Crackers: A Family Tradition

December 23, 2015 by LB

This re-blogged post is about a beloved family tradition, and as you read this, I am traveling to Williamsburg to spend a few days with the whole fam damily (thanks Jan for that fun description!). Not a day goes by that I do not reflect upon the fact that I am fortunate to have such a great family, and the most amazing parents.

Life on the Bike and other Fab Things

For as long as I can remember, my family has celebrated the holidays with Crackers. They adorn the table, and ultimately our heads, for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. While crackers have become all the rage these past few years, my family has been celebrating with them for decades.

According to Wikipedia, crackers are part of Christmas celebrations primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, NewZealand, and South Africa.

So how did my American family come to embrace the Cracker? My Grandfather hailed from the Isle of Wight, and I am quite sure that he and my Aunt Christine brought the tradition to us.

The Cracker was created in 1847 by Tom Smith ( http://www.tomsmithchristmascrackers.com/ ). In its simplest form, a cracker is a small cardboard tube covered in a brightly colored twist of paper. When the cracker is pulled apart, a chemically treated card strip, similar to that…

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Fashions for Evergreens

December 17, 2015 by LB

For the past 9 years, the Inn at Virginia Tech has hosted Fashions for Evergreens, a Christmas Tree competition. Established in 2006, the event enourages local businesses and organizations to come up with a theme, and create a professional, designer quality Christmas tree. The trees are on display throughout the holiday season, and members of the public get to vote for their favorite tree.

After enjoying a Raspberry Martini at the Continental Divide Lounge, my friends and I took a tour of the trees.

The atmosphere was magical, filled with light and color.

Prices Fork Elementary School’s theme was a Merry Mocha Christmas

The Virginia Quilt Museum went with a blue theme

Matt Hagan Outdoors celebrated outdoor sports

The Linus Project, an organization that hand makes blankets for critically ill children, adorned their entry with blankets

Radford Health and Rehab decorated their beautiful tree with photos of residents in their younger days

Sew Biz covered their tree with hand crafted ornaments

What a fun evening, and we definitely felt the magic of the season.

Before I close, let me tell you just a little bit about the Inn. Located on the campus of Virginia Tech, The Inn is designed in the Collegiate Gothic style and like the other buildings on campus, is made with Hokie Stone.

Hokie Stone is dolomite, a mineral found in the Appalachian Mountains (pronounced Ap – uh – latch – uhn) and is prevalent in Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Virginia Tech’s quarry operations produce some 50 tons of Hokie Stone per week, or about 2,500 tons per year. Individual stonemasons shape about a ton of stone a day

Hope you’ve found time to enjoy the magic of the season!

Mornin’ Ya’ll

December 14, 2015 by LB

Views like this kept me walking

Rockwood Manor

December 8, 2015 by LB

Every December, some friends of mine and I host a fundraiser to benefit local charities, and this year we held the event at Rockwood Manor.

Built in 1876, the home, now turned Bed and Breakfast, is simply stunning. I’d loved to have spent hours taking photos, but as I was working the fundraiser, I didn’t have as much time as I’d have liked.

The history section of the website notes that “the home was designed by architect Burkholder and built by contractor Pettijohn, who were both from Lynchburg, Va. Oversized brick with decorative slag were made on-site. The house boasts sixty-five extra-large windows, some with Jefferson-style openings that rise into the twelve-foot ceiling; seventeen fireplaces on five chimneys; ornate plaster work; and medallions. Outside over the windows is wrought iron on a tin metal box framework”

The perfect porch for sitting and sipping.

Parquet floors, made of alternating walnut and ash, add even more warmth and beauty.

The floating staircase

The Dining Room

The ceiling of the Sitting Room

Glasses waiting to be filled

Perhaps an old smoke house? I wish I’d had time to find out!

One of many historic items to be seen on the property.

Hopefully I can return at some point and learn more about the history of this treasured home.

Thank goodness the family knew it’s value and sought to restore rather than sell.

Frank Beamer and The Hokies!

December 4, 2015 by LB

Some of you will read the title and think “What’s a Hokie?“, while others of you will be familiar with the nickname of my favorite college football team, Virginia Tech.

Frank Beamer has been the Head Football Coach at Virginia Tech for the past 29 years and you would be hard pressed to find a more beloved coach. Not because of the number of seasons he has coached (29), the number of wins (279 career wins, 237 at VT), and the 23 consecutive bowl appearances. Rather it is because of his character, integrity, and humility. He has been an educator, a source of strength and comfort after the April 16th mass shooting, and a father figure and mentor to the young men that he has coached. Coach Beamer is retiring this year at the age of 69, and the celebrations, accolades, and love have been pouring in.

Coach Beamer’s last home game was a couple weeks ago and thousands of people gathered before the game to greet him as he took his final walk to the stadium. The following photos were my effort, despite the shade, to document an incredible day

Coach Beamer arrived amidst a sea of people (check out the paint on the face of the fan next to him).

While others think the school colors are a strange combination, VT fans believe they are reminiscent of fall.

We’ve not had the best record this year, and we were not expected to win the game. Even still, a sellout crowd, hundreds of former players who returned to celebrate their beloved coach, and tribute videos on the Jumbotron marked the day. We laughed, we cried, we cheered, we sang. It was an incredibly emotional day.

Despite going into overtime, the Hokies did not win. This day, though, was all about Frank. From the second the game ended, all eyes turned to Coach Beamer. Surrounded by photographers, he spoke to the fans.

The team lifted him on their shoulders and carried him from the field while we watched, and cried, and cheered some more.

(yes, I need more zoom)

It took a long time for me and the rest of the fans to exit the stands. I just didn’t want to leave. Once I did leave, though, I wandered around soaking up the sights and sounds.

The road in front of Lane Stadium has been named after Coach Beamer.

Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va

As I walked back to my truck, I saw one last opportunity for a shot. Coach Beamer played football at Virginia Tech long before he became the Head Coach, and in 2002 his number was retired.

If you are still with me here at the end of this long post, know that I am grateful. Frank Beamer means so much to the Hokie Nation.

He’s just a good, good man.

Enough

December 3, 2015 by LB

I had another post ready … but the latest mass shooting in America made me put it on hold for tomorrow.

There has to be more of a response than “Thoughts and Prayers”

Warmth

November 25, 2015 by LB

Tomorrow in the US, we celebrate all that is good about family, friends, food, (and football). We also celebrate the non-monetary gifts of sharing our time, our good fortune, and our love.

Wishing you warmth and many Thanksgiving blessings!

Bloggers Unite for Peace

November 23, 2015 by LB

Bloggers Uniting for Peace, remembering that:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke

Uncle Spike's Adventures

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke

Here are some ways to add your support to this message of peace:

1) Publish the following statement on your own blog
2) Post a link to Twitter and/or Facebook
3) Reblog this post or any post that replicates this statement
4) Request to be added to the signatory list below by adding a comment or mailing uncle.spikes.adventures1@gmail.com

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We are normal, everyday hard-working people with a common hobby, blogging. We hail from far and wide. We reside in different lands, on different continents. We speak different languages, eat different foods, and are of varying ages, professions…

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The Snake Part 2

November 20, 2015 by LB

If you found time to visit my last post about being back on the bike, you will know that my friend Dave and I tackled The Snake, a 33 mile ride with 489 curves. It was a blast, and it ended up being a 285 mile day!

In addition to getting some much needed wind in the face therapy, I was also able to enjoy some photography time. We rode over South Holston Lake via the American Legion Memorial Bridge and found a place to park and shoot.

These scenes also caught my eye

If you like to ride, be sure to visit my previous post. In the meantime, know that it’s been so, so great to visit your blogs this week!

Back on the Bike: The Snake Part 1

November 15, 2015 by LB

I’m back!

Election Day has come and gone, and I did not win the day. I challenged an incumbent, in an off / off year (one without a Presidential, Gubernatorial, or Senatorial race) when less than 30% of registered voters cast a ballot. Even still, I garnered 42% of the vote. While I of course wish I had won the day, for healthcare, for women, for equality, and for the working poor, I am very proud of the campaign, and my team. I consider this good, and a huge accomplishment.

The other good news? I finally have time to ride and to shoot!! Happy, happy me!

On the morning after Election Day, my good friend, Dave, sent a text with the following message “sorry you didn’t win the election, however you need some riding time to put it all behind you”. Within 24 hours, we were headed to Shady Valley, Tennessee to ride The Snake.

Without a GoPro, it is hard to capture images of those 489 curves on US Rt 421 as there is rarely a place to pull over. The signage in the image below, however, offers an idea of the fun to be had on this ride.

While I have to confess to feeling a bit stiff at first, I was thrilled to be back on the bike and getting some big time wind therapy! It turned out to be a 285 mile day and I could not have been happier. I came home with many images to process and that made the day even better.

Peak leaf time had come and gone but we still saw a bit of color,

even more so, when we stopped at Holston Lake.

The reflections on the lake kept me shooting. Gorgeous, right?

It was the perfect antidote to an election day loss,

and ended with a delicious BBQ plate at Farmers Barbecue & Grill in Mountain City, Tn. Yum!

I’ll share a few more photos from this Tennessee ride soon! Thanks for being here today. I’ve missed you!

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing.”