By Bob Tagert

As I write my publishers notes on February 26th, the temperature tomorrow is forecast to be 64 degrees and windy. Makes me wish my sailboat wasn’t still winterized. Would be a good day to be on the water!

Remember the old saying “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”? If the current weather holds out, that isn’t going to ring true. In any case, this month we feature the art work of Lee Jaworek on our cover celebrating the month of March coming in like a lion. To learn more about Lee and his “Artism®” read about him in the Personality Profile.

Our very talented contributing writers have hit it out of the park with their columns again this month. We are truly blessed. We would also like to introduce you to a new column – Wellness Woman. Penned by local transformation wellness coach, Adrien Cotton, the column will cater to the health of women with a concentration on those who are approaching middle age. We feel very fortunate to have her on board.

Here is a sneak peek in to some of what you have to look forward to in this issue:

A Bit of History, Sarah Becker celebrates History Month with Clara Barton. High Notes, Ron Powers highlights some of the up-and-coming acts in the music world. Last Word, Miriam Kramer explores the writing of Killers of the Flower Moon. Grapevine, read about the warm, dry year we had in 2023 and how it affected Virginia’s wine vintage. Dining Out, I highlighted our two amazing Irish Restaurants in town – Murphy’s and O’Connell’s. Stop in for a perfect pint of Guinness. “Slainte!” Exploring VA Wines, Doug Fabbioli explains how his winery got started and flourishes today. Let’s Get Crafty, Tim Long teaches us about a proper Irish toast and a proper pint. From the Bay, Molly Winans explains the vernal equinox ritual of burning your socks. To the Blue Ridge, Julie Reardon writes a tribute to her beloved dog Tanzy. Caribbean Connection, read about the new Seahorse National Park in the Bahamas. Open Space, Lori Welch Brown explains “It’s not the gold that’s the prize, it’s the rainbow.”

Last and certainly not least, check out our Special Feature about some of your favorite Easter things. My partner, Lani, loves Easter almost as much as Halloween and Christmas so I have to be pretty creative with the basket that the Easter Bunny brings her each year. Last year I procrastinated on my hunting and gathering so the inventory was pretty sparse. I’m getting a jump/hop on it this year!

We also wanted to give a special shout out to our longtime friends, Brad and Cathy Bradford and crew, at King’s Jewelry here in Old Town. They are celebrating 69 years in business. I can only imagine what the celebration next year is going to like. This family-owned business has been a long-time anchor in Old Town.

On a sad note, I want to remember my friend Ralph Hendry and his wife Kathy Brandel. If you have been watching the news, you probably know Ralph and Kathy were sailing near Grenada in the Caribbean when three escaped convicts boarded their boat and moved it to St. Vincent. There were signs of a struggle and some blood stains on board and it appears that their bodies were thrown overboard. I am still trying to wrap my head around this happening to someone I know.

Ralph was a true gentleman. I became good friend him when he ran the Atrium Health Club in the 200 block of South Washington Street. Ralph was always ready to help anyone in any way he could. He was always patient and very kind. Ralph also shared a townhome here in Old Town with my founding partner, David Underwood. We had many good times and laughs over the years. Ralph also provided the Old Town Crier with our Financial Focus column for several years. As of this writing, they have still not been accounted for. The outlook is grim, but maybe hope will prevail. If any of you knew Ralph, please say a prayer for he and Kathy. My heart is sad for my friend!