11/5/09 Best Halloween Ever

I think I just had the best Halloween ever. We were home and in bed by 11- the kids were fine, safe, and full of chocolate. We all laughed tonight, screamed tonight, and ran down the damp sidewalks. This is what makes life in Ashland almost unbearable and close to inexplicable.
A friend said, as we walked down Center Street with our kids, “Look , we’re on a movie lot.” The wet leaves stuck to the sidewalk, a big moon glided in and out of the clouds, and streams of little ghosts and goblins made their way down the front walks of the Victorian houses on either side of the railroad tracks.


We struggled with flashlights swung from the arms of 3-yr olds as they constantly shined in our faces. We tried to activate glow sticks so that we could recognize our kids from far away, and found that biting them often doesn’t work. We now know that if a glow stick breaks in your mouth, it will take like insecticide and your tongue will not even glow which would have been cool and almost worth the temporary numbness and tingling.


We delighted in clever children’s costumes, and ridiculous adult outfits. Anyone who saw a 10 foot gorilla walking down the street in a Santa costume must have both squealed with laughter and shivered with the disturbing unease of the sight. Indeed, Halloween at its best.


This Saturday make your way down to LA (Lower Ashland) for the Elmont Elementary Fall Festival from 11:00 to 3:00 pm. There will be games for the kids, craft vendors, a bake sale, silent auction, and lots of things to eat for lunch. Items up for bidding include 4 round trip Amtrak tickets to Philadelphia, a Jessica Robertson photo session, Panera bagels for a year, and Theatre IV tickets.


A very happy birthday to Susan Chambers who will be having a big party on November 7th! Susan is such a valuable resource in our town; she gives herself and her time to so many people.


The 7th Annual Train Day is November 14th, from 10am to 4pm, which promises to be a beautiful, bright sunny day. There will be model train displays at the Library and the Arts and Activities Center (hereafter referred to as “the Center”), music, food, kids activities- all along our beloved railroad tracks. Don’t we have a fickle relationship with those tracks? We grumble when they make us late, or block the road to our house, or slowly pass throw town loaded with garbage. We also worry that not enough trains will come through, and we miss those whistles when we travel away from home.


The Ashland Library will host an afternoon of tennis and bowling for adults and seniors on Thursday, November 12th beginning at 1:30 pm. Come play these fun Wii games- even boxing! This afternoon event is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Library.


The next evening, 11/13, is Teen Movie Night beginning at 6pm with pizza! Call the library and tell them that you’re coming- 798-4072.


I heard that Bart’s new restaurant is open on the tracks! Stop by and visit his restaurant- it’s such a good feeling to see entrepreneurs alive and well in the COTU.


Now, when I said that life in Ashland is “almost unbearable” I hope you didn’t take it the wrong way. It is just so incredibly precious sometimes, and I have these moments when I have to stop and take it all in. I’d like to scoop the moment up in my hands and put it in a jar, to save- to open on a rainy day when all I want to do is run away. I would open my Halloween jar, and hear a child’s voice singing our town song as she swung her bag of candy and skipped down the sidewalk. No one told her to sing it; no one suggested it to her. She was absolutely content. And that alone will be enough reason to never leave.


Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a wonderful week!

10/15/09 Indian Summer, Ashland Kids, Pedro's Boys, Good Eats

Ahh, that wonderful Mid-Atlantic weather: never happy, never content, and constantly changing. Just when you think you know how to dress in the morning, the temperature falls and we’re searching for hats and gloves. I even heard rumors of snow last week- wicked, wicked rumors. Can we go back to those 70 degree days for a little bit? I want a few more chances to sleep with the windows open.

Here’s a funny thing to observe at the Ashland Library. Stand in the children’s area and wait for a train to come by. You’ll see one group of kids yell “Train!” and race to the windows, and then there’s another group of kids who don’t even look up from their puzzles. Which kids are the Ashland kids?

Friday, October 23rd is Teen Game Night at the Ashland Library. Send your middle-schooler over at 6pm for an evening of Wii Games, Guitar Hero, and board games with their friends. Snacks served by the Friends of the Ashland Library.

Bring your kids in their Halloween costumes down to the Randolph-Macon Brock Center this Saturday for the Annual Fall Festival from 2 to 4 pm. This is a perfect example of how RMC gives back to our community. Come enjoy food, games, prizes, and a moon bounce with the students!

Well done, Pedro’s Boys- a 19-0 wipe-out against Emory and Henry. Can you smell that Hampton-Sydney game? I just can’t wait for November 14th!
Please mark your calendars to attend the Ashland Town Center grand opening event this Friday, October 23rd at 1pm. This is the largest redevelopment project that has occurred in downtown Ashland, so please come and support Yancey & Jane Jones, and the tenants of the Center.

The 6th Annual Ashland Harvest 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk is set for Saturday, October 24th, and will benefit the St. James the Less Free Clinic and Western Hanover Emergency Action Team (WHEAT). The St. James Clinic is very successful in providing medical, dental and vision care and is a 100% volunteer organization funded by donations. WHEAT benefits citizens in western Hanover with food, electricity, phone service and clothing. The race will begin and end at Carter Park, where a Community Health Faire will be held. You can register online by visiting http://www.ashlandharvestrun.com/

The Ashland Farmer’s Market is still going strong these days with wonderful fall vegetables, fruits, and flowers. There are also baked goods, fresh eggs & meat, and homemade soaps. The Market is open each Saturday morning from 9 until noon behind Town Hall.

I believe that there are now three new restaurants on the verge of opening in town. Not that I don’t love the ones we already have, but it would be fun to add to the mix. Call me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, or email ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a wonderful week!

10/15/09 Trains at Night, Autumn Races, RMC Fall Festival

Why are the trains so much louder at night than in the day? Has anyone else noticed this? Is it just quieter, so there aren’t as many other noises to compete with the trains? Do they go through town faster at 10pm than they do at 8am in the morning? I live a few blocks from the tracks, and you really don’t notice the sound unless it’s late at night. Then the train sounds like it’s in my back yard, even with all the windows shut.

Have you driven past Randolph-Macon recently and seen the tent by the football fields? I know it’s for Homecoming Weekend, but it certainly looks like the circus has come to town. It is a very, very tall tent.

The 6th Annual Ashland Harvest 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk is set for Saturday, October 24th, and will benefit the St. James the Less Free Clinic and Western Hanover Emergency Action Team (WHEAT). The St. James Clinic is very successful in providing medical, dental and vision care and is a 100% volunteer organization funded by donations. WHEAT benefits citizens in western Hanover with food, electricity, phone service and clothing. The race will begin and end at Carter Park, where a Community Health Faire will be held. You can register online by visiting http://www.ashlandharvestrun.com/

Remember, the Ashland Farmers’s Market continues to be open through this month and into November. You can find gorgeous fall flowers and wonderful fruits and vegetables. It’s open every Saturday from 9am to noon. Grab a cup of coffee at the Coffee and Tea and stroll on over.

Randolph-Macon will hold their annual Fall Festival on Sunday, October 25th from 2-4pm at the Brock Center. There will be games and fun for kids of all ages. Come dressed in your Halloween costume! Contact Whitney at reginaedwards@students.rmc.edu for more information.

Friday, October 23rd come to the Ashland Library for Teen Game Night beginning at 6pm. This event is open to Middle and High Schoolers. Play Guitar Hero, Wii Games, and Board Games with your friends. Snacks will be served. Call 798-4072 to register.

Story times for younger kids continue to be offered throughout the week at your friendly, neighborhood library. Visit http://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/ for more information.

All anyone can talk about these days is the beautiful weather. The smell of wood smoke, the crackle of dry leaves, the crickets in the dying grass: all aspects of autumn here. We have seen geese flying south, and deer grazing in the morning fog. The aging soybeans have turned our fields a brilliant shade of yellow, and the trees are close behind as they begin to change. If I was writing a letter to someone far away, I would tell them it is an excellent time of year to live in Ashland. I’m sure they would laugh as they read those words, because I say that all the time.

Don’t forget how lucky we are. Don’t get so wrapped up in work or school, or volunteer projects that you forget about the simple things around you. Slow down and think for a minute about what a nice country we have, and how good life can be here. For all the unknown factors, all the worry, all the stress- life is very sweet here. There will always be a reason to smile in the COTU. I promise.

Send me your Ashland news, your Halloween costume ideas, your trick-or-treating plans. I think everyone should dress up- young and old. You can reach me at ashlandnews@gmail.com, or 310-5320. Cheers!

10/01/09 Flowers, Football, Storytime, Seniors

October is a great month around here. I always forget how pleasant it is until it rolls around again. We are past the time frame for a hurricane, those summer storms are gone, and the chance of frost won’t come for many weeks. As the humidity leaves, so does the angst that accompanies it, and a calmer atmosphere remains. We more resemble our New England cousins now, than the fiery ones to the south. It is hard to get too worked up while wearing corduroy.


Everyone should be outside this Saturday. The Ashland Farmer’s Market has tons of great fall produce and beautiful plants and flowers. It is a very good time of year to plant new trees and flowers. Just don’t plant any apple trees close to a cedar. Ask Dave Gilmore what happens if you do that.

On Saturday, October 10th, from 9-2pm, the Hanover Master Gardeners will be holding a fall plant sale at the Hanover Human Resource Complex on Rt.1. You know- the Social Services building at Ashcake and Rt. 1. That must be the formal name of the building. They will be selling perennials, shrubs, trees, pumpkins, and other garden items, like rain barrels. All proceeds will support the horticultural programs in our public schools.

If you are 55 or better join the Hanover Seniors. Meetings include educational programs, mini field trips, lunch bunch and guest speakers. The Hanover Senior meets the first Thursday of each month (except June, July and August) at 10am at First Baptist Church, 800 Thompson St. On Thursday, Oct. 1st Maxim Healthcare Services will be in attendance and will offer flu shots free of charge to those with Medicare Part B. Maxim Health Care Services also participates with most insurance companies (fee may apply). For more information, please call 779-7948 or 365-4695, or log on to http://www.co.hanover.va.us/.

Family story time at the Library will be Monday, October 5th at 6:30 pm. It is perfectly acceptable to come dressed in your pajamas.

We were glad to hear that Pedro’s boys beat those Catholics this past weekend, 31-21. They’ll play Washington & Lee this Saturday at home at 1pm. And let me tell you, W&L has lost their past two games, so I think the Yellow Jackets are in a perfect position to take care of them.

Speaking of football, Patrick Henry High School continued their celebration of their 50th year this past weekend with a great football game. Yes, they lost, but I think everyone had a great time and enjoyed themselves. The Patriots will play Thomas Jefferson this Friday at home, at 7pm.

Be sure to spend plenty of time this month looking at the sky. It will never be as clear or as blue as it is right now. Towards the end of the month when the leaves change, the contrast will be striking.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, or ashlandnews@gmail.com. You can find a record of these columns at http://www.ashlandnews.blogger.com/. As always, have a wonderful week.

9/24/09 Tiger Trot, JDRF Walk, September Birthdays, Bluestone Pickles

Did you survive this past weekend? Did you crawl into bed Sunday night and immediately fall asleep? Oh, I am still rubbing my eyes this morning and trying to recount all the events…

What a beautiful day we had for the Third Annual Tiger Trot at Henry Clay Elementary! I am always amazed at how smoothly this event unfolds, and that is largely due to the leadership of the two race directors: JoAnn Hunter and Tracy Brown. This event has one specific purpose in mind- to help our Ashland schools be incredible places of learning. And even if you don’t have a child in either Henry Clay or Gandy, you should know that our community is only as good as its schools. Education makes the world a better place.

The Central Virginia Walk to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation was this past Sunday on Byrd Park, and once again, the team led by Jennifer and Buddha Morris was the largest family team in attendance. Of course, this should come as no surprise to many considering how many people love and care about Jen, Buddha, and their kids: Kellan & Rosie. Jen & Buddha wage a daily battle against juvenile diabetes, as both of their kids have the disease.

We were happy to hear good news from Roger & Rachel Reynolds. Their daughter, Charlotte, who is fighting a brain tumor, has gotten excellent reports from doctors lately.
The fight is long from over, but it is encouraging to see that progress is being made. We are glad that everyone is home in Ashland.

The news from LA is that Davis Luck had one of the most spectacular birthdays in recent memory! Apparently the Death Star landed in his backyard, and he and his guests successfully defended Lower Ashland from Darth Vader. We’re sending many birthday wishes to this sweet boy who turned 6 on September 22nd.

Happy Birthday to Kipp Proffit & Trey Inge who both turned 12 on September 18th! While these boys might not have had to wage inter-galactic war on their birthdays, I have no doubt that the festivities were thrilling. It’s hard to believe how fast these kids are growing up.

Wait, wait- I’m not done with birthdays yet! Lorie Foley and Jen Burch both celebrated their birthdays on September 20th!

The Ashland Kiwanis are having their 38th Annual BBQ on October 17th at A.D. Whittaker’s farm just outside of town. There’ll be lots of good food (with their top secret sauce) music, kids’ games, and lots of free parking. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for kids aged 7-12, and free for kids 6 and under. Tickets are available from any Kiwanis or KEY Club member. You can also call 883-6118, or email ashkbbq@earthlink for information. The Kiwanis do so much to support the youth in our community, and this is one of their biggest fundraisers.

It’s a beautiful time of year here in the Center- are you tired of me saying that? I just can’t get enough of those crickets; they are some of the best background music that I’ve ever heard. Oh, and the other day I found my grandmother’s recipe for sweet pickles. Have I told you the story about her pickles? Her recipe calls for some “bluestone” to be added to the mix to help the pickles keep their green color. I decided not to use the bluestone once I found out that you can also put it in your pond to prevent pond scum, or on your apple trees to keep the worms away. Yes, bluestone can even help your sheep stay away from foot-rot! In other words, my little grandmother used to put fertilizer in her pickles, but she lived to be 91, so it can’t be all that bad.

Send me your Ashland news, and tell me what’s going on. I don’t like to be out of the loop. Call or email: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Have a wonderful week!

9/17/09 September Whirlwind, JDRF Walk, Goodnight JR Radder

OK, September- I’ve got your number. You thought you could break me, didn’t you? You thought that you could make me dizzy with your endless calendar of events. You thought that you’d make me say “Uncle” with countless over-scheduled days. Well, Ha! The joke’s on you, Back-to-School Month! (Standing like Peter Pan) I can take anything you dish out.

Happy birthday to Daphne Gilmore who turned 9 on September 14th!

The Patrick Henry High School class of 1964 is having their reunion on Sept. 26. If you are a member of the class and have not gotten your information or have any questions please call Vaden Russell at 355-3679 .

The Tiger Trot 5K is this Saturday, and you still have time to sign up and run! Come see me at the registration table on the morning of the race and tell you’re running! September 19th will be a beautiful morning and what better way to spend it than either running through our pretty streets, or cheering on those runners. The kid’s races (1 mile and ½ mile) begin at 8am, and the 5K race begins at 9am. Come out to support the PTAs of Henry Clay and John M. Gandy Elementary! Email or call Tracy Brown if you have any questions: bob.and.tracy@verizon.net, 804-752-7762.
You have to come to the last Street Party of the summer! It just won’t be the same if you’re not there. Gates open at 6pm, and Ron Moody & the Centaurs will entertain us. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door, and are available at Cross Brothers, Ace Hardware, and Train Town, among other places.

Congratulations to everyone who ran in the Patrick Henry Half Marathon on August 29th! The weather was great this year, and there were more runners than ever. I wish I could have been out there with you- maybe next year- 8/28/10.

Once again, Ashland-Americans are showing their determination when faced with life’s challenges. On Sunday, September 20, Buddha & Jennifer Morris will be leading the largest family team of walkers in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk at 2pm in Byrd Park. Both Morris kids, Kellan and Rosie, have this disease-without-a-cure, and they are joined this year by two other amazing kids: Adam Price and Anna Dykshorn. If you can come out and walk with them, they’d love your company. If you’d like to donate to the cause, please contact Buddha Morris at anthonymorris5@verizon.net.

I hate to end our conversation this week on a sad note, but we have lost another really important person. JR Radder was a son, a husband, a father, and a friend. He leaves behind his wife, Gayle Carter, and their son, Coleman, who is a fourth grader at John M. Gandy Elementary. I am at a loss to find something comforting to say, because it is so incredibly unfair. No one should lose their Dad when they’re just a kid.

So let me wipe my eyes and remember the good things. Remember this crazy life is extraordinary, in part- or mostly, because we are here together. I will never believe that it could be better someplace else. You will never convince me that it’s more fun in California, or Nantucket, because we are all exactly where we are supposed to be. Life is here, and just waiting for you to walk through that door tomorrow morning, or step across those tracks. I can ask for no greater gift than a lifetime in Ashland, with you. Fingers crossed.

You can reach me with your Ashland news at ashlandnews@gmail.com, or 310-5320. Have fun this weekend!

9/10/09 Tiger Trot, RMC Students Return, Charlotte Home

Well Ashland, the summer of ’09 is behind us, but it certainly was a nice one, wasn’t it? The Three Sisters: Hazy, Hot, and Humid, didn’t come to visit until it was August and we were spared their love for most of the summer. I have to admit that I’ve grown accustomed to them over the years and would miss them if they ever went away for good.

I am looking forward to school starting, but I will miss the late evenings when bedtimes were non-existent. I will miss the giggling sleep-overs, and the shoes, clothing, towels that have turned up at our house: “Now who does this belong to?” I will miss the 8pm ice cream socials, and watching the kids play “Dibble” at the pool. But I’m not really sad about summer being over because it will be here again in a few months, and autumn is especially nice here in our Sweet Town.

Have you registered yet for the Tiger Trot 5K? You can register online at https://www.raceit.com/Register/?event=506 , and in fact, just go ahead and do that right now. September 19th will be a beautiful morning and what better way to spend it than either running through our pretty streets, or cheering on those runners. The kid’s races (1 mile and ½ mile) begin at 8am, and the 5K race begins at 9am. Come out to support the PTAs of Henry Clay and John M. Gandy Elementary! Email or call Tracy Brown if you have any questions: bob.and.tracy@verizon.net, 804-752-7762.

The fun thing about September 19th is how much is going on that day. You can run the Tiger Trot in the morning, visit the Farmer’s Market before noon, and then come out to dance behind the Library that evening at the last Street Party of the summer! That is almost a perfect Ashland day. The gates open at 6pm, and Ron Moody & the Centaurs will entertain us. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door, and are available at Cross Brothers, Ace Hardware, and Train Town, among other places.

Let’s welcome all the Randolph-Macon students back to town; we missed you! The campus is busy, and we’re lucky that so many of their events are open to the public. We caught a great football game this past weekend, even though Pedro’s boys lost. (I like those “Uncommon” shirts- can someone get me one of those? I’ll give you a prize.) The next home football game will be October 3rd against W&L. Visit http://www.rmc.edu/ to see the schedules for all the fall sports.

We are happy to report that little Charlotte Reynolds is back home in Ashland after weeks and weeks at the MD Anderson Clinic in Houston, Texas. I think Charlotte and her parents are incredible warriors, fighting that horrible cancer. I continue to be amazed at their perseverance and stamina, and I’d like to thank Roger and Rachel for writing about their struggle on the Caring Bridge website (www.caringbridge.org/visit/charlottereynolds). I’m sure I speak for most of Ashland when I say, if I knew any magic, I’d be casting spells left and right. Keep fighting. Keep going.

This Sunday, September 13th, Independence Christian Church of Ashland will have a gospel music concert featuring the popular Homeward Bound. The concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be followed with an ice cream and cookie social. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. I had the pleasure of hearing their pastor, Rebecca Highfield, give the invocation at a Town Council meeting. She gave thanks for our summer heat- I liked that.

This time last year we were all busy with the 150 Celebration- do you remember that? Are you glad that this fall is not as busy, or do you miss singing “Happy Birthday” to Ashland every fifteen minutes? I do like a party, so I will miss all those festivities, but I think we have plenty to keep us laughing.

Oh, and speaking of that, have you noticed how much people laugh around here? I have a story to tell you about that, but I’ve run out of column space this week. Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. Any hurricanes out there?