Keswick Life

Lifestyles in Keswick and its environs

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Bookworm: Reflecting on Great Summer Pool Reads

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Written by Suzanne Nash

I am sitting at the Infinity Pool at Keswick, enjoying the breeze after a successful Farm Tour and it is the perfect time for me to reflect on great pool reads for the summer.  When I am exhausted and don’t want to do anything else, reading is my relief and my renewal and I have great new list sure to tempt you into a lazy afternoon read.

Keswick Life | June 2016 | Bookworm | Done Growed UpMary Morony is back again with her latest installment in the Apron String’s trilogy. Done Growed Up once again follows the ups and downs of the Mackey family.  The characters you fell in love with in Apron Strings are back struggling to survive the turmoil of a family torn apart. Sallee watched her parent’s painful divorce and is coping with the aftermath, while her sister has headed to college in New York and her brother has become filled with anger and resentment. Ethel still remains the constant comforting presence in the lives of the Mackeys.  She tries to hold the family together even as Sallee’s parents are discovering that being single isn’t as easy as it looks.  This is a perfect Southern book to enjoy poolside with a cool lemonade.

Keswick Life | June 2016 | Bookworm | Beneath the Lion's GazeIf you are interested in International fiction touching on political history try Beneath the Lion’s Gaze by Maaza Mengiste.  This tale takes place in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in 1974 when political upheaval threatens Hailu’s family. Hailu is a doctor whose wife is dying and whose sons Yonas and Dawit are struggling to find their way in a hotbed of rebellion.  While his mother lays dying in the hospital Dawit feel compelled to join the rest of the students protesting the Emperor’s control over the country. Thousands are starving while the Emperor enjoys a lavish lifestyle so the students feel that replacing him with another leader is necessary.  Once the overthrow takes place, however, no one is prepared for the blood bath that ensues. This is a heart rending account of the dangers of rebellion, no matter how justified. Too often the power grab after the destabilization of a government is as bad as or worse than the evils prior.

Keswick Life | June 2016 | Bookworm | Man's Search for MeaningAnother book that deals with the horrors of war and the repercussions is a classic book that I think everyone should take the time to read…..Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.  The first part chronicles Frankl’s experiences in Auschwitz and then the second part of the book discusses the ideas he developed while interred. These ideas were about finding meaning for your life and his therapy based on this is search for meaning is called logo therapy.  Written in 1946, this book describes what the average prisoner experienced in Auschwitz and explains how finding purpose and meaning in life encouraged longevity among the prisoners. Imagining the outcome of hopes and dreams that support your purpose can affect how you live and survive.  This book will inspire you to look at your life and determine what you hold onto as your purpose and what provides meaning that can sustain you through tough times.

Keswick Life | June 2016 | Bookworm | Little Paris BookshopNina George’s masterpiece, The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel will completely delight you if you dream of owning a bookshop.  I can absolutely imagine living on Monsieur Jeanne Perdu’s barge called Lulu, moored on the Seine in the heart of Paris. Perdue dispenses wisdom and books to relieve the soul ache of his customers but he is unable to diagnose or cure his own broken heart. This is a beautiful gem of a book filled with vivid imagery and wonderful literary references that will charm book lovers everywhere. So take an armchair journey to Paris and float through the canals to Province without ever having to leave home!

I hope you enjoy the beginning of summer and take time to get a stack of books to take with you as you lounge in the sun or start out on your summer holidays.  For me, nothing says summer more than a pile of books in my beach bag!

Bookworm: Reads for Cool Spring Mornings Spent In Bed with a Cup of Tea

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Written by Suzanne Nash

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Bookworm | The FireDespite the plunge back into chilly temperatures we have recently experienced, summer is quickly approaching and this month I have prepared a grand list of summer reads for your perusal.

If you like a good thriller, Katherine Neville’s The Fire is a wonderful smart follow up to her earlier The Eight.  Both of these novels are similar to Dan Brown’s De Vinci Code.  The Fire is filled with secret symbols and loads of history spanning from the ancient Arabic word to modern DC all linked together through the game of chess and alchemy.

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Bookworm | The Butterfly GardenIf you are more inclined to thrillers in vein of Silence of the Lambs, try The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson.  This scary thriller begins with the interrogation of a young woman who has survived a terrible ordeal.  Held in the “butterfly garden” by a villain known only as “the gardener” she along with other young women must endure being kidnapped and transformed by their captor. The authorities must decide whether she is actually involved in the running of the garden or just another of its victims.  It is a creepy poolside read sure to send chills down your back, especially once you discover the reason it is called The Butterfly Garden.

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Bookworm | Land of the Long White CloudA softer and gentler mystery, Wicked Autumn is a fun tongue in cheek mystery that will surely lead to chuckles, especially if you are a fan of English humor. Author G.M Malliet spins a lively tale that is one in a series of stories about Nether Monkslip.  Max is a vicar who was formerly MI-5 and now finds himself embroiled in the death of a thoroughly unlikable woman who tried to rule his Parish with an iron hand. Nether Monkslip is an idyllic little English village and thus the perfect backdrop for a cozy little mystery.  This charming read will hold you over until Grantchester returns for another season on PBS!

Another light read, similar to the Thornbirds saga of old, In The Land of the Long White Cloud by Sarah Lark is a romance and drama that follows two young women who decide to leave behind their homes to pursue a new life in New Zealand in the 19th century. Helen Davenport is a London governess who seeks a chance for marriage and a family and finds herself married to a surly sheep farmer far from anything resembling culture and grace. Gwyneira Silkham comes from a prominent Welsh family but finds herself promised to the son of a sheep baron due to her father’s gambling debts.  Rather than seeing this situation as a terrible fate, Gwyn looks forward to leaving her family home in Wales and seeking adventure. When neither of their husbands is quite what they expected these two women must face the future head on and find the strength to live in this harsh new world.

Wreckage, by Emily Bleeker, is part romance and part thriller. When Lillian Linden and Dave Hall find themselves the survivors of a plane crash on a deserted island in the South Pacific they have to figure out a way to keep going and hold on to hope as their families desperately search for them. Once they are found two years later they can’t tell anyone the real story of their time on the island. Genevieve Randall is the journalist who insists that they are not being honest about their ordeal.  She begins to dig into the story and both Lillian and Dave must survive yet another traumatic experience as they protect their lives and families from the truth that threatens to destroy them. This novel has a lot of plot twists and surprises for the reader so a great beach read!

While everyone enjoys light reading in the summer some prefer some meatier reading and I have just the two books to satisfy a heartier appetite.

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Bookworm | EuphoriaEuphoria is an amazing tale constructed around the true story of Margaret Mead. Intellectual and erotic this story mirror Mead’s own experiences as she studied with her husband in New Guinea.  Nell Stone has gone to this country with her husband Fen to study the tribes there.  The book opens with them disheartened and fleeing a very viscous tribe.  They head back toward civilization and meet up with Andrew Bankson, an English anthropologist.  This is a wonderful steamy intellectual foray into the depth of New Guinea and it will tempt you into learning more about the true story of Margaret Mead. There is a threat of violence which hangs over the whole story and it keeps you on the edge of your seat….yet intellectually it is very full and challenging. It is no surprise that is won awards.

I absolutely love Wallace Stegner and if you have never read any of his works then you should go out and buy both Crossing to Safety and Angle of Repose. Both of these novels are worth reading any time of the year.  Stegner’s writing is incomparable.  His descriptions of landscapes and his multi layered characters will hold on to you long after you close the book.  It is no small surprise that this is the gentleman who founded the creative writing program at Stanford. His talent is unequivocal and far reaching.  He wrote poetry, biographies and novels and is considered one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. I thought I would give a brief overview of Crossing to Safety as this is the last novel he wrote prior to his death in 1993. Published in 1987 this is a beautifully crafted story of friendship, time and loss. If follows the friendship of two married couples and they negotiate the academic life and find their support in each other.  It is not an easy journey.  Charity and Sid Lang come from moneyed families while Sally and Larry Morgan struggled to make their way through school. They find each other in the complex world of academic life and both couples are drawn to each other.  The Langs have a vacation compound in Vermont where they summer.  This is the where the families share a summer together and then return to, years later, to deal with saying goodbye to one of their group. Stegner claimed that this was a bit autobiographical and we can see his alter ego in Larry.  Larry’s ambition is only matched by Charity’s and the conflict and resentments that develop through the years causes friction between the couples and fray the marriages, but it a beautiful look at what makes a friendship and why it lasts, despite disagreements and misfortune.

So now you have a full list of books to suit every taste and I hope you grab a stack and look forward to the long summer days that are soon to come!

Only In Keswick: On Sugar Pops

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Written by Tony Vanderwarker

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Only In Keswick | On Sugar PopsI have no idea where it came from but all of a sudden, while walking down the cereal aisle in the Giant, I had this impulse to buy a box of Sugar Pops.

“What? Are you crazy?” my wife said when I put the Pops in the cart. “You’re not eleven anymore, why in the world would you want to eat sugared cereal?”

I didn’t have a ready answer to her question so I just shrugged. Maybe it was a Proustian thing and Sugar Corn Pops were my answer to madeleines? Just as the taste of a madeleine made by his aunt took Marcel Proust, the French novelist, back to his early years. Was this a belated attempt to return to my youth?

As Annie started to return the box to the shelf, I grabbed it and said, “These are my madeleines.”

“Your what?”

“You know, Proust, he went for madeleines and they took him back to his childhood,” I said, taking the box out of her hands.

“C’mon, you’re no Marcel Proust and these are no madeleines, these are little sugared pebbles kids eat.”

I turned my back to her so she couldn’t get the box and that was when she realized people were staring at us. Two adults fighting over a box of Sugar Pops in the supermarket while talking about madeleines and Marcel Proust.

Seeing her drop her guard, I slipped the box into our open bag.

“You can’t let anyone see you doing this,” she huffed, stuffing the box down into the bottom.

The next morning, I went for the Sugar Pops and poured myself a bowl. Getting the milk out of the fridge, I saw a box of blueberries. Hmm, that might be tasty, I thought, shaking some berries on top of the Pops. I set the box on the counter and admired the front. I noticed “Sugar” was gone from the name but the box was as campy as ever. Big POPS in cherry red letters against a sunny yellow background, outlines around the letters so they seemed to shake and a big bowl of Pops below with waves of milk lapping over them. Andy Warhol would have been proud.

“So, Mr. Proust, we feeling eleven again?” my wife sneered as she came in and saw me chowing down.

“Not yet, just passing into thirteen, but by the time I’ve finished, maybe I’ll make it there.”

“I can’t believe you’re eating this,” she said, picking up the box and thumping it down on the counter. “Nine grams of sugar—this is crap.”

“With blueberries, its actually pretty tasty,” I said.

Now I’d gathered information in defense of my breakfast choice, so reading off my iPad, I said, “Listen to this–as Proust wrote, ‘No sooner had the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent on the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me—this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence.’”

“Precious essence—my ass, you’re getting a damn sugar rush from eating junk food.”

“Actually I did get a vision of the kitchen of our house where I grew up.”

“Right, and if you’re having visions I think you should see someone,” she said, with just the slightest tone of contempt.

Annie has given up now that I’m on my fourth box and am a regular Sugar Pops abuser. But just to minimize marital disruption, I stalk the cereal aisle by myself now, keep the box behind my back and quickly sneak it into the bag when she’s not looking. We do the auto checkout so she doesn’t notice the box until we get home and its too late. As she says, “As long as no one sees you, I guess it’s alright.”

And if you see Annie on the street, do me a favor and don’t tell her you know Tony eats Sugar Corn Pops. Things will be far better off that way.

Life Happens: Blackberry Winter and Other Musings

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Written by Mary Morony

Having slogged through a particularly long Blackberry Winter—for those of you unfamiliar with the term—you may have noticed that almost every year, ‘round the first of May, we get a cold snap usually accompanied by rain. The old folks, of whom I now consider myself among, refer to it as Blackberry Winter. It happens to coincide with the time blackberries bloom.  Another thing you might have noticed living in Keswick is that the start of the horse show almost always necessitates a jacket, if not a coat. By the time the show is in full swing, the sun has burned through the cloud cover and full-on summer heralds the show’s climax! That’s how we bid Blackberry Winter adieu ‘round these parts.

Where was I? Slogging through an unusually long Blackberry Winter-it started the third week of April- as I write, it continues still. But fear not, the Show starts today!

Yesterday. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for having the great blessing of being invited to Dolly Madison’s Birthday party and the celebration of Hugh Motley’s life. For a soul that rarely leaves the manse, two events in one day is heady indeed.

Montpelier looked perfectly splendid in the gray mist and soft rain. The green fields and woods surrounding the estate were so verdantly lush and the light complimentary to all of the lunching ladies, so much so that missing the magnificent view seemed hardly a price. The fascinating Kat Imhoff has done an outstanding job in her capacity as the first lady of Montpelier. She graciously greeted the guests on the front portico, replete with fascinator in true Dolly fashion.

Cokey Roberts regaled all in attendance with Dolly’s darling and daring dos. Dolly Madison, it seems was an accomplished politico in her own right. No mere Quaker bumpkin she, as FLOTUS, she skillfully navigated in and around the political intrigue of the times, outmaneuvering many in the process. Bipartisanship has hardly changed in the two hundred plus years since Madam Madison’s time, reaffirming my belief that it really is the same circus, just different monkeys.  At least, some improvements have occurred, according to Ms. Roberts.  Political opponents made a regular practice of dueling in Ms. Madison’s day. I’m not sure I concur with Cokey that the dearth of shooting your opponent is an improvement in our political arena, despite my promise not to criticize.  You can only do what you can do, but I digress.

The talk proved not only entertaining, but quite enlightening. Dolly Madison is a woman worth emulating, not just a charming hostess. When life gave her lemons, she made lemonade the national drink, my kind of girl.

To top the day off, I had the profound pleasure of attending the celebration of Hugh Motley’s life. When it comes to throwing a party, Dolly ain’t got nothing on Winkie and Shelia. They know how to celebrate! Walking out of the mist into the tent was like putting on a well-loved sweater. There were friends there I hadn’t seen in years. It was wonderful to be reminded that I have friends.

Despite Hugh’s physical absence, he was very much present in spirit. Tony Gammel walked the hounds by in a touching tribute to their former master. As Jessica Motley, Hugh’s sister-in-law, captured the canine crew on her iPhone; she remarked that she was documenting this to prove the validity of it to her dog training friends back in Colorado. Her words brought home to me how much of a privilege it is to be living in the magical world of Keswick. The countryside is beautiful beyond description, particularly in the spring.  Life here is lived and celebrated in a myriad of picturesque, unique, and charming ways. We are truly blessed.

A slide-show of pictures of Hugh and family brought back fond memories of days-gone-by. Mary Kalergis, Hugh’s sister, must have a portrait moldering away somewhere in her attic. She looked as if she had leaped from the slide-show, not a second older. When she took the stage to read an interview about his experiences fox hunting she had had with Hugh some years before, there was hardly a dry eye in the tent.

I had chats about all sorts of unusual things. Some clearly stressed the passage of time. Did you know that nasal congestion is one of the side effects of the little blue pills? Apparently so much so that the congestion makes the ultimate end product nearly impossible. It would be hard to enjoy passion when you are unable to draw breath.  Some things don’t change. We’re still talking about drugs.

Blessing Offor, Shelia’s friend, Nashville resident, and a 2014 contestant on The Voice provided the music. Could you ask for a more perfect name to perform at a life celebration? The whole event from tent to hounds was a blessing topped off for me by my old buddy Tony Gammel. When I went out to greet him he said, “What are doing here? I thought you were dead. I was sure I went to your funeral.”  Good to know somebody went.

What’s Cooking: Summer Gathering Favorites

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Selected from The Keswick Garden Club Cookbook

Crabmeat Appetizer

2T Worcestershire sauce

1T lemon juice

2T mayonnaise

1tsp chopped onion

Dash of garlic salt

1/2 bottle of Heinz chili sauce (cocktail sauce)

7oz crab

chopped parsley

Blend together the cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mayonnaise, chopped onion and garlic salt, spread on plate.

Pour 1/2 bottle cocktail sauce over cheese mixture. Sprinkle crab on top. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top. Chill and serve. Recipe courtesy of Norma Ballheim.

Brown Sugar Pie

Keswick Life | May 2016 | What's Cooking | Brown Sugar Pie1 c. Brown sugar

1/2 c. White sugar

1 tsp. Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 tsp. Milk

1/2 c. Melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 (9-inch) pie crust, unbaked

Damson preserves

Beat together all ingredients except Damson preserves. Pour into an unbaked crust. Dot with small amount of preserves for each slice.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until set. Recipe doubles easily. Very rich. Small slices are best. Recipe courtesy of Anne Coles.

Cover Story: Beyond the Gates

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Historic Grace Church Celebrates Seventh Annual “beyond the gates” Farm Tour and Country Fair, Saturday June 11, 2016 What’s better than a day in the country exploring some of Virginia’s fabulous historic farms? On Saturday, June 11, 2016, visitors are invited “beyond the gates” here they may view the lands and agrarian lifestyles known to some of the nation’s founders and legendary Virginia citizens, from as far back as the 1700s. Grace Church’s Seventh Annual Historic Farm Tour and Country Fair draws hundreds of visitors to its church grounds. Transformed this day to an earlier era, the fair features local artisans, merchants, musicians, and food vendors, offering handmade items, crafts, wares and refreshments. Attracting visitors near and far, the tour includes outdoor properties along and nearby State Routes 22 and 23l, in Albemarle County. Route 231 is, in itself, a tourist attraction–a dedicated National Scenic Highway that parallels the eastern ridge of the Southwest Mountains.

Grace Church’s Farm Tour originated in 2010 to benefit the local community. Since then, the event has generated more than $250,000 in donations to local charities, including the church’s food closet, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, and several others. For those who attend, it is a magical day listening to music, visiting farm grounds, petting animals, viewing demonstrations, and selecting souvenirs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the Country Fair and Antiques at Airslie staying open til 5 p.m.

Advance Tickets are available at www.gracefarmtour.org and at select remote locations – Fink’s (Charlottesville & Richmond), Wild Birds Unlimited (Shoppers World Charlottesville), In Vino Veritas (Keswick), The Laurie Holladay Shop (Gordonsville), Caspari, Inc. (Downtown Mall), and Jefferson Pharmacy (Lake Monticello).

“The Grace Farm Tour represents everything wonderful about living in a community that cares and gives back,” says Stevia Anda, co-chair for the event. Anne Young, co-chair also extends a warm invitation to the public: “Join us for a truly special day surrounded by the natural beauty and history of Keswick along with caring neighbors and friends.”

Vendors include: Abbey Noelle Animal portraits Chickie Dickie Jewelry Statement jewelry Charlottesville Camera Club Photo exhibit Dancing Chick Jam Delectable Hills Farm Goat milk soaps, woven rugs & linens Ellen Taylor Purses, blankets, children’s, spices, salad dressing Equine & Wine Design Wine & horse jewelry Formo Leather Co. Leather goods Forrest Green Farm Organic herbs, plants, poultry Fred Williamson Wood bowls Harry Miller Charlottesville notecards It Works Products Healthcare products Jayne Cox Book-“Thomas Jefferson, from Boy to Man” Karen Wright Custom coin jewelry (new vendor) Lux Aromatica Candles, soaps, skincare, textiles Mary Kay Charitable Foundation & Cosmetics Mary Mayo Designs Original Gemstone & Pearl Jewelry Michael Turk Turkish towels & cottons Mud Chicks Pottery Pettigrew Woodworks Handcrafted wood accessories Phineas Rose Jewelry Handmade Silver Jewelry Phineas Rose Wood Handcrafted wood furniture Posh Ladies accessories & custom clothing 3 Sharon Kinchloe Oil Paintings & botanicals Southern States Garden supplies The Woodsman’s Design Woodworking designs Wunderbars 100% Natural Body Balms Piedmont Master Gardeners Volunteer table

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | Grace Episcopal ChurchHistoric Grace Episcopal Church stands at the site of one of six colonial churches in Virginia that still have active congregations. Foundation stones of the original church, constructed of wood and completed in 1748, are visible today under spreading oak trees in front of the present structure. A mountain chapel had previously existed on the premises, having been built by the earliest settlers in the area, probably in the 1730s. From 1767 to 1770, Thomas Jefferson served as a member of the Vestry of Fredericksville Parish, which included the original church and two others in Albemarle and Louisa Counties. The present church edifice was completed in 1855 at a cost of $20,000. A fire in 1895 left only the tower and four walls standing, which were incorporated into the present structure when the church was rebuilt.

A 1,575-pound bell was salvaged from the ashes and is still in use. The first annual Blessing of the Hounds service was held at the church in 1929. Each Thanksgiving Day, this colorful ceremony brings together foxhunters and their horses and hounds in the church yard for prayers and thanksgiving. The Parish House was constructed in 1933 and expanded in 1971 and 2002. Today Grace Church has over 200 members and provides personal and financial support for numerous charitable missions, including the church’s food closet, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, the Cameroon Water project, and many others.

LINDEN LANE FARM

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | Linden Lane FarmEstablished in the 1930s, derives its name from the linden trees lining both sides of the lane that runs through the farm. There are indications that the “lane” may have been first used by Monacan Indians prior to the arrival of the first European settlers. Thelinden trees were imported from Europe and planted along the lane in the 1930s.

Today the farm is home to Bert Page and Elizabeth Lewis Page. A member of the U.S. Equestrian Dressage Team, Elizabeth represented the United States in international competitions throughout the U.S. and Europe, including the 1974 World Dressage Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was also selected as the alternate team member for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Over the years, the farm was developed into an international enterprise, actively involved in the breeding, training and sale of dressage horses domestically and internationally. Dressage demonstrations will be presented by Elizabeth and her horse, “Da Vinci,” at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm.

MONTANOVA STABLES

Foundation’s facility is located on 50 acres at Belvoir Farm. The farm features 45 acres of paddocks, access to trails, a sand riding ring with an adjacent “jumping field,” and a beautiful 16-stall barn. Montanova Stables has been teaching horseback riding to children and adults in the Keswick area since 1996. The Foundation is one of the many organizations that have received financial support from Farm Tour proceeds.

The Foundation’s after-school program and week-long summer camps benefit children from a variety of backgrounds, helping them to develop valuable life skills such as patience, trust, responsibility, and a strong work ethic. Students gain a valuable sense of accomplishment and increased self-confidence as they learn to ride and care for horses. Montanova Stables Foundation partners with local schools and family support staff to identify children who can benefit from its horsemanship and mentoring program.

KESWICK HUNT CLUB

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | Keswick Hunt ClubFounded in 1896. Foxhunting has been an important part of this community since 1742, when foxhounds were brought to the area by Dr. Thomas Walker of Castle Hill, who also helped found the city of Charlottesville. The Keswick Hunt Club clubhouse was built in 1898. The hunt club has hosted at least one annual horse show since 1904. Initially, the lower ring’s proximity to the railroad tracks was a convenience for spectators who travelled to the event from Charlottesville by train. The upper ring was built in 1957.

The kennels are home to approximately 70 American Foxhounds who lead mounted club members on chases in designated territory in four counties. The three-dayper-week hunting season stretches from late summer to early spring. The huntsman spends the rest of the year as well as non-hunting days during the season training the pack. A select group of the Keswick Hunt Club’s American Foxhounds are looking forward to entertaining visitors at 10:30 am and again at 1 pm on Farm Tour day!

MERIFIELDS

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | MerifieldsA 556-acre estate that includes land from a separate farm that was formerly known as Holly Fork. Jaffray and Merrill Woodriff acquired Merifields in 2008. The original main house dates from the late 1800s or early 1900s. A white cottage, a corn crib and silos were constructed in the mid-1900s. A guest house was built in 1996, a stable was added in 2000, and a new main residence was constructed in 2002. The latter two structures were built by R.E. Lee & Son, Inc. and were designed by Stewart Humiston and architect Boris Baranovich.

One of the estate’s most prominent former residentswas Ebenezer Boyden. In 1849 he purchased a home site there and named his residence Hopedale. Boyden served as rector of Grace Church from 1839 to 1879. During the Farm Tour, Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV) will present demonstrations at Merifields at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. SDV helps disabled persons to gain independence, security and peace of mind. Dogs are trained in three areas: physical assistance for wheelchair users, service dogs for children with autism, and diabetic alert dogs.

LIMESTONE

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | LimestoneA 465-acre tract, derives its name from the discovery on the property of a portion of the largest vein of limestone east of the Mississippi. Thomas Jefferson owned four acres of Limestone in the 1760s, where he established a kiln and a slacking pit. With the lime, sand, and water, he produced the mortar that was used to build Monticello and the University of Virginia.

James Monroe purchased the land in 1800, practicing law there in a wood frame structure that dates to 1794. Later, the property was owned by George Blatterman, who was hired by Thomas Jefferson as the first professor of languages at the University of Virginia. Between two early 18th century structures, Blatterman added the Neoclassical Revival style center portion of the residence that exists today.

Limestone’s current owners purchased the property in 1992 and have placed it under a conservation easement. Limestone is on the list of Virginia Historic Landmarks and the National Register of Historic Places. During the Farm Tour, the first floor of Monroe’s law office will be open to visitors.

KINLOCH

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | KinlochThis farm once belonged to a larger holding called Belvoir that was part of the Nicholas Meriwether Crown Grant of 1730. The first house on the property was built in 1764 as the farm manager’s house. In 1765, the farm was purchased by Col. John Walker, former aide to George Washington and friend and legal guardian of Thomas Jefferson. When Belvoir passed to Walker’s granddaughter, Eliza Kinloch Walker Nelson, whose husband, Hugh, was a Congressman (1811-1823), the house was named after Eliza’s Scottish ancestor, Francis Kinloch of Charleston.

Over the next 150 years, Kinloch grew to include four tenant houses, a barn, garage and a lakeside log cabin. A major overhaul of the house by the Masseys in the 1930s brought Kinloch into the 20th century, including the addition of a library and extensive gardens. Under the Massey ownership, Kinloch continued to be a center of social activity and their friend, William Faulkner, stayed in one of Kinloch’s cottages while he wrote The Mansion. Join us for Jumping/Hunt Team Demos 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.

AIRSLIE FARM

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | Airslie FarmThe main residence was built by descendants of the Meriwether family around the turn of the 20th century, but was completely renovated in the 1990s. Designed by Charlottesville architect Robert L. Paxton, the renovations provide an elegant atmosphere, integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, and an abundance of natural light. The classical massing of the entry elevation includes a bluestone portico with Doric columns.

The central block is highlighted with Quioned corners and a Chippendale widows walk atop the slate roof. The two-story entrance hall is finished with marble flooring, raised panel wood and Zuber wallpaper. Flanking the hall are spacious living and dining rooms with antique heart pine flooring and raised panel wood wainscoting. A study with fireplace and 12-inch wide antique heart pine flooring also adjoins the living room. Each room in the residence includes a fireplace with marble surround, triplehung windows, and French doors, which access covered terraces or landscaped courtyards. The barns and cottages in the back of the 507-acre property still reflect the architectural style of an earlier time. The first floor will be open to host to a special antiques dealer show (open 9am – 5pm).

OLD KESWICK

Keswick Life | May 2016 | Cover Story: Beyond the Gates | Old KeswickPart of a tract that was given by Thomas Walker to his daughter, Jane Frances Walker, who married Dr. Mann Page. The estate’s residence was built in stages, beginning with a log house in 1736. Originally called Keswick, the farm remained in the Page family until 1952, when it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth Augustus. Keswick Stables was formed at Old Keswick as a major Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation. Over the years Keswick Stables has sold many notable horses, including Sabin, Simply Majestic, Alwuhush, Eishin Guyman, Johnny D, Raise a Native, Natalma, and the 2015 Eclipse Award winning three-year-old filly Stellar Wind. Today Old Keswick is the home of eight foster horses from the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which will have horses available for adoption at Old Keswick’s yearling barn. Also at the yearling barn, The Wildlife Center of Virginia will display rescued birds and animals.

Cover Story: Showtime!

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Come out and enjoy the competition at the historic showgrounds in Keswick and remember the Keswick Horse Show Foodstand will be serving their fabulous food- breakfast, lunch and dinner!

horse show grounds (1)The 112th annual Keswick Horse Show will again be held at the historic Keswick showgrounds from Tuesday, May 17th through Sunday, May 22nd.This year’s show is brought to you by the Keswick Hunter Jumper Foundation.

Keswick has maintained its excellence as a AA rated World Champion Hunter Rider Event and in 2014 was honored by the USEF as a designated Heritage competition. The designation of a USEF Heritage competition is reserved for competitions that have been in existence for a quarter century or more, promoted and grown equestrian sport and made contributions to the community outside the gates of the horse show by achieving, maintaining and promoting the equestrian ideals of sportsmanship and competition. These shows have become a part of the fabric of the American showing scene. With their endurance, dedication to philanthropic efforts and impact on their communities, they are perfect examples of what they look for when designating Heritage Competition.

Douglas Wheeler and Meredith McLaughlin are again co-chairman of the show assisted by numerous committees of Keswick volunteers. The Keswick Horse Show has always been known for its entertainment and this year again as always the committee has created a wonderful schedule of events.

On Wednesday evening grab your dog , practice your tricks and get your best costumes ready for the 28th annual Eastminster Dog Show For over 25 years, CO-chairs Peggy Augustus and Ginny Semmes have continued to host this wonderful family event. The SPCA is so grateful for supporters like Ginny and Peggy not only because the show has evolved into a Charlottesville tradition but it is a fun time for everyone.

Dogs and their families are invited to compete in fun-filled classes of competition, including Best Costume, Best Trick, Best Family, Musical Chairs, Best Rescue, Beginner Obstacle Course and Best in Show. Registration for the family friendly event begins at 5:00 pm with the show starting at 6:00 pm. Of course spectators are welcome. Admission and entry is free but donations to the SPCA are encouraged.

The weekend starts with the USHJA National Hunter Derby followed by dinner under the tent  on Friday night. Saturday is always a special gathering for the entire community featuring the $20,000 UVA Children’s Hospital Jumper Classic. It is a beautiful evening that has become a tradition in Keswick. Sunday’s Down Home Fish Fry on the porch is a relaxing conclusion to a wonderful week. The horse show features classes for Hunters and Jumpers Wednesday through Sunday beginning at 8 am with classes on Friday and Saturday evenings.

What’s Cooking: Sam’s Salmon

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By Sam Johnson

InstructionsKeswick Life | What's Cooking | Sam's Salmon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange Salmon in pan. Pour a little white wine over salmon not enough to poach just enough to keep salmon moist. Season with lemon pepper, a pinch of salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 for 15 min check salmon may need additional cook time depending upon thickness. Pull Salmon from oven allow to rest.

Serve to a kitchen full of friends by topping the salmon with a Spinach Goat Cheese Sundried Tomato Salad.

Spinach Goat Cheese Sundried Tomato Salad

Place raw spinach in bowl with sundried tomatoes, make the dressing by combining:

1 Cup of Olive oil

1/3 Cup of Lemon Juice

4 Cloves of Garlic

1 TBS of Dijon Mustard

1/4 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

3 TBS Honey

Salt & Pepper to Taste

Dress salad with dressing then arrange down middle of the salmon. Sprinkle top of the salad with goat cheese and serve.

Bookworm: Reads for Cool Spring Mornings Spent In Bed with a Cup of Tea

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By Suzanne Nash

Keswick Life | Bookworm | On Agate HillMornings are still a bit cool so it is the perfect time to curl up in bed on my days off with a cup of tea and a few good books to start the day.

Lee Smith’s On Agate Hill is a great book to start the day and ease into the hot summer days which will quickly descend upon us. Southern literature is one of my favorite genres and Lee Smith is a master of a good Southern tale. Molly Petree, Lee’s protagonist, is a curious, funny and independent character who provides a moving glimpse into the post-Civil War South. Struggling with poverty, depression and defeat, the South had many young girls who, like Molly, were orphaned and sent to live with distant relatives.  Those relatives were often in shock after their defeat and found life after the war difficult. Once prosperous and confident families were left in tatters and that is fully realized in Molly’s relationship with the “ghosts” residing on Agate Hill. These families are constantly haunted by the life and people that are now lost to them. Molly feels so connected to these ghosts and doesn’t want to abandon them when she is sent away from Agate Hill. Molly could have lost every opportunity for a better life if she hadn’t had the patronage of Simon Black, a brooding and mysterious presence that rescues Molly and gives her the much needed opportunity for an education and eventually leads her to a teaching position in the mountains of North Carolina. The setting for the novel feels very familiar, traveling though both North Carolina and Virginia you will recognize the towns and historical places.  It has a wonderful juxtaposition of letters, diary entries and testimonies and even throws in a murder mystery to tantalize the reader. It is a stirring look at the reconstructed South and Smith does a marvelous job conveying the air of defeat, decay and impending crumbling ruin that overtook many of the old Southern plantations and families. I have always enjoyed Lee Smith’s writing and this is just one more example of why she continues to draw me into her stories.

Keswick Life | Bookworm | The NightingaleIf you are in the mood for yet another World War II novel, you can’t go wrong with the latest best-seller, The Nightingale by Kirsten Hannah. I have been listening to this as a book on tape at every available opportunity…while cooking, cleaning and driving.  All of us deal with stress and danger in different ways and this novel tells the story of two sisters who must discover their own paths to overcome adversity and survive. Set against the backdrop of a France which is reeling from the Nazi’s occupation, this family has to find a way to persevere.  Viann is the dependable older sister who adores her husband, Antoine, and daughter, Sophia.  When Antoine is captured and imprisoned, Viann faces loneliness and despair coupled with the frustration of having her home requisitioned as quarters for an enemy soldier. Meanwhile her sister, Isabelle, is eighteen and full of anger and rebellion.  Isabelle’s passion and determination lead her down a different path from her sister and places her in a dangerous position within the French resistance.  This is the story of two women’s war against occupation and dominance. Beautifully written, it captures the resilience of the human spirit. All of the full details indicate a remarkable amount of research but beyond the details there is brilliant storytelling at work here.

Next time we will explore the beach reads and get ready for a summer full of hot days and poolside adventures!

Keswick Life | Bookworm | Most Blessed of the PatriarchsA groundbreaking work of history that explicates Thomas Jefferson’s vision of himself, the American Revolution, Christianity, slavery, and race.

Thomas Jefferson is often portrayed as a hopelessly enigmatic figure—a riddle—a man so riven with contradictions that he is almost impossible to know. Lauded as the most articulate voice of American freedom and equality, even as he held people—including his own family—in bondage, Jefferson is variably described as a hypocrite, an atheist, or a simple-minded proponent of limited government who expected all Americans to be farmers forever.

Now, Annette Gordon-Reed teams up with America’s leading Jefferson scholar, Peter S. Onuf, to present an absorbing and revealing character study that dispels the many clichés that have accrued over the years about our third president. Challenging the widely prevalent belief that Jefferson remains so opaque as to be unknowable, the authors—through their careful analysis, painstaking research, and vivid prose—create a portrait of Jefferson, as he might have painted himself, one “comprised of equal parts sun and shadow” (Jane Kamensky).

Tracing Jefferson’s philosophical development from youth to old age, the authors explore what they call the “empire” of Jefferson’s imagination—an expansive state of mind born of his origins in a slave society, his intellectual influences, and the vaulting ambition that propelled him into public life as a modern avatar of the Enlightenment who, at the same time, likened himself to a figure of old—”the most blessed of the patriarchs.” Indeed, Jefferson saw himself as a “patriarch,” not just to his country and mountain-like home at Monticello but also to his family, the white half that he loved so publicly, as well as to the black side that he claimed to love, a contradiction of extraordinary historical magnitude.

Divided into three sections, “Most Blessed of the Patriarchs” reveals a striking personal dimension to his life. Part I, “Patriarch,” explores Jeffersons’s origins in Virgina; Part II, ” ‘Traveller,’ ” covers his five-year sojourn to Paris; and Part III, “Enthusiast,” delves insightfully into the Virginian’s views on Christianity, slavery, and race. We see not just his ideas and vision of America but come to know him in an almost familial way, such as through the importance of music in his life.

“Most Blessed of the Patriarchs” fundamentally challenges much of what we’ve come to accept about Jefferson, neither hypocrite nor saint, atheist nor fundamentalist. Gordon-Reed and Onuf, through a close reading of Jefferson’s own words, reintroduce us all to our most influential founding father: a man more gifted than most, but complicated in just the ways we all are.

Life Happens: The Good Old Days

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By Mary Morony

Recently prompted by so much rhetorical comment on social media and those emails, you know the kind, I decided to take a stroll down memory lane to the good old days. When were they exactly? You know those halcyon days when the living was easy, and yer mamma was good lookin’? Oh, she wasn’t, pity, but yo’ daddy was rich, right? No, hmm, but the good old U.S. of A. was the best country in the world, free and right and …No? Come on. It had to be.

What do you mean? J. Edgar Hoover was a cross-dressing tyrant that abused his power at the FBI so much so that if he attempted his stunts today he would be serving time? Or perhaps back in the day you leaned a little too much to the left and felt the need to share in film or what have you; you might be brought up before the House Un-American Activities Committee and have to explain it all to Mr. McCarthy.

Oh, let’s not forget all that separate but equal equality for the blacks. Back in the good ole days, it was true that if you got caught driving drunk, the friendly policeman might just turn a blind eye. That was if you knew the right people, lived in the right neighborhood or didn’t kill a white person. I don’t suppose I need to go into the two sets of water fountains, bathrooms, restaurants and entrances do I?  Equal? Right? Good?

We had fall shelters in the glory days. I remember a few cropping up in our neighborhood. A couple, with such disdain for one another that they drank themselves to oblivion every night, built one. The joke was; did they put an addition on the shelter for the booze? I remember spending the night with their hapless daughter and praying that night would not be the night that we would have to lock our selves away. I was clear, I would rather take my chances with nuclear fallout.

The tyrant Nikita Khrushchev populated more than just my nightmares with his buffoonery by taking off his shoe and banging away on a desk at the U.N. What an iconic case of hey, pot I’m kettle and you are black. Who could forget the arms and space races? Why couldn’t winning those races make the world safe? I wondered since it was a forgone conclusion that WE would win until the Ruskies launched a Sputnik (not to be confused with Spudnuts) before we did.

Yikes, maybe you couldn’t believe everything you heard in civics class. Do they still teach civics? Let’s not forget all the fun we all had sitting by the TV as the world held their collective breath as Kennedy and Khrushchev went eyeball to eyeball in the Cuban Missile debacle. Seemingly overnight, in an attempt to make us feel like we were out of harms way, yellow and black ‘shelter’ symbols appeared brought to you by the Department of Civil Defense. The signs—a black circle on a yellow background inside the circle were three yellow triangles pointing down with a capacity amount. Beneath the sign was another designating a public fallout shelter with a directional arrow pointing the way to wait for it—stairwells? Rest assured there was 75¢ well spent, I know, I felt safer.

What a wonderful world, back in the days when friends shook hands and said how do you do. By by the way, did you know that the world was so wonderful back then–spoiler alert–according to the creators of What a Wonderful World, producer Bob Thiele and songwriter George David Weiss, hoped that Louis Armstrong’s grandfatherly image would help convey the song’s political message? Released in 1968 amidst curfews, race riots and the a fear of a second civil war which included attacks on Jewish shops not to mention an unpopular war in Viet Nam and the riots that broke out on college campuses all across the nation.

The good old days sounds more like the same circus with different monkeys. In some ways this makes me feel a little better. This foolishness that is passing itself off as politics as usual is just that! The only difference is we get the news of it faster with less filters.

Sure, there were lots of things good about those old days. Sipping lemonade on a hot day with nothing to do, because it was still okay back then to do nothing sometimes. Ice skating on frozen ponds in the winter, catching fireflies on a summer’s night, and riding your bicycle with cards clothes-pinned to spokes everyone a good old day kind of activity. All of these we can still do, but we don’t seem to make time for them like we used to. Back when we were kids. My suspicion is that the good old days is more about the joy and wonder of childhood. Those fond memories were based on the parts between the “important” stuff that makes up the headlines.

Something to think about; the good old days are happening right now for our kids. These are their good old days. Help make them great, why don’t you?