By Julie Reardon Just when you thought you’d be reading another story about spring flowers and the beauty in the hunt country this time of year, we’re here to tell you about other springtime arrivals: the slithering and slimy creatures that make their appearance when the weather warms up. Virginia has a wide variety of amphibious animals, salamanders and frogs, that start to get active as the weather and water they live in or near warms. Perhaps no sound is more welcome than the chorus of the spring peepers, little gray frogs that start to sing on the first warm nights of spring or even late winter. These singing frogs are of the treefrog family and rarely get larger than an inch, making their singing even more impressive as to carry on, it takes a chorus of thousands, even hundreds of thousands. Even if you live in a suburban area, if you’re near wetlands, a stream or pond, you’ve no doubt heard them sing. But you rarely see them: they’re only about an inch long and are mostly tree dwellers except when first born. Salamanders, too, call Virginia home and are occasionally seen in spring and summer. They differ from lizards (reptiles) in that they have thin, moist skin instead of scales. They have blunt rounded heads, long slender bodies with short legs and long tails. Their feet have four toes instead of five, like a lizard. Generally voiceless and with some living on land under logs and leaf debris and some aquatic, many species are endangered. The ones you’re most likely to see are red-spotted newts, black spotted salamanders and occasionally hellbenders, that are mostly aquatic and one of the larger amphibians growing up to 15 inches or more. Frogs and toads are plentiful everywhere with many making their…
by Julie Reardon Though at press time, warm spring weather is in hiding, by the time you read this it will truly be here in all its colorful glory. A teaser week of warm weather has the cherry blossoms in D.C. in an early full bloom, as are early daffodils and forsythia and a few early flowering trees in the Blue Ridge. There’s nothing like the green, green new grass framed by dogwoods and redbuds as the backdrop for an enjoyable day in the country. April is the month of garden tours, antiques and crafts fairs, horse racing over fences, and other outdoor activities. Pack a tailgate and take in a spring race meet in Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock or Culpeper counties in the coming weeks. April is when the upcoming stars of the steeplechase circuit really show their stuff. In addition to the Point to Point circuit (cheaper admission, closer to the action) there are several bigger, fancier meets including the Middleburg Spring Races or the annual see-and-be-seen affair where horses are secondary to the parade of people, the Virginia Gold Cup on May 4th. You might enjoy a horse show or event at Morven Park north of Leesburg, which has something going on each weekend in April. There’s a schedule on the website morvenpark.org Antiquing and visiting craft fairs for finds is a favored pastime of visitors to the Blue Ridge. In addition to the many roadside shops, check out Culpeperpalooza April 17-20 at the Mountain Run Vineyard just south of town for crafts, music and tasty treats from local eateries. Info about tickets for one or all 3 days is on their Facebook page or website culpeperpalooza.com. A fun area favorite will be in Leesburg the weekend of the 20-21st, the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival for 2024. It’s like…
By Julie Reardon Most of us have told ourselves at some point, “Well, that didn’t go as planned, but I’m ok with that.” And so it was with the life of Tanzy, aka Hope Springs Tanganyika JH. She was born here at Hope Springs in January of 2009. As all puppies are, she was a beautiful baby, the largest female and second largest in that litter of ten. It’s still a mystery how she ended up so little, at the very bottom of the standard for Chesapeake Bay retrievers. Her mother and a sister – who we kept from another litter – were big girls, and her 85 lb. sire was a normal size. Not until she was older did she even attain 50 lbs. – weighing in at 47 or 48 lbs most of her life. But what she lacked in size, she made up for with sheer determination and a sweet disposition that won over everyone who met her, two or four legged. Tanzy wasn’t highly titled or a mighty huntress and, in fact, it was a miracle she lived to five much less past 15 after surviving and thriving after a freak accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down as a 4 year-old. We never knew what happened; she didn’t have a mark on her and never made a sound. Looking uncomfortable in the morning, she was ambulatory but not herself. By lunch time she could barely walk, and had to be carried into the vet’s two hours later. All available tests were normal so we ended up taking her to a specialist for overnight, since she had to be on fluids and a catheter. The next morning saw no change, so I had two choices: euthanasia or take her to a new veterinary neurology…
By Julie Reardon Point to point season kicks off March 2 in the Blue Ridge Spring may not feel like it’s here yet, but it’s a sure sign it’s on the way when the point to point season gets underway in early March. 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 Alexandria. It all starts Saturday, March 2nd with the circuit’s newest course that opened 2020 in rural Culpeper County hosting the Rappahannock Hunt Point to Point Races. Rappahannock’s races, long a fixture on the early spring circuit, took a 12-year hiatus while seeking a suitable venue. And this one was worth the wait, for what may be the circuit’s prettiest course in Boston, Virginia at the Hill Farm. This location is near the Culpeper/Rappahannock county line about halfway between Culpeper and Sperryville. Point to point races are the minor leagues of steeplechasing, or racing over fences, a sport popular in our state since colonial times. This type of racing has its roots in the hunt field–hundreds of years ago, a pair of Irish foxhunters raced cross country using a church steeple as a landmark, to settle the question of who had the faster hunting horse. Now, as back then, horses still race over natural countryside and farmland and jump natural obstacles, although courses are set up so spectators can see all or most of the race from the sidelines or the infield. Later in the spring, races are sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association and offer cash purses and in some locations, parimutuel wagering, but the feeder program for these prestigious races is the local point to point circuit, with none bigger and more competitive than Virginia’s. The local hunt clubs are the…
Winter is a beautiful season on the parkway. With frequent road closures due to winter weather, the experience, for those who choose to venture beyond closed road gates, is one of quiet contemplation. The parkway provides a variety of opportunities this time of year—for those prepared to face the elements. Know Before You Go Although sections of the 469-mile parkway are often closed to motor vehicles in winter due to snow and ice on the roadway, there are frequently days when the Parkway may be open from end to end due to unseasonably warm temperatures. Whether your goal is to drive or cross country ski the parkway, it is important to know the road status before you make a trip. The most up to date road information can be found on the parkway’s Road and Facilities Closure Page, which details gate to gate closures. Additional information regarding road closures and winter weather events can often be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway Facebook page at www.facebook.com/blueridgenps Winter Recreational Opportunities In all seasons of year, the parkway is more than just a beautiful drive. There are numerous recreational opportunities available. In the winter, the parkway offers opportunities to enjoy traditional winter activities, and even some that are not so traditional. Behind the closed gates of a winter road closure, parkway visitors can enjoy popular winter pastimes such as sledding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snow play. For the more adventurous, the parkway is a premier destination for ice climbing in the southern United States, where the parkway’s lofty heights provide for the extended cold temperatures needed to make the activity safe when the surrounding areas are often too warm to provide such an opportunity. Hiking During most winter weather closures, park hiking trails are generally open to the public. While access to trailheads…
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…
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