Nellysford
Nelson County, VA
Be sure to join everyone for the annual title Rockfish Valley Foundation Kite Festival this Sunday at 11AM. Click on the magazine page above to learn all of the details!
See you there!
Annual Rockfish Valley Foundation Kite Festival This Weekend
Storms Roll Through Blue Ridge Area
Afton,
Nelson County, VA
The first thunderstorms of the Spring season rolled through Wednesday afternoon. Generally speaking rain anounts were between 1/3′ to 1/2″, but the lightning was pretty intense for sure!
There’s another chance for thunderstorms on Friday (some southern counties may see Thursday as well) with low 80’s possible as well.
Listen below.
Blue Ridge Life Welcomes Woody Elliott To The Family
Central Virginia Blue Ridge
Years ago when we were still Nelson County Life Magazine, our bud Christina Kline wrote our outdoor column. Years later we unfortunately lost Christina to the mountains of Colorado where she still lives today. She’s loving life there!
Lots of people have asked us about starting the outdoor column back up. Say no more! Enter Woody Elliott.
(Right) Woody Elliot in his debut column above from our current April 2015 issue.
“I would like to congratulate Blue Ridge Life Magazine, Tommy and Yvette Stafford on TEN YEARS of energetic coverage of the community. I have known Tommy & Yvette for the last 5 or 6 years. They have been enthusiastic supporters of the events I ran with Devils Backbone Brewing Company. Here is to another 10 plus years of continued success! Next, I want to thank Blue Ridge Life Magazine for the opportunity to write the new Outdoor Column, Embrace the Adventure. When they approached me with their concept, I was all over it. Since the early to mid-90’s, my friends and I have been exploring various areas of the BRL Community from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Charlottesville to Harrisonburg and back mostly by mountain biking and trail running.”
As the owner of Dirty Series of Events LLC (DSE LLC), his company has been hosting many off road events across the state over the last 8 years. Most recently, DSE LLC produced the trail running and mountain bike races for the Devils Backbone Brewing Company – Basecamp under the name of the Devils Backbone Adventures. For the last 8 years, DSE LLC annually produces a unique mountain bike points series called the Virginia Off Road Series (VORS). VORS promotes over 20 mountain bike events, which hosts many events in the BRL Community, based on a unique points series (www.VirginiaOffRoadSeries.com). DSE LLC consults and produces events with the Virginia State Parks and in particular with the James River State Park in 2015(more details to follow). DSE LLC also consulted with Wintergreen Resort on their Cliffhanger Challenge Mountain Bike Race.
Bottom line, Woody is constantly looking for ways to connect people with the great outdoors. Since discovering the sense of adventure in the early 90’s, he has taken on mountain biking, trail running, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking and many other facets of exploring the great outdoors. Whether on top of Whistler, BC to discovering Irish Gap, Va in Amherst County, he embraces the adventure and makes the most of them all.
Not only will Woody be writing about races, biking and the like, he’ll be covering just regular fun outside for enyone to enjoy, whether you are involved in competitive sports or not.
Be looking for much more from Woody in the coming months and years.
Have an idea or comments for Woody? Email him here: Embrace The Adventure
The Blackburn Gallery Opens In Nellysford – Official Opening April 11th
This 1200+ pound, 8 foot tall dragon now lives in the front yard of the new gallery
Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
Via The Blackburn Gallery
Upon the opening of The Blackburn Gallery, exhibits will highlight the works of twelve regional artists. The gallery will additionally debut art work from students at the Nelson County High School as the gallery’s first guest artist feature. Guest artists will be rotated through the gallery every three months. Kevin Blackburn, the owner of the gallery, has been an artist and photographer for more than 20 years. This is an exciting new venture for Kevin to be able to create a space for emerging and accomplished artists, as well as a space for Kevin to highlight his own personal body of work. The collections that are being shown from Kevin’s personal body of work are from his Impressions limited edition collection. Additionally, Kevin will be exhibiting the William Lee collection, an open edition of prints that are dedicated to his father.
The twelve regional artists whose work is on exhibit in the The Blackburn Gallery are; Mike Zavada, Gina Carroll, Lynn Hilton Conyers, Cara Mischelle Dimassimo, Michael Brookings, Liz McCormack, Troy Argenbright, Tom evans, Jack Kavana, Mike Boyle, Dennis Hippen, Feather Stein, George & Chris Jetter, and Patti Siehien.
A statement from Kevin Blackburn –
“I have known many great artists over the years. Opening The Blackburn Gallery is giving me the opportunity to be inspired daily by many of the great artists.”
RVCC Indoor Market Holds Last One For Season – Nelson Farmer’s Market Readies For Opening April 11th
Afton/Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
After a long and cold winter, warmer days are signaling the end to hanging out indoors and moving outside. The RVCC Indoor Community Market held its last market of the season on Saturday.
See you next weekend at the Nelson Farmers Market and see you next season at the indoor market!
10 Years Ago Today – A Look Back – No Fooling!
Nelson County, Virginia
Ten years ago today something pretty special began. We’d left the TV news business the year before and on April 1, 2005 we started Nelson County Life Magazine. For 8 years we brought you the stories and photos from all over Nelson. Back then it was just Tommy & Yvette. Today we’ve been joined by Junior Publisher Adam Stafford & Juniorette Publisher Peyton Stafford. In 2005 we were mostly black & white, today we are full color. The requests to go beyond Nelson were overwhelming, so, a little over two years ago we changed our name to Blue Ridge Life Magazine and expanded. Today we cover stories from all over the Blue Ridge.
Scroll down below for a few memories from our very first issue!
We will be taking a look back at our first 10 years each month throughout this year. We thank each and every one of you that have made our publication a success. Readers, advertisers, photographers, writers, sales people, and on and on!
Today as we were preparing this story we got a very nice email:
Today’s date (by which I mean that you probably are coming out with an April issue today, NOT anything to do with April Fool’s) makes me aware of how tardy I am in congratulating you on the excellent March issue, which I picked up at the Greenwood Store near Exit 107 off 64 a couple of weeks ago and have been reading gradually. I greatly enjoyed the articles on the Mountain View cheesemaker, on the Afton book shelf, and on take-out place in Stuarts Draft. Many thanks for the good work.
Sincerely,
Victor Luftig
This is why we do what we do. Thank you Victor and all who have sent word of encouragement over the years!
Red Flag Warning: CANCELED
Fire Weather Advisory
Statement as of 7:28 PM EDT on March 31, 2015
…Red flag warning is cancelled for central Virginia…
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has cancelled
the red flag warning.
The relative humidity will continue to increase and gusty winds
this evening will diminish overnight.
RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA
Central Virginia Blue Ridge
URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
553 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2015
VAZ025-036-037-504-508-010000-
/O.EXT.KLWX.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-150401T0000Z/
AUGUSTA-NELSON-ALBEMARLE-EASTERN HIGHLAND-CENTRAL VA BLUE RIDGE-
553 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2015
…RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR
THE CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY…PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA
AND THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS OF VIRGINIA.
* HUMIDITY…20 TO 30 PERCENT.
* WINDS…WEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.
* FUEL MOISTURE…5 TO 7 PERCENT.
* IMPACTS…THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE WILL ENHANCE THE THREAT FOR THE SPREAD OF
WILDFIRES EARLY THIS EVENING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR.
&&
$$
URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1155 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2015
…GUSTY WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON…
.DRY AIR REMAINS IN PLACE IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT THAT PASSED
ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY…WHICH HAS RESULTED IN VERY LITTLE
RECOVERY OF FUEL MOISTURES. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE GOING TO
INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 30 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWESTERLY
FLOW WILL ALSO RESULT IN WARM TEMPERATURES THAT WILL DRIVE
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TO NEAR 20 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON.
A TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT AS THE LOW APPROACHES WILL ALSO
SUPPORT STRONG WIND SPEEDS THROUGH SUNSET.
VAZ018>020-022>024-034-035-010000-
/O.EXT.KRNK.FW.W.0001.000000T0000Z-150401T0000Z/
CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-BEDFORD-
AMHERST-
1155 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2015
…RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR
GUSTY WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS FOR PORTIONS OF THE SHENANDOAH
VALLEY…ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS…AND ROANOKE VALLEY…
* AFFECTED COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA…CRAIG..ALLEGHANY
VA…BATH…ROANOKE…BOTETOURT…ROCKBRIDGE…BEDFORD AND
AMHERST.
* WINDS…SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.
* TIMING…UNTIL 8 PM TODAY.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…15 TO 20 PERCENT.
* TEMPERATURES…UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S.
* IMPACTS…THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
AND LOW FUEL MOISTURE WILL ENHANCE THE THREAT FOR THE SPREAD OF
WILDFIRES UNTIL SUNSET.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE LARGE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.
Finish With Gold Adventure Triathlon Course At James River State Park – Ready For April 18th Event
Gladstone
James River State Park
Final preps are underway for the first in a series of race events that will be held at James River State Park this summer. The inaugural #FinishWithGold Adventure Triathlon will be held on April 18th. BRLM is the media sponsor for this and several others scheduled in 2015.
“We’re excited to be hosting this brand new race down at JRSP along with Devils Backbone & Blue Ridge Life,” said Woody, coordinator of the race. He and Bill Crawford, park’s coordinator are putting the event together.
To learn more about the upcoming event April 18th and to register, head on over to TriReg.com by clicking here.
Spring In Virginia????
Wintergreen
Nelson County, Virginia
The calendar may say Spring, but Mother Nature says Winter! People living up at Wintergreen Resort got a surprise Friday morning, they awoke to snow covering the ground!
Not to worry, most of the roads up there are in good shape, but just goes to show you that early Spring in Virginia can throw plenty of surprises your way!
A very cold weekend is ahead as I discuss below, with upper teens for overnight lows in the mountains this weekend and even low and mid 20’s down below.
Warmer days by next week!
Large Power Outage in Buckingham As Of 3:38 PM Wednesday : Updated 4:44 PM : Restored
Buckingham County, VA
Dominion has restored service to the CVEC Mount Rush substation in Buckingham County after repairing a bad… http://t.co/xhwkWVcY4p
— CVEC (@MyCVEC) March 25, 2015
According to CVEC:
“We have received word that Dominion’s transmission services has dropped the wholesale power feed to CVEC’s Mount Rush substation in Buckingham County affecting 1435 Cooperative members, as well as others. CVEC must await the efforts of Dominion to locate the issue and restore service and CVEC will share information as it become available.”
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