Copyright 2005-2018 Blue Ridge Life Magazine : Photos By Tommy Stafford : Lisa Swinson the former founder and owner of Ambosia that opened back in 2005 stands behind the counter under construction in her new soon to open bakery in Nellysford called Sweet Bliss Bakery.
Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
By Tommy Stafford
Back in 2004 Lisa Swinson opened her Ambrosia Bakery & Deli in Nellysford. After she sold it in 2007 she never thought one day she’d back in Nellysford just down the street opening another bakery.
“No, no I did not. I sort of surprised myself, but very excited. I’ve been thinking ever since I’ve had this second home bakery in Crozet, it’s always been in the back of my mind to open a retail bakery again,” Lisa told us from what will be her new home for Sweet Bliss Bakery in the old locaiton of Rockfish Baking Company in Nellysford’s IGA / Valley Green Center. RBC closed a few weeks ago.
Lisa behind the counter of her original Nellysford bakery, Ambrosia, in a 2005 story we did about her opening just a few months earlier in October 2004. She eventually sold the business in 2007. A few years later it closed for good.The exterior of Lisa’s original bakery back in 2007. It was right next door to Valleymont Grocery which has since closed as well.
Lisa says she looked all around the once she started thinking about opening up a new bakery again, but she didn’t want to compete with Rockfish Baking Company in Nellysford. That took her to Staunton to look around.
“I found a couple of spots in Staunton. I almost committed. I even told the landlord I was going to do it then I backed out. It just didn’t feel right. But as soon as I heard about this spot opening, it felt right Tommy. It just felt right. It feels like coming back home.”
And back home she’ll be! Lisa was a big hit during her first round here, and many of the deserts in area restuarants today are hers. She’s been selling wholesale to places like Basic Necessities for a long time.
Lisa preparing some Valentine’s Day treats in February 2007 at her original Ambrosia Bakery in Nellysford.
Lisa says there will be some old favorites from her Ambrosia days, but not everything.
“It’s going to be different from Ambrosia. We are going to have a full line bakery like we did with Ambrosia, cakes, cheesecakes. I’ve got some new items, key lime pie that I’m making for my restaurants now. And different kinds of pies. Banana cream pie. Coconut cream pie. Chocolate peanut butter. Scones, we’ll have the scones, the muffins, the cookies, cream puffs, eclairs, also quiche. Which we did have at Ambrosia. And also homemade soup. I want to try to have some lunch items, but no sandwiches or salads.”
Lisa Swinson changes out a light bulb in her Sweet Bliss Bakery in Nellysford that will be opening in mid to late January 2018.
Welcome back Lisa! Can’t wait to drop in once you’re open!
To learn more about what Lisa will be offering at Sweet Bliss, head on over to her website by clicking here.
Click on map above for the absolute latest updates from NWS.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY – START / END TIMES VARY CHECK YOUR SPECIFIC LOCATION
Complete list of active statewide advisories here.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
Frederick MD-Carroll-Northwest Montgomery-Northwest Howard-
Rappahannock-Northern Fauquier-Western Loudoun-Eastern Loudoun-
Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
* WHAT…Freezing rain. The ice will result in very slippery
conditions on sidewalks, roads and bridges. A light glaze of
ice is expected.
* WHERE…Portions of northern Virginia along and near the Blue
Ridge and north-central Maryland.
* WHEN…Until 9 PM EST this evening.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of freezing rain
will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads.
Slow down and use caution while driving. The latest road
conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1.
$$
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
MDZ003-VAZ025-028-030-031-504-WVZ051>053-090030-
/O.CON.KLWX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-180109T0000Z/
Washington-Augusta-Frederick VA-Warren-Clarke-Eastern Highland-
Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson-
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
* WHAT…Freezing rain. The ice will result in very slippery
conditions on sidewalks, roads and bridges. A light glaze of ice
is expected.
* WHERE…Portions of north-central Maryland, northwest and
western Virginia and eastern West Virginia.
* WHEN…Until 7 PM EST this evening.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of freezing rain
will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads.
Slow down and use caution while driving. The latest road
conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1.
$$
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
DCZ001-MDZ013-014-504-506-VAZ036>039-050>054-502-090200-
/O.CON.KLWX.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-180109T0200Z/
District of Columbia-Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-
Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard-
Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Orange-Culpeper-
Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Southern Fauquier-
621 PM EST Mon Jan 8 2018
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS
EVENING…
* WHAT…Freezing rain. The ice will result in very slippery
conditions on sidewalks, roads and bridges. A light glaze of ice
is expected.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central Maryland
and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…Until 9 PM EST this evening.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of freezing rain
will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads.
Slow down and use caution while driving. The latest road
conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1.
“Virginia State Police Trooper B.W. Stanley is investigating a fatal, single-vehicle crash in Nelson County. The crash occurred at 1 p.m., Jan. 6, 2018, on Route 29 just north of Davis Creek Lane.
A 2004 Honda Accord traveling south on Route 29 ran off the highway into the median. There it struck an embankment and overturned several times before coming to rest in the median.
The driver, Cyril B. Jenkins III, 19, of Baltimore, Md., died at the scene. He was wearing a seatbelt.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Updated 3:42 PM
“Virginia State Police Trooper B.W. Stanley is investigating a fatal, single-vehicle crash in Nelson County. A vehicle traveling south on Route 29 ran off the highway into the median. There it struck an embankment and overturned several times before coming to rest in the median. The driver, an adult male, died at the scene. State police are still in the process of notifying his next of kin. The cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Original story at 3:09 PM EST
Officers with the Virginia State Police are working a fatal accident on US 29 North of Lovingston Saturday afternoon. Witnesses says the accident occurred near Ridgecrest Church.
“At 1:08 p.m., Virginia State Police are investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash in Nelson County. The crash occurred in the 14,000 block of Route 29. A vehicle ran off Route 29 and into the median. There is one confirmed fatality. The crash remains under investigation.” Corinne Geller – Public Relations Director with the Virginia State Police told us around 3PM Saturday.
We will update this story as we have additional information.
Thanks to Courtney Thompson for this photo : Ice covers the creek as seen from the Moses Hughes Lane bridge in Beech Groove of Nelson County on Friday – January 5, 2018.
Nelson County, Virginia
We’ve essentially been near or below freezing for the past week. May of those temps have been in the single digits and near 0° at times even in the lowlands.
That’s caused lots of creeks, streams and rivers to freeze over.
Courtney Thompson of Beech Grove shared some of her pics with us.
Above, more photos Courtney shared of Sliding Rock just before the Wintergreen entrance.
Looks mighty cold!
Tommy says things will be warming up on Monday and beyond, but not before the chance for some freezing rain Monday morning.
Photo courtesy of Lydia Holman : Lydia Holman (left) of Nelson County, VA with her beau and snow pup got a rare treat of a 2 inches snow on Wednesday – January 3, 2018 in Savannah, Georgia.
Savannah, Georgia
We didn’t see anything here in Nelson and the surrounding Central Virginia Blue Ridge, but that wasn’t the case just off to the east in places like Buckingham County where schools closed Thursday. But you go way south and east and there was plenty of snow.
Lydia Holman of Nelson County, who is in school in Savannah, GA shared the photo above with us on Wednesday. She tells us they got about 2 inches of snow there.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY / WARNING
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
District of Columbia-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges-
Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert-
Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard-
Southeast Harford-Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Rappahannock-
Orange-Culpeper-Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania-
King George-Southern Fauquier-Eastern Loudoun-
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
TO NOON EST SATURDAY…
* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. Expect wind chills to
range from 5 above zero to 10 below zero.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central, northern
and southern Maryland and central, northern and northwest
Virginia.
* WHEN…From 6 PM this evening to noon EST Saturday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The cold wind chills will cause frostbite
in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
MDZ003>006-502-503-505-507-VAZ025>031-501-505-WVZ050>053-055-502-
504-060330-
/O.CON.KLWX.WC.Y.0003.180105T2300Z-180106T1700Z/
Washington-Frederick MD-Carroll-Northern Baltimore-
Central and Eastern Allegany-Northwest Montgomery-
Northwest Howard-Northwest Harford-Augusta-Rockingham-Shenandoah-
Frederick VA-Page-Warren-Clarke-Northern Fauquier-Western Loudoun-
Hampshire-Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson-Hardy-Eastern Grant-
Eastern Mineral-
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING
TO NOON EST SATURDAY…
* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. Expect wind chills to
range from 0 to 15 below zero.
* WHERE…Portions of central, north central, northern and
western Maryland, northern, northwest and western Virginia and
eastern and panhandle West Virginia.
* WHEN…From 6 PM this evening to noon EST Saturday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The cold wind chills will cause frostbite
in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
Extreme Western Allegany-Western Highland-Eastern Highland-
Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
Western Grant-Western Mineral-Western Pendleton-Eastern Pendleton-
220 PM EST Fri Jan 5 2018
…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST SATURDAY…
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 10 AM EST
SUNDAY…
* WHAT…Dangerously cold wind chills expected tonight. Very cold
wind chills expected Saturday night. Expect wind chills to range
from 5 below zero to 25 below zero tonight. Expect wind chills
to range from 0 to 20 below zero Saturday night.
* WHERE…Portions of western Maryland, central, northwest and
western Virginia and eastern West Virginia.
* WHEN…For the Wind Chill Warning, until noon EST Saturday.
For the Wind Chill Advisory, from noon Saturday to 10 AM EST
Sunday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS….The dangerously cold wind chills tonight
will cause frostbite in as little as 10 minutes to exposed skin.
The cold wind chills Saturday night will cause frostbite in as
little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Warning means the combination of very cold air and
the wind will create dangerously low wind chill values. Frost
bite can occur quickly and even hypothermia or death if
precautions are not taken.
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
Around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon emergency crews responded to another auto accident on Route 151 in Nelson County just below Brents Gap. According to motorists that drove by the accident scene it appeared one car crossed over the centerline in a curve and hit another vehicle head on.
Above an engine from Rockfish Valley Fire & Rescue heads for the scene on near Brent’s Gap – Tuesday afternoon January 2, 2018.
The accident scene was cleared and the road opened later in the afternoon.
Click on map above for the absolute latest updates.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EST TUESDAY
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
340 PM EST Mon Jan 1 2018
Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
340 PM EST Mon Jan 1 2018
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EST
TUESDAY…
* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. The cold wind chills will
cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
Expect wind chills to range from 10 to 15 below zero.
* WHERE…Northern Virginia Blue Ridge and Central Virginia Blue
Ridge.
* WHEN…Until 11 AM EST Tuesday.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
Hope’s Legacy Board and Staff, pictured at the Castle Rock Farm Entrance. Photo by Aaron Watson
Near Batesville
Albemarle County, Virginia
After nine years of operating through foster and leased farms, Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue has purchased a permanent home near Batesville, Virginia. The 172-acre property, named Castle Rock Farm, will allow Hope’s Legacy to better serve the community’s equines in need.
Since 2008, Hope’s Legacy has rescued over 150 Virginian horses, donkeys, mules, miniature horses and ponies, from situations ranging from Animal Control seizures to owner surrenders due to extenuating circumstances. The Rescue became better known to the public when they took in a combined 48 horses from the Nottaway and Peaceable Farm seizures in 2015 and 2016. “That was a particularly challenging time for us, because of the limited space we had,” said Maya Proulx, Hope’s Legacy’s Executive Director. “The new property will allow us to respond to catastrophic situations like those much better, and to overall serve more animals.” The need for the Rescue’s services is not going away. Proulx gets an average of 5 calls per week, asking if Hope’s Legacy has room to take in an animal for various reasons.
Hope’s Legacy rescues animals like Amber, who was neglected, starved and covered in lice.
“We are very fortunate to be working with the Merrill family on the purchase of this land,” stated Proulx. To date, Hope’s Legacy has raised $325,000 as a down-payment on the property. During 2018, the Rescue will enter Phase II of their Capital Campaign. The goal is to raise $585,000, which will cover an additional payment on the land, plus building a farm from the ground up. Fencing, barns, run-in sheds, a training ring, clearing land, and a variety of other projects are needed not only to operate the Rescue, but for rehabilitating horses and donkeys. Also included in that amount is the annual operating expenses for the Rescue. It costs about $342 per day to care for the animals. There are 21 horses and donkeys currently at the Rescue, of which about half are permanent residents due to health or age issues. “We could not do this without the generous donors who invest in the mission of Hope’s Legacy,” said Ms. Proulx.
Months later, after much care at the Rescue, Amber is healthy and has learned to trust humans again.
Twenty acres of pasture will be fenced in immediately, and will accommodate the transfer of horses and donkeys from Hope’s Legacy’s current leased farm in Afton. The Castle Rock Farm purchase will enable the Rescue to accommodate about 50% more equines than currently served.
About Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue, Inc.
Hope’s Legacy Equine Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in central Virginia. Since 2008, we have taken in over 150 Virginian horses, donkeys, ponies, mules, and miniature horses subjected to abuse, abandonment and owner surrender. We rescue, rehabilitate, and whenever possible, adopt out animals to new, loving, and well-matched homes. www.hopeslegacy.com.
