11/14/13 Snow?, THE GAME, Fools at Patrick Henry, Movies Return to Town

I am distracted as I write this week’s column because there may be snow coming this morning and I can’t stop looking out the window.  I have checked various “Doppler” maps and I am looking for signs that winter has arrived (woolly caterpillars).  I am a sucker for weather events.  I have a reckless love of storms and a forecast of snow makes me feel as excited as a second-grader.  Oh, wait- is that a flake?

Ashland Firehouse Theater is open for the season and showing the movie, “Babe” this Saturday, November 16^th at 7:00 pm.  Tickets are $2 at the door and the popcorn will be warm & buttery. 

The historic battle between Randolph-Macon and Hampton-Sydney continues this Saturday!  It is really a thrilling thing to see and hear, so do not miss this opportunity to cheer on your home team.  Kick-off is at 1:00 pm, and parking may be tight as Hampton-Sydney likes to pack its students on carbon-monoxide spewing buses which apparently can be parked anywhere as long as they have their flashers on.   Go Yellow Jackets!

The Patrick Henry Players are presenting Neil Simon’s “Fools” this weekend.  If you know anything about plays, you know that anything Neil Simon wrote is excellent, so find the time to catch a performance.  The curtain goes up at Patrick Henry High School at 7:00 pm this Friday, November 15^th, and again on Saturday the 16^th.  Tickets are $7 at the door.

Mark your calendars now for next weekend and the Heavenly Creations Arts and Crafts Show at St. James the Less Episcopal Church (Beverly Rd).  This great event has been going on now for 18 years, and it proves to just get better with time!  The Show begins on Friday evening, November 22, 2013, with an Opening Night Wine and Cheese Reception from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., and continues on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   This is a juried, fine arts show featuring original, handcrafted works from local and regional artists and craftspeople. Homemade culinary delights and canned goods will also be sold. 

Also next weekend is the Annual Ashland Olde Time Holiday Parade!  The parade begins at 2:30 in front of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, and makes its way across the tracks to end at Gandy Elementary.  Bring a blanket, a thermos of hot chocolate, and find a spot along the route to wave to the beauty queens.  This is a tradition that you should not miss.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Good luck to all the COTU runners participating in the races in Richmond this weekend!  

11/7/13 Successful Festival, Craft Show at Ironhorse, Salsa Dancing at HAAC

Last weekend was really beautiful, wasn’t it?  I think those bright orange, red, and yellow leaves looked even brighter against that electric blue sky.  I hope you found time to sit or lie underneath a tree and just soak up the beauty of it all.  I didn’t, but I wish I had. 

By all accounts, Train Day was a huge success.  This is the second time that Richmond.com has listed an Ashland event on its list of the Top Five Things to do in Richmond this Weekend.  Did you hear that we may have had 5,000 people in town?  I really love seeing all those visitors, and secretly, I love knowing that I live here and they’re just visitors.  It’s like I belong to this really cool club.  Shhhh- don’t tell anyone that I said that; it sounds kind of arrogant.

I know that there are so many organizations to thank for Train Day- the Town of Ashland, The Main Street Association, and the dozens of volunteers who stayed on their feet all day Saturday.  But I think the Ashland Police Department deserves a round of applause for keeping all of those spectators safe.  Can you imagine how stressful it must be when your town’s biggest safety concern is also its biggest tourist attraction?   

We have such a sad goodbye to say to Mrs. Willis, Mrs. Catherine Willis.  I only met her a few times, and I was always amazed at how lovely she was.  I know that she was a wonderful friend, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, but I will always remember her beauty.  She had the most stunning complexion- flawless to the point that I would forget what I was saying.  I hope that doesn’t sound trivial, because even thought I know it was only a small part of who she was, it was the part of her that I’ll remember. 

Oh, I have some belated birthdays this week, especially those Halloween babies who have to share their birthday with ghosts & goblins.  Happy birthday to Parker Marchetti and Bob Brown- both who are treats to have around!  The Brown house was loaded with sweets this week as Madison Brown also celebrated turning 15 on November 4^th. 

I have found a solution to all of your holiday planning woes, and a fun way to spend a Wednesday night!  The 2^nd Annual Holiday Craft Show is next Wednesday, November 13^th in the back room at the Ironhorse Restaurant.  There will be wreaths, Christmas gifts, New Year items, and lots of sparking jewelry.  Best of all, many of the crafts were made by our favorite Ashland waiter- Jeffery! 

You know you need to dance more.  You’ve know it for a while now, but you’ve been putting off making that first step.  Your moment has arrived.  The time is now- well, the time is next Friday, November 15^th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Arts and Activities Center.  A free Salsa dance workshop is being held by Contra-Tiempo, a dance group from L.A. who is in town performing at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center for the Arts.  Free dance lessons.  You have no excuse.    

 Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Rake some leaves into a pile and jump into them this weekend!

10-31-2013 Chilly Mornings, Light Evenings, Farmers Markets, Professors and Authors

Where are my gloves?  Where is that hat, and where did I put all my sweaters?  Let’s all practice our layering techniques as we remember what cold weather feels like.  As bundled up as we may be, it is the perfect time of year for sitting around a fire pit, or with friends in a warm restaurant somewhere.   Ashland certainly knows how to make the best of any weather. 

Ashland’s 11^th Annual Train Day Celebration is this Saturday, all along the tracks from 10 to 4:00 pm.  There will be trolley rides, store specials, and events all day at the Ashland Library.  Come out and celebrate the trains, for as much as they may annoy you sometimes, what would we be without them?

The Ashland Farmer’s Market is still going strong on these fall mornings!  Come take home some wonderful late-season vegetables and fruits, as well as baked treats for your kitchen.  The Market is open from 9:00 to noon on Saturday behind Town Hall.

Daylight savings ends this weekend.  We’ll have more light in the morning, but it may be dark by the time you get home!

On Tuesday, November 5^th, Randolph-Macon will host Professor George Greenia, from the College of William & Mary, who will give a free lecture on “Sacred Steps: Medieval Pilgrimage and American Myth” at 7:30 pm in the Andrews Hall Multipurpose Room (420 Henry St.).  If you think about it, we all make pilgrimages- trips home, tours of historical sites- come and hear about this human characteristic.

On Monday, November 4^th, come meet author Katie Anderson at the Ashland Library and listen to her talk about her book for young adults called, “Kiss and Make Up,” from 7:00 - 8:45 p.m. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Ashland Library.

If you have any door-to-door salesmen come by your house, remind them that they need to register with the Ashland Police Department.  If there’s anyone who you have questions about, don’t hesitate to call and ask the APD: 798-1227.

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

10/24/13 Homecomings, Spooky Play, Pumpkin Abuse, No More Sandbags

The Center of the Universe was busy this past weekend!  We had a 10K race, two Homecomings (Randolph-Macon and Patrick Henry), a big dance, and beautiful weather.   Sometimes I feel more tired at the end of the weekend than I do on a Friday afternoon, but I think, that’s ok.  If I’m busy on the weekends, then that means that there are fun things to do and life is full.  In a book by Annie Dillard, a character says that he’ll “sleep when he’s dead,” and while that’s completely unreasonable and unhealthy- I get it.  The day is never long enough in the COTU. 

Congratulations to the Patrick Henry Football team who beat Thomas Jefferson HS this past Friday night!  It was a very exciting game- just the way Homecoming should be, with a chill in the air, a full moon rising in the east, and the parade of the Homecoming Court.  If you ever have a Friday night without anything to do, check out the schedule of the Hanover games at www.hcps.us.  It will make you smile, but mostly it will remind you of the promise of youth. 

The Whistle Stop Theatre Company invites families and friends to the first annual “Spooktacular!” at the Firehouse Theatre, 201 Duncan Street, for an interactive presentations of “The Monkey’s Paw,” “The Raven,” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”  These productions invite audience participation and they are suitable for ages 5 and up (not too scary)!  Performances are Saturday at 6 pm; Sunday at 2 pm and 4 pm, with songs, games, and snacks to be shared:   Tickets are $5 and available by reservation at whistlestoptheatre@gmail.com.

Do you realize how much stress you could get rid of by launching a pumpkin way up in the sky and then watching it smash to the ground?  Ashwood Gardens and Nursery is having their annual Pumpkin Chunk-a-Thon on Saturday, October 26^th from 10:00 to 3:00 pm.  There will be hayrides, face painting, food, and pumpkins flying everywhere.  All proceeds benefit the Hanover Arc.  Call 798-2400 to sponsor a team.

As you carving your pumpkins, and putting together your costumes, make sure you remember to stop by the Arts and Activities Center to hear spooky music from the Hanover Concert Band.  The Band will play from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and they are all dressed in costume as well.  I really like it when they play outside because it becomes background music for your trick-or-treating!

We’d like to wish a happy birthday to some of our favorite Ashlanders!  Tammy Proffitt, Sara Holloway, Jackie Jones, Craig Hatz, and Dave Gilmore all marked another year in the Center of the Universe.

The new sidewalks look nice along Railroad Ave!  Do you think that the Coffee and Tea and Suzanne’s can throw away their sandbags now?

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com. 

10/17/13 Decorations, Whistle Stop Halloween Production, Chuck-a-Pumpkin, Homecoming at PH

As the rain falls, the leaves turn, and the flowers fade- Ashland begins to decorate.  I think you’ve often heard me say that our town on Halloween looks like a movie set, and it’s obvious right now that set directors are hard at work.  Our old houses are perfect back-drops to jack-o-lanterns and ghosts hung from the porch columns.  Have you found a costume yet?

The Whistle Stop Theatre Company invites families and friends to the first annual “Spooktacular!” at the Firehouse Theatre (201 Duncan Street) for interactive presentations of “The Monkey’s Paw,” “The Raven,” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”  All include audience participation, and are suitable for ages 5 and up (not too scary)!  Songs, games, and snacks will be shared:  Saturday at 6 pm; Sunday at 2 pm and 4 pm.  Tickets are $5 – reserve places at whistlestoptheatre@gmail.com – bring the whole neighborhood for a spookatacular time! 

Make sure you create an account for your recycling points and consider donating them to a local charity.  Visit www.recyclingperks.com and click on “Shop Rewards” for information on how to donate your points. 

The 10^th Annual Ashland Harvest Run is this Saturday, October 19^th.  Come out and cheer for these runners who are raising money for several local charities including the Patrick Henry YMCA, ACES, and the Free Clinic. The 10K run starts at 8:00 a.m. at Carter Park, and the 5K Run/Walk starts at 8:10. 

Ashwood Gardens and Nursery is having their annual Pumpkin Chunk-a-Thon on Saturday, October 26^th
from 10:00 to 3:00 pm.  There will be hayrides, face painting, food, and pumpkins flying everywhere.  All proceeds benefit the Hanover Arc.  Call 798-2400 to sponsor a team.

As you are planning your trick-or-treating route, or pacing your candy purchases, plan on stopping by the Center to hear spooky music from the Hanover Concert Band and to see all the great costumes walking around town.  The Band will play from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.  Come see if you can spy the pet rat who also likes to listen to the music!

It’s Patrick Henry’s homecoming football game this Friday night.  Come cheer on your hometown boys as they take on Thomas Jefferson at 7:00 pm on their home field- Go Patriots!

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  If you dressed up as your favorite Ashlander, who would you be?

10/10/13 Pumpkins, Recycling, Harvest Run, & Brew Master

I love this time of year because it’s when Ashland starts to decorate.  We are a town that loves to string up lights, put signs in our front yards, hang up fake cobwebs, and stack jack-o-lanterns on the front steps.  

As you are planning your trick-or-treating route, or pacing your candy purchases, plan on stopping by the Center to hear spooky music from the Hanover Concert Band and to see all the great costumes walking around town.

Do you remember when the town got those new recycling bins and switched to bi-weekly pickup?  There was a flyer that we all got talking about Recycling Perks.  I really didn’t think too much about it, but I’ve heard that you can donate your points to local charities.  In fact, the Hanover Arts and Activities Center is the featured Ashland charity for the month of October!  Visit www.recyclingperks.com and click on “Shop Rewards” for information on how to donate your points. 

We’d like to send our condolences to the family of Sheronda Woody, who left far too early.  Our hearts ache for her husband and their three daughters, but we know that they are surrounded by the support of friends and family. 

The Holy Cross Lutheran Church will have their community yard sale this Saturday from 8:00 am to 1 pm.  Breakfast and baked goods will be available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds will benefit ACES.  The church is located on Ashcake Rd, just west of the intersection with Elmont. 

The Ashland Library will welcome the COTU brew masters to talk about how they brew beer on Wednesday, October 16^th. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be followed by a tasting of the COTU beers at the Caboose Wine and Cheese Shop. You must be 21 and older to attend.

Sign up now to run in the 10^th Annual Ashland Harvest Run to be held on Saturday, October 19^th.  This great race benefits several local charities including the Patrick Henry YMCA, ACES, and the Free Clinic. The 10K run starts at 8:00 a.m. at Carter Park, and the 5K Run/Walk starts at 8:10.  Register online at www.ashlandharvestrun.com.

To all the parents of kids in Hanover County Public Schools: Power School is ok.  I really believe that it will be a great tool once we all get used to it.  All we need is just a little patience, right Axl?

And here’s a belated birthday wish for two of our favorite people, Ross and Corinne Luck, who both celebrated recently!  We can’t imagine the COTU without them.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  What are you going to be for Halloween?

10/03/2013 October Skies, Theater Surprise, Street Party, and Street Races

My mother always has said that October has the prettiest skies, and I have to agree.  It’s usually a wonderful month full of perfect weather, good food, and beautiful colored leaves.  As with any outstanding month (see also: May), the Town of Ashland is outside in full force enjoying our piece of Virginia.

The recent news about the Ashland Theater being donated to the Town at first left me dumbfounded, and I thought that someone was playing a practical joke.  But as the surprise wore off, I was incredibly humbled by this gift from Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker.  I am so proud to live in a town where people are this thoughtful and giving.  I hope that the people of Ashland appreciate what has been given to them, and that this theater becomes a symbol of community, growth, and prosperity.

The End-of-Summer Street Party is this Saturday, October 5^th, and from the looks of the weather you may need to find some summer clothes to wear.  The gates open at 6:00 pm in the Plaza behind the Ashland Library, and Ron Moody and the Centaurs start playing at 7. Tickets are available from local merchants, or at the door. 

Did you have fun at the Off the Rails Beer Fest?  I missed it, but I’ve heard that half of Richmond was there!  If you’d like to find out more about your favorite malt beverage,   the Ashland Library will welcome the COTU brew masters to talk about how they brew beer on Wednesday, October 16^th. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be followed by a tasting of the COTU beers at the Caboose Wine and Cheese Shop. You must be 21 and older to attend.

There are two great races that are being held on October 5^th, and if you time it right (and run fast) you can do both.  The 15^th Annual Pumpkin Run is a 5K run and walk that will be held at the Ashland Berry Farm.  This great race is an incredibly important fund-raiser for Hanover Safe Place, and all participants will receive a free pumpkin!  Visit www.hanoversafeplace.com for more information.

So run the Pumpkin Run and then hurry back to town to Carter Park and the CROP Walk to end hunger.  This 3 mile walk benefits local food banks and will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Email Cathy Tillman for more information: cgtillman@comcast.net.

I went out of town last weekend with some old friends from high school, and we all sat around talking about our lives now.  It became pretty clear that we have something special in our little A-town, and I had to stop myself from monopolizing conversations with stories of movie theaters, town songs, and the friendships that are here.  Don’t take it for granted.

Call or email me with your Ashland news: 310-5320, ashlandnews@gmail.com.  Go visit the businesses affected by the Center Street construction this weekend!