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Hog Days Explosion
I was visiting my grandparents one weekend many years ago. My grandfather asked if I wanted to take a walk and see the place where he was born. I was amazed to learn…
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The Art and Science of Pruning: Shaping the Future of Our Vineyard
Pruning is one of the most important tasks in the vineyard, yet it’s one of the least glamorous. No grand harvest celebrations, no clinking glasses of wine—just the quiet work of shears snipping…
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Slingshots & Pig Iron
My friend Walt and I were making great strides in the field of slingshot technology. I was convinced that my latest creation represented the pinnacle of human ingenuity—a rubber band affixed to a…
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The Great Dynamite Caper & Peach Wine Debacle
Walt & I Were Up Behind the Mines I blame the whole thing on my friend Walt. Not because he was the one who found the dynamite, though he was. And not because…
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Paint by Numbers
The History and Evolution of Paint by Numbers: From Craze to Collectible Paint by Numbers is a timeless hobby that has captivated generations of aspiring artists and hobbyists. These kits have a unique…
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A Kitchen Full of Starlings
Christmas Family Gathering A Christmas family gathering in a large household is something between a celebration and a carefully managed storm. Every year, Christmas dinner at my grandparents’ house in Rixeyville, Virginia brought…
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Feathery Autumn Dance
When the Grapes Are Gone: The Starling, Mockingbird, & Dogwood Ballet Every year, just after the final grape clusters are snipped from the vines and the vineyard begins to settle into autumn’s quiet…
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Restoring an 1800’s Farm Wagon
When my wife and I purchased the property adjacent to Hiddencroft Vineyards in 2011, I was surprised to find the remnants of an old farm wagon beneath a Virginia white pine tree. The…
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Hong Kong Flu and the Bean Sprout
It was September 1968, and my cousins and I were spending time at our grandparents’ farm in Rixeyville, Virginia. At twilight, we raced around the backyard playing Tag, Red Light/Green Light, and Hide…
Writing that's Rooted in Truth, Memory and Myth
