It’s that time of years again. The leaves have turned and are fallen; it’s no longer just frost, but freezing. Crops are in, and it is time to give thanks for the abundance we’ve been blessed with.

The abundance we’ve been blessed with. . .
At no time in history has any nation or people ever been so prosperous. America is inconceivably wealthy, the result of the greatest economic engine the world has ever known.

Shenandoah County is triply blessed; a beautiful and bountiful land of mountains and valleys, located on the transportation corridor and able to take advantage of the business and industrial centers just to our north. We enjoy our own agricultural core, with forests and nature to the east and west.

Yet even in the midst of plenty, there are those among us who are needy; and our humanity and mercy impel us to keep them from starving or freezing. The Volokh Conspiracy blog has an article on the benefits (for the givers) of charity, and a discussion on favored charities, mostly from an urban perspective.

With this year’s hunting season upon us, please consider a donation to Hunters for the Hungry. Through area food banks are generously supplied with many foods, of all the basic nutrition needs, high quality meat is by far the most precious and costly.

In Shenandoah County, Nick Crabill in Tom’s Brook (Crabill’s Retail & Wholesale Meats, 540-436-3884) has volunteered to process, store, and forward venison. Other counties have volunteer processors also. Last year the organization forwarded over .3 million pounds of venison.

Please consider donating part, or all, of your deer. Hunters for the Hungry is a Virginia based, grassroots aid organization. It exists to prevent waste of our natural resources while providing basic nutrition to those in need. It is a worthy cause.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.’ —Matthew 25:35-40

Give thanks for our many blessings.

Nothing lasts forever, but some things are worth keeping and treasuring as long as possible. Shenandoah’s culture is one of these, and associated with that are the landmarks and buildings our forefathers —and foremothers— built.

Shenandoah County has the oldest Virginia courthouse in use. The County owns and uses the original Glebe; formerly the poorhouse and currently used in a comparable role as transitional shelter. Both are owned by Shenandoah County and we intend to keep them.

But there are many other properties just as worthy that aren’t held in public trust. Shenandoah County is filled with homes, buildings and sites that are tangible witnesses to our heritage.

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Ranging from palisaded Indian villages of the Woodland Period; the first European forts and settlements; the iron works and mills of Shenandoah County’s first industries; the Revolutionary and Federalist periods, which includes the courthouse and poorhouse; and of course the many Civil War sites.

Our more ‘modern’ treasures include the 1930s Edinburg School and New Market’s Southern Kitchen, a 1950s diner in pristine condition still serving great food. Representing almost all of these periods —a continual tradition from the first settlers up until the 1960s— are the small double-door farmhouses.

Many of our remaining historic assets are threatened, not only from the developers’ bulldozers, but also from their owners’ lack of knowledge.

Tuesday, November 21 at 5:00 PM, I will host a meeting in the County Building, to discuss a proposed set of ordinances for historic preservation. In two parts, the proposal is for a Historic Districts (pdf link) ordinance and a renewal of the Historic Preservation Commission (pdf link).
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All good stories begin “A long long time ago, in a faraway place . . .” This story begins that way.

A long time ago in a faraway place, a crime occurred and I now have the evidence. It was a long long time ago; sometime between 1916 to 1922. It was far-away; possibly as far south as New York, but probably in more northern Massachusetts because part of the act occurred in Boston.

Thieves stole some paintings. Then, to make selling or ransoming the artwork easier, they got a photographer to make prints of the art. The robbers simply walked into a photographer’s studio in Boston, put the ‘closed’ sign in the window, and locked the door. They threatened the photographer if he tried any funny stuff.

The crooks stayed all afternoon until they were satisfied with the pictures, then left, taking all the prints and negatives. Shortly after, a young woman who worked in the same building asked the photographer why he was closed that day. After warning her not to tell others, he revealed what happened.

When she exclaimed that he couldn’t even prove the thieves had even been there, he opened a cabinet drawer to reveal a stack of duplicate prints he’d made. Although he didn’t plan to call the police, the secreted duplicates were his protection against the gang. The photographer then offered the woman her choice of the prints; the highest quality (for that time) close-up photos of beautiful artwork.

She happily accepted and chose a Virgin and Child: A meditative Mary, looking slightly downward, with the Christ child sitting on her lap. The baby Jesus is looking upward, past his mother, his hands crossed over his breast. It’s a master’s painting probably from the late 1600’s.

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Several years later, she married and moved away; but the photographer kept his business there in Boston until he retired. It was much later —when she was elderly, in her eighties and living near her daughter in another state— when the photo resurfaced and she re-told the story. Now old and slightly damaged, the photograph got framed and hung in her home until her passing at age 98.

Art theft is funny. I don’t know if the photographer distributed the other duplicates, if the original art was ever ransomed back, or ever re-entered the legitimate market. For that matter, I don’t know if the painting was lifted from a museum or private collection.

Out of thousands of paintings on the same theme —Mary the mother with her holy Child— there’s no similar painting in style or expression. It must have been a gorgeous piece. It’s likely I’ll never find the answers to these questions, to find out the rest of the story. But then it’s not my story; it’s my grandmother’s. It’s only mine enough to pass on.

This one’s too good to pass up. Within days of Jim Webb’s victory in the Senate race, Waldo Jaquith posts a series of links about saving and generating energy for a home.

We need energy. Everything that’s part of our lives depends on energy. Water, food, clothes, shelter, heat, light, communication (including this communication) all depend on abundant, reasonably priced energy.

More to the point, our supplies of energy are stretched thin. Critical electricity generating in America has mostly switched to raw domestic sources, but we are extremely dependent on foreign suppliers. Unrest in the mid-East drives petroleum (and gasoline) prices up. A storm effecting Louisiana refineries drives gasoline prices up nationwide.

It’s ironic, because Mr. Jaquith doesn’t see any connection between our mid-East policy and assuring a (relative) stability to the flow of energy-rich petroleum. He doesn’t see the inverse correlation between environmental absolutists and refinery capacity.

We cannot —even theoretically— conserve ourselves to energy independence. We can’t even conserve ourselves into reducing energy. We can and should reduce unnecessary usage, pursue higher efficiencies, and cut losses; but at best that will slow the rate of increased energy requirements.

Nor can we just ‘switch’ to alternatives; changing from diesel to biofuel will take decades to build processing plants, distribution networks, and the vehicle engines to use it. The lead-time for practical alternative sources —solar and wind, hydrogen, clean coal, fuel cells, hybrid cars, lithium-ion, coal gasification, or coal-tar refining— is at least 20 years out. That’s a long, long time to be subject to the whims of unstable and hostile dictators around the world.

We need energy. Everything that’s part of our lives depends on energy. Maybe Jaquith should have thought about this before opposing Allen; before promoting a candidate who doesn’t recognize America needs an energy policy, much less that it’s critical. Or is this bleakness a self-destructive end that Jaquith really wants; to shiver alone in the dark?

On a brighter note, although his supporters seem bewildered by it, Senator-elect Jim Webb says he will cooperatively work with George Allen and his staff for a smooth transition. We sincerely hope that’s true, and that Webb takes heed to immediate action on energy.

A recent Shenandoah County newspaper headline states “Board Reaches Out: Supervisors form budget advisory group”. Well … yes and no.

Yes, we are going the extra distance to be inclusive to any citizens interested in our budget process. More eyes on it, more suggestions and more ideas about it are always welcome. It’s simply a matter (from my perspective) of open-government.

No, the Board has not formed an advisory group, committee, or panel. Rather, an independent group, Citizens for Honest Government (CHG), requested that their group be allowed to participate. We agree.

All regular budget and CIP meetings are open to the public. Since CHG’s membership is Shenandoah County citizens, we are certainly open for them to participate in these. But it goes beyond that.

We —as a Board— are open to suggestions for bettering Shenandoah County, and are open to suggestions to better our own processes. To help CHG’s understanding of this budget process —and help everyone else too— we’ve put the budget and CIP working documents online already [quick links]. Please keep in mind these are proposals for the budget, rough drafts that will be substantially altered before approval.

In addition, Supervisor Dave Ferguson (District 3) will meet with concerned citizens prior to or after the meetings to explain items, get suggestions or other input. Citizens for Honest Government was formed by, and is currently headed by, Dave’s previous opponent for the Supervisor seat; and Supervisor Ferguson deserves credit for his extra non-partisan time with the CHG folks.

All budget and CIP meetings are open to all citizens, and so are these informal meetings with Supervisor Ferguson. If you would like to participate, call the Shenandoah County office (459-616O) for the schedules.

A sincere “thank you” to all the voters of District 2 in Shenandoah County. You really turned out. Despite the cold, despite the rain, and despite the most wretched campaign in memory; you all showed up to express your preference.

Statewide, almost 52% of all those registered voted. In 2003 half of all Mt. Jackson voters cast their ballots; this year over 100 additional citizens turned out, making a 55% voting rate.

In Conicville where 53% had voted in the past, this year 245 added folks braved the weather to cast their ballot for a 58% turnout rate! You exhausted the poll-workers, but they were fired up by your enthusiasm.

As I write this, the Senate race teeters on a razor-thin balance. If there was ever a time where it was clear and unmistakable every single vote counts —that every rural vote counts as much as each urban vote— this is that time.

No matter the outcome of the race, and it was awe-inspiring to see the turnout. As voters and citizens, all of you should be proud of your dedication to civic duty; it has certainly made me proud. Thank you.

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The colors in this remind me of the yellow ‘Vote Yes’ signs. There is a connection; a close connection.

What you see above is some of the spectacular miracle that Nature has given us, part of the natural cycle of life. It matters little whether you believe in evolution or the Creation, Nature’s God or the blind watchmaker. Marriage —one man and one woman— is part of that Nature as much as the autumn foliage.

Make no mistake; this amendment is a defense against state approval of homosexual partnering. With thousands and thousands of years of one man and one woman marriage as the bedrock of civilization, there are no realistic alternatives.

It is right and fitting that Virginia and its local governments only recognize what Nature itself has created as the foundation of out culture, society, and civilization.

This is the day for all Shenandoah County citizens to vote.

There is only one choice to make in this election; every organization that cares about freedom, security, equality, and prosperity has endorsed George Allen. From the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to the National Association of Manufacturers to the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Senator Allen has earned our support, please show that support by your vote today.

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… or more colorful. Leaf colors are peaking, and it’ll make a spectacular election day.