There is some nonsense happening back up inside the Beltway- I am listening to the traffic-and-weather-on-the-eights with a sense of schadenfruede this morning as the light spreads over Refuge Farm, deep in the heart of Culpeper. Not that I am going to escape the capital entirely this week- there is a ceremony in Maryland this afternoon I need to attend, though I am starting to forget just why.
I found some things in the garage yesterday as I was adding to the pile of debris of my life, and realizing I am actually on the verge of getting organized. The Russians did a drive-by to confirm our bell signals- “one ring” means “yes,” two means “I’m here,” three means, “coming over for a drink.” A bunch of ringing means come soon and bring the shotgun.
Natasha dropped off some exotic-looking purple peppers that I will turn into some exotic stew later in the week. I made a cranberry juice cocktail for Sasha, the Russian Princess, and she performed a skit that had been performed at her new school.
Her English is now colloquial, after only a few months immersion. It is astonishing how quickly the young can learn things.
It feels like October already- I wandered down to the barn as the sun was coming up to check the trickle-charger on the Turf Tiger and figure out where to park the JG’s hulking Ford Explorer while he is out of the country.
Back in the house, I searched around for a sweatshirt and poured a mug of steaming hot Dazbog coffee, sweetened with the local Culpeper unrefined honey that Andrew sells at Croftburn Farms market. There is speculation in the older generation that there could be a romantic connection between the Market Magnate and the Russian clan, which can only be good for solid discounts on wine-by-the-case and assorted organic produce.
I am thinking about what to stock up on, since I managed to move some of the stock of perishable food while entertaining Saturday and Sunday. The two cars pulled out of the gravel drive a little before lunch, and I had been outlining some of the things to do in the country, since there is much more to do than just eating great local food on the deck and drinking wine.
Well, I think there is. I have not completely got beyond that part. In the sudden silence, I cleaned up, washed sheets and tidied the little house up. It is much more fun when it is full, and filled with music and the sound of voices- so I was looking for excuses to entertain again.
I may have beaten Mrs. Mouse- my copy of the Calrion-Bugle weekly was un-shredded, and no new nesting material had been produced by the Mouse in the Mailbox.
I sat out on the deck and scanned the paper. Above the fold were politics and religion: The Rev. Wendell Reed Grant has preached the Word of God for 50 years, having received the Call in June 1963 in Fort Poke, Louisiana. I assume he was drafted, meaning the Army, not the Lord.
The challenger in the County Board of Supervisors Jefferson District filed his campaign contributions, and has out raised the longtime incumbent by a factor of fourteen. Charles VanSant “Chuck” Duncan III reported $2,800 in donations while incumbent Supervisor Brad Rosenberger reported a single contribution totaling $200.
I tried to do the math but gave up. The total spent for this race would not amount to a drumstick on the rubber chicken circuit for the Carpetbagger Terry McAuliff or the GOP candidate for Governor, Ken Cuchinelli.
Supervisor Rosenberger is a fifth generation farmer and has been on the job 28 years, so maybe it is time for a change. I will have to do my homework on that race. Mid-term elections are important in the country.
Below the fold was news that a Cadillac crashed into a house on Wine Street Sunday morning downtown. According to a witness, the vehicle left Fairfax Street and entered Wine Street before crashing around 2 a.m. I assume someone was driving, but that element of information was lacking from the story.
Inside the paper was a parade of information, and I wished I had read it before the guests departed to make suggestions.
Culpeper’s two art deco movie theaters are partnering to provide myriad opportunities for viewing classic cinema in October. The Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater just up the hill on Mount Pony announced that it will continue showing classic and restored prints of the 100 greatest American films during the week, and will expand to provide copies to the recently restored 580-seat State Theater on Main Street.
They are going to kick things off with a screening of the iconic Bogie and Bergman film “Casablanca.” According to the Clarion-Bugle, these showings “will highlight the National Film Registry and celebrate our rich cinematic heritage with titles from the Library’s collections.”
It is six bucks at the State and free at Mt. Pony, so it is a great opportunity for folks on a restricted budget. First come, first serve of course at the Packard Campus, which in the bad old days was a bomb shelter that protected $8 Billion in small bills to restart the economy after the nuclear exchange.
(Back in the Cold War, these cages deep in Mt. Pony were filled with pallets of cold cash.)
Next weekend is the Farm Tour, when 17 local operations will throw open their gates to show us where our food comes from- if you eat locally, anyway. Clarion staff writers informed me that the tour will “provide a wonderful educational experience and includes a variety of hands on activities and demonstrations… (and) reflect our agricultural heritage and the millions of dollars in production, wages, and salaries generated by the agricultural industry in our county and state.”
It is the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, which swirled through these very fields and the Farm Tour has added a few new farms that offer a glimpse of how farming has evolved through the years.
The weekend after that is a knock-out. Saturday is the Air Fest, which is going to showcase the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the venerable AT-6 Texan, a propeller-driven trainer that Dad qualified in down in Pensacola, where a student pilot a day died in accidents. There will be restored warbirds, and the Bealeton Flying Circus will perform, along with Dr. Smoke in his Marchetti “emiting red, white and blue smoke,” Sean Carroll in his Russian YAK-9, and a special appearance of the only harrier jump-jet in private hands, piloted by Art Nalls.
The Cruisin’ For Heroes car show will be also be held at the T. I. Martin regional airport, right on the Brandy Station battlefield. I ought to clean up the World’s Fastest Production Pick-up Truck and cruise over.
Then on Sunday the ninth annual “Taste of Culpeper – a Wine, Food, and Arts Festival” on Sunday, in the Depot District on Davis and Commerce Streets. The Clarion tells me “This event is sure to please wine enthusiasts, foodies and followers of unique arts and crafts. Experience the very best in Virginia wines, local cuisine and even a few micro-brews will be available for purchase….”
They go on to tell me we will have the opportunity to sample more than 40 different wines and visit with several new participating wineries at this year’s festival, so I need to talk to the Russians and see who will drive.
14-20 October is Restaurant week downtown: the 27th is the Kelly’s Ford Canoe/Kayak Wine Run. The last of the equestrian shows will happen down the road at Summerduck Run Farm, so there will be plenty of things to occupy the weekends.
It is the Clarion Call of the country. I think I will start ignoring what is happening back up north and see what happens.
Copyright 2013 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303