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The Late Earl Hamner’s Thanksgiving Memory Of Schuyler, Virginia

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Schuyler
Nelson County, Virginia

For several years during the infancy of Blue Ridge Life Magazine (back then Nelson County Life) Earl Hamner wrote poems and stories for us that we luckily got to include in the pages of the magazine. We remained dear friends with Earl until his death back in March of 2016.

One of our favorites Earl shared with us back in 2006 was his Thanksgiving Memory. We share it with you this Thanksgiving 2024.

A THANKSGIVING MEMORY
By
Earl Hamner

In the beginning Schuyler was a company town, the home of The Alberene Stone Corporation, which quarried and milled soapstone. We lived in company built houses and bought our goods from the company store. Schuyler had been a prosperous little village but when the Great Depression came the mill closed. My father found work in Waynesboro and could only be home with his family on holidays and weekends.

I remember a Thanksgiving from those years. Mornings were strangely quiet because the whistle calling the workers to the mill no longer sounded. On this Thanksgiving morning the sound that woke us was that of my father, home for the holiday, building a fire in the wood-burning cook stove. He drenched the wood with kerosene and when he lit it with a match the flames mad a whooshing sound as they roared up the chimney.

Shortly, he called down the hall to my mother, “Sweetheart,” which was his name for her till his dying day. My mother answered, “I’m on my way,” and joined him in the kitchen. They spoke quietly to each other, sharing private moments. Soon the sound of coffee percolating and the aroma of sizzling bacon would drift up to our rooms.

We descended upon them, eight red headed brothers and sisters, crowding around the stove to warm up. Breakfast was served at a long wooden trestle table my father had built and while we ate he would admire his brood and call us his “thoroughbreds.”

Each of us was assigned chores. The girls helped our mother wash and dry the dishes, make the beds, washing and iron the clothes. The boys tended to outside chores. There was the cow to be milked. She was a brown and white Guernsey. My father had bought her from Miss Dolly Hall for forty dollars. Miss Dolly had named her Chance because she gave a “good chance” of butter. The chickens had been up before us and were waiting for the grain we tossed to them on the frosty ground. Feeding the pigs was a melancholy chore. They had intelligent eyes and looked up trustingly as we poured slops into their tough. I knew, and it pained me, but they were unaware that they did not have long to live.

Our Father had brought home the turkey the day before. He had shot it over on Wales Mountain and my mother was already preparing it for the oven when company began to arrive.

We were part of two great clans. In addition to my mother’s family, most of whom lived close by, my father’s people, aunts and uncles and cousins would arrive from Richmond and Petersburg. We were in awe of the city cousins. They used slang words that were new to us such as “guy” “jerk” or “kiddo” which made us feel naïve and countrified. We children would travel in packs, playing the old games of Hide and Go Seek, Olly, Olly Oxen Free, and in the nearby school yard we would shoot baskets or play baseball, or find a plowed fiend where we searched for arrowheads and fools gold.

At home the conversation grew in pitch and volume as everybody talked at once. Hardly anybody heard what the other was saying but everybody knew what was going on. We are a family of story tellers. No event is without significance to us, and all that happens becomes a part of our history. We keep and share every detail. Our reunions become a verbal history of birth and death, of failures and accomplishments, of hardships and good times and just celebrating the joy of being together again. Being an aspiring writer I kept notes!

At one point everybody piled into cars and went to the graveyard where we paid respects to our dead. The more recent graves were marked by stones with names and dates carved or engraved on them. In the older section we came to earlier graves marked simply by a single primitive stone with no lettering to tell the name of who rested beneath it.

On the way home one of the uncles made a detour down to Esmont to visit the Staples Sisters who made bootleg apple brandy. He brought a bottle back with him and it was surreptitiously passed from one of the uncles to the other. If she caught sight of it one of the wives would disapprove but her scolding did not last long for someone moved to the piano and soon all the grown ups had their arms around each other, swaying back and forth while singing “In the Garden” or “Down by The Old Mill Stream” or “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.”

In the late afternoon dinner was served. If my grandmother was there she would say a proper grace, but if she was not my father said, “Look out, Lord, we’re gonna eat!” What a feast ensued! The turkey, golden brown, had a minimum of birdshot left in it. The applesauce was made from fruit we had gathered from an abandoned orchard down on Mt. Alto. The butter beans, the corn, and the peas came come from our summer garden and canned by my mother. The potatoes flavored with Chance’s rich butter were not mashed but creamed. Finally desserts. The sweet potato pie, still warm from the oven, was encased in a crust so crumbly and sweet that it alone could have been a dessert. And then came the pumpkin pie, steaming aromas of brown sugar and nutmeg, and all laced with generous portions of whipped cream. All of it was accompanied by milk for the children, coffee for the adults and if requested iced tea as sweet as sugar cane.

At sundown out-of-town guests drifted off to whatever relative had taken them in for the night. Others, sated with food and companionship, gathered around the radio for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Thanksgiving message. Sleepy, exhausted children were carted off to bed. It was a family custom that we would call goodnight to each other from room to room and finally, we would drowse off to sleep secure in the knowledge that we were home, safe and loved.

They were challenging times, those Depression Years. They seem so distant now. We thought we were poor, but in them we were richer than we knew.
The house where we lived is quiet now. No one lives there any more except for a family of dirt daubers and ghosts that move from room to room behind the empty windows.

In memory I go there each night. I stand beside the gate, look up to the house, and once again I hear the voices of my mother and father, my brothers and sisters as we call goodnight to each before we rest.

Nelson : Crabtree Falls : Area Crews Rescue Dog From Other Side Of Falls

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Near Montebello
Crabtree Falls
Nelson County, Virginia

Usually when you hear of us reporting on a rescue at Crabtree Falls it’s a person that’s slipped and gone over. Most of the time that doesn’t end well. The deaths there are in the dozens over the years. That’s not this story. Not even close. Spoiler alert, this one has a very happy ending! What’s more, it was all captured on video. This one’s going to make you happy.

Wintergreen Fire & Rescue posted the video below over the weekend, this is how they say it all started.

“If you’re not a dog person, you may not get this.

Today we were called to Crabtree Falls to search for a dog which fell over the falls and couldn’t be located. Our crews combined with Montebello Fire and Piney River Fire to search for a few hours. The dog was not found.

Later, we were requested to return because the dog showed up on the far side of the falls. We were able to safely return Winnie to her owner.”

To see for your own, watch the video below, it’s a great one shot by the owners of the dog!

This is the kind of story we like to see coming out of Crabtree Falls!!

VSP To Run Highway Safety Initiative On US 29 During Thanksgiving Holiday

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From Virginia State Police:

“As part of an effort to ensure Virginians get to their Thanksgiving destinations safely and successfully, Virginia State Police will be conducting a highway safety initiative on Route 29 from Fauquier County to the North Carolina state line (200 miles).  The initiative will take place Nov. 22, 2024, and coincides with the start of Thanksgiving break for some colleges and universities.

State troopers will be targeting speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving, and seatbelt violations.

Data over the past two years has shown an increase in crashes, especially injury crashes, along Route 29 during the month of November.  Crashes increased 17% from November 2021 (659 crashes) to November 2023 (774) in the enforcement area.  Crashes with injuries increased nearly 43% over the same time period (277 in 2021 vs. 396 in 2023).

Virginia State Police held a similar initiative along Route 460 in August, coinciding with the start of the fall college semester.

Matthew Demlein
Interim Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”

NWS Skywarn Basics Class In Nelson County & Skywarn Appreciation Day

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Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia

“Nelson County is sponsoring a SKYWARN Basics Class on January 15th, 2025. The location is the Firehouse in Lovingston. Completion of this class will result in a SKYWARN spotter ID IF you live in the Baltimore/Washington (STERLING, ,LWX ) CWA (County Watch Area – see photo above)

If you live in the Wakefield or Blackburg CWA you may also attend and I can help you get on the roles of the Wakefiled or Blacksburg CWA spotter list.

For details of the Nelson County class follow the link…REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND : https://www.weather.gov/lwx/skywarn

SKYWARN Recognition day (SRD) is December 7th.  All spotters and Hams are encouraged to participate. I have never participated but it looks like fun… hope you can join in. Please check out the following link and register if you are interested.
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

Finally… thanks for the 18 check-ins on the Monthly Skywarn Net. Pete KQ4TNW was our new net controller and did a great job.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Feel free to pass is information along to Hams and Non-Hams alike.

Dave Beebe, K4UEK
Waynesboro/Charlottesville SKYWARN Subnet Coordinator
(Augusta, Albemarle, Greene and Nelson Counties)”

Montebello : Santa Responds To Letters & Makes Visit On December 14th

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Montebello
Nelson County, Virginia

The last two years Montebello Camping and Fishing has been collecting children’s letters to Santa from mid-November through mid-December. They respond back to them as Santa Claus. Just a small way to spread a little bit of the holiday magic to kids for the season!

This is their third year of doing the Santa letters. This year Santa is coming up on December 14th at 1PM. They’ll be having light refreshments and giving each family a photo to take home. It’s a free event.

Their address is 15072 Crabtree Falls Hwy, Montebello, VA 24464 and our number is 540-377-2650.

Santa comes up on December 14th at 1PM. They’ll be having light refreshments and giving each family a photo to take home. It’s also a free event.

How the Santa letters work:

1. Write a letter to Santa. Don’t forget about all those good deeds, early bedtimes, and helping with chores in the letter! Also, don’t forget what you want for Christmas!

2. Put it in an envelope.

3. Parents, please tuck a little note inside with the children’s information (name, address, and notes about anything Santa may have missed during the year! 🤫🤫).

4. Bring it on up to the Montebello Country Store and put it in our special box for Santa!

5. Be extra good and very patient for a reply!

Montebello Camping & Fishing on the web here.

Nelson : Lowesville : Nelson Sheriff Serves Search Warrant

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Lowesville
Nelson County, Virginia

BRL received this information release from Nelson County Sheriff Mark Embrey Tuesday afternoon about a search performed in Lowesville of Southern Nelson County. Belwo is the verbatim press release.

“On November 19, 2024, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, along with members of the 3A Regional Drug Task Force, executed a Search Warrant during the early morning hours at a residence located in the Lowesville community of Nelson County.

This Search Warrant was part of an ongoing investigation by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office and the 3A Regional Drug Task Force. While this case is still ongoing and details are limited, this incident resulted in the recovery of narcotics, multiple firearms, and property that had been reported stolen both in Nelson County and surrounding jurisdictions.

As a result of this Search Warrant, additional items were located which lead to a ‘Second’ Search Warrant being obtained for another property in Nelson County. This Search Warrant was also executed, and it resulted in the recovery of additional property that had been previously reported as ‘Stolen’ in Nelson County and neighboring jurisdictions.

The execution of these Search Warrants has led ot the arrest of Mr. John Brogan, a 32 Year-old male who resides in the Lowesville community of Nelson County. Mr. Brogan has been charged with the following offenses:
• 18.2-250 Possession of a Schedule I/II Narcotic
• 18.2-308.2 Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
• 18.2-308.4 Possession of a Firearm while in Possession of a Schedule I/II Narcotic

Mr. Brogan was held without bond and transported to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional
County Jail. We would like to thank the Virginia State Police, 3A Regional Task Force, Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance with this investigation.”

Nellysford : Fire Destroys Event Center At Three Notch’d Brewing

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Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia

By Tommy Stafford 

Updated 11:00 AM with Wintergreen Fire info. 

An early morning fire at Three Notch’d Brewing in Nellysford appears to have totally destroyed a special events center next to the main restaurant and brewery.

©2024 BlueRidgeLife.com A wider view of the destroyed event buildings at Three Notch’d Brewing in Nellysford, Virginia. Saturday – November 16, 2024

“A person driving by on Route 151 around 2:30 this morning saw the blaze and called it in. Units from all over the area responded since there’s no fire hydrant on site, we used water from their pumpers,” Wintergreen Fire & Rescue Chief Curtis Sheets told me mid morning Saturday. Chief Sheets said the damage was confined to the event center buildings and the main restaurant / brewery only has a couple of windows damaged from the heat. No cause is known for the fire as of this morning. No one was injured.

We don’t have anymore details at this point, but have inquiries in to Three Notch’d management.

More as we know.

Nellysford : Skating Into Heaven : R.I.P. David Curly

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Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia

I first met David Curly just after we permanently moved to Nelson County way back in early 2004. You’d see David (Curly to the locals) on his signature rollerblades scooting across the parking lot at Wintergreen Hardware or over at Valleymont Grocery. Until a year or so ago Curly lived behind Wintergreen Hardware. He’d been there for years and years. The new owner told Curly he had to leave after it sold. That’s when he moved into a space by the old Valleymont nearby.

Until this very week Curly could be seen sitting under the awning next to the barber shop near Blue Ridge Pig. He’d have his morning coffee there and read, or play chess with a friend. You’ve see him walking 151 headed to IGA for groceries. To say David Curly was an institution, a legend in Nellysford, would be a big understatement. He was even a cover story back in our charter publication Nelson County Life, Issue 74 in May 2011.

Our May 2011 Cover story called Camp David. We did a profile story on David Curly. Click on the image above to read that story.

To my disbelief I got a message late Thursday morning that Curly was no more. He was gone. He’d passed away peacefully while sleeping in his room just steps from where he’d lived months before. “A buddy of his that plays chess with him would keep a check on Curly. He’d become concerned that he couldn’t reach him by phone when he called Thursday morning. He drove over here and that’s when we found he’d passed away in his sleep,” Lydia Lester at the barber shop told me Thursday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of Basic Necessities archives. Judy Nelson (L) co-founder of Basic Necessities) and David Curly on the parking lot near the restaurant and the old hardware store in Nellysford back in the late 1990s.

Everyone knew Curly. Visitors coming to stay for a weekend. Locals, and more. He’d often be seen in the hardware store reading or helping a customer find something needed. Often he’d carry whatever they bought out to the car. He was an absolute gentleman.

So how did David Curly end up in Nelson County?

“One weekend a friend of mine said, ‘Let’s go to the mountains’,” and it was as simple as that. “He had a car and I didn’t,” David said with a big smile. Little did he know this backpacking trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains wouldn’t be coming to an end anytime soon. That’s what Curley told our Marcy Gates back in 2011 for the story. She and photographer Hayley Osborne finally convinced him to let us do a story after years of my, and ultimately them asking.

Photo By Hayley Osborne : Curly playing with one of his three dogs at the time when he lived behind the hardware store in Nellysford. May 2011.

I last saw Curly just a few days ago. We passed one another heading into the IGA. We always say hi to each other and sometimes chat for a few minutes before moving on.

Like many others I have written about here over the years, David Curly was part of the local color, the backdrop that makes Nellysford and Nelson what it is.

It’s gonna be very strange heading in to get my haircut or stopping at Basic Necessities for lunch and not seeing Curly around anymore. For as long as I can remember and long before that, he was just always there.

Thank you Curly for making our days here in Nelson more interesting and giving us that feeling of home.

We miss you already.

See you on the other side.

Nelson / Greenfield : Virginia State Police Investigating 3 Car Crash From Weekend

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Verbatim from Virginia State Police:

“Virginia State Police is investigating a three-vehicle crash that occurred Saturday (Nov. 9, 2024) at 12:20 p.m. at the intersection of Route 151 and Rockfish School Lane in Nelson County.

A 2012 Chevrolet Silverado was heading southbound on Route 151, when it was unable to avoid a 2010 Ford Expedition making a left turn onto Rockfish School Lane from Route 151.
The Silverado struck the rear passenger side of the Expedition which in turn then struck a 2021 Ford Bronco which was stopped at the stop sign on Rockfish School Lane.
The driver of the Expedition, Kathleen E. Caudill, 66, of Nellysford, Va., was charged with failure to yield the right of way.

A passenger in the Bronco suffered minor injuries.

Nobody else in the crash was injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Matthew Demlein
Interim Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”

Portions Of GW National Forest Closed Due To Fire Conditions (UPDATED 11.12.24)

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From U.S. Forest Service / GW National Forest:

Due to current fire conditions on the Lee Ranger District in the northern region of the George Washington National Forest, there is a temporary closure in place to the following areas:

– Elizabeth Furnace Day Use Area
– Buzzard Rock Trailhead Parking lot
– Picket Springs Parking lot
– Trail No. 404: Buzzard Rock
– Trail No. 406: Shawl Gap
– Trail No. 403: Sherman Gap
– Trail No. 405.1: Tuscarora Veach Gap
– Trail No. 408: Massanutten Mountain (From Elizabeth Furnace to Veach Gap)
– Trail No. 463: Botts Trail
– Trail No. 403: Sherman Gap
– Trail No. 483: Pig Iron
– Trail No. 483A: Charcoal Trail
– Trail No. 484: Veach Gap

We ask the public to avoid areas with active fire and smoke for your safety, and to give fire personnel room to address the situation.

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