Would you give your friend a baby or a puppy? That’s the stock reply from local bonsai expert, Julian Adams, when people ask him to sell them a bonsai tree as a gift for a friend. Julian, a master grower of bonsai, knows first-hand from 47 years of experience the tremendous amount of nurture and perseverance it takes to keep a bonsai thriving. He knows it requires daily time and attention and an appreciation of just what bonsai is and means. To Julian, it’s 50 percent horticulture, 50 percent art, and 50 percent philosophy. Yep. That adds up to bonus points for those who are passionate about bonsai. And he is.

What is bonsai?
To Westerners, it’s the Japanese name for a small, stylized tree typically grown in a shallow container.

The word bonsai in Japanese translates literally into “planting in a container, dish, or tray” and was developed as part of the practice of Zen Buddhism. From there, it caught on in more recent times in Western countries—first in Europe, and then in the United States.

Today, bonsai aficionados practice their science, art, and philosophy across the United States, with several experts right here in Lynchburg.

Prior to its refinement as a horticultural practice and art form in Japan, most sources trace the derivation of bonsai back to China, where it is called pen-sai or penjing. Some sources even claim that before traveling to China, the practice originated in ancient India where ayurvedic physicians collected medicinal trees from the wild and grew them in pots in miniature form.

Whatever the roots of bonsai tradition, it’s been around for well over a thousand years, and it’s all about roots and shoots—and controlling them to create the tree you desire given the nature and characteristics of the specimen. Bonsai trees are not genetically dwarfed plants. They have the same genetic properties as their kindred full-sized trees but achieve their miniature size through human control.

The goal is to create a realistic representation of nature in the miniature form of a tree while keeping the height under four feet, with most bonsai typically even shorter than that. But size classifications are disputed. One source declares that to be a true bonsai the tree cannot exceed one meter (3.28 feet), while another classification scheme declares a range from minute Keshitsubo (1-3 inches) up to Imperial (60-80 inches).

Picking a Specimen
Since most bonsai trees are grown outdoors, they experience the same seasonal and weather conditions as their full-sized relatives. Your specimen here can be one of many different deciduous or evergreen species if it can be grown in Climate Zone 7 and in your own micro-climate and conditions (sun, shade, windy, protected from wind, etc.). Native trees and exotics that share our climate preferences are a safe bet for growing outdoors as bonsai in our area, but if your preference is a tropical tree, it will need protection from our winters in a greenhouse or indoors with sufficient light.

Growing bonsai successfully requires sound horticultural practices and techniques. That’s the 50 percent science part of the practice, and I think that’s why most successful Lynchburg bonsai growers with extensive collections are those with scientific curiosity and background, such as engineering and medicine. This scientific approach is especially required of growers such as Julian who embrace the full range of bonsai practice. He propagates his own trees from cuttings, air-layering, grafting and seeds, and cultivates hundreds of specimens to maturity.

On the other hand, many enthusiasts don’t attempt to start from scratch, but rather select small already-rooted trees with potential directly from the woods, their yards, or other available sources to create bonsai. The important criteria are that the plant has a woody trunk or stem, grows branches, has leaves that can be reduced in size, and can be grown in a container. For most trees, it’s best to transplant in its dormant season.

Then there are some bonsai enthusiasts who want only to maintain with minimal manipulation one or more trees and begin with already mature and basically-trained plants. I was at that end of the spectrum when 30-some years ago I became enamored with bonsai and purchased a lovely decades-old Hinoki Cypress. My highly-valued bonsai was easy to grow and maintain. It wasn’t fussy about pH, required little more than full sun, daily watering and good drainage, and was fun to progress with pruning and shaping the already established composition. But after three years of success with it, I managed to bring it close to death.

Back to Julian’s point about babies and puppies, I learned the hard way that I wasn’t a good candidate for bonsai ownership. My family and I started spending summers at a cottage at the “Rivah,” and I entrusted my prized bonsai to an employee back at home in Danville who let it sit in a pan of water for days on end rather than following my instructions to check and water it daily. Without drainage, root rot almost claimed it.

I was horrified by the sight of it when I thought back on all the years of tender care that had brought it this far. The good news is that a local bonsai expert restored it to heath, and I gifted it to her in humble gratitude and appreciation for her skill and superior stewardship. She then was gracious enough to allow me to borrow it for display in my home on special occasions.

Getting Started
I hope you’ll take my almost-disastrous experience with bonsai as a lesson learned, rather than discouragement, and will try it. It’s a fun practice offering a stunningly rewarding product for those with time, patience, and dedication. First envision the shape, style, and design of your specimen as it matures, gleaning inspiration from the natural inclination of your specimen.

Then after trimming roots and branches to achieve the desired effect, plant it in a container that most effectively displays your composition and restricts roots and food storage capability.

Simple and understated earthenware Japanese pots and more decorative Chinese pots are traditional, but anything works if it can support the tree and frame it unobtrusively.

Many growers use a special potting mix to encourage drainage and control nutrients. Specific care relates to the species, but typically, fertilizers are used sparingly. Watering regularly and draining that water are essential, as well as placing the bonsai in the proper location for sun or shade, etc. Placement may change as conditions and seasons dictate to afford protection from storms or harsh winter weather. Julian displays most of his bonsai collection on raised benches at a good working height except in hard winter when they are placed on the ground for root warmth and shielded from potentially damaging winds.

Training the tree to your desired composition includes periodically trimming roots, pruning and wiring branches with a specific type and grade of copper wire, and pinching buds to redirect healthy growth. Once the copper wire has been wrapped around a branch that you wish to train in a specific direction, you can carefully manipulate that branch (within reasonable limits of course) to suit your composition. Step-by-step tutorials are available for those ready to take the plunge, and Julian will be happy to sell you just the right grade and quantity of copper wire.

You might also want to follow Julian’s lead and grow bonsai from cuttings, air layering, grafting, or seeds and experience the joy of nurturing your bonsai from its beginning into a mature creation that fulfills your design vision. Just remember that newbies are very fragile and require constant attention since they must not be allowed to dry out. And we all know what summers are like in Lynchburg.

So, here’s where Julian’s engineering background and ingenuity kick in: He’s invented a fascinating Rube Goldberg type of device that’s hooked up to an outdoor water faucet and triggers a thorough misting of the newbies when a delicate paddle dries out and kicks the water on. On a scorching August afternoon, this might happen every 20 minutes or so. And tiny sun-loving, outdoor plants are thriving.

Artistry
The point isn’t to replicate the growth pattern of the full-sized tree in nature, but rather to create your own artistic design. While some bonsai artists prefer a more natural look or even believe that the primary goal of bonsai is to create a realistic depiction of nature, others prefer a more contrived or dramatic effect through human intervention. There’s no absolute right or wrong answer. It’s a matter of preference.

In bonsai, there is a delicate balance between nature and nurture. You are controlling nature within the bounds of what’s humanly possible—stretching limits, while remaining sensitive to, respectful of, and constrained by nature.

Some specimens, especially very small ones, become quite abstracted from nature, and the smaller the specimen, the more fragile its existence. Bonsai can be so abstracted that they only suggest a tree. As with any work of art, differences in aesthetic determine preferences in composition, style, and the degree to which the grower manipulates the plant. Styles can be upright, slanting line, weeping or cascading, and more. And a popular shape is the asymmetrical triangle.

An amazing aesthetic pleasure of bonsai is the character and beauty of twisted and gnarly trunks and branches of aged trees that still produce robust foliage intertwined with deadwood and intriguing bark patterns. Bonsai artists carefully prune back selected foliage to expose interesting trunk and limb structure. Tip: Compositions are usually easier to manage with trees that have smaller leaves in nature. Leaf size will be further reduced through pruning limbs and roots. Bold surface roots also add visual interest, and some exposed roots can be trained to grow over relatively large rocks or in a variety of interesting patterns.

Many bonsai enthusiasts take their artistry to another level with additional elements to create miniature landscapes with more than one plant and include rocks, ground covers, small figurines, and other accoutrements. Some are detailed enough to represent miniature cliffs, mountains, islands, and other natural phenomena that add interest. The ideal is for each tree to be viewed in its overall relationship with the elements surrounding it.

A bonsai is never completed, and it may be remodeled if the age and health of the tree or style preference of the grower dictate a different path. Or there may be many caretakers for one tree over the span of its life, since with careful care and attention, some bonsai live for hundreds of years. One prize-winning specimen owned by a bonsai master in Japan is reported to be over 800 years old and is a work of art worth a small fortune.

Beyond Science and Art
Bonsai is much more than a successful melding of science and art. Each tree is unique and invites personal reflection, interpretation beyond the physical creation itself, and inspiration for poets and essayists.

Every aspect of a bonsai is laden with symbolism and meaning—the type of tree selected, the container, and aesthetics of composition and style. While some of the symbolism rooted in Eastern mythic and religious thought may be a bit obscure to us, other symbolism is easily grasped. For example, knotty, gnarled trunks and branches evoke consideration of the passing and toll of time.

With each change of season, bonsai offers new delights in shape, size, color, and meaning. Emerging spring green leaves, lush summer foliage, vibrant fall colors, and bright winter berries all offer fodder for appreciation of life’s mysteries in a journey though time.

Bonsai as a horticulture and artistic practice, hobby, or obsession is a challenge on many levels to our gardening and horticulture capabilities, aesthetic and design sense, patience and perseverance, and time. Yet as a reward, it offers endless hours of pleasure, beauty, and spiritual growth.

As we learn from Zen Buddhist practice, countless hours of meditation in the presence of bonsai can lead to enlightenment. Celebrated Japanese Bonsai Master and philosopher Saburo Kato’s hope for bonsai is that it will “keep the torch of peace burning throughout the world.”

Contact Julian Adams at (434) 384-7951 or www.adamsbonsai.com.

Winter made an early appearance in Central Virginia.

Snow started falling on December 8 and continued off and on into the next day. While Lynchburg only saw about an inch, totals reached 4.5 inches in parts of Appomattox County.

Wherever you live, it was just enough snow to make kids (and photographers) happy. Our thanks to the photographers on this page who shared their photos from the snowy weekend!

Do you think you have a good perspective on the Lynchburg area?
If so, send us a photo of what you feel is special to this area and it just may end up in the next issue of Lynchburg Living! Send all images (shot in high resolution, of course) to shelley@lynchburgmag.com.

Local Designer Shares Best Secrets for Natural, Simplified Living

Set back from the road with a slate walkway leading to its inviting front door, Selena and Jamie Campbell’s home is a study in the power of simplicity and purpose. While their color palette is “down to earth,” so to say, the effect is anything but.

Selena’s keen eye and knack for creative design solutions coupled with Jamie’s woodworking skills have allowed them to create a beautiful Campbell County home that’s both purposeful and personal throughout.

And when they built on their two-acre lot 10 years ago, it was with some very specific goals in mind.

“We knew we wanted something different from ‘the cookie-cutter’ look,” Selena says. “Lots of natural light was a priority and lots of closets.”

As a result, they adjusted the house plans in several ways: larger windows for the kitchen and master bedroom plus French doors off the dining area were added to let in more light; sky lights in the vaulted living room ceiling also prioritized natural light while additional closets in the upstairs bedrooms yielded plenty of storage options.

In the years since, Selena, who owns an interior decorating business called Middle Sister Design, has continually tweaked their décor and spaces to better suit their needs and taste. Over the last few years especially, she has transitioned the home in two primary ways: updating to a neutral color palette throughout and decluttering every nook and cranny.

“We both enjoy being outdoors and have a great appreciation for the beauty of nature,” Selena says. “We love the serenity of the neutral, earth-inspired palette we’ve established in our home.” Selena believes the soothing colors help them to feel relaxed and have a calming effect. Rather than having bright and competing colors from room to room, she’s transitioned to lots of white and other airy neutrals.

To make this work without leaving the home feeling too bare, Selena has worked in a variety of textures and finishes. In the kitchen, that means they used beadboard for the backsplash, selected shaker-style cabinets, and built a shiplap wall. In the living area, she chose a variety of fabrics and embellishments in the form of pillows and throws to soften the space.

And one can find natural pieces in every room, where items such as oversized driftwood and plants abound. Not only do they all complement the natural aesthetic, they each tell a story as well.
Selena’s sister Heather, for instance, found one of the largest pieces of driftwood in the James River and brought it back for her. Laughing, Selena says many river adventures—and fishing boats—have been hijacked to retrieve unique driftwood pieces for her home. A bit of scrubbing and some bleaching is all she has to do to finish them for interior use.

While the move toward neutral has been a huge transformation, Selena’s biggest undertaking may arguably be the massive decluttering journey she started a few years ago. This process is one reason why the story or associated memory of an item is so important.

Selena’s tried and true questions to ask when decluttering include:
“What is the monetary value of said item? What is the sentiment behind it, if any? Do you have a place to store this item in an organized fashion that does not take up space?”

Over the last two years, she’s pared down her home to only those items that have particular purpose or meaning to her and Jamie; some favorites include “stones collected from beaches around the world with dates written on them [that] are displayed in a pretty jar” and wine corks from memorable bottles enjoyed with friends and family. Souvenirs from shared travels to St. Lucia or Cadillac Mountain in Maine are also displayed along with Selena’s books on interior design, a glass jar collection from an abandoned old home explored with her aunt, antlers gifted to her by friends and much more.

Her home design mantra could be summarized as this:
“A home should tell the story of and reflect the personalities of the individuals who reside there. Having meaningful, purposeful décor gives a space personality…and aids in telling that story.”

And having decluttered, Selena notes several additional benefits. “The lack of clutter sets a sense of calmness within me that is difficult to describe,” she says. “Besides, who wants to lift 222 knick-knacks to dust underneath or rummage through?”

Having been born and raised in Campbell County, Selena’s country roots and strong family ties are all represented in her home with Jamie. The natural elements speak to her appreciation for “nature and the beauty of the outdoors” while her business as an interior designer is a direct result of her years spent observing her mom’s decorating and practicing her own ideas on her sisters’ Barbie houses as a young girl. Jamie, also a Virginia native, currently works as an engineer for AREVA, but has built several pieces in their home and continues to bring many of Selena’s ideas to life.

Today, the couple has plenty of projects still in the pipeline; “there’s always something stewing up here!” Selena says. Later this year, they hope to build raised beds for their garden, rig up some permanent shade solutions on the western-facing back deck, and work on finishing some permanent guest space in the basement.

Follow their progress and other home projects on Selena’s Instagram page “MiddleSisterDesign” and on her blog at www.MidSisterDesign.com.

Mark Your Calendars November/December

Back to the 80s Bowl-A-Thon
AMF Lanes
January 20, 9 a.m.
Dig out your shoulder pads and acid wash jeans for a day of fun at AMF Lanes. This annual event is a top fundraiser for the United Way of Central Virginia. Sign up your team at unitedwaycv.org.

Rossini’s Cinderella
Academy Center of the Arts
January 28, 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Opera on the James presents this one-hour story of the beloved princess… with a twist. Bring the whole family to this show—it’s suitable for all ages! Get tickets at www.etix.com.

Turtles Live Action Parody Show
R.S. Payne Elementary School
February 3, 5 – 7 p.m.
Your kids will walk away from this fun, live show with a positive message about anti-bullying awareness. (And adults might just learn a thing or two as well.) Find tickets ($10 general admission) at ticketor.com.

Best Of Lynchburg Party
Academy Center
of the Arts
February 8, 6 – 9 p.m.
See our Best Of Lynchburg list come to life at this 1st annual event that focuses on what’s really important… food! Area restaurants will have samples of some of their best cuisine for you to try. Buy your tickets at www.lynchburgbestof.com.

Black History Month: Origins and Purpose
Miller Center Theater
February 25, 4 – 6 p.m.
At this event organized by the Legacy Museum, learn about the history of Black History Month and why we celebrate it every February. Then, stick around for a traditional “Sunday Supper.” Ticket required for meal. Register at www.lynchburgparksandrec.com. And read about the Legacy Museum’s newest exhibit starting on page 27!

Local Openings & Closings

Hello! to Challenger Yoga in Appomattox.

Hello! to Twice and For All, a consignment store on Fort Avenue.

Hello! to the Calle Cruz Miami food truck.

Goodbye to Democracy Vineyards in Lovingston.

Hello! to Chessa’s Bigg Dogg hot dog stand on Forest Road.

Hello! to Bean Tree Sweets at JUMP Lynchburg.

Goodbye to Shay’s Unique Gifts on Commerce Street.

Hello! to Monkee Joes’ new location at the former Sonic on Perrowville Road in Forest.

The simple and delicious basics of slow cooking

Many years ago, I attended a week-long project management training at the company where I was working. It was a great experience and I find myself using the things I learned almost every day.

We learned about various methodologies and models for good, sound business management, but one stuck in my mind most of all: It was called THE TRIPLE CONSTRAINTS. The illustration had a triangle graphic on it with a word in each corner—CHEAP, FAST, and GOOD. At the bottom it said: PICK TWO!

The idea was that it’s rarely possible to do something well, quickly and at a low price. One factor will have to give. For instance, if you are going for GOOD and CHEAP, it will not happen FAST.

You will have to take your time. And while there are always exceptions, this model transfers nicely to cooking too!

Time is always a factor in cooking. The more time you have available for preparing a meal, the more satisfying the result can be, especially if you have a limited budget. A medium rare Porterhouse steak will not take long to cook, but you definitely pay a premium price. However, a beef stew that’s cooked low and slow can be made with a cheaper cut of beef, but outshines any steak when you take your first bite of it.

The Components of a Stew
A basic meat stew does not have a lot of mandatory ingredients. The essential ingredients are meat, a cooking liquid, vegetables and seasonings.

Meat
The best cuts of beef to use are the ones with the most flavor. Typically these are tougher cuts—definitely not steak cuts—and come from parts of the animal which have seen the most use and exercise. These cuts tend to have a marbling of fat and lots of connective tissue. The good news is that the connective tissue completely breaks down when slow cooked and a natural gelatin-like thickening comes from it, enriching the stew broth, turning it into a very flavorful gravy.

Meat without fat or connective tissue will be dry when slow cooked. The parts to look for include chuck, shoulder, flank, rump and brisket.

Vegetables
Which vegetables you choose for your stew is simply a matter of taste and texture. But a good place to start is onions, carrots and celery—sometimes referred to as “mirepoix.” This is the holy trinity of aromatic vegetables and is as essential as salt and pepper to a stew. Another staple for stews is tomatoes, often in the form of paste. Root vegetables like potatoes or turnips are also a good choice, especially if you are feeding a large number of people.

Cooking Liquid
The stew will need a liquid to cook in for the meat to give off its flavor and create the gravy. Water is technically an option, but most cooks tend to go with something more flavorful such as beef stock, or even beer if you dare. The classic French beef stew known as Boeuf Bourguignon uses red wine—typically a red Burgundy, but any dry red will work. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir, but be sure the wine is good enough to drink if you’re using it in your dish.

Seasonings
Herbs, spices and other seasonings are essential to a stew and can dramatically influence the flavor. A common strategy is to go light on salt and pepper when starting to cook the stew and add more towards the end. This is because flavors may intensify as the stew is reduced down and your stock may be salty enough. The opposite can be said for herbs, where time is needed to release the flavors. My favorite way to use herbs is to make a small bouquet out of a handful of parsley sprigs, thyme and a couple of bay leaves. This is sometimes referred to as “bouquet garni.”

Now that you know the basics, check out one of my favorite recipes:

Simple Beef Stew
Prep time: About 10 Minutes
Cook time: 3h (check after 1.5h)
Servings: 6
Equipment: 5-6 quart, cast iron Dutch oven

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 lbs of beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
4 medium carrots, sliced large
1 herb bouquet of parsley, thyme and bay leaf

Instructions
Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, brown the beef cubes on all sides in olive oil and butter in two different batches in a 5-6 quart cast iron Dutch oven. Set aside the browned beef cubes on a plate.

Next, add the diced onions to the same pot with the remaining oil and butter. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook briefly. Pour in the stock and add all the other ingredients. Add the beef back into the pot and stir to combine. Cover and place in the middle of the oven.

Leave your stew alone for 1.5 hours before checking progress. The liquid should cook down and get thicker, but if dissolves too much, add additional water or stock as needed. Put back in oven for another 1.5 hours or until the liquid is nice and gravy-like and the meat falls apart easily. If you feel the liquid is not thick enough, just mix 1 tablespoon melted butter with 2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour in a cup and stir into the stew. Cook on the stove for 5 minutes until it thickens up.

Taste the stew and add seasoning as needed.

I use kosher salt and lots of fresh ground pepper. Serve in bowls with your favorite side and some fresh parsley on top. Rice or mashed potatoes are good options—but a crusty slice of bread under the stew is my favorite.

Title: Ceramic Artist | Age: 57

Kim, we hear you are very new to town. What brought you to Lynchburg?
I have been coming to Lynchburg to visit my aunt and cousin since 2008, when we had a big family reunion. While on a trip here in 2015, I went to see the pottery studio at the Academy and was very impressed. Ted Batt offered me a workshop in 2016, and I loved working here, so I did a second workshop in May 2017.

That’s when I made the decision to move here. Back in California, life was becoming stagnant for me and I needed a CHANGE.

What do you think of the area so far?
Beautiful! I think the downtown area will be exploding with art. The hiking trails are wonderful. As a life-long Californian, I’m looking forward to seeing what winter brings in Virginia.

When did you first develop an interest in art?
My parents enrolled me in all kinds of art classes very early.

I remember a place in Hollywood called Barnsdall Art Park. I must have been 5 years old when I started there. It was a tad crazy… we melted Styrofoam for art. There were other classes such as dance, ceramics, basket weaving, cake decorating, painting and photography. They also dragged me to art museums and gardens every weekend, which ended up having a positive impact on me.

But despite having talent, you didn’t feel like you could make a career out of it?

Art was something I really didn’t think I was any good at, but I was. For some reason, I listened to the wrong people and did not pursue my art until later in life. I was raising two kids and running two businesses with my ex-husband. In 1996 I took a class and got back to creating with clay.

Once you “got your hands dirty” again, where did your art career take you next?
I started doing art shows and street fairs and was very well received. I developed a following of collectors throughout southern California. At one point, my husband recommended that I learn how to market my art. This led me to Learning Tree University in Chatsworth, California. After taking their marketing class, they offered me a teaching position—something I had never imagined doing. I found I was good at teaching and loved it. Then I worked in Simi Valley Unified School District which paid for my teacher’s credentials. I was there for 10 years. Throughout the years I have taught workshops in raku, pit firing, wheel throwing as well as figurative sculpture.

You even ended up in Europe, right?
Oui, oui! I was accepted to participate in an arts residency in Vallauris, France in July 2012. I was required to make a body of work with four other international artists. In the six weeks I was there, I also visited museums and galleries in southern France. I found it delicious to be working in the village where Picasso had worked in ceramics.

How would you describe your artistic style?
Very whimsical. Some have said “Alice in Wonderland meets Tim Burton and explodes into Cirque du Soleil.” However, I think I have many styles that have evolved throughout my career.

What inspires you to create your unique ceramic pieces?
That’s a question I can’t answer. They just pop into my head.

What types of mediums do you work with other than ceramics?
I do mosaics with glass and found objects. When one of my ceramic pieces breaks, it ends up in a mosaic.

What’s your number one goal to achieve in your art career in the coming years?
To follow my muse. And hopefully inspire others and earn my keep while doing so.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
Make what you love and make it your own.

How can readers get in touch with you?
(805) 320-6793 • www.ceramicsbykim.com
ceramicsbykim@gmail.com

My favorite part about winter? When it’s over.”

A friend of mine posted this meme on Facebook the other day and I immediately clicked “like.” I have perpetually cold hands, hate wearing bulky sweaters and could live a long, successful life without seeing another flake of snow. (Note: As I sit writing this letter at my kitchen island, I’m wearing calf-high fuzzy slippers and have a blanket wrapped around my shoulders.)

I know I have plenty of company—those of you who are over winter before it even starts. And then the rest of you probably fall into a category similar to this: you’re really gung-ho about the cold and snow at first but by mid-January… bring on those spring breezes already!

Let’s all try to get through this together, folks. I have just the magazine to help.

When you’re stuck inside avoiding the arctic blast, there is no better time to stew on some new dinner ideas. Literally. We are teaching you how to “Do the Stew” in our Taste department with a few pointers that will bring you slow cooking success. This includes a recipe for a Simple Beef Stew that is cost effective, warm and fulfilling, and can feed your family for a couple of days (as long as you put in a little time and energy).

Another indoor cold weather activity that is also productive? Decluttering and simplifying your home. Local interior designer Selena Campbell is an expert and admits that she used to have way too much extra stuff sitting around herself. Get her advice on where to start and see the inside of her beautiful home that has the most mellow, calming vibes.

Heading to Virginia Beach in January or February may not seem like that much of a party. But this time of the year is actually the best season for an incredible excursion off the coast—whale watching. In our Travel department, we have a firsthand experience of what it’s like to go out searching for these incredible animals with the Virginia Aquarium.

Of course, we also can’t forget the bread and butter of this issue—our 2018 Best Of Lynchburg results. Kick back next to the fire and flip through to see who was voted Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mention in dozens of categories—businesses, restaurants, events… you name it. We counted a whopping 136,000 votes on our website (lynchburgliving.com) this year!

To close, I apologize for my negative attitude about winter. Now that I think about it and have a little bit more of a positive outlook, there is one good thing about it…
Winter really makes me appreciate the other three seasons that much more!

Stay warm,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Behind the Scenes
Photographer RJ Goodwin needs the help of a chair or step ladder when getting his overhead food shots. This issue’s Taste contributor Mikael Blido helped stage the place setting with fresh vegetables and herbs. Learn how to make his Simple Beef Stew on page 167!

Quotables
“The lack of clutter sets a sense of calmness within me that is difficult to describe. Besides, who wants to lift 222 knick-knacks to dust underneath or rummage through?” – Interior Designer Selena Campbell on her transition to a natural, clutter-free home. Read her story starting on page 34!

#LynchburgLiving
One of the best ways to warm up on a chilly day is with a nice cup of tea. Heidi Nickerson posted about her “Tea Time” at Ploughcroft Tea Room on Commerce Street.

Be sure to share your photos with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #lynchburgliving!

A glimpse of local culture as seen  through headlines over the past 125 years

Long before 24-hour news and the internet, newspapers and word of mouth were how people got their news. Recently, Lynchburg Living visited Jones Memorial Library, a local history and genealogy library with newspapers on microfilm back to 1795.

Here are some of the local news stories we found there, looking back every 25 years, from 1993 to 1893: >>

1993
On Feb. 2, The News & Advance reported that the Tour DuPont bike race would be “pedaling through Lynchburg in May.” The 11-day race would attract more than 100 cyclists from around the world.
The biggest news in local sports on Feb. 4 was that E.C. Glass High School’s star linebacker Cornell Brown had signed with the Virginia Tech Hokies. In fact, all of the stories on page B-6 that day had to with high school football signing day.

Brown told reporters, “I just really liked the players up there. That’s just the place that suits me the most and that’s where I think I’ll fit in.”

Then, there was this interesting tidbit: “Brown said he wasn’t bothered by the rumors that Tech coach Frank Beamer may only have a year left if the team doesn’t perform better.” Most people know how that went. Beamer went on to coach at Tech until 2015, a span that included a shot at the national championship and about two dozen bowl games.

Other sports stories that day included, “Hokies mop up on this year’s top Lynchburg-area recruits,” and a story about Liberty University’s freshman football recruiting class being the best it had ever seen.

The same day, on the bottom-right corner of the front page, was a story about the Rev. Jerry Falwell: “Falwell considers his role in revival of Moral Majority.” With the election of President Bill Clinton, after a more than a decade of Republicans in the White House, Falwell was thinking about re-launching the conservative political group he founded in 1979.

In the end, it wasn’t until 2004 that Falwell revived the group and renamed it the Moral Majority Coalition.

And showing that not much changes with the passage of time, two of the three letters to the editor that day were about gun control. The third letter, written by local nurse Doris Weiss, was in support building a women’s war memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. The memorial was dedicated in 1997.

1968
The first baby born in Lynchburg that year was Lisa Carol Stegt, daughter of a couple identified as Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Stegt Jr. The Daily Advance reported on Jan. 1 that Lisa “made her grand entrance at 3:28 a.m. at Virginia Baptist Hospital.”

The sports page on Jan. 10 included a story about the Dunbar High School boys’ basketball team. The Poets would be facing “a tough band of Albert Harris cagers” that Friday night in Martinsville.

Five of the team’s starters had graduated the previous spring, giving Coach Harry Waters what the paper described as “little hope that his young Poets would even enjoy a break-even season.” Despite that dismal prediction, Dunbar went on to end the regular season with a 17-1 record and the Western District championship.

On Jan. 18, 1968, The Daily Advance reported that Pfc. David Harker was missing-in-action in Vietnam. In the end, Harker, a Brookville High School graduate, had been captured by the North Vietnamese. He spent three years as a prisoner of war in what he later told the newspaper were “the worst conditions you can imagine.” He still lives in Central Virginia.

Also reported on Jan. 18, four men were “accosted by the game warden” for spotlighting deer in Amherst County. State Game Warden Robert Chenault was dispatched to High Peak Orchard Road, where he reportedly saw a man standing on the roadside with a rifle.

“I asked him what he was doing there with the rifle,” Chenault said. “He told me he thought he saw a rabbit. They said they were out looking for mistletoe.”

The judge didn’t believe the story, fined each man $150 and confiscated their guns.

1943
On Jan. 4, The Daily Advance reported that Sen. Carter Glass had turned 85. He was celebrating the event by “quietly receiving a few friends at his home, Montview Farm.” While some telegrams had been received by the senator, “the usual flood of telegrams was missing because of the wartime restriction of telegraphic communications.”

Montview Farm is located on what is now Liberty University. At LU, it’s commonly referred to as “The Mansion.”

On Jan. 13, under the headline “In the Courts,” The Daily Advance told the story of three local women sentenced for crimes related to prostitution. The house where the crimes occurred was at 1008 Fourth Street, in what was then a well-known red-light district.

Nancy Schoefield, found guilty of “operating a house of ill fame,” was “sentenced to a total of 15 months in jail.” Betty Lou Howell and Louise Collins, described as “inmates of the same house,” pleaded guilty and were sentenced to six months each.

Eleven years later, at the house next door—1006 Fourth Street—a well-known madam named Mamie Feimster and another woman named Tina Thompson were shot and killed by Lythia Brown Buckwalter. The sensational case was widely covered in The Lynchburg News.

1918
On Jan. 2, an article in The News said that all “alien enemies” living in Lynchburg and the surrounding area had to register with the police department. This included non-naturalized Germans living in the U.S. and was later expanded to include female U.S. citizens married to these “enemy aliens.”

The order came down from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office. The News estimated there were about 50 “alien enemies” in the area who would “be required to carry a registration card with them and will not be allowed to leave Lynchburg without a permit.”

Another article that day told readers that two daring characters—“The Human Spider” and “The Human Fly”—climbed up the Krise Building. The Krise Building is still located at the corner of Main and Ninth streets and houses, among other things, Bowen Jewelry Company.

According to the story, “The ‘Spider’ went all the way to the top of the building and the crowd below greeted his climbing over the eaves with cheering. The ‘Fly’ went only to the sixth floor.”
“The Human Spider” was North Carolina native W.C. “Bill” Strother, known nationwide for his climbing stunts.

On Jan. 3, The News reported under the headline, “One Divorce in Eight” that there were “more than 60 divorces out of 483 marriage licenses” granted in Lynchburg’s corporation and circuit courts over the previous year.

The newspaper also thought it important to let readers know that six Randolph-Macon Woman’s College students had not returned to campus after the winter break, preferring to get married instead. This was reported on Jan. 5, under an all-caps headline: “SIX GET HUSBANDS WHILE ON HOLIDAY.”

1893
The Daily Virginian reported on Jan. 3 that “theatre-goers have a dramatic treat in store for them at the Opera House” with the performance of “The Silver King.” The melodramatic play, written in 1882, was described as the “grand drama of a lifetime.”

Lynchburg’s Opera House was completed in 1879 and was located “on the east corner of Main and Eleventh streets,” according to “Lynchburg: An Architectural History,” by S. Allen Chambers.

It was built by what Chambers describes as “two public-spirited and wealthy tobacconists” named Hancock and Moorman at a cost of $55,000—about $1.3 million today. One of the things written about the Opera House was that its interior was “richly decorated with stucco and composition ornaments” and “painted with gilt.”

In the same column as the story about the Opera House, under the headline, “Fire in West Lynchburg,” is one paragraph about a storehouse that was “totally destroyed by fire.” It was located “near the Zink Works” and owned by a man named R.J. Hudson.

On Jan. 7, a column in The News—the city’s other newspaper, a competitor of Daily Virginian—reported local news and gossip “caught on the streets, at the depot and in the hotel lobbies.”

Among other things, “all water wheels on the river front were blocked with ice yesterday morning, and the machinery at the Glamorgan Works, J.P. Pettyjohn’s, Adams & Woodson’s, and other enterprises in that vicinity refused to move.

“The river froze almost from bank to bank, Blackwater creek was a sheet of ice, and all in all it was an Arctic day. Sleigh riding and coasting were the principal employments of the day.”

And at the home of longtime school superintendent E.C. Glass on Madison Street, Mrs. A.W. Carter, Glass’s mother-in-law, was reportedly seriously ill. Carter—full name Mary Isbell Carter—was unfortunately not long for this world and died two days later on Jan. 9, 1893.