By Julie Reardon Some purists don’t use Christmas lights at all, just greenery: live garlands, handmade wreaths and real trees decorated with red ribbon and often little else. Others consider the mid-century larger bulbs on a string “old school” and still others have never had a live tree. From yards of greenery to laser light shows and giant inflatable Santas, trends and tastes change, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the kind of Christmas decorating and trees we prefer. As age and space needs shrink and children grow up and leave the nest, many of us have gone to using artificial trees, even if in our younger days, we hated them. Today’s artificial trees have come a long way and there are so many different types and styles that there’s something for every taste. We are putting up two little artificial trees this year, although not in November or even the first two weeks of December. Part of me cringes internally, remembering Mom’s scathing comments about fake trees when we were growing up. Nice people didn’t use those tawdry things; they put up real trees that the family went out and chose. A nice big ceiling height fresh one as late in the month as possible and it never went up before December 20th. No artificial tree could make the house smell that nice. We even had a few live ones with root balls way before tree hugging was fashionable, and those pretty pines now grace the front yards of two of the houses we lived in when I was a child. Not until I was an adult did the cut-your-own Christmas tree farms get as popular as they are now. Of course, there weren’t any farms in Alexandria, but as I’ve lived in rural areas for the…
By Julie Reardon The Blessing of the Hounds has roots stretching to the eighth century, long before the pilgrims came to America. That, as legend has it, is when St. Hubert saw a luminous crucifix between the antlers of a stag he was hunting when he should have been at church. He changed his ways from that day on and entered the priesthood, but continued breeding black and tan hounds. Hubert was canonized after his death and became the patron saint of hunters. That’s who the local foxhunting clubs in Virginia call on during a sweet little ceremony that celebrates the formal opening of hunting season in late October and November, and is sometimes held on Thanksgiving Day hunts. The early season, called cubbing, starts in September and is the time when young hounds and young foxes learn the ways of the hunt. Here in the U.S., kills are rare. Hunt staff do not carry terriers to flush foxes out of dens; once they go to ground the hounds are praised and called off. Riders’ dress is informal, or ratcatcher. At the risk of sounding anthropomorphic, the foxes actually seem to have a sense of humor about being hunted and often lead the hounds and the hunt on circuitous routes, doubling back and shimmying through cover that is hard for hounds to penetrate. Most hunts are open to spectators but during the pandemic, if they hunted at all, many of their activities were restricted or curtailed. A minister, usually from a local Episcopal church, delivers the blessing to the hounds before the start of the meet; and blesses the horses and hunters that follow them. Spectators often number in the 100s in favorable weather, and most of them arrive before 8 a.m. to congregate over breakfast and tailgating spreads. It’s…
By Julie Reardon If you’re not busy hiking, hunting, fishing, horseback riding or otherwise enjoying the outdoors at this time of year, head west—an embarrassment of riches awaits you. Even if you’re not rich, there’s so much to see and do this month with the spectacular weather and fall palette to enjoy it in, that a list of everything to do would fill this entire magazine. So…we’ve narrowed down a list of things to so and see that are proven winners if you’re looking for a day or weekend trip. Our 2023 fall activities range from free to inexpensive to moderate; check websites or contact numbers for details. October 14: Virginia Fall Races & Field Hunter Championship Finals, Glenwood Park, Foxcroft Rd. 1 mile north of Middleburg, Va. Horse lovers can take in two days of steeplechase racing in a beautiful setting under 200 year old trees at one of the area’s premiere social and sporting events. Gates open at 10 a.m. Post time for Saturday’s first race is 1:30. General admission for 4 starts at $30; box seats, railside and picnic parking spaces are available by calling (540) 687-5662 or visiting http://www.vafallraces.com. October 14: Annual Fauquier Farm Tour featuring thoroughbred horse breeding and training facilities, a winery, an orchard, beef and sheep farms as well as the Fauquier Educational Farm, demonstration gardens by local Master Gardeners and Sky Meadows State Park’s Fall Farm Festival. Hay rides, farm-fresh local goodies and more at this year’s tour, which features the beautiful scenery of Northern Fauquier County in and around The Plains, Marshall, Delaplane, Markham, Hume and Orlean. Print a brochure and find more information at http://www.fauquierag.com October 21 & 22: Loudoun County Fall Farm Color Tour is a self-guided tour of various farms around Loudoun. You can sample or purchase apples, pumpkins,…
By Meg Mullery In 1989, a painful and chronic hoof condition known as laminitis forced the heart-breaking decision to euthanize the legendary racehorse Secretariat at the age of 19. The vet who performed the routine autopsy made a stunning discovery. Secretariat’s heart was two-and-one-half times larger than the average heart. Successful trainers look for commonalities to identify winning racehorses: superior breeding; competitive spirit, awareness of surroundings. But they also agree on another more illusive quality. Heart. A winning horse will put his heart into every single race. Fifty years ago, Secretariat ran as a three-year-old and became the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown. He set and still holds fastest time records in all three races at Churchill Downs, Belmont Stakes and Preakness. A big guy at 16.2 hands, his nearly perfect conformation astounded breeders and other experts in the equine industry. A custom-made girth was fashioned to fit around the large chest that encased his huge heart, which he put into every single race. To mark the 50th Anniversary of Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown, the National Museum of Racing organized the Secretariat: Larger Than Life Traveling Tour of an impressive 21-foot bronze monument of the legend in full gallop with his jockey Ron Turcotte astride. Serving as the symbolic centerpiece of the tour, the mammoth sculpture was loaded on the back of a flatbed and trucked to each of the Triple Crown tracks and numerous other venues. Last month, the acclaimed National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, played host to the statue and its sculptor, Jocelyn Russell, a wildlife and equine artist from the Pacific Northwest, and Katy Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Secretariat’s owner/breeder Penny Chenery. Jocelyn presented a fascinating talk on her research to a large, rapt audience. The sculpture on tour is the second…
By Julie Reardon Not happy with your job and love dogs? It seems appropriate during the “Dog Days of Summer”, to check out the many opportunities available to make money from the pet industry, dogs in particular. Now more than ever, people love their dogs, consider them family and are willing to spend whatever it takes to keep them happy and healthy. It goes without saying that many costs associated with pet and particularly dog ownership, have gone up as people demand more goods and services; veterinary care has skyrocketed in the past 10 or 15 years. But lest you think veterinarians are getting rich at you and your dog’s expense, the increased cost is because big health care has taken note and small practices owned by vets are getting bought up by large corporate entities at an alarming rate. Unlike veterinarians who spent 7 or 8 years at vet school and doing residencies because they love animals, the corporations are all about the profit so not just the care and diagnostics, but the drugs your pet is prescribed have gone up accordingly. These increased veterinary costs have spawned a burgeoning pet health insurance business. Many companies, even those that primarily insure humans and their property, are getting into the pet insurance business. As with any insurance, it’s always wise to check the fine print of what is and is not covered and the limits of coverage. Most require upfront payment of veterinary services and reimburse you for them, some have annual or lifetime limits. It’s also wise to consider what kind of dog you have and what you might need the pet insurance for, to be sure those things are covered. For example, active working or competition dogs are at greater risk of cruciate ligament injuries which can run…
By Julie Reardon There’s nothing quite like the July 4th fireworks on the Mall in Washington D.C. But braving the crowds once every few years (or every few decades) is plenty for some, who might wish for smaller crowds and a more small town atmosphere. You don’t have to go far, most of these are within an hour’s drive of the Beltway and can be as simple as some fireworks at dusk, or a full day celebration with parades, picnics, and more. As the actual date is on a Tuesday this year, some celebrations will be held on weekend dates. Outside of Washington DC, the fireworks at Great Meadow in The Plains – 45 minutes southwest in Virginia’s Blue Ridge foothills – is probably the biggest display in the area, and the festivities include a full day of family fun. This year marks the return of its famous fireworks show and activities for the 34th year on Sunday, July 2. Gates open at 5 p.m., afternoon activities include family games—cornhole toss, sack races, face painting, tug-of war, additional games and entertainment. The Flying Circus will provide an exciting air show and there will be polo exhibitions and hat and tailgate competitions with prizes for the most creative. Bring a picnic or purchase food on site. There will be food trucks and a beer garden. The extraordinary fireworks display gets underway at dusk. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs (no umbrellas or tents, unless in reserved tailgate spaces.) Great Meadow, a beautiful 374-acre park is also known as the home of the Virginia Gold Cup races. General admission tickets are $50 per car (up to five passengers) in advance or $60 at the gate. Special tailgate packages, VIP passes and bus passes are also available. Go to http://www.gmjuly4th.com for…
By Julie Reardon As tailgating and horse sports season gets into full swing, we thought we’d be remiss in not offering a field guide to help you identify the real horse people of the Blue Ridge. You never know when it will come in handy to discern real from fake when the actual subject of horses comes up, whether local or prime time nationally known events like the Triple Crown races. Who is a real horseman and who is just an armchair expert? You’ve probably been subjected to the “experts” stating how a jockey should’ve ridden a race, what the trainer should have done differently and how the mounted outriders should do their jobs. There’s nothing like the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness stakes with their longevity and high national visibility to bring the wanna be and the fakes out of their armchairs and onto your social media and into casual conversations. Those are not real horse people. Seeing them in real life makes it a bit easier to identify horse people. That’s because social media offers the wannabe horse person a chance to create a whole fake persona. Although fashion goes through cycles, currently it’s trending back to old school prep that always had a heavy equestrian influence: tweed hacking jackets, waxed Barbour raincoats, and polo shirts, so becoming a horse person is fashionable too and a way to pretend you’re classy old money even if it’s all new money or even no money at all. Online, many offer themselves up as “horse people” even if the sum total of their experience is riding lessons at summer camp many years ago. In real life, horse people may look well put together at first glance at a dressier event but you can usually spy one of their trademarks: dirty muck…
By Julie Reardon Kentucky may have its Derby and celebrities preening for national news in their party hats sipping mint juleps, but in Virginia, the first Saturday in May has always been about the Virginia Gold Cup. And the hats are just as fine. With Virginia’s only flat track open for its boutique summer season, Virginia’s love affair with horses runs longer and deeper than Kentucky’s. We’re starting to produce some decent whiskey locally and young girls still hope to find a pony under the Christmas tree, so the cowboy ballad by the legendary Tom T. Hall about older whiskey, younger women and faster horses could have been written about our state. Kentucky’s famous horse race, first run in 1875, may be the country’s best-known equestrian event, but George Washington was hunting hounds here in Virginia and colonials were racing horses before Kentucky was even settled. And here in suburban Northern Virginia, the Kentucky Derby is held on Gold Cup day, not the reverse. On Saturday May 6th, the Derby will have to share top billing with the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race meet, held at Great Meadow, The Plains, VA. Fast Horses With crowds of over 40,000 in attendance, the Gold Cup is to Washington D.C. what the Derby is to Kentucky: a premiere social and sporting events. Arrangements and tailgating parties are planned months, even years, in advance; prime tailgating and railside boxes are often passed down in wills. Good ones are usually sold out long before race day. You can, however, still get general admission tickets up until race day starting at $100 for a car pass that admits 6 by contacting http://www.VAGOLDCUP.com or calling 540-347-2612. If you have been invited to a party on Members Hill, there is a dress code you’re expected to adhere to,…
By Julie Reardon Let’s admit it, we all love to peek through the closed doors and through the windows and walled gardens of others, especially the wealthy. There’s a bit of voyeurism in all of us, and online pictures and videos just aren’t the same as immersing ourselves in these private gardens rarely open to the general public. Even if you’re not a gardener, Historic Garden Week in Virginia April 15 – 22 this year, offers a rare chance to visit some of the area’s loveliest estates during a time when they’re all dressed up in spring colors. Historic Garden Week is a statewide event, and the only statewide event of its kind in the country; this is the 90th year it’s been held. It’s sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia and its local chapters. During this special week in April, 250 of the most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks statewide will be open during “America’s Largest Open House.” This 8-day event provides visitors a unique opportunity to see unforgettable gardens at the peak of Virginia’s springtime color, as well as beautiful houses and historic sites sparkling with over 2,000 flower arrangements created by Garden Club of Virginia members. In the hunt country of the northern Blue Ridge, take in some or all of the homes open on several different tours scheduled for April 15 – 22. Beginning on Saturday April 15th homes in Warren County near Front Royal will be open for the tour, the same day as Alexandria’s homes are open. Skip to Wednesday the 19th and visit the open houses of the Warrenton garden club in and around that town in Fauquier County. On Thursday and Friday April 20-21 homes in the Middleburg area open their doors and gardens for you, and on Saturday the…
By Julie Reardon Point to point season kicks off this month in the Blue Ridge! Our mild winter, balmy spring days in January and February bode well for the spring point to point and steeplechase season here in the Blue Ridge hunt country. And, there’s no better cure for a little cabin fever than taking in some world class racing action over fences just an hour from Washington D.C. It all starts Saturday, March 4 with on the circuit’s newest course in rural Culpeper County hosting the Rappahannock Hunt Point to Point Races. Rappahannock Hunt’s races have long been a favorite fixture on the early spring circuit but had a 12 year hiatus searching for a new course until 2020 when the new location opened for business. And it may be the circuit’s prettiest course, located in the shadow of some of the best Blue Ridge views around in Boston, Va., at the Hill Farm. The Rappahannock Hunt season opener is already a winner with both fans and horsemen, not only for the views but the careful attention paid to making the course and grounds inviting for both horses and people. The Hill Farm has a long history of hosting fox hunts and not surprisingly, hunting owner Larry Levy has also trained and ridden races. It’s near the Culpeper/Rappahannock county line about halfway between Culpeper and Sperryville. Officials report due to its instant popularity, reserved railside party spots are selling briskly but it still remains one of the best general admission viewing course and starting at $10, is a bargain. Gates open at 10 am on March 4th (rain date March 11) for the first race at noon. For up to the minute details visit the hunt’s website at http://www.RappahannockHunt.com or their Facebook page. The next race on the schedule…
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