is protected by a conservation easement.

PUMPHOUSE ROADPUMPHOUSE ROADPUMPHOUSE ROADPUMPHOUSE ROADPUMPHOUSE ROAD

Small horse property located in the heart ofSmall horse property located in the heart ofSmall horse property located in the heart ofSmall horse property located in the heart ofSmall horse property located in the heart ofSomerset and the Keswick Hunt. This mostlySomerset and the Keswick Hunt. This mostlySomerset and the Keswick Hunt. This mostlySomerset and the Keswick Hunt. This mostlySomerset and the Keswick Hunt. This mostlyopen & fenced 14.5 acre offering has a 3 bedrmopen & fenced 14.5 acre offering has a 3 bedrmopen & fenced 14.5 acre offering has a 3 bedrmopen & fenced 14.5 acre offering has a 3 bedrmopen & fenced 14.5 acre offering has a 3 bedrm& 3 bathrm house built in the 1940s. Many recent& 3 bathrm house built in the 1940s. Many recent& 3 bathrm house built in the 1940s. Many recent& 3 bathrm house built in the 1940s. Many recent& 3 bathrm house built in the 1940s. Many recentimprovements include a finished basement, 2improvements include a finished basement, 2improvements include a finished basement, 2improvements include a finished basement, 2improvements include a finished basement, 2renovated bathrooms & remodeled kitchen.renovated bathrooms & remodeled kitchen.renovated bathrooms & remodeled kitchen.renovated bathrooms & remodeled kitchen.renovated bathrooms & remodeled kitchen.Situated at the end of county road w/great privacy.Situated at the end of county road w/great privacy.Situated at the end of county road w/great privacy.Situated at the end of county road w/great privacy.Situated at the end of county road w/great privacy.4-stall stable w/tack rm, wash stall & 2 new sheds4-stall stable w/tack rm, wash stall & 2 new sheds4-stall stable w/tack rm, wash stall & 2 new sheds4-stall stable w/tack rm, wash stall & 2 new sheds4-stall stable w/tack rm, wash stall & 2 new shedsmake this a great horse propertymake this a great horse propertymake this a great horse propertymake this a great horse propertymake this a great horse property.

BABSON FARMBABSON FARMBABSON FARMBABSON FARMBABSON FARM A rare offering of over 1,100 acres located in A rare offering of over 1,100 acres located in A rare offering of over 1,100 acres located in A rare offering of over 1,100 acres located in A rare offering of over 1,100 acres located inMadison county on the Rapidan River veryMadison county on the Rapidan River veryMadison county on the Rapidan River veryMadison county on the Rapidan River veryMadison county on the Rapidan River veryclose to Somerset. In addition to the greatclose to Somerset. In addition to the greatclose to Somerset. In addition to the greatclose to Somerset. In addition to the greatclose to Somerset. In addition to the greatsoils and location, the property has wonderfulsoils and location, the property has wonderfulsoils and location, the property has wonderfulsoils and location, the property has wonderfulsoils and location, the property has wonderfulBlue Ridge views, 4 homes (2 of which are pre-Blue Ridge views, 4 homes (2 of which are pre-Blue Ridge views, 4 homes (2 of which are pre-Blue Ridge views, 4 homes (2 of which are pre-Blue Ridge views, 4 homes (2 of which are pre-civil war), cattle feed lot, and numerous othercivil war), cattle feed lot, and numerous othercivil war), cattle feed lot, and numerous othercivil war), cattle feed lot, and numerous othercivil war), cattle feed lot, and numerous otheragricultural buildings. Because the land is inagricultural buildings. Because the land is inagricultural buildings. Because the land is inagricultural buildings. Because the land is inagricultural buildings. Because the land is in4 tax map parcels with long river frontage, this4 tax map parcels with long river frontage, this4 tax map parcels with long river frontage, this4 tax map parcels with long river frontage, this4 tax map parcels with long river frontage, thisholding offers exceptional value as aholding offers exceptional value as aholding offers exceptional value as aholding offers exceptional value as aholding offers exceptional value as aconservation easement candidateconservation easement candidateconservation easement candidateconservation easement candidateconservation easement candidate.

WALNUT HILLSWALNUT HILLSWALNUT HILLSWALNUT HILLSWALNUT HILLSGeorgian manor house built in 1882 byGeorgian manor house built in 1882 byGeorgian manor house built in 1882 byGeorgian manor house built in 1882 byGeorgian manor house built in 1882 byGovernor Kemper in Orange Co. A total ofGovernor Kemper in Orange Co. A total ofGovernor Kemper in Orange Co. A total ofGovernor Kemper in Orange Co. A total ofGovernor Kemper in Orange Co. A total of373 mostly open acres, 3 miles on the Rapidan373 mostly open acres, 3 miles on the Rapidan373 mostly open acres, 3 miles on the Rapidan373 mostly open acres, 3 miles on the Rapidan373 mostly open acres, 3 miles on the RapidanRiver, and incredible Blue Ridge views. 6000River, and incredible Blue Ridge views. 6000River, and incredible Blue Ridge views. 6000River, and incredible Blue Ridge views. 6000River, and incredible Blue Ridge views. 6000sq. ft. brick house exudes a grand style thatsq. ft. brick house exudes a grand style thatsq. ft. brick house exudes a grand style thatsq. ft. brick house exudes a grand style thatsq. ft. brick house exudes a grand style thatonly a period house can. The main floor hasonly a period house can. The main floor hasonly a period house can. The main floor hasonly a period house can. The main floor hasonly a period house can. The main floor hasa great hall that is 52 ft. long and 12 ft. across,a great hall that is 52 ft. long and 12 ft. across,a great hall that is 52 ft. long and 12 ft. across,a great hall that is 52 ft. long and 12 ft. across,a great hall that is 52 ft. long and 12 ft. across,with a ceiling height of 14 ft. Other detailswith a ceiling height of 14 ft. Other detailswith a ceiling height of 14 ft. Other detailswith a ceiling height of 14 ft. Other detailswith a ceiling height of 14 ft. Other detailsinclude paneled library, living room, formalinclude paneled library, living room, formalinclude paneled library, living room, formalinclude paneled library, living room, formalinclude paneled library, living room, formaldining room, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 9dining room, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 9dining room, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 9dining room, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 9dining room, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 9fireplaces.f ireplaces.f ireplaces.f ireplaces.f ireplaces.

RIVERBEND FARMVery private 300+/- acres with long frontageVery private 300+/- acres with long frontageVery private 300+/- acres with long frontageVery private 300+/- acres with long frontageVery private 300+/- acres with long frontageon Pamunkey Creek. Approximately 100 acreson Pamunkey Creek. Approximately 100 acreson Pamunkey Creek. Approximately 100 acreson Pamunkey Creek. Approximately 100 acreson Pamunkey Creek. Approximately 100 acresare open and currently in crops, 100 acres inare open and currently in crops, 100 acres inare open and currently in crops, 100 acres inare open and currently in crops, 100 acres inare open and currently in crops, 100 acres inhardwoods and 100 acres in 17 year old loblollyhardwoods and 100 acres in 17 year old loblollyhardwoods and 100 acres in 17 year old loblollyhardwoods and 100 acres in 17 year old loblollyhardwoods and 100 acres in 17 year old loblollypine. The land has a gentle roll and is idealpine. The land has a gentle roll and is idealpine. The land has a gentle roll and is idealpine. The land has a gentle roll and is idealpine. The land has a gentle roll and is idealfor livestock. Along with the Pamunkey, thefor livestock. Along with the Pamunkey, thefor livestock. Along with the Pamunkey, thefor livestock. Along with the Pamunkey, thefor livestock. Along with the Pamunkey, theproperty has 3 other year round streams. Theproperty has 3 other year round streams. Theproperty has 3 other year round streams. Theproperty has 3 other year round streams. Theproperty has 3 other year round streams. The1845 home is in need of renovation but has1845 home is in need of renovation but has1845 home is in need of renovation but has1845 home is in need of renovation but has1845 home is in need of renovation but hasmuch of its original woodwork and charm. Themuch of its original woodwork and charm. Themuch of its original woodwork and charm. Themuch of its original woodwork and charm. Themuch of its original woodwork and charm. Thefarm is located 15 min. from the town offarm is located 15 min. from the town offarm is located 15 min. from the town offarm is located 15 min. from the town offarm is located 15 min. from the town ofOrange in Orange County.Orange in Orange County.Orange in Orange County.Orange in Orange County.Orange in Orange County.

RIVER ROAD (CROSBY)RIVER ROAD (CROSBY)RIVER ROAD (CROSBY)RIVER ROAD (CROSBY)RIVER ROAD (CROSBY)

165 acres with commanding views of the Blue165 acres with commanding views of the Blue165 acres with commanding views of the Blue165 acres with commanding views of the Blue165 acres with commanding views of the BlueRidge and over 2500 ft. of frontage on the RapidanRidge and over 2500 ft. of frontage on the RapidanRidge and over 2500 ft. of frontage on the RapidanRidge and over 2500 ft. of frontage on the RapidanRidge and over 2500 ft. of frontage on the RapidanRiver. Located in an area of large farms in OrangeRiver. Located in an area of large farms in OrangeRiver. Located in an area of large farms in OrangeRiver. Located in an area of large farms in OrangeRiver. Located in an area of large farms in OrangeCo., this parcel is ideal for horses, cattle or justCo., this parcel is ideal for horses, cattle or justCo., this parcel is ideal for horses, cattle or justCo., this parcel is ideal for horses, cattle or justCo., this parcel is ideal for horses, cattle or justcomplete privacy. Improvements include 1850complete privacy. Improvements include 1850complete privacy. Improvements include 1850complete privacy. Improvements include 1850complete privacy. Improvements include 1850house in need of work, barn/workshop, run-inhouse in need of work, barn/workshop, run-inhouse in need of work, barn/workshop, run-inhouse in need of work, barn/workshop, run-inhouse in need of work, barn/workshop, run-insheds and board fencing.sheds and board fencing.sheds and board fencing.sheds and board fencing.sheds and board fencing.

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3 DECEMBER 2014

15KESWICKIAN

God broke the mold after Chita Hall was born! The late Reverend Julie Nor-ton remarked in her eulogy for Chita, I began seeing Chita the summer of 2002 because people thought she was about to die. Chita said, Julie only comes to see me because she thinks Im dying. Dont miss, Keswick Life columnist, Tony Vanderwarkers recount of some of Chi-tas stories - a rare glimpse into the life of this one-of-a-kind true Keswickian.

10KESWICK SCENE

Catch the photo journals on the Bless-ing of the Hounds and the Farmington Beagles at Cloverfields with the Juniors. Be sure to send us your photos to be in-cluded in the next issue.

IN THIS ISSUEKESWICK LIFE DECEMBER 2014

ON THE COVER

Lighting Up the Season

The Wiley children are putting the lights on the tree in preparation for a festive holiday season filled with laughter, joy, generousity and good-will to all!

As we celebrate this holiday season, reflect on the generous spirit of our fellow Keswickians and thank others for the many kindnesses bestowed upon each other and the community.

We wish you an abundance of joy and a happy New Year! Merry Christmas to you and your family.

WANTMORE?

FollowKeswick Lifeon Facebook

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Keeping subscribers currenton all of the local news

and happenings -as well as featuring

local businesses each week!

8SPORTING

Joe Shields takes us on a journey of dis-covery, natural wonders and a quiet fish-ing hole in Shenandoah National Park. This is a must read, yes a story about fishing, but so much more so about life and self-awareness; Pink Floyd and psy-chedelic red tail brookies.

4 KESWICK LIFE

ADVERTISEIN KESWICK LIFE

Next issue deadlineDecember 10th

434.242.8033

e: keswicklife@gmail.com

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

For further information or for an advertising packet,

contact the editor. All editorial is fully protected by copyright and may not

be reproduced without written consent from the editor. The editor assumes no responsibility for the

information herein and reserves the right to refuse any advertising and/or

editorial submission.

Where you can pick up a copy of Keswick Life!

The Shadwell StoreKeswick Hall, Keswick Club,

Clifton Inn, Montpelier, Somerset Store, Cismont Store,

Foods of All Nations, In Vino Veritas,

Laurie Holladay Interiors,McLean Faulconer,

Monticello, Frank Hardy, Inc., Feast,

Middleburg Tack Exchange,Faulconer Hardware,

The Eternal Attic, Palladio, Darden,

Roy Wheeler Realty, Albemarle Bakery

Or better yet, request the online edition at keswicklife@gmail.com

The minds behindKESWICK LIFE

P.O. Box 32Keswick, Virginia 22947

Tel: 434.242.8033Email: keswicklife@gmail.com

Published by a division of Keswick Life

EditorWinkie Motley

PhotographersLynne Brubaker

Mary Motley KalergisJohn Markey

Sheila Camp MotleyGeorge Payne

ContributorsElizabeth Blye Delaney

Sharon H. MerrickSuzanne Nash Send a Letter to the Editor of Keswick Life or your Overheard to:

Keswick Life, PO Box 32, Keswick, VA 22947 or email to: keswicklife@gmail.com

Tell it to keswick life...

Published by a division of Keswick Life

EditorWinkie Motley

Contributing EditorProduction

Colin DoughertyPhotographersGeorge Payne

Donald J. SkellyChris Young

ContributorsElizabeth Blye Delaney

Mary MoronyTony Vanderwarker

Suzanne NashTasha TobinCheryl Stone

John McAllister

LORING WOODRIFF

HALF PAGE

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W W W . L O R I N G W O O D R I F F . C O M

401 Park StreetCharlottesville, VA 22902

434.977.4005lwoodriff@loringwoodriff.com

3104 Lyfarne Lane in GlenmoreThis French provincial showcases some of, if not THE highest construction and finish quality available in Glenmore and beyond. Further, the lush landscaping enhances an expansive, private, level back lawn complete with a huge bluestone patio with fireplace, built-in grill. The list of premium upgrades is endless: wainscoting and trimwork, extraordinary tile selections, built-in speakers, wine cellar. The wonderful floor plan includes nanny/in-law quarters, screened porch off kitchen, cork-floored playroom next to kitchen. MLS# 518046

Hilltop Farm, Southern AlbemarleComprised of 360 acres 10 minutes from Charlottesville, Hilltop Farm enjoys unparalleled

privacy and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Constructed to exacting standards in brick, clapboard, slate and copper, the immaculate Johnson, Craven and Gibson-designed residence is accessed via a 1 mile driveway that traverses hundreds of acres of rolling pastureland. With multiple division rights and additional acreage available, the

farm is a conservation easement candidate. MLS# 514115

S O L D F A L L O F 2 0 1 4

January 10th

5 DECEMBER 2014

CELEBRATENew Years Eve

Where: Keswick HallWhen: Wednesday, December 31st at 10pm

Fossetts Five Course with a last seating at 10 PM - $109 includes champagne toast on arrival and live music - Villa Crawford Bar 11AM to 11PM - Evening Hours include: Jazz Trio - Club Grill Reservations from 5:30 to 9pm with a four course Tasting Menu including a glass of sparkling wine, with coursed wine pairing available for an addi-tional fee, easy listening live music - $70 per person.

FAMILYFirst Night Virginia

Where: Downtown Mall CharlottesvilleWhen: Wednesday, December 31st

First Night Virginia is the second oldest of 130 First Night celebrations worldwide. Bring the family for a safe and friendly New Years Eve with music, magicians, comedi-ans, artists, and much more. $. 3pm12am. Downtown Mall, Charlottesville. 434-975-8269. www.firstnightva.org

CULTUREMaymont Holiday Tours

Where: Maymont Mansion, RichmondWhen: Now through January 4th, 2015

Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Maymont Mansion as you revel in the splendor of the Victorian-style adornments. Celebrate the holidays with grand tree trim-mings and decorations that everyone will enjoy. $. TuesSun 125pm. Richmond. 804-358-7166 ext. 329. www.maymont.org.

HISTORY A Colonial ChristmasWhere: Williamsburg, VirginiaWhen: Now through January 4th, 2015

Experience seventeenth and eighteenth century holiday traditions, with tours that compare English customs of the period with how the colonists might have observed the holidays during early years. $. Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center, Williamsburg. 757-253-4838, 888-593-4682. www.historyisfun.org

EVENING TOUR Garden Fest of Lights Where: Lewis Ginter Botanical GardensWhen: Now through January 12th, 2015

The GardenFest of Lights, an annual fa-vorite, celebrates the Gardens 30th Anni-versary this year with A Legacy in Lights: 120 Years from Bicycle Club to Botanical Garden. $. 510pm. Lewis Ginter Botani-cal Garden, Richmond. 804-262-9887. www.lewisginter.org

CHRISTMAS TOUR Highland for the HolidaysWhere: Ashlawn-HighlandWhen: Now through December 31st, 2014

Discover the magic of Ash Lawn-Highland during the holiday season! Beginning the first weekend in December, visitors will find the entire house beautifully decorated for the holidays. House tours are offered daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but tour times vary based on the day of the week. Please call 434-293-8000 to receive accurate tour times for the day you plan to visit. The museum will be closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day.

The GOING OUT GuideMark your calendars! Save the date! Dont be late!

EXCLUSIVE TOURSMontpelier is doing a special holiday promotion of their Behind-the-Scenes Tours for the month of December. The exclusive tour options, described below, are led by top staff and make for a great gift or family outing for visiting relatives and guests. Visitors must call reservations in 48 hours in advance through Christy Moriarty, Tourism Coordinator at 540.672.2728, ext. 442.

Meet the MadisonsEnjoy an extended mansion tour before the rush of the crowds. This spe-cial 90minute experience will allow you to focus on the in-depth details that reveal the Madisons style, taste, friendships, and accomplishments. This tour concludes on the south terrace which provides visitors with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. Available Fri-day thru Saturday, 10:00 AM. $45/person. 8 people max.

Let it Be Red: Curatorial TourDolley Madison once asked a friend to purchase for Montpelier fabric of any color, but let it be red. See how Montpeliers curators examine the latest discoveries in this behindthescenes tour. Discussion may include artwork, furniture, dcor, and artifacts. By appointment. $60/person. 2 to 6 people.

Private ToursThe cadillac of behind-the-scenes tours for individuals and small groups looking for a more intimate in-depth tour experience, tailored to the per-sons or groups interests. By appointment. $500/group. 8 people max.

Montpelier will be offering extended hours over Christmas weekend (Fri-day, Dec. 26 thru Sunday, Dec. 28) from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be closed between January 5 thru January 16 for cleaning and maintenance.

SPECIAL DININGSecret Santa Menu and More

Where: Clifton InnWhen: December 13th thru the 24th

Ask for Cliftons Secret Santa Menu and receive a seasonally themed four-course meal, specially selected by the Chef. $80 per person, includes tax and gratuity.

Cliftons 12 Wines of Christmas are specially selected to embrace the holi-day season. Order them by the glass or by the bottle, or pair them with the Secret Santa Menu for a gourmet dining experience. Glass or Bottle, Menu Pricing - Pairing: $40 for 4 wines (3 oz pours) includes tax and gra-tuity.

Join Clifton on Monday, December 22nd, for a family-style supper to ring in the holiday week, $50 per person/$75 with wine, call for details. Hint: come early and enjoy a cooking demo and holiday cocktail with Chef Tucker Yoder ($20).

HOLIDAY TOURHoliday Evening Tours

Where: MonticelloWhen: December 19-23, and 26-30 5:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

These small group house tours, which include the Dome Room, offer visi-tors an intimate look at how the holidays were celebrated in Jeffersons time, plus the rare opportunity to experience Monticello after dark. Tours begin at 5:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on each date. $45; reserved tick-ets are required.

6 KESWICK LIFE

OVERHEARDHere and there... in Keswick by the Numbers

10,000 readers read Keswick Life each month, 1 of each... a bear, a coyote, a deer, a bobcat and a fox viewed at a recent Keswick Hunt Club meet, 1,400 oysters consumed at the KHC Oyster Roast,

5 Mondays and Saturdays and Sundays in December, which happens only once every 823 years,

4 couple (9 hounds) blessed on Thanksgiving Day at Grace Church.

BravoLynne Brubakers Leica recently won her division of the Biathlon at the Kinetic Dog Trial in Barto, PA. on Novem-ber 21-23, which consists of two classes, one is a jump-ers class and the other is an agility class. Her combined score put her in first. She runs in the Performance 20 inch division. The weekend before she competed in the UKI US Open in Fletcher, NC, Leica made it to the National Championship finals and ended up 5th over all in the 20 inch division.

From Keswick Lifes Facebook PageThe upgraded keslife is really good.I am so happy to be reading the Keswick Life paper at long last.

Thank you for posting the information about the Market at Grelen! Happy Holidays!

Good article on the history of the traditional blessing of the hounds, thanks for that!

I so appreciated you sending the online edition and very much enjoyed the article on Steve Stokes, saw Lucia at Tourterrelle on Friday and understand they will be fea-tured as well.

Thanks so much for sending the online edition Winkie! I appreciate it and enjoy reading KL.

Welcome Little OneWoody and Jane Baker recently announced the birth of their grandaughter - Eleanor Ellie Grace Hale who ar-rived on Saturday, November 22 at 12:44pm, weighing in at 8 lbs 1 oz and measuring 20.5 inches long.

CongratulationsColors are often regarded as a badge of honor and are awarded to those members that have helped in the hunt field above and beyond the desire to fox hunt. Receiving their colors at the Thanksgiving meet this year were: Jill Wilson, Kimberly Skelly, Connie Laudenschlager, Me-lissa Zeller and Marilyn Ware. The Barrister award is named for one of Keswicks finest dog hounds who had a great nose and really deep cry and whose offspring bear his resemblance and qualities today. The Masters and Huntsman look for the individual who has excelled in working with the hounds during the off season, who has been a leader in representing Keswick and fox hunting, and has been the person who pitches in on a moments notice to lend whatever help is needed. The recipient receives the perpetual framed portrait of Barrister with their engraved name attached. This year there will be two names added: please congratulate Jeanette and Frank McClendon on receiving the Barrister Award this year!

Kudos for Santa to a SeniorJeanne McCusker, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care serving Charlottesville, Keswick and the environs reports that this holiday season, Home Instead Senior Care again sponsored the annual Be a Santa to a Se-nior, a program designed to brighten the holidays for local seniors who are alone or impoverished. Almost 2,000 gifts were collected to help almost 900 seniors in the area.

She teamed up with local nursing homes, Albemarle Social Services, Charlottesville Social Services, Jeffer-son Area Board for Aging, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army and Love, INC., to help collect and distribute gifts. Trees were located at the following sites from Nov. 24-Dec. 12: Branchlands, Colonial Auto Center, In Vino Veritas, Our Lady of Peace, Senior Center, Inc., Volvo of Charlottesville, The Lodge At Old Trail and in Walmart stores located in Charlottesville, Ruckersville and Zion Crossroads.

Generous donors fulfilled the seniors wish lists, pro-viding them with toiletries, blankets, sweaters, pajama sets, coats and food baskets. During the season of giv-ing, we encourage shoppers to buy a little extra for a local senior, said McCusker. Their gifts - and more

importantly the visit that comes with the delivery can make a seniors holiday season so much brighter.

After the gifts were collected, volunteers turned out to help wrap and deliver the gifts, too. Gift-wrapping parties were held at the Albemarle Square Shopping Center in Charlottesville Sunday, Dec. 14, Monday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Dec. 16, then the gifts were de-livered on Wednesday, Dec. 17, and Thursday, Dec. 18.

As always, the community of Charlottesville respond-ed wonderfully to this years Be a Santa to a Senior pro-gram. We had almost 900 seniors wish lists fulfilled and a tremendous turnout at the gift-wrapping parties. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank everyone for their support of this program and of our area seniors who will have a brighter holiday now, McCusker said.

Dont WaitNow through January 15th Grymes First Round Reg-istration for Jr. Kindergarten (4 year olds) and Kin-dergarten for 2015-16. Register now at www.grymess-chool.org. Go to admissions page and submit an online inquiry form or call 540-672-1010. Dont wait! Limited spaces available!

On and Off The Market4048 Fairway Drive is being marketed for sale in Keswick Estate for $4,495,000. It is a custom 2008 home with 2.4 acres of Broadmoor Lake frontage and features 5 bedrooms, 6.5+ bathrooms and over 12,000 finished sq.ft.

3938 Richmond Road just sold for $393,500. Described as an idyllic Keswick mini-farm with a remodeled 2 bed-room, 3 bathroom farmhouse cottage oozing charm, it is on 13+ acres.

In Glenmore, 3422 Carroll Creek Road, a 4000+ sq.ft. 4 bedroom new home, sold for $711,700, and 2435 Ferndown Lane, a 2158 finished sq.ft. 3 bedroom new home, sold for $607,000, both closing in November.

Hill Crest Farm, a lovely country property offering over 28 acres and with a 4 bedroom Cape Cod-style house, sold for $430,000, having started at $518,800 and then reduced to $485,000.

Little Pond at 935 Campbell Road, a restored and added to farmhouse on 1.3 acres with 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms was recently reduced to $299,000 and is now under contract.

Bellvoir at 5280 Stony Point Pass, a 1974 built estate on 43 acres, is now resting off the market having been recently reduced to $1,450,000.

856 Hacktown Road, a 2 acre parcel within a mile of Keswick Estate just sold for $67,500 and a vacant 1.48 acre lot on Campbell Road is now reduced to $59,000.

7 DECEMBER 2014

8 KESWICK LIFE

I dated an artist in college. One day she took pictures of me swimming underwa-ter in the athletic center pool as an exer-cise in sequential photography. A result-ing photo won an award for surrealistic expression.

The girls interest in aquatic subject mat-ter was fitting; her father was an ichthy-ologist who taught biology at our school. Dr. Robert Jenkins research focused on the systematics of North American fresh-water fishes. He also happened to be an authority on the psychedelic-rock band, Pink Floyd.

The good doctor and I got along well. He acknowledged me around campus, often with a nod, sometimes with a wave, and shook my hand when in striking dis-tance. He treated me with respect, even after my relationship with his daughter ended.

Two years after the breakup, a roommate and I bumped into Dr. J at a Getty Mart convenience store down the street from Roanoke College. He invited us to his home for beers, salted peanuts, and a late-night viewing of Pink Floyd videos.

That night, as I sat mesmerized by the content and quality of bootleg perfor-mances, I noticed Freshwater Fishes of Virginia on the coffee table, the opus Dr. J had co-written with Noel Burkhead. The book, which rivals the Bible in length, is still referenced by the National Park Ser-vice website and by authors of notable works on fly-fishing.

Congratulations on the publication, I said. Thank you. Those pages represent my lifes work.

Reflecting on the title, I couldnt help but ask,

Why fishes instead of fish for plurality?

Thats a question only an English ma-jor would ask, he replied. When you describe fish collectively, fish is the ap-propriate plural, but if you want to name a variety of different species of fish, then fishes is correct.

I didnt insult the freshwater fishes ex-pert with more inquiries. Instead, I al-lowed the mesmerizing sounds created by David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and their female back-up singers to take me to a different place.

At the time, I happened to be on assign-ment with the local city newspaper, the Salem Times-Register. My internship as a reporter was a requirement to gradu-ate with a minor in communication stud-ies. Intrigued by the man and his book, I found something suitable for my first shot at journalism.

Fearless played from a small portable

stereo system as I entered the lab for the interview. The track was from Pink Floyds sixth studio album, Meddle, re-leased in 1971. I found Dr. J with shirt-sleeves folded to his elbows, bending over a large, steel fish tank.

This is a sicklefin redhorse, Joe, the new species of fish I discovered, said the biologist. The sicklefin exists almost entirely in western North Carolina and shares waters with five other species of redhorse. The scientific community nev-er knew it existed.

Wow, this discovery alone can make a great topic for the article, I replied. We can lead with this new species you iden-tified as an introduction to the publica-tion of your book.

Notice its curved dorsal fin, said Dr. J, disinterested in the article, running his finger along the angular protrusion that runs parallel to the creatures spine. You can touch the fish if you want.

Make sure you wet your hands first so you dont harm the protective coating on its scales.

I rolled my sleeves and submerged my forearms in the cool water. The fish slowly swam away from me between lanes created by my appendages. Before it passed by my hands, I constricted its path and it glided against my palms and fingers with a slippery touch.

Thats a psychedelic red tail, I ob-served.

If you want to see a psychedelic, magi-cal fish, look no further than our native trout, said Dr. J. The Virginia brookies are something special and are the most beautiful fish in the state. Their colored markings will blow your mind.

More than 20 years later, long after the publication of my article on the sicklefin redhorse, I had the opportunity to see and hold my first brook trout. The ex-perience took place in the Rapidan River, the largest watershed in the Shenandoah National Park.

Chris Young, a college buddy and avid fly fisherman visiting Keswick for the weekend, suggested we make an hour-and-a-half trek to nearby Syria, where the stream is located in Madison County. He travels in a Jeep loaded with fly rods and gear, so I was properly outfitted, al-though not trained, to hit the park.

I had read about the Rapidan, the most famous wild trout stream in the state with special regulations: catch-and-release, artificial, barbless, single-hook lures only. I had also read about the Rose River, another stream in the SNP offering excellent trout fishing. Websites and fly-fishing guidebooks are full of in-formation on the native trout that inhab-it the cool waters that flow in the dark mountain hollows of the region. >>

SPORTINGSTORY BY JOSEPH J. SHIELDS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS YOUNG

BrookiesNative

A Passion is Born Over Pink Floyd and Psychedelic Red Tail

Chris Young fishing the Rapidan River (where the story took place) in the Shenandoah National Park. This happens to be the Rose River (Hogcamp Branch) below Dark Hollow Falls.

9 DECEMBER 2014

Brook trout belong to the char subgroup of the Salmonindae family. Its scientific name is Salvelinus fontinalis; the species name fontinalis literally means living in springs, which is why brook trout require colder water temperature than non-native trout.

Affectionately referred to as brookies, specks, squaretails, and natives by anglers and biologists, brook trout are different from other trout and salmon species. For instance, they lack teeth in the roof of the mouth. They also have smaller scales and skeletal differences. But to the non-scientist, what distinguish brook trout are the bright colored spots that radiate from an otherwise darker base coloration.

The size of an adult brook trout ranges from six to 12 inches in length. Sadly, these scrappy fish typically live only three to four years. This is because their mountain-stream habitats are relatively infertile with marginal insect activity.

Perhaps it is the struggle to survive that makes this fish so beautiful, the perpetual fight that leads to grace.Brookies live in the shadows beneath the forested canopies and large boulders

that shade their waters. I learned they spook eas-

ily firsthand when approached by large, clumsy humans. They are opportunistic feeders, however, and will gladly rise from the shallow depths of water holes to eat anything resembling a bug that floats.

I caught my first brookie on a two-weight fly rod (typical fly-fishing lines are 1-weight to 9-weight in heaviness, depending on the type of fly you are us-ing and the size of the stream, river, or lake you are fishing in). The borrowed rod was six feet long, well suited for a de-cent angler to avoid snagging hook and line on overhanging branches and dead-fall around and in the stream.

I spent most of the day untangling my line from myself and from vegetation, sticks, moss-covered rocks, and floating leaves. I was instructed to keep low, as if hunting prey. I continually scaled rocks and forded the stream, wading across slippery rocks and deeper pools. When I did attract brookie interest, I failed to set the hook properly. Otherwise I spent the morning and early afternoon frightening these already skittish fish, making them disappear.

Without proper footwear (spiked- or felt-bottom boots), I slipped and fell again and again. Finally, while working my way along an algae-covered ledge, I lost my footing and fell onto a slab of rock near a waterfall. My beloved Submari-ner slammed into granite; the timepieces bezel snapped off and sank to the bottom of the pool. Fortunately I was able to re-trieve the aluminum ring from the clear water and stow it in my borrowed chest pack for future repair.

Luckily, my friends rod survived the fall. I noticed the fly closer to the water-

fall, floating atop the cascading whitewa-ter to the right of the pool. I picked up the rod and suddenly felt a tug. The ac-tivity startled me; I set the hook in shock, grabbed the line with my left hand, and pulled the fish towards me.

The fight was slightly harder than I had imagined, which is why a 2-weight makes sense for this species. But I soon realized you dont fish for brookies look-ing for a fight. You fish for them so you can hold living art in the palm of your hand.

I wish I could tell you that I landed that first brookie on a standard dry fly, such as an elk hair caddis. Instead, my friend had tied an attractor fly called a Pink Weenie on the end of my line. The Pink Weenie is similar to a pink-patterned San Juan worm, constructed of material re-sembling a thin pipe cleaner with a loop on the end of it.

The Pink Weenie strikes again, said Chris, who found me admiring my pois-son lectrique before releasing it back into the wild.

As we made our way to President Hoovers Rapidan Camp, I wasnt sure if my friend was referring to the fly or the fisherman.

The following Monday, I travelled to New York for a business meeting and dined at Jones Wood Foundry, a food-driven pub on the Upper East Side mod-eled after traditional public houses in the United Kingdom. Roasted brook trout was on the menu, and I briefly recounted the weekend fishing excursion in Virgin-ia to my guests seated at the table.

Reader, I ordered the fish and it was bril-liant. A ten-inch trout was placed before me, served whole with butternut squash, spinach, and brown butter. The dish was well prepared. I tried to ignore the crisp skin, now gray and stripped clean of its former polka dotted glory.

Although delicious, the meal left a poor taste in my mouth.

Joe Shields has led integrated digital marketing and public relations programs for consumer, biopharmaceutical, and government organizations. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BA in English literature and communication studies from Roanoke College, where he received a senior scholar award for fiction in 1995. He lives with his family in Keswick.

Removing a fly hook from a brookie.

A brookie caught in the Shenandoah National Park. Joe Shields fishing a hole in the Shenandoah National Park

10 KESWICK LIFE

HORSIN AROUNDBlessing of the Hounds

Blessing of the Hounds photographs letf to right from the top: Shandra Boylen, Darlene Murphy and Trish Zorn, Marshall Payne, Sally Lamb with Amber Rogers, bottom row: Lizzie and Sandy Rives,Sommers Olinger, Tony Gammell with Sandy Rives.

11 DECEMBER 2014

KESWICK SCENEFarmington Beagles with Keswick Hunt Club Juniors

Farmington Beagles with Keswick Hunt Club Juniorsphotographs letf to right from the top: Ashley and Smith Williams ready their son for the ride, Beagling meets in front of Cloverfields main house, Whitney Gammell with baby Shepard Sieg with an admiring Anne Coles, Anne Coles with Stokes, Junior riders June and Stokes await instruction. A pair of riders prepare and a pony is elated with an-ticipation of the fun afternoon ahead.

12 KESWICK LIFE

A KESWICK CHRISTMASHoliday Tea Keswick Style

This is the time of year when my mind floods with fond memories of entertaining past. For many of us, family traditions were formed and shared around the Holiday table. These musings spark inspiration for future gath-erings. My Grandmothers Georgian dining room, a frequent haunt for me as a child, happily comes to mind. Here formal Christmas Eve dinner was served and became a favorite family tradition. Four generations gathered to celebrate around a glimmering table set with ster-ling silver, crystal goblets, perfectly pressed linens, and gilt china. My Grandmother, Peggy, was a stellar en-tertainer and hostess. Her prize tea roses were the talk of the town and her vegetable garden a source of fresh and plentiful sustenance. Friends were welcome at her home any time. The stressful pace of todays life did not seem to interrupt theirs. Those who remember Peggy, continue to ask if I know the ingredients for this cake or that custard or casserole. To this day, I have kept many of her coveted recipes.

Unlike my Grandmother, I am not particularly accom-plished in the kitchen. My passion for entertaining and setting a memorable table far surpasses my culinary skill. Over the years, I have assembled a vast collection of antique china and crystal. My collection began with family pieces and expanded over the years to include highly gilt crystal and china that once graced notable Gilded Age tables. I delight in mixing and matching these services, rarely the same way twice. I also believe in using and sharing my china. My friends frequently tell me I am porcelain obsessed. In 2005, I translated this obsession into a successful shop, Provenance Na-ples, in Naples, Florida. Here I specialized in antiques for the table, fine porcelains, crystal, and silver.

My recent relocation to Charlottesville has begun an ex-citing new chapter in my life. Many of my cherished pieces are gradually finding their way out of shipping

boxes. While unpacking, I hit upon the idea of welcom-ing my new Virginia friends to my home for Holiday tea. For inspiration, I chose my Grandmothers ginger-bread cake and cream scone recipes. Perfect, I thought, but I havent attempted these in years.

For reassurance, I called my friend, noted author and Chef, Jack Hanny, and enlisted his help in reviving my Grandmothers recipe. Trust me, having a Master Chef

willing to help in your kitchen is a good thing. After some discussion, we decided on presenting a combination English and American style tea. British tea is a bit different than the American interpretation. The English enjoy using their beautiful silver and fine china and place less emphasis on food. Americans typically enjoy serving more food, with a bit less emphasis on the china.

Chef Hanny has a vast collection of old world recipes. He made suggestions and presented me with an ex-traordinary menu, which included some goodies from my Grandmother. I set about preparing the table with my favorite English Ridgway Tea Service and Minton plates. Chef Hanny surprised me by icing the Ginger Bread Cake in an extravagant, White House worthy fondant, the piece de resistance of the table. My guests and I had a delightful afternoon, sealing friendships, sharing tea and forming new traditions.

Menu

Orange-Cranberry Cream Scones (My Grandmothers Recipe)

Caviar with egg salad tea sandwiches on pumpernickel

Smoked salmon with Gouda, capers and pickled Vida-lia onion on pumpernickel

Petite Fours with raspberry jam filling

Carrot cupcakes w/cream cheese frosting

Handmade chocolate truffles and baby chocolate turtles

Ginger bread cake (My Grandmothers Recipe)

Boston Cream cookies

Pictured below: Chef Jack Hanny, Carla Passarello, Liza Moorman, and their Mother, Diana Browning enjoy a variety of cakes, scones, tea sandwiches and cookies.

Chef Jack Hanny and Cheryl Stone await their guests at the adorned Holiday Tea table.

Cheryl Stone is a specialist in fine antique dining china, crystal and silver. Her exquisite hand-picked inventory is available on line: www.provenancenaples.com or locally at Ruckersville Gallery.

BY CHERYL STONE

13 DECEMBER 2014

WHATS COOKING

MantlescapingKESWICK STYLE

GRANDMOTHER PEGGYS RECIPE BY CHERYL STONEOrange Cranberry Cream Scones

A fireplace is always a focal point. Mantle decoration sets the stage for the decor of the rest of the room. Whether for the holidays, special occasions or everyday living there are design considerations intrinsic to creat-ing your mantlescape. Try to think in terms of textural combinations, form, color and shape to establish an in-teresting cohesive design. Perspective: Its not like setting a table; you dont look down on a mantle design. It will be viewed from eye level or from below seated in a chair. A bit of drip or drape over the edge helps cover any mechanics seen from below. You can use ready made garland which will give girth or lay material down and prop it against the wall for needed height. Using the latter method al-ways start in the middle and alternate while placing directionally towards the ends. Check your yard for fresh material. White pine, boxwood, magnolia, rho-dodendron, japonica are some good choices. Attack the bush in hidden places, I always take pride in leaving no evidence of pilfering! They will dry nicely but become very fragile. There are oasis blocks covered in plastic or smaller ones called igloos if you want a water source. Other options are identical vases or a variety of contain-ers that complement each other.

Background: Is it a painted wall, metal, wood paneling, a painting or a mirror? Against a bare wall you can do anything. Determine how far you wish to encroach a piece of artwork; stay below the frame, occasional highs and lows or high on either side low underneath. A mir-ror is the trickiest as the back of anything you do will be seen in the reflection, so be sure thats as interesting as the front.

Style: Is it a more organic rough hewn beam? If so ca-sual branches, greens and pillar candles lend them-selves well to more rustic architectural elements. Wild

flower-like blossoms nestled about in small vases work well. Some

choices available year round are lisianthus, larkspur, thistle, stock, spray roses and freesia. Basically more linear graceful stems with smaller blossoms create this effect. Seasonal additions can be anemones, narcissus, daffodils, astilbe, grasses, daisies, clematis, hyacinth, berries, pinecones and dried pods.

Is it a traditional elegant mantle? Then blousey big headed flowers are beautiful clustered in with hydran-gea (any kind available all year round). Roses are per-fect for color, shape and texture. Available in virtually

any hue, they last a long time, availability - always! Vo-luptuous peonies always take your breath away, feath-ery petaled ranunculus and tulips for graceful drape (they will reach toward the light and keep growing so need to be carefully wired if a certain position is de-sired).

A mixture of crystal, mercury glass, clear glass and sil-ver will add sparkle in the reflective surfaces. Group-ings of vases, votives and tapers instead of a regular line placement in varied heights will make for a more dynamic display. Again, start in the middle and work your way out towards the ends. Or if you are making designs for either end, arrange them both at the same time to achieve a mirrored symmetry.

Contemporary: Clean and sleek can match room decor or provide a provocative juxtaposition to rustic or tra-ditional styling. Asymmetrical balance is the key here, along with crisp linear or defined shapes. Consider empty mantle space as important as the filled space. Keep main design to one side, it can reach toward the other end. Work in groupings. Branches in vases at an angle is especially effective here or a series of short matching containers mounded with one item such as tulips, moss or dried lotus pods for example. Candles should be all the same, and in this case arranged in a line will work, to balance the off-center main design. One large arrangement on one side and a grouping of smaller containers on the other end make for a semi-contemporary presentation.

Good luck with your mantlescape! If you are over-whelmed or have no time, give me a call at Hedge Fine Blooms and I will guide you, provide materials or come out and do it myself. Designing in private homes us-ing clients own containers is a speciality and preferred project. Enjoy the season!

Chef Jack Hanny was asked by Cheryl Stone to prepare these scones with a family recipe passed down by her Grandmother Peggy. Jack has the other recipes and they are available for the asking by contacting him at jrh@bestofhanny.com.

Ingredients: 2 cup flour cup butter (1 stick) 6 T Sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1t salt 2 large eggs 1 T baking powder cup chopped cranberries cup orange zest

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder by pulsing several times in a Cuisinart. Add butter; pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Remove to a large bowl. Add cranberries and orange zest. Whisk eggs with heavy cream in separate bowl. Pour over the butter/flour mixture. Blend and knead until dough forms. Pat into 1High square and cut into desired shape. Bake 18 minutes.

BY TASHA TOBIN

A creative visionary, Tasha Tobin has been enthusiastically practicing all forms of Floristry for close to 20 years and shares her ardent enjoyment of floral art in many ways. She is a dynamic on stage demonstrator and an inspirational instructor. She encourages freedom from traditional doctrines as a way to access indi-vidual creative potential. Tasha recently moved to Charlottesville to take the position of Creative Director at Hedge Fine Blooms for both shops and the event studio. Floral art is her great passion and raison detre. Design inspiration constantly surrounds us; we just need to teach ourselves how to look! - TT

14 KESWICK LIFE

It is that time of the year, when we haul out our holiday decorations, check untold thousands of lights, deck the halls, bake cookies, sing, get together with friends, go to church, spend more than we can afford, and dust off our beliefs. Oh wait, whats that you say? You dont. You dont take a good hard look at what you believe on an annual basis? Right now, as you fight not to roll your eyes, you are prob-ably thinking, sure, one more thing to do, not even a chance. But, checking your beliefs might just add some room on that overflowing plate of yours.

Just think of how many outdated beliefs you could jettison. Besides, tis the season, for Petes sake, to check in with what you believe, even more than giving and getting. Why else would you be giving and getting?

You must do a little checking in with what you believe. How in the world do you make your New Years resolutions without first knowing what you want to resolve? Unless your resolutions are brought to you by the media as in I am/am not so therefore, I must/must not . Quite possibly this is the reason many resolu-tions end up on the junk pile of mighta-coulda-and-woulda.

So, if you werent in the habit of looking at what you believe, and then making a few alterations, now would be a great time to start. I am not suggesting that you do a complete moral inventory, though that could be interesting. I am merely suggesting that you might just look at a few beliefs that you take for granted. Do you believe in say, microwaves (the appliance), for example? I have a friend who doesnt. Guess what? Microwaves dont exist in her kitchen. See, beliefs can create your reality.

How about magic, do you believe in mag-ic? Fairies? Santa? The Christmas Story? What is your spiritual belief? Are you still hanging on to what you learned in Sun-day or Saturday school, or on in the sand-box in kindergarten? Does any of it need to be upgraded, rethought, improved

upon, even slightly?

Do you listen to the words of the liturgy when you show up at church? Do you re-spond to it, because thats what you do, or because you believe it, and if so, all of it?

Whats that old saw? Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see - attributed to Ben Franklin. Do you believe that it is attributed to Mr. Frank-lin? I dont have any reason not to, so it works for me. You?

Are your beliefs more inclined toward CNN, FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, Al Sharpton or the Today Show? Semper FI? How about the Rolling Stones article, do you believe that? Does UVA have a rape culture? Is the administration do-ing all that it can, or is it going through the motions? Is exposing your midriff in public provocative? Is suicide an option? Is Facebook a reliable source for informa-tion? Does Jesse Matthew deserve his day in court? How about marriage, is your view big or small? Your worldview is only one set of beliefs to check out.

And then there is that thing in Ferguson, Missouri, what do you believe about all of that? How much of that is about belief? If you believe something does it make it true?

It has been said that what you believe defines you. If beliefs dont define you, they certainly seem like a good place to start the process. On the other hand if what you believe does describe who you are, looking at what you believe about yourself would also be very informative. Life changes can be easier to change than you think if you take them one belief at a time. Are you a good guy or a do you occasionally don a black hat? Do you live in a loving world? Is the world you live in broken? Can it be fixed? Are you broken? Is your life working for you? Does blue really bring out the color of your eyes? Your traditional Thanksgiving feast, do you like it? Can you change it, if not, why not? Maybe just the cranberry sauce? Did these questions irritate you? Did they push up against some beliefs that you might have out grown? Sorry, its part of the growth process, bumping into beliefs that no longer fit. Dont shoot the messenger, unless of course, you have a belief system where that works, in which case, fire away.

LIFE HAPPENS

BY MARY MORONYBeliefs

Mary Morony, author of Apron Strings, has raised four children to adulthood. She lives on a farm in Orange County, Virginia, with her husband, three dogs and her daughters cat. You can learn more about her at http://marymorony.com

15 DECEMBER 2014

Im writing a book about moving to Virginia titled Im Not From the South But I Got Down Here As Fast As I Could. If youre lucky, you could end up in it. If youre not, youll enjoy it anyway because this place is so en-gaging.

Julie Norton, past minister at Keswicks Grace Episco-pal Church, was good enough to jot some notes down for me about her visit with Chita, God bless her.

So, heres the Forward from the book: Stories, like grits, drawl and charm, are part of the South. Thats probably why the South breeds writers like it breeds mosquitoes. So to give you a taste of this place, Ive got to tell you a couple. Chita Hall was a neighbor who died a couple years ago. Grew up here, rode horses and hunted until she mar-ried a stinker, went through some tough times and life ended up going south on her. Lived just behind our farm on a small plot with a modest house. Crusty and cantankerous, shed been a sergeant in the Marines dur-ing the Second World War. She was well into her eight-ies when we got to know her.

In Julies words: I went to see Chita to thank her for the $100 she gave to the discretionary fund. She was rais-ing cain about the Vanderwarkers. The Vanderwarkers dont live within earshot of Chita, but she could see their house, which is TOO CLOSE. We walked outside so Chita could show me exactly how close they were, and how, if their lights are on at night, she can see them. The Vanderwarkers have a miniature church on their property which Tony uses as an office, complete with steeple.

I said, Oh, Look! What is that? Is it a church? Its so cute And Chita said, How the hell should I know?

God broke the mold after he made Chita. This girl had stories. And also a full-fledged zoo, cages with bars, runs, the whole nine yards. Her departed husband Chet, Chita explained, was the kind of man who had to have everything everyone else had and a neighbor kept many unusual animals. So Chet had to have them too: a lion, a bear, a parrot, seven Siamese cats, a raccoon which would hide under the couch and reach out and grab peoples ankles, more dogs than you could count, two llamas and a deer whose mother had been killed. One day the sheriff came by Chitas and saw the deer curled up on the living room couch.

The lion and Betsy, the bear, had been raised from cubs and had full run of the house, including crapping on the carpet. Didnt phase Chita, as she explained, It doesnt matter as long as its an Oriental. Chita reminisced about her animals, I had Betsy nine years. I loved that bear. Once she got loose and went into the dog kennels. She just made herself a door and walked in. Ripped the lights down, tore everything apart but she never touched the dogs. I loved that bear.

The lion was a different story. Sort of a trial, he ate them out of house and home. Fed him horsemeat for a while but that got too expensive so they switched to dog food. They took the lion downtown one New Years Eve and the lion got loose and wandered around Charlottesville

until they caught him and took him home. I dont care what anybody says, Chita told me, As long as I live Ill never have another lion.

Theres a good one about the parrot. I used it last time but its good enough to repeat. As a neighbor, Dot Prof-fit, remembered, That parrot talked awful. Dirty, dirty, dirty. And Chet taught it all kinds of nasty tricks. Once a salesman came to the door and knocked. No one was home but the parrot said, Come on in.

So the salesman let himself in. The first thing he saw was an enormous Doberman sitting on the front hall rug and then the parrot said, Sic him, boy, sic him. The man barely escaped with his life.

Chita didnt have an easy upbringing. Her father was a loony tune, did stuff like ride his horse into the house blasting away with his six-shooter. With a friend, he bought a gold mine in Mexico and moved the family down. Thats how Chita got her name, means little one in Spanish. When they found gold, the Mexican gov-ernment seized the mine. Her father lost over a million bucks and had to go back to farming in Virginia to make a living.

Her mom was an alcoholic. Once they threw a party with seventeen bottles of bourbon and so many people came the front porch caved in.

Chita was one tough cookie but occasionally her softer side did sneak out. Shed been complaining that she didnt know anyone and ever go anywhere. So an old friend invited her to a party, saying, There are a lot of nice young people coming and youd enjoy them. Come with us and meet them. Youll have a good time.

Chita reverted to form in her response, Id rather die than come to your party, she said.I remember her reflecting on the guys in her life, Men are a pile of garbage. Chet forged my name and took out a note and spent it and I was in debt $70,000 and had to declare bankruptcy. It took me forever to get my credit back. Whenever I get to where he is, hes going to be a lot deader than he is now.

She had to go on oxygen at the end. Im going to live at home until I die. Im not in the nursing home frame of mind.

Chitas gone now but the empty cages that once held her animals still stand. I walk back there often and Bet-sy, the bear, the lion and the foul-mouthed parrot come back to me as well as the terrified salesman running at warp speed across the yard with the Doberman nipping at his heels. At a yard sale after her death, someone bought Chitas Oriental, probably unaware of all the stories it held, not to mention a few other things.

And to think I came close to missing all this.

KESWICKIAN

BY TONY VANDERWARKERChita Hall - God Broke the Mold

Left to right: Chita Hall, Neal Kittle, Jean Coles, Ellie Frampton, Caroline Hall, Frances Rafferty, Anne Barnes and Mrs. Randolph on the porch in 1927.

16 KESWICK LIFE

The 14th Red Bull World Series of Bridge was held in Sanya, Hainan, China from October 10th-25th. Keswick native, John McAllister had the honor of participating in this event for the first time.

John grew up playing all sorts of card games with his family, with hearts being his favorite. One night, when his aunt Kathleen was visiting the family at their home in the Southwest Mountains, they sat down to play hearts.

When she remarked that bridge was a vastly superior game, bridge became the entertain-ment that evening and Johns love for the game was born.Johns parents, Mary and Ralph Morony, nurtured his love for the game and also happen to be avid players themselves. His sisters Melissa McAllister and An-nie Morony would often draw the short straw to make up the fourth for the four player game; however, his middle sister, Chris Perot, was simply not interested! Other regulars in the Morony family game included Mary and Ralphs friends from Grace Church, Betty and Don Ches-ter.

When John moved back to Charlottes-ville in 2002, Melissa hooked him up with a group of friends that were taking weekly lessons with local bridge teach-er, Chouky Neale. Chouky taught John many of the fundamental aspects of the game and introduced him to some of the basic rules of bidding and card play. Chouky also introduced John to dupli-cate bridge, which is the primary form of the game being played in bridge tourna-ments throughout the world.

A fellow Keswick area native, Jaffray Woodriff, gave John the opportunity of a lifetime to work for his group at Quan-titative Investment Management, located here in Charlottesville. While this lim-ited his ability to participate in the large afternoon games at the Jefferson Bridge Association, it afforded him the opportu-nity to watch someone passionately liv-ing out their own dream. Jaffrays dedi-cation to his craft and attention to detail ultimately inspired John to leave QIM in order to set out on his own path after seven fruitful years there.

First stop, the day he retired from

Quantitative, was the Spring North American Bridge Championships (NABC) in Memphis, Tennessee put on by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). By this point, John had hired semi-professional bridge play-er Rob Brady to be both his teacher and playing partner. Rob organized a team of junior bridge players to compete for the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup. While his team got knocked out on the opening day, John loved the logic and inferential reasoning which is the lifeblood of the game and has since attended each of the ACBLs triennial NABCs that have been held since.

While being interviewed for this story, John is currently participating in the Fall Nationals in Providence, Rhode Island. He is playing on a team there with his professional partner from Sanya, Migry Zur-Campanile. Migry and John were set up to play together in preparation for the World Championships by professional Danish player Christina Lund Madsen, who also sometimes works part-time for the World Bridge Federation which puts on the World Championships.

The Red Bull World Series is an open world championship, which means that any player that is a registered member of their own countrys National Bridge Or-ganization (NBO) is eligible to partici-pate. Madsen invited John to play with her and rising Danish superstar Den-nis Bilde in the Mixed Teams portion of the event in January 2013. John quickly jumped at the opportunity to play with the two dynamic young Danes and asked Christina for a recommendation on a fe-male partner for himself. Madsen did not hesitate in recommending Zur-Campani-le, who was just coming off winning the prestigious Venice Cup in Bali, Indonesia in September 2013.

Migry and John had immediate chem-istry at the table where, in their first event playing together, the prestigious Platinum Pairs, they finished twelfth in a world class field. A win in the fabled New York Reisinger in late May, playing with recently married Dana Berkowitz and Chris Willenken, earned the team a write up in the New York Times Bridge Column. Things were going well in prep-aration for Sanya, so at Zur-Campaniles

suggestion John hired professional Israe-li players Yaniv Zak and Michael Barel to play on his team in the Open Teams event.

Over the course of the two week World Bridge Series, McAllister and Zur-Cam-panile competed as a partnership in a total of four events. The team of McAl-lister, Zur-Campanile, Bilde and Mad-sen advanced to the round of 16 in the Mixed Teams competition before losing to a strong Chinese team. Playing in the Mixed Pairs, McAllister and Campanile had a bye into the semi-final by virtue of their strong showing but failed to reach the two-day final.

After day one of the two day Open Team Qualifying, in what McAllister describes as the biggest thrill in his bridge playing career, the McAllister team was in fourth place overall in a field of over 130 teams. The Open Teams qualifier included both the best teams and top bridge playing partnerships in the world. Unfortunate-ly, that success was short-lived as the team came crashing back to earth by los-ing the first seven consecutive matches on day two before finally earning a win in the eighth and final qualifying match of the round robin. Sadly, at that point the team had no chance of qualifying for the 32 team knockout portion of the event.

McAllister and Zur-Campanile rebound-ed by making it through the two quali-fying sessions to the Open Pairs Final round and, thanks to a strong last day, finished in 40th place overall.

There a number of options for both learning and playing bridge in the Char-lottesville-Albermarle area. The Jeffer-son Bridge Association hosts four open games weekly including a novice game on Monday nights. Also, many local country clubs offer bridge lessons and games as a part of their social calendar.

McAllister also encourages anyone in learning more about the game to visit the website for the documentary film on bridge which he and local filmmak-ers Derek Sieg and Jeremy Goldstein are producing, find it at www.bridgedocu-mentary.com.

The American Contract Bridge League has a variety of initiatives aimed at pro-moting bridge to the next generation of players; interested parties can check out their offerings at www.acbl.org.

ACCOLADESA Love for the Game of Bridge Leads to the World Series in China

John McAllister at the 14th Red Bull World Series of Bridge, held in Sanya, Hainan, China.

INTERVIEW WITH KESWICK LIFE

17 DECEMBER 2014

Tony Vanderwarker, raised in New England, spent a couple years at Yale and then served two years in the Peace Corps where he got bitten both by tsetse flies and the writing bug. He went to film school at NYU and made documentaries and a full length film which didnt sell so he decided to try shorter films and went into advertising. Fifteen years later, he had his own ad agency in Chicago where he did Be Like Mike for Gatorade. When his

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One of the great things about the holi-days is that we all get out and about, meet people, chat them up and get some terrific stories. So here are a few: Im in Boston visiting my brother (whos also married to my wifes sister, yup, hes also my brother-in-law) and Pe-ter takes me to Starbucks one morning to have coffee with the members of his biking group. Sitting next to me is this Israeli engineer named Yassim who my brother credits with inventing a flexible roadway system that generates electric-ity.

Im duly impressed until Yassim stops me with, But your brother didnt like my next invention, practically laughed me out of the place when I told him about it. Kept ridiculing me and telling me what a stupid idea it was.

Then he turns to my brother Peter, points a finger at him and says, I just looked at the numbers from DirecTV and my stu-pid dog channel idea has returned over five million dollars.

Dog Channel? I ask and Yassim says,

Yes, people feel guilty about leaving their dogs alone for an entire day so theyre more than willing to pony up ten bucks a month to have their pets watch our channel.So can you tell me whats your favorite show?And Yassim answers, Youll have to ask the dogs.

After coffee, I Google Dog Channel and sure enough, there it is. Shots of balls bouncing around, birds flying, dogs chasing catsthe whole nine yards of doggie visual delights. And Yassim is minting money with his dumb idea. Were thinking of making it free with DirecTV paying us a monthly fee, he tells me. Dog Channel--go figure.

Were having drinks with our new ten-ants, Dan and Alex. Dans an architect with a big firm in New York doing a project in Kazakhstan, a ninety-story apartment building. Hes working from home reviewing the plans and puzzling over why theres a huge space in the parking garage devoted to a refrigerator facility. Why put a refrigeration area in the basement and take up all these park-

BY TONY VANDERWARKERChristmas Cheer

ing spaces? Dan wonders.

So he asks his boss and he explains, Ka-zakhstanis are big on horsemeat, so thats a storage locker for their horsemeat. They keep whole sides of horses and its very important to them we dont mess with their horsemeat storage area. Way more important than parking spaces.

And he goes on to tell us about a forty-story apartment building they are doing in Moscow. All of the apartments give up living space to small balconies and they have no walls or sliders to keep out the cold. Whole families occupy these apart-ments, ten or twelve people, grandmoth-ers, aunts, uncles.

So why give up the space for these bal-conies? Dan inquires.

Thats where they store their meat. They put up plastic to keep out the cold and keep their meat outside. Cant rent the apartments without them. Moscowites are very big on meat. I can imagine the finished building looking like a gigantic butchers window.

And you dont always have to go far from home to find good ones. Were in the Giant talking with Leslie Bowman and she tells us this one about a conver-sation she and Ann Taylor had at a coffee shop in Manhattan. So weve just come from meeting with a donor and we duck into a restaurant to decompress and we get to chatting about nothing and every-thing and Ann says about someone (not the donor), Hes a wingnut.

If youve met her, you know Leslies no dumb bunny but the first place her mind takes her is, Wingnut? Is that some fa-mous Virginia family I havent heard of? The Wingnuts--like the Carters or Ran-dolphs? The Wingnuts, hmmm.

Leslie goes on, Im not from the south, so I say, to Ann, Im not familiar with that family.

And Ann bursts out laughing, making a circular motion over her temple with her finger, No, wingnutas in whacko, crazy. Wingnuts. We have still had a good chuckle over that one.

And Ive got to close with the story that got Annie into the Chicago Tribune some years back. We have all kinds of fam-ily coming for Christmas, whole hordes of them from all over the place so Anne buys a twenty-something pound tur-key, monstrous bird, and tells our Polish housekeeper to put it in the basement fridge.

Yes, Maam, Gesuava says, hustling the turkey downstairs.

Cut to Christmas morning and Anne says to Gesuava, Cmon down and well re-trieve the turkey and all the stuff we need to cook dinner.

Anne, horrified, watches as Gesuava re-trieves it from the freezer and hands it to her, frozen solid.

Anne, seeing her Christmas dinner going up in smoke, explodes, I told you to put it in the refrigerator.

Gesuava tries to make the best of it, say-ing, I put in bathtub, very hot, fix quick.That comment pushes Anne over the edge, she grabs the turkey out of Gsua-vas hands, raises it high over her head and slam dunks it on the concrete floor. Of course, the bird bounces all over the basement with Gesuava cringing and apologizing and Anne mouthing a string of epithets all concerned with Christmas being ruined because the turkey is frozen solid with both ducking and weaving trying to avoid the jumping bird.

Alls well that ends wellturns out the Jewel is having a fire sale on big turkeys, eight cents a pound. So after spending three bucks on a refrigerated and unfro-zen big bird, the Vanderwarkers Christ-mas dinner is back in business.

See you next time, enjoy your holidays and dont forget to honk if you see yellow.

partners bought him out, Tony finally had a chance to write full time. It only took him fifteen more years to finally get a book published. Who cares? Tony says, some writers hit paydirt fast, others take longer. Im just glad my time has come. visit www.tonyvanderwarker.com

18 KESWICK LIFE

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19 DECEMBER 2014

It has been said that the American Civil War was largely fought over the words ascribed to Thomas Jefferson ~ all men are created equal.

Today, as you turn out of his driveway at Monticello, youll travel 180 miles north along The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway to Get-tysburg, PA. Along the way, you pass the largest concentration of Civil War battlefields in the country, including the beginning of the War (Harpers Ferry and Manassas), the middle of the war (An-tietam and Gettysburg) and the end of the war, (Appomattox). Upon these and other battlefields 620,000 men who died.

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is commemorating the Ses-quicentennial of the American Civil War with a legacy project of national signifi-cance. It is a simple yet eloquent plan, to plant one tree for each of the 620,000 soldiers who died, as a living memorial for their individual and combined sacri-fices. The trees will create a 180 mile alle, from Monticello to Gettysburg, along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Na-tional Scenic Byway and serve to remind each traveler along the way of the enor-mity of the loss.

More, we will Geotag each tree to allow visitors to learn the name and the story of each young man for whom the tree is planted allowing photos, diary entries and letters home to be shared. We be-lieve this is the time to create and imple-ment a living legacy for those who gave the last full measure during our coun-trys most trying time, especially in light of the fact that 50% of these men died anonymously.

This project further lends itself to a na-tional service learning program as we work with students from around the country who are researching the fallen from their community, learning their sto-

ries and coming to dedicate trees in their honor.

So, now for a bit of background, around Christmas 1864, a small skirmish be-tween Union and Confederate forces oc-curred at Liberty Mills (Somerset). To commemorate the 150th anniversary of that engagement, 184 trees were recent-ly dedicated on some of the same land where that battle took place as part of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnerships Living Legacy Project. This project of national significance was

created to commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial by planting or dedicat-ing one tree for each of the 620,000 sol-diers who died, as a living memorial for their individual and combined sacrifices. Monte and Darby Gingery, owners of Somerset Plantation, planted a mixture of Red Maples, Red Buds, Serviceberry, and Virginia Red Cedars to honor the lives lost during one of Americas most defining moments. It was important to us as a family to honor the brave fallen men from both The Confederacy and The Union in this Civil War. We thought

what better way to pay homage to those brave souls in Orange County than with a living tree for them. We hope these trees encourage others to become in-volved in planting their own memorial trees along this route, said Monte Gin-gery, property owner and a board mem-ber with the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership.

Trees planted as part of the Living Leg-acy Project will eventually stretch along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway, a 180-mile swath of land that runs from Gettysburg, PA to Thomas Jeffersons Monticello in Char-lottesville, VA. Each tree is then geo-tagged and placed on an interactive on-line map created with the support of GIS software industry leader ESRI. In addi-tion, Ancestry.com links the Living Leg-acy Tree Project to their Fold 3 Memorial Pages and provide accesss to its websites so that participating JTHG classrooms can research soldiers stories.

Upon completion, the Living Legacy Project will be the first 180-mile land-scaped alle in the world and the only alle dedicated to honoring the most de-fining moment in American history. The project will create a unified color palette that reminds visitors that they are, in-deed, on hallowed ground. It was upon the battlefields within this region that many of the soldiers who fought, died during the American Civil War, one of our countrys most defining moments. A signature palette of seasonal trees and plantings, including redbuds, red oaks, red maple, and red cedar have been se-lected to represent the courage and valor of the individuals being honored with this project. The native selection is ap-propriate to the diverse landscapes along this historic corridor, and remains sensi-tive to the local ecology, scenic views, and development patterns.

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20 KESWICK LIFE

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We can all head into this Holiday Season being thankful that the Keswick region and the Southwest Mountains Rural His-toric District is one of the most highly protected rural areas in the Common-wealth of Virginia. Within the District there are over 16,000 acres of private land that have been permanently protected from development with conservation easements. The protection of this beauti-ful rural countryside we call home is pri-marily due to area residents who have a genuine appreciation for a rural lifestyle and a strong conservation ethic. In addi-tion, much of this success has been fu-eled by a favorable set of stable policies at both the state and federal level that encourage landowners to protect their land.

When Rex Linville, a land conservation officer for The Piedmont Environmen-tal Council, first started working in Al-bemarle County over 10 years ago there were approximately 30,000 acres protect-ed countywide. Today the County has about 90,000 acres of private land that is permanently protected. That dramatic land conservation progress is largely the result of a perfect storm of tax incen-tives at both the state and federal level, said Linville. These tax incentives are also supported by an underlying set of policies and a legal framework at the

state and federal level that allow private landowners the freedom to permanently protect rural land and natural resources with conservation easements.

Unfortunately, Linville is concerned that there may be growing threats to this sys-tem of land conservation in the coming years, I was recently a spectator at a meeting of the Virginia Outdoors Foun-dation board where I heard a number of

citizens calling for a complete disman-tling of our permanent land conservation program t