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October 30, 2019. Houston. – Washington Nationals win the World Series over the Houston Astros.!! The underdog team never gave up trying and won  6-2.

While every news outlet will be reporting statistics and play-by-play analysis for the next several months, here, we will look at not the numbers and RBIs but at the heart of the team.

The players were interviewed and their responses were consistent. Pitcher, Max Scherzer, replied to Fox sportscaster, Tom Pertucci’s question of how he feels, “I’m part of the greatest team 2019. Everybody gave their all. Stay tough, trust  your instincts, lay it on the line. Just compete. Give it whatever you’ve got. …Energy, camaraderie. Everyone believes in each other.”

Perducci asked Third baseman, Anthony Rendon, who  hit the homerun that turned the game, “Five times facing elimination, trailing in all five games, and you win all five. What is it about this team?” Rendon replied,  “We stuck together. When we had nothing left to lose, when people had written us off, we were facing elimination games and when people didn’t think we should have been there in the first place – we kept on fighting and we came out on top.”

“The dream came true,”  said founding principle owner of  the Nationals, 94- year-old  Ted Lerner. “We brought it for the fans,” he proclaimed.

Dave Martinez, Nationals manager replied to Pertucci’s comment, “This never dies, does it?” “Never. Never ever. They’re a bunch of relentless resilient bunch of guys. They love to play the game and they play the game every day. Tonight we were down but they never thought they were out. This is a testament to these guys. They fought all year long, and guess what? We won. We won the fight! The biggest thing for us is never quit. We know that.”  

Ryan Zimmerman, first  baseman and first draft pick when Nationals moved from Montreal to Washington, said, “What a group of guys. The way this game went is the way the season went. We never gave up, kept fighting. What a story, what a fun year, man! Baseball, gosh, is the greatest sport in the world, man….What a great thing for this city and the fans. Thank you guys so much! I hope DC is ready for us to come home.”

Sportscaster, Kevin  Burkhardt, summarized the Nationals’ season,  “ Pull together in the same direction, you get something done.”

Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred announced that, “The Willie Mayes Most Valuable Player is pitcher, Stephen Strasburg.”

Stasburg’s  reply to the interviewer, “To be able to do it with this group of guys is something special We didn’t quit. I love every one of these guys. I took it one pitch at a time. It was a big team win. We took it one day at a time one game at a time.”

Brian Sweeney, U.S. Vice President of Chevrolet awarded Strasburg the keys to the latest model  (going into production soon)  red Corvette Stingray.

The Nationals are the “First team ever to win 4 World Series road games,” proclaimed Burkhardt.

A DC fan in Houston said, “This win gives us something to cheer about, something to celebrate about, we fought long and hard!”

“It’s a unity thing. When you play as a team – look what happens,” said Burkhardt.

The great news is more than the fact that the underdogs won four out of seven games, it is about a group of athletes and trainers giving their best all the time, working and trusting as a team, staying focused, and never, never giving up.

Thank you Washington Nationals!

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October 29. Boyce, VA. The State Arboretum of Virginia – University of Virginia Blandy Experimental Farm. Social media struck this morning! My calendar, overloaded with appointments and tasks, offered no respite for for the day. I was taking my sweet dogs, Giselle, our poodle; and Sophie, our newly added bernedoodle, on my appointments.

As I was leaving, a Facebook friend shared photos of brilliant yellow ginkgo trees in Boyce. They were at peak. I wanted to wonder through that grove too! With enough will, I found a way. WAZE listed our ETA at 3:15 PM! The facility is open until dusk. If not now, when? Rain is expected for the next few days and the beautiful leaves will wither and fall.

Turning on to Blandy Farm Lane, I felt that something magical was about to happen. There was peace. . The western sun illuminated the landscape brilliantly. Arrows pointed to “Ginkgo Grove.” As I approached, the grove of golden ginkgos greeted us a “with open arms.” Ginkgo leaves quaked on every branch. Never have I seen such a profusion of color or that many ginkgo trees. From the website, I learned that there are 300 trees in the grove.

A photo shoot was in progress atop a knoll in the grove. Red parasols punctuated the golden backdrop. Beautiful Asian women in lovely long skirts posed, some with guitars. It was hard to not gawk. However, my curiosity drove me to move on and explore more.

Sophie and Giselle trotted beside me on loose leashes. Had I stepped through a magic door? Golden leaves fluttered on their branches; some quietly floated in the air, landing silently on the green grass. below. The leaves were so precious and delicate that I tried not to step on them.

Looking up, I saw the bright blue sky through the golden branches in the shape of puzzle pieces. The trees cast shadows on the fallen leaves. I bent down and collected some golden leaves. No two leaves were the same – like snowflakes. Some are wider, some are longer, some angle to the right and others to the left, some have smooth edges, others were scalloped – the scalloping patterns were unique as well.

We were surrounded by nature’s beauty. When I finally took my eyes off the trees and leaves, I noticed some red roofs nearby. Beyond those roofs were hills covered in vibrant trees; followed by a line of lilac misty clouds. The colors transitioned from the yellows to blues and to violets the further I looked. How blessed are we to live in the most beautiful place on earth?

Following our Ginkgo Grove sensory overload, we piled back in the car and followed signs for the “Loop” drive, I discovered a beautiful white ante-bellum mansion, Tuleyries, a private residence. Sun-lit stone walls lead to its white stucco entrance arch. We crested hills with magnificent views, passed the greenhouses and experiment center, with every turn revealing more wonderful surprises.

At the last bend in the road, the landscape opened to vast fields dotted with hay rounds. The sun glared in my eyes, but I caught a glimpse of a horse, and then a second horse. I had noticed bridle path markers earlier. Now, my day was complete. Slowing down not to startle the horses, I watched the two riders carefully ride along the designated trail. As I reached them, I asked them about their trail experience, “It is beautiful here we love riding these trails, yes, we o come often, ” replied  the woman on the dark horse. I smiled as I drove away. Our drive finished at Route 50. Our magnificent adventure had come to an end – for today.

The State Arboretum of Virginia is open dawn to dusk. Visit their website http://blandy.virginia.edu/home . Walking and riding trails beckon a return. Walking trails can be as short as 3/4 of a mile to 2 miles and longer depending on one’s curiosity and enthusiasm. With so much to explore and learn, our return is imminent. If you have not visited, do so. You will be glad you did.

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Purcellville, VA, Oct. 26.

It was almost dusk and set up was complete for the Halloween Block Party on historic 21st Street. The festive atmosphere was contagious as friends and neighbors greeted one another. Faces were placed with FaceBook site managers, politicians, Rotarians, American Legion members, and business owners.

Costume creativity was unsurpassed – from Dorothy, to Luke Skywalker, Batman, ghosts, ghouls, witches,  super heroes, and princesses galore. Canine neighbors and friends enjoyed the camaraderie as well.

Hope Marquart, co-founder of the Round Hill Community FaceBook page was thrilled that the site was enjoyed. “I love your site,” I told Hope. She came out of the booth and gave me a big hug. “I am so happy that people enjoy the site,” she said. “Yes, it is very helpful and such fun to connect with neighbors,” I told her.  The booth was elaborately designed and featured games and prizes for the children.

Liam Spengler of Loudoun County Ghostbusters asked if we had any need of their services. The team of  five, along with their specially marked car are an official franchise from Columbia Pictures.

Along the way, a new Cafe was discovered – soon to open, Hardware Cafe. Proprietor, Valerie Campbell introduced her team –  general contractor, John Watson and Cleressa Shipman, coordinator. The Cafe will occupy the west side of the Nichols Hardware store. Nichols Hardware will continue to operate as usual and is the process of  “renovating to offer a better shopping experience.”

As evening fell, the crowd grew. Laughter of children rang out over the adult conversation. The musicians at the Hardware Store keyed up, the chef from Magnolias at the Mill, finished their booth set up and the smell of delicious food wafted down the street.

In true block party fashion, the atmosphere was jovial, the food plentiful, and friendships old and new were rekindled. Such is the beauty of living in a small historic town.

Middleburg, Virginia, October 17-20. The weather was classic Virginia autumnal splendor complete with blue skies and crisp bright mornings. The little rain that fell on Sunday did not dampen the spirits of the movie-goers. Walking between venues was ideal after sitting in full length movies. However, luxury shuttle buses transported those in a hurry to catch the next film.

Celebrating their seventh year of the Middleburg Film Festival, 34 films (33% were sold out) were presented. In addition to films, the Festival hosted conversations with critics and bloggers and a Tribute Concert with Terence Blanchard, composer of the score for Harriet. The films and conversations were open to the public for the price of a ticket. Receptions and after-parties enhanced the experience.

Many films were followed by question and answer presentations with directors, producers, creators, or participants of the films. The Festival, headquartered in the luxurious Salamander  Resort, filled the charming Virginia town of Middleburg. Middleburg,  known for horses, fox hunting, and a country chic atmosphere was a gracious host. In addition to Salamander Resort, The Middleburg Community Center, The Hill School, and the National Sporting Library and Museum hosted films.

It is impossible to see all films or to participate in every event, so we chose carefully based on our interests and tastes. With me this year, was a dear college ski friend, Sharon, and my adult daughter, Tiffany. For the most part, we viewed the same films with a few exceptions. I love documentaries. My friend loves adventure and photographic artistry. My daughter enjoys plot twists and satirical comedies. There was something for each of us. We experienced eleven films, a conversation about Oscar contenders in the richly appointed Salamander Library, and Concert and Tribute to composer, Terence Blanchard.

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The Festival experience is multi-layered and goes far beyond movie viewing. It is replete with the vision, passion, and accomplishment of the producers and directors. Some producers have carried scripts and ideas for nearly a decade until the time was right. Getting that inside glimpse of the inspiration of a film, is priceless to the overall experience.

The brief reviews of the films that we viewed:

• The Capote Tapes: Troubled; vindictive,  Gifted writer.
• Varda By Agnes: Vision, passion, and sharing –  in French
• The Aeronauts: Breathtaking.
• Harriet: Heart rending  – Live Free or Die!
• Blow the Man Down: Women rule.
• The Hoy Boys:  Mid-century photo journalism connects the dots…
• The Traitor: The unraveling of tough guys – in Italian
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers – Simply faithful.
• Ford v Ferrari:  Determination, ambition, speed!
• The Irishman: Jimmy Hoffa, Lee Harvey Oswald, Cuba, Kennedys, more…
• Knives Out:  Who done it?? Plot twists and turns amid seriously funny episodes.

October 16. Chevy Chase, MD. Woman’s fashion retailer, Talbots, presented an evening fashion show that ended under a full moon. Talbots carries flattering contemporary clothing for women of all sizes and ages. The evening’s show featured ten models of various heights and shapes and ages. Each model was elegantly styled from shoes to accessories in the season’s color and texture trends.

Blazers, festive dresses, skinny jeans, and cozy sweaters were modeled by “friends of Talbots” patrons. Indeed, regardless of height, age, or shape, the fashions enhanced each woman. Along with their Talbots brand, a new offering this season is the Barbour line. A favorite with the audience, it was purchased before the model could change out of it.

“The Talbots clothes are good quality and I enjoy wearing them,” said model, Susan Easler, of Ashburn, Virginia. Susan showed a beautiful long caramel brushed wool blazer over a notched neckline shell and skinny jeans. The leopard print loafers, graphic scarf and tortoise colored flower lapel pin created an elegant and fun look that would work from business casual to relaxed weekend. Another of Susan’s outfits was a classic knit dress ideal for the holidays with a buttoned mock turtleneck and bold red stripe. Her look was completed with the pearl lariat necklace, a tartan plaid handbag and black booties. She was ready to step out for an elegant evening.

Holiday formal gatherings called for little black dresses kicked up with tartan plaid flats and silver shawl or velvet polk-a-dot trousers, ivory bejeweled shell under a quilted velvet jacket.

The equestrian look is big this season. Knee patch breeches, horse patterned blazer linings, corduroy skirts with imprinted bridles and horse tack all recalled the elegance of country casual.

Models spanned all sizes and sizes, shapes, and ages and aptly demonstrated that anyone can look fantastic in well-made fashions in beautiful fabrics.

“As a child, I used to cut out pictures of the White House Rose Garden from Life Magazine,” said Author, Linda Jane Holden.As an adult, she worked at the White House in the Regan administration where her respite was the Rose Garden.

During her tenure at the White House, White House head gardener, Irvin Williams, shared gardening tips and stories of the history of the White House gardens with Linda. He had worked with Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon to redesign the Rose Garden at the request of President, John F. Kennedy. “Mr. Williams told me that Mr. Kennedy wanted lots of color,” shared Linda.  Through their friendship, Williams helped bring the old cut out photos to life.

Linda’s recently published book, The Gardens of Bunny  Mellon,  is replete with brilliant photography, by Roger Foley along with reproductions of Mrs. Mellon’s watercolors of her gardens and landscape plans that Linda collected. “This is only one of two books written about ‘Bunny’ Mellon. I wanted to write a book that focused on Mrs. Mellon’s passion – gardening – and became convinced this was the right thing to do when I read in her journals that she wanted to write a book about gardening but hadn’t had the time. Because of my admiration for Mrs. Mellon I wanted to create a tribute to her achievements – a book about her gardening that would include the stories of the gardens accompanied by exquisite photography. I wanted to capture it while it was still capturable.”

“She wanted to climb the horticultural ladder; not the social ladder,” shared Linda. Mellon’s interest in gardens goes back to her early childhood. Her father had given her a plot of land to design a playhouse and its gardens. Reading Mellon’s entries in her journal, Linda says that Bunny’s father visited her in her garden every day. “She figured it out as she went. She was not afraid to be wrong.”

As she researched material for her first book, Presidential Gardens, Linda discovered that all of the gardening archives were stored at the Mellons’ Oak Spring Garden and Farm in Upperville, Virginia. While arranging access to the archives, the librarian told Linda that Mrs. Mellon wanted to meet with her.

Linda recalls her meeting, “I was having the meeting of my life. She was so great and so kind. She was wearing her blue Keds. She was so casual. We talked for hours. Time slipped away. She asked, . . .’I know you worked in the White House. Under which president?’ I worked for President Reagan, I told her.  ‘Ronnie was my second favorite president. Jack was my first!’ she exclaimed.” 

“I met Mrs. Mellon when she was 99 years old. She would live another four years. I spent much time at Oak Spring. It became a part of me,” recalled Linda. “As I researched, I wanted to know how she did what she did. I felt that I was touching history.” The development of the book became an organic product of Linda’s voracious readings, fondness for Mellon, and gratitude and deep friendship toward Williams. She said that she spent much time looking at the Rose Garden, “The zig zag of the shrubbery around the garden formed a ribbon around the flowers. Mrs. Mellon said, ‘We were creating a show. We had to be able to make it more beautiful than the day before.’”

“Mrs. Mellon is known for her statement, ‘nothing should be noticed,’ when in truth – she herself didn’t want to be noticed.  She never sought attention or credit for her work. She wanted to be a gardener. That’s how she saw the world. She wanted everything to be in harmony.” explained Linda,

From her early collection of White House garden photographs to her work at the White House, to her first book, all roads lead to Mrs. Mellon. Asked if she, herself is an avid gardener, “I used to garden, but I have pulled things in. This book has been my garden.”  Her favorite garden of Mrs. Mellon’s ? “The Rose Garden.”

The Gardens of Bunny Mellon presents the lovely gardens that Mrs. Mellon touched and created throughout the world. More than a coffee table book, this book presents a feast for the eyes and soothes the soul. A wonderful gift for the gardeners in our lives. Because books are always welcome.