By Ken Wilson – There is peace in the valley if that’s what you want—and plenty to keep you occupied when you don’t. Just “over the mountain” from Albemarle County is the storied Shenandoah Valley with all that lush countryside, and all those country places. Once so richly farmed it was dubbed “the breadbasket of […]
By Ken Wilson – There is peace in the valley if that’s what you want—and plenty to keep you occupied when you don’t. Just “over the mountain” from Albemarle County is the storied Shenandoah Valley with all that lush countryside, and all those country places. Once so richly farmed it was dubbed “the breadbasket of […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Imagine a quaint little town where you can browse interesting shops, view historic treasures, enjoy special events, and eat award-winning barbeque. Imagine a place where ghosts of people long dead make occasional appearances to delight visitors. If all of that intrigues, come for a visit to Gordonsville, a small town […]
By Marilyn Pribus – Formally known as “companion animals,” the more popular term has long been simply “pets” and lots of folks have them. Recent figures from Statista—a website with thousands of statistics—show that millions of Americans share their homes with creatures. The most numerous household pets are actually fish, but since aquariums don’t much […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Looking for a relaxed, country lifestyle but hate long commutes? Move to Greene County north of Albemarle for terrific views from your reasonably priced home. Then enjoy the easy, scenic commute to town. A host of outdoor and recreational activities including hiking, camping, fishing and golfing are a big part […]
By Marilyn Pribus – “I used to ask my students where their food came from,” says North Garden Farmers Market Manager Kathy Zentgraf. “’The grocery store,’ they’d reply, so I’d explain to them about where their meat and produce came from before it got to the grocery store.” Farmers markets, she notes, are a great […]
By Celeste M. Smucker – Enjoying a waterfront lifestyle is high on the list of many home buyers searching for the perfect place to live. Fortunately, in our area, they have plenty to choose from ranging from a house on a local lake, to a home on the James River, to a rural property with […]
By Ken Wilson – The air is hot, but the water is not. Paddle it, ski it, plunge a line into or just plain jump in—the cool, cooling water of our lakes and streams and rivers refreshes our bodies and our minds in the always, shall we say, atmospherically challenging Virginia summertime. Here are just […]
By Ken Wilson – Tired of London? Sick of Paris? If a European vacation is unappealing (see your doctor) or out of reach, stick around and look around. It’s a truism that locals neglect what tourists take pains to visit, and Central Virginia is full of tourist destinations, not to mention lesser known historic and […]
by Ken Wilson – The Wizard of IX can help your dreams come true. Independent filmmaker Brian Wimer was first the “instigator” of the IX Art Park, nestled between Monticello and Elliot Avenues in Charlottesville, then he was its “executive director,” and now he’s officially its “Wizard.” And why not? As Wimer notes with the […]
By Ken Wilson – An Albemarle County landowner named Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. James Monroe, had a place just up the road and James Madison, mentored by Jefferson and hailed as “the father of the Constitution” settled in nearby Orange County. These men made history—our American history—and their […]