LOCAL RESIDENTS, ORGANIZATIONS UNITE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

As unprecedented shutdowns from the coronavirus left people without work, food, or places for children to go, local governments, schools, and nonprofits stepped up to be sure people could meet their basic needs. Likewise, volunteers began helping neighbors and strangers alike during these unsettling times. People found creative ways to thank those who kept working, to keep businesses open, and to entertain each other— proving that in times of crisis, our greater Lynchburg community unites.

LENDING A HAND TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS

With nationwide shortages of masks and hand sanitizer, Central Virginians decided to take matters into their own, well, hands.

The Junior League of Lynchburg created “Mask-Her-Aid,” a project to sew masks for Centra. Existing sewing groups such as Patches ‘n Pieces Quilt Club and the Seven Hills Quilt Guild also jumped in to help.

Throughout the region, other women formed groups of their own. Emily Harris said friends at Blue Ridge Community Church called area hospitals to see if they would want cloth masks made by volunteers. The answer was a resounding, “Yes!” After receiving an “influx of requests” to donate masks, Centra Health said on Facebook that cotton masks would be used by patients and visitors upon entry in low-risk areas or used for covering coughs and preventing someone from touching their face.

Harris, a hair stylist and makeup artist, was unable to work because of the pandemic. With both a sister and a brother-in-law who are doctors, as well as friends who are nurses, she felt especially compelled to do something. “It makes me feel better to be of service,” she said. “It makes me feel helpful and hopeful.” Harris, who used to make designer bathing suits, had plenty of elastic on hand so she got busy, along with nine others on their sewing team.

In early April, about a week after getting a call from a family that works at Lynchburg General Hospital, nonprofit Vector Space organized an effort to create 3D-printed face shields for nurses in the non-COVID intensive care unit. After delivering 28 face shields to the hospital, Vector Space also started conversations with local anesthesiologists about prototyping ventilator parts and intubation boxes.

“We are so grateful for those that have stepped up to offer help with this project. Individuals and organizations have volunteered time and money, fired up their 3D printers and sewing machines, and sourced all kinds of materials to contribute to the cause of getting personal protective equipment and other needs to our medical community,” said Elise Spontarelli, co-founder of Vector Space.

Price Blair, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Lynchburg, learned that Centra needed glassware and alcohol for making hand sanitizer. Lab instructors Desi Justice and Steve Burris teamed up with mathematics professor Mike Coco to pull the supplies together from the university’s labs.

Randolph College also put some unused personal protective equipment to good use by donating items such as gloves, disposable lab goats, isolation masks and protective masks to Centra Health. “Our healthcare workers are on the frontlines and shouldn’t have to worry about their safety,” said Bradley W. Bateman, Randolph’s president.

Liberty University’s respiratory therapy program, which launched in 2019, loaned two mechanical ventilators to Centra Health for use at Lynchburg General Hospital. Dr. Brian Walsh, the program’s director, and his staff also provided online training to area medical personnel on how to operate ventilators.

Other notable donations to Centra Health include 3,700 masks and 100 hazmat suits from the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia. The Centra Foundation released funding to purchase six new ventilators and five portable x-ray machines as well as conduct a public health campaign about COVID-19 for the region.

FEEDING THE MASSES

In response to school closures, Lynchburg City Schools immediately mobilized to prepare and bag meals for delivery to children age 18 and younger at school bus stops, beginning March 16. In just two weeks, the schools delivered 24,000 meals. In addition, Lynchburg Parks & Recreation supplied vans for meal delivery in many of the city’s housing complexes and at six community centers for meal pick-up. Other area school systems soon followed suit.

“I was honored to have been able to volunteer and take food out to the students of Lynchburg,” said Karl Loos, representative for the Lynchburg Educators Association. “Our food service colleagues are amazing. Everything was safely and perfectly prepared. Our bus drivers are outstanding ambassadors for LCS, as they spoke to every student and parent and represented us so well. Lynchburg should be proud.”

Park View Community Mission’s Food for Thought program continued to provide weekend food bags—with up to 7,000 pounds of food each weekend—at bus stops on Fridays.

Many area soup kitchens and food banks made sure individuals and families kept eating as well. Lynchburg Daily Bread started serving to-go meals instead of a sit-down meal. “We are the busiest we’ve been in six years,” said Tracey Dixon, executive director. “We have lots of new faces every day.”

The Daily Bread typically feeds 80 to 130 people a day, but were averaging 175 a day by late March. And while fewer restaurants were open to contribute donations, lots of individuals, businesses and churches stepped up. One man dropped off 10 hams, for example. “It’s been amazing,” Dixon said. “This community really is stellar.”

RESTAURANTS CHANGE GAME PLANS

Many customers were making a point of getting takeout from their favorite restaurants to help them stay open, while some restaurants changed their business model more significantly. “I was stressing really bad and my husband said we’ve got to try and think of something different,” said Adi McCauley, co-owner of Magnolia Foods.

So they turned her restaurant into a small grocery store, providing juice, milk, fresh produce, bread, and chips instead of pre-made salads and meals. Waterstone Pizza unveiled a similar idea inside their Jefferson Street restaurant, selling items that might not be found in local stores such as bread and toilet paper.

Mama Crocket’s Cider Donuts food truck began taking orders online, preparing the donuts, and then sliding them through a shoot to protect both their workers and their customers.

Myke Barron, one of the new owners of White Hart Café, has been continuing to provide curbside carryout to his customers, but has found another reason to work during this crisis. “What we’ve latched onto is a community kitchen,” he said.

Partnering with LOJ Ministries, a local nonprofit, and local churches, White Hart is preparing hot meals to be distributed to folks in need. For example, The Ramp Church has a relationship with James Crossing, so White Hart cooks and Ramp members deliver.

“We are building community and relationships with people, even if six feet away,” Barron said. “People are scared and isolated. Isolation is not what we’re built for. …We need to get the ‘why’ that we can all latch on to so we can come out stronger on the other side.”

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES KEEP WHEELS TURNING

Government policymakers pitched in to help businesses and individuals stay afloat. Lynchburg delayed business license tax payments, waived late fees on water, and promised not to cut water off to those who couldn’t pay. The Greater Lynchburg Transit Authority suspended fare collection to protect drivers and help people get to work, grocery stores, and essential services.

VIRTUAL LEARNING

Local schools—both public and private—quickly switched gears to map out online education plans for the rest of the school year. “It’s our intention for students to be better prepared when schools resume,” Dr. Tommy Coleman, LCS Director of Curriculum and Instruction, said in an online message in early April. LCS school administrators also addressed that virtual learning opportunities were created with an understanding that most parents are not teachers.

Local organizations also were fast on their feet to provide ways for residents to stay connected. A few examples are:

More than 1,000 people joined the live Facebook page hosted by the YMCA of Central Virginia to enjoy programs about exercise, crafts, cooking and more. The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance started hosting Wednesdays@One, a webinar series to support local businesses. The Academy at Home Series, hosted by the Academy Center of the Arts, features live-streamed performances, tutorials and living room concerts from area performers.

CHANGING THE VIEW

All of the extra time at home together helped families unite in creative ways, including artistically. Here, siblings Bobby Vinson and Rebecca Spitzer used painter’s tape to section off the glass on their front door. Then, they painted the shapes different colors, creating a beautiful stained glass effect.

The Virginian Hotel was transformed into a “Swing Era” party on Feb. 1, as Lynchburg Living celebrated our 2020 Best Of Lynchburg winners.

Guests were encouraged to dress in costume—and many did! They enjoyed delicious food provided by 10 local restaurants, with Simply Vanilla Gourmet Cheesecakes taking home the evening’s Best Restaurant Award. The evening also included jazz music, a talented magician and green screen fun.Congratulations again to all of our winners—and thank you to everyone who helped make our Best Of Lynchburg Party such a success!Photography by Jenna McKenney.

Spring Tablescapes

Goodbye folded laundry and paperwork—it’s time to return your dining table to its former glory

If a spring brunch or dinner party is on your end-of-winter-celebration checklist, there is an easy way to take your dining area décor to the next level: a styled tablescape. “Tablescapes can elevate furniture, from an incredibly simple table to a hand-me-down set to something brand new,” says Ashley Hilbish, interior designer with Curtains, Blinds & Bath. “They add tons of visual interest to a room that typically gets the smallest budget and is usually left for last when it comes to decorating.”

Looking at your empty table and not sure where to start? Ashley says first, try to block out the colors in the rest of your home. “The table is one place where you can get away with not matching the rest of your space,” she says, adding that great tablescapes have lots of layers as well as contrasting colors.

To show us how it’s done, Ashley created two table settings—in two very different styles—that we hope will inspire you to reclaim your dining table this spring.

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Bright & Traditional

Versatility is the backbone of this transitional tablescape that’s perfect for someone trying to incorporate updated pieces into their more traditional home. “It neither screams stuffy or too casual,” Ashley says. “This look can go from full-blown Easter meals with the family to a simple cheese and wine pairing on a sunny afternoon with friends.” In fact, this table setting is so versatile, just switch out your textiles and flowers from season to season—everything else can stay.

Give your table a personal spring touch by painting the names of your guests on eggs.

Ditch the rings and tie your cloth napkins into a bow-tie shape. Also, don’t be afraid to use a mix of metal finishes.

Intricate floral candlesticks are a nod to traditional style. For a finished and cozy look, add white unscented candles.

Ashley encourages clients with longer tables to try using two table runners horizontally instead of one down the middle.

This more formal spring centerpiece features orange tulips alongside a diverse mix of white flowers, pampas grass, and feathered/seeded eucalyptus.

Like What You See?
Many of these items from both tablescapes are for sale at Curtains, Blinds & Bath—18458 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551.

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Bold & Whimsical

Dark colors, matte finishes and soft textures collide gorgeously in this “moody” tablescape that would fit well in mid-century, boho or modern homes. It gives off a metropolitan vibe—you may even want to pretend you’re brunching with friends in New York or Los Angeles. “Am I saying you can’t mix in grandma’s vintage silver with this for a personal touch and still make it work? Not at all … but I think overall, the textures and finishes—even down to the eucalyptus greens—really make this look on trend,” Ashley says.

Create your own floating plants—these centerpieces are easy to make and work well with most décor styles.

A white boho-inspired runner gives this table setting a more laid-back vibe. For those with a playful spirit, ceramic bunnies give this décor the “spring” touch it needs.

Burgundy Scabiosa gives a pop of color to this arrangement that features delicate pink Quicksand roses.

Select items with varying heights to add dimension and interest.

Soft pink bowls contrast sharply with black plates, fitting in with a modern aesthetic.

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Many thanks to:
Tablescape Design: Curtains, Blinds & Bath,
www.curtainsblindsbath.com
Venue: Atelier Studio & Gathering Space,
www.atelierlynchburg.com
Photography: Adam and Sarah Mullins,
www.themullinsphotoco.com
Floral Arrangements: Fleur by Heather,
www.fleurbyheather.com

GO BRIGHT OR KEEP IT LIGHT BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO CRANK UP THE PIGMENT IN 2020

After a long stretch of whites and neutrals, we are extremely excited to announce: color is making a comeback. And if you’re ready to bring some bolder hues (and patterns) into your home, what better place to start than on the walls?

“People are definitely wanting to add in more color,” says Mary Lou Stufano at James T. Davis Paint and Design Center in Lynchburg. “There has been a very strong shift towards the artisanal movement and working with local artists. People are also traveling and bringing back fabrics from other countries that they want to work into their style.”

Mary Lou and fellow James T. Davis designer Kara Oliver not only showed us a few top color choices, they took it a step further and showed us how to style these paint options in your home.

Colors of the Year

While you may have heard about Pantone’s widely publicized “Color of the Year” (their 2020 pick is an elegant Classic Blue), you may not realize that local paint stores, such as James T. Davis, research and prepare their own list of recommendations. What’s even better—it’s not limited to just one color!

From “Mullen Pink” to “On the Nile,” their 2020 lineup includes mostly vibrant, rich colors—with only a few tamer counterparts. The color palette as a whole gives off a formal, traditional vibe. Kara and Mary Lou see these colors working well in one of Lynchburg’s older, historic homes with dark mahogany furniture, even wicker and rattan. But don’t forget to bring in some modern touches so it doesn’t look dated.

“Add maybe a brass and glass coffee table or a very modern piece of art to tone down that traditional feeling,” says Stufano.

If you aren’t quite ready to paint your living room the orange-inspired “Ballet Cream,” Oliver suggests starting small. “Think in small doses. A half bath for example. A homeowner can have some fun with that space,” she says.

Transitional Style

Taking a step down from the Colors of the Year are two “transitional” looks created by our James T. Davis experts. “These are a transition between a traditional and contemporary design. You may see a traditional style or wood furniture but much cleaner lines. Not curly and fussy,” Stufano says.

The colors they chose for these looks—a range of pinks and blues—are not neutrals, but they are soft and feminine, even in their darkest shades.

“Gold accents can play well off the blue,” Oliver says, but adds that silvers would work as well and encourages homeowners to mix metals. “Because they aren’t as glaring and shiny anymore, some metals you can’t even really tell if it’s a gold or a silver.”

One way to bring a metal into a room is with wallpaper. A modern, geometric pattern can give these pink and blue shades a little bit of an edge. Add other textures to draw people in such as velvet, a popular fabric choice. “People like things that feel good, and light plays off of velvet differently than it would a linen,” says Stufano.

If velvet and Laura Ashley–inspired colors have you thinking, “what decade are we in?” don’t fret. “Some colors and textures are definitely coming back into play, but they are being presented differently. For example, we are seeing cleaner, straighter window treatments. None of those valences that used to be popular,” Stufano says.

Overwhelmed By Your Choices?
Oliver and Stufano tell clients to find items in their home that they love and bring them to their consultation. Then, they can start choosing some colors around those choices. “This could be a pillow, a fabric, a piece of art. I had someone bring me a shell once,” she says. “For people with new builds or those who are ‘I don’t know where to start,’ this narrows down their selections.”

Step away from the vase (and out of your comfort zone) and give one of these STUNNING displays a try

Photography by Heather Kidd

Special spring events call for statement-making blooms. According to Mary Ellen LaFreniere of Steel Cut Flower Co., one of the biggest mistakes she sees is when people display flowers in vases all over their home. “Focus all of your attention on one area, make that the focal point,” she says.

Ready to try something different? Mary Ellen created three unique options to get you started.

Chandelier

Most people have a chandelier over their dining table, and it’s already a focal point, especially if your event centers around a meal. First, Mary Ellen suggests keeping it simple—choose one color palette or even just one flower. “With one color family, the placement of flowers won’t matter as much,” she says. (In all three of these arrangements, Mary Ellen used tulips, sweet peas, heirloom carnations, peonies, bush ivy and lilies.) For the modern, rectangular chandelier on the previous page, she molded chicken wire into a column shape—to create a base for greenery—then after attaching it to the chandelier, added in flowers throughout. Let the flowers cascade down and be natural, she says, “as a way to liven up the space.”

Tip: For those with traditional chandeliers, Mary Ellen says she would wrap greenery around the center point and then use the fixture’s natural curves as places where flowers would hang down, affixed with small wire hooks.

Chair

An exquisitely decorated chair is perfect for a gathering with a “guest of honor” who will be the center of attention in lots of photos. Mary Ellen used chicken wire molded into a column shape to create the backbone of the arrangement, then fastened it to the chair with boutonniere pins. She suggests starting from the ground and working your way up to create an organic, climbing shape. The goal is to make the greenery and flowers look like they are connected to the rest of the space. “We like for things to look natural, have a liveliness factor. Instead of just a decoration we stuck on the chair,” she says.

Tip: Don’t go overboard. You don’t want this arrangement getting in your guest of honor’s way or dominating photos.

Mantel

A home’s mantel is often already the focal point of the living room. Why not dress it up? Mary Ellen says the goal is to have the arrangement feel as though it’s reaching out into the room. “People tend to go upward on mantels,” she explains. “But due to the height of them, it looks better when they are more at eye level and reaching out.” Also, asymmetry is key to make the arrangement feel more “alive” and less stuffy. Here, you can embrace finicky flowers that don’t always look great in vases (we’re talking about you, tulips) and have them cascading upside down for a modern look.

Tip: If you want the arrangement to last, put shallow bowls or planters on the mantel to keep your flowers in place and watered. For day-of décor, use chicken wire as the structure, and attach to small nails in the back of your mantel.

DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY WILL EXPAND IN LYNCHBURG THIS YEAR

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library, an international initiative that sends free books to children from birth to age five, is extending its reach to additional Lynchburg-area zip codes this year. Local education-focused nonprofit The Aspire Foundation began partnering with DPIL last fall and has since signed up many families who reside in the 24501 and 24504 zip codes.

“When we started the program last September, we didn’t know how fundraising was going to go,” says Aspire Foundation co-founder Mary Omotoye. “We decided to start the program in 24501 and 24504 because according to the U.S. Census Bureau, those are the most socioeconomically challenged areas in Lynchburg. We are happy to announce that we now have enough funding to open the program up to 24502 and 24503 as well in 2020!” Grants from the Schewel Family Foundation, Centra Foundation, Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, and Mustaches 4 Kids increased DPIL funding significantly.

Omotoye first learned about DPIL when she and her family lived in Cleveland, Ohio. She and her husband, Samuel, enrolled their two young sons in the program and received free books for about half a year. When the family moved to Lynchburg, however, they discovered that DPIL was not available. For the Omotoyes, this absence proved to be an exciting opportunity rather than a disappointment.

“I checked the Imagination Library website and found out that in order to be an affiliate of the program, you have to be a nonprofit organization,” Omotoye notes. “I talked to my husband about it and we thought, ‘Why don’t we start a nonprofit?’ We always had it in mind that we eventually wanted to do nonprofit work in the education sphere, so we thought this initiative was a great place to start.” The couple founded the Aspire Foundation in 2018.

Rox Cruz, a local mom and Freedom Schools Site Coordinator for The Listening, Inc., was one of the many parents who was excited about DPIL coming to Lynchburg.

“I am a major Dolly Parton fan, so I’ve known about this program for over 10 years,” Cruz says. “Once I had my first son, I wanted to sign him up for the program right away. We were living in Florida at the time, but unfortunately our zip code was not eligible for the program. I was so stoked to find out we were eligible in Lynchburg!”

Beloved country music artist Dolly Parton founded DPIL in 1995, and the program has since expanded beyond Dolly’s home state of Tennessee to all 50 states and to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. Childhood literacy is a passion of Parton’s largely due to her own upbringing.

“Dolly Parton’s father was illiterate, and she grew up very poor. Her mission is to provide books for all children, no matter their family’s income,” said Omotoye, who also experienced a humble childhood. “My husband and I are immigrants and didn’t have a lot growing up, but good educations and a love of books and learning helped us find success—I’m a pharmacist and my husband is a physician.”

By 2003, DPIL had mailed one million books, and now the program sends out over one million books per month. DPIL earned the Library of Congress Best Practices Award in 2014, and the initiative’s 100 millionth book was dedicated to the Library of Congress in 2018.

Enrolled children between ages birth and five receive one free, high-quality book each month until they turn six. The books are selected by an expert panel and come from reputable publisher Penguin Random House. Titles are age-appropriate, at least two bilingual titles are sent to each child each year, and DPIL’s partnership with the Braille Institute of America ensures that blind and visually impaired children receive Braille books.

Cruz, whose sons are one-and-a-half and four, is especially grateful for the addition of bilingual books to their home library.

“My husband is Puerto Rican, so it is really meaningful to us that this program occasionally sends out bilingual books,” she says. “I was so excited when my four-year-old received A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats in English and Spanish last month.”

Although DPIL is beneficial for all children in the targeted age range, it is ideal to enroll a child at birth.

“What’s special about this program is that it really starts from birth,” says Omotoye. “We’re really trying to target that age group before kindergarten because there are tons of studies that show that just having books in the home early on in a child’s life—before the child is even talking—is incredibly impactful on brain development and reading readiness.”

Of course, reading to your child is even more beneficial than simply having books in your home. “For parents, the DPIL books are a reminder to be more intentional about sitting down and reading with your children,” Cruz says.

Omotoye adds that DPIL has a “large impact with a relatively low financial input.” It costs $25 per child per year, which comes out to $2.10 per book including shipping costs.

With the upcoming inclusion of additional Lynchburg zip codes, the Aspire Foundation will be focusing on registering new families for DPIL in 2020. Existing partnerships with Miriam’s House, Johnson Health Center, Richeson Drive Pediatrics, the Jubilee Community Center, and Lynchburg City Schools (specifically the Pre-K Headstart program) will continue to raise awareness of and participation in the program, and Omotoye hopes to work with even more community partners this year.

“To register as many children as possible, we want to partner with places that provide services and programs for children,” she says. “We have many wonderful community partners already and are hoping to partner with One Community, One Voice and other organizations in the near future.”

Cruz highly recommends enrolling in the program as a supplement to taking your children to the library.

“We love taking our kids to the library, but this program brings free books to us when we’re too busy to go out or it’s flu season and we don’t want to risk our kids getting sick,” she notes.

Although the long-term benefits of DPIL, libraries, and reading books in general may be lost on little ones, the joy of receiving a free and personalized gift in the mail applies to folks of all ages.

“For kids, it’s simply a gift that they get in the mail,” Cruz says. “There’s a kind of magic in receiving snail mail, especially when you’re receiving something wrapped up with your name on it. My four-year-old thinks Grandma Dolly sends him the books personally!”

To check your family’s eligibility for DPIL, visit aspirefound.org. Although it is possible to register online, Omotoye recommends doing a written registration form at this time. To learn more about DPIL, visit imaginationlibrary.com.

USING FLOWERS AMONG FOOD CROPS

There is a certain satisfaction in seeing crisp, clean rows of tomatoes or tightly packed lines of lettuce. But in my gardening experience, I have found that my plants are happier and healthier when they are given a bit more freedom—not unlike people.

In nature, plants don’t tend to segregate themselves into exclusive groupings, but rather they grow together, mixing and mingling. In doing so, they achieve a symbiosis; they benefit from and protect one another.

Polyculture is an agricultural practice that seeks to mimic this natural diversity by growing a variety of plants together so they can help one another grow. Planting flowers in and among vegetable crops is a wonderful way to naturally promote garden health and, as an added benefit, enhance the beauty of your garden spaces. I personally love gardens that take on a wild, lost-cottage appearance—but flowers don’t have to look messy and haphazard. Considering size and height, complementary colors, and spacing will help to give your garden an elegant, graceful appearance.

However, the main reason to plant flowers alongside your veggies is that they can attract—and repel—insects. As gardeners, there are bugs we like, and bugs we would rather be without. Pollinators such as butterflies, moths, and, of course, bees, are critical to the survival of vegetable gardens. Then, there are the bad bugs: aphids, beetles, leafminers, squash bugs… the list goes on and on. Planting flowers can deter pests by their scent, make it more difficult for pests to travel and spread through your garden, and even attract other insects that eat those pests. >>

Pollinators, Please!

So much of the food we eat relies on pollinators to grow and produce fruit. Planting the right flowers can draw them in and give your garden the boost it needs to be productive.

Bees, well known for their productive pollination in gardens, can’t see the color red. They are especially attracted to blue and violet flowers that smell sweet and provide easy access to nectar. But bees are not the only pollinators we want in our garden! Butterflies and hummingbirds are excellent pollinators too, and they have different mouth-shapes and color preferences. Hummingbirds, for example, love red, cone-shaped flowers and can access nectar that is stored deeper within the bloom. So when in doubt, plant a variety!

Cosmos: Full disclosure, I listed these first because they are my favorite. I love how leggy and wild cosmos grow, especially when planted among sunflowers (which are also great for bees). But these beauties are professional pollinator magnets, with many varieties and colors to choose from. Bees love the purple and pink varieties, while the white sensation variety is especially good for attracting lacewings, who in larvae form have quite an appetite for aphids. Tip: They look stunning among anything that vines or climbs up a trellis.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea): Bees love this stuff. Their purple, cone-shaped blossoms are the perfect color and shape for our busy, buzzing garden friends. As an added bonus, echinacea is well-known for its immune-boosting, cold-fighting qualities when used in tea.

Zinnias: An excellent choice for the vegetable garden, zinnias attract lots of beneficial insects. In particular, butterflies love them. They are bright and colorful, and provide late-season nectar for pollinators. They also invite beneficial insects, especially Monarch butterflies, to lay eggs in their foliage. They attract hummingbirds, hover flies and wasps, all of which eat up destructive pests. Plant them around your tomatoes to deter worms. If you need more convincing, they make gorgeous cut flowers. You can’t lose with a thick zinnia patch in your garden.

Columbine: Columbine is another personal favorite and has a very interesting history of adaptation to benefit the pollinators that drink their nectar. Biologists have found that the unique nectar spurs, or long tubes that lead to the flowers’ nectar, grow in length based on the tongues of their preferred pollinators. These are a favorite snack of hummingbirds.

Lavender: This divine smelling, purple beauty is a favorite of bees and gardeners alike. You probably already have some in your garden. Consider placing it nearer to your veggies. Choose long-blooming varieties—be sure to leave some uncut—and bees will come from miles around to enjoy the bounty of pollen and nectar that they provide.

Pest Prevention

There are all sorts of things we don’t want in our gardens. Flowers can be used to disguise food crops, confuse and trap harmful pests, and even attract insects that love to feast on all the bugs we don’t like. Better yet, strategically placed flowers are so much better for the garden than chemical pesticides, which can damage soil and stunt growth over time.

Calendula (Pot Marigolds): Who doesn’t love these flowers? Simple, compact, colorful, and late-blooming, pot marigolds are so cheerful and deter all sorts of unwanted insects, such as squash bugs, mosquitos, and lice. Considered a great “trap crop,” calendula attracts pests like aphids and whiteflies and produces a sticky substance that traps these garden pests before they reach your crops. Note: Calendula, an edible, herbal flower, is different from the common marigold, which is toxic when ingested.

Chrysanthemums: Did you know that some brands of bug repellent and pesticides use a chemical extracted from mums (pyrethrin) to deter pests? Not only do these flowers repel pests such as beetles and harlequin bugs, which destroy gardens, they also keep away lice, ticks, bed bugs, roaches, and other universally disliked crawling critters. I like to plant them among squash and potatoes.

Queen Anne’s Lace: A tall, elegant choice for the garden, Queen Anne’s Lace attracts lacewings, ladybugs, hoverflies, and a number of other pest-gobbling insects to the vegetable patch. They are also known to give tomato plants a little boost when planted close by! Like many on this list, they will keep coming back year after year and can spread prolifically.

Yarrow: Yarrow is becoming the permaculturists secret weapon. It attracts beneficial insects such as bees and lacewings, provides excellent nesting grounds for these helpful critters, and has a scent that repels garden pests. In fact, it would make an excellent addition to your cucumber patch. To top it all off, yarrow is a beloved medicinal herb, used to control bleeding, pain, and inflammation. It’s also known to fortify garden soil and activate compost. This is a powerhouse of a plant you should always make room for.

Nasturtium: These attractive edibles are another powerful multi-use companion, and they come with a cornucopia of benefits.
The flowers and leaves are edible (and quite tasty) and provide an extensive list of medicinal benefits. They also emit a powerful odor that masks the scent of crops that are often vulnerable to a pest attack. Plant them everywhere, but especially near your brassicas.

Consider experimenting with interplantings of beneficial flowers this spring. You’ll have a great time trying different height and color combinations. When you find yourself spending less time fighting off pest infestations and more time enjoying the beauty and bounty of your garden, you’ll become an instant polyculturalist for life.

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General Tips:

Avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
These products can be helpful to the gardener, but often their consequences outweigh their benefits. Pollinators don’t like them, and they can strip soil of its organic qualities. Use natural, cultural solutions when possible, and if chemicals are a must, check to make sure they aren’t harmful to beneficial insects.

Plant in small groups. A single flower is better than no flower at all, but planting in clumps is a good way to attract pollinators. It shortens the distance that they have to travel for food and encourages them to stick around. As pest repellents, groups of flowers perform better.

Shoot for year-round blooms. If you provide a constant food source for beneficial insects, they will return to your yard all year long—and likely make their homes close by. Try to keep something in bloom throughout the year.

Provide other resources. Bees, butterflies, and all of those garden-friendly bugs need more than food to survive. Consider providing housing (bee hotels are really cool, and make for a fun project) and shallow water to encourage long-term residence in your garden.

A Bedford County custom build full of color and contrast

Photos by Laura Beth Davidson

Before Jill Rufus can answer a knock on the front door, the family’s Golden Retriever, Hershey, has long beaten her to it. Almost on cue, the gentle giant lays down on the foyer rug, rolls over onto his back, and stops—hoping for a belly rub from this new stranger-turned-best friend.

It’s a very fitting welcome to the Rufus household. While the impressive craftsman-style home is impeccably styled down to the very last detail, there is a down-to-earth vibe here. From her husband Jim’s obvious aversion to wearing a tucked-in button down and khakis to Jill’s easy and approachable conversation, this is a place where it’s okay to kick off your shoes and be yourself.

Jill and Jim—owners of real estate and rental investment company The Rufus Group—stumbled across the “Tranquility” house plan by Garrell Associates while attending a party at a friend’s house in 2012. With four sons—now ages 16, 17, 18 and 20—they were outgrowing their current space, a traditional historic home.
“What sold us on [the new house] was the open spaces, and I liked the different levels of the ceilings,” Jill said, adding that only three homes of this style have been built in the Lynchburg area. “It’s not cookie cutter.”

Neither are Jill’s décor choices—she’s not afraid to mix colors, patterns and textures. “I’ve just always been attracted to color,”
Jill said. Turquoise is one of her most-used hues.

The living room is especially vibrant with its floor-to-ceiling wall featuring patterned hardwood tiles from Mirth Studio, based in Charleston. “I call this my Charleston room,” Jill said. The couch, zebra-inspired ottoman, and large floral oil painting over the fireplace are all Charleston finds.

While Jill has always been a do-it-yourself kind of person, (she also is part owner of Ideal Cabinets of Lynchburg and oversees kitchen designs and other renovation projects regularly), she recalls a gentle nudge to get some design help as they built. “We were about 25 percent in when the kitchen designer said, ‘do you not have an interior designer?’” Jill recalled. “It had never dawned on me at all.”

The friend with the same house plan they saw at that party, Kate Avello, agreed to take on the job. Because she had lived in the same house, and had a similar modern style to Jill’s, it was an easy fit. “We had a really good time together,” Jill said.

Instead of always focusing on perfection, Jill loves to talk about all of the things that went wrong throughout the building process—but ended up being “happy accidents.”

In the keeping room right off the kitchen, dark wood, mirrored inserts frame the fireplace and instantly catch the eye. They were designed by a jeweler-turned-home builder, who also does other custom projects. He laser cut the design, but the final pieces were too small. “Jimmy did the measurements one day, and I took a pic of those and sent them to the builder,” she explained. “Well, apparently Jimmy’s 7 looked like a 1.”

This led to a months-long back and forth between the designer, decorative painter, installation crew and mirror company to come up with a plan to salvage the original design: “But it was all worth it in the end,” she said.

There are other “happy accidents” in the kitchen—featuring antique white cabinets and a leathered granite in Antarctica white.

The Rufuses chose to not only increase the size of the island but also double stack the granite—which caused the slab to sag. Jill had meticulously measured the space and bought chairs. At first, she was frustrated they wouldn’t fit with the added support posts. “Our builder said, ‘Jill… put two of the chairs on each side. You’re going to have better conversation that way.’ Now, I love that.”

The kitchen is truly the heart of the Rufus home. “We usually eat right here [at the island],” she said. “The computers go up and everyone just hangs out.”

It’s also a place that Jimmy shows off one of his hidden talents. “His degree is in hotel/restaurant management. He does everything involving cooking,” she said. “I don’t cook at all!”

The Rufuses enjoy hosting dinner parties in their formal dining room a few times a year. But even when they aren’t expecting company, the table is always set. “Every time people come over they are like, ‘Are you about to have a party?’ For my eye, I like to see that it looks put together and not empty.”

A herringbone dresser in the dining room ties into the other black and white accents found in the home. It’s the only piece of furniture that came from their old house, a $300 auction win. “Other things I’ve shed,” she explained, “but that will always stay with me.”

In the master bedroom, the brighter colors found in the rest of the home are taken down a notch—including the classic drapes, a $50 find from Estates and Consignments. Chandelier-style lamps give the room another touch of elegance.

On the tray ceiling, a decorative painter, who also did work in other parts of the home, created a unique bronze design. Again, Jill wasn’t worried about perfection. “Kate called me and said, ‘Jill, it’s not even.’ I said, ‘No, I kind of like it like that.’ Because the painter freehanded it. And it’s another part of the story of this house.”

Jill and Jim reminisced about another “happy accident” many years ago. With two young sons already, they were finalizing plans to adopt a newborn baby boy, when Jill found out she was pregnant. “My life at that time was a blur,” she said. “Is he a happy accident? He is. I would have definitely been done after our third.”

Opening their home to a child in need came second nature to the Rufuses. Jill’s previous career was running an infant adoption agency. It was also in this season where she developed a passion for interior design. “I would go on these home visits all over the state and was just wowed by some of the interiors I saw,” she said.

The main level powder room is the room for the daughter Jill never had, she joked. It’s the smallest, but loudest, room in the house—inspired by the beachy prints of
Lilly Pulitzer. “The boys will bring the girls they are dating in here and show it off,” she laughed.

The Rufuses four sons all live at home and have plenty of space to themselves. Right off the foyer is a set of open stairs leading to the basement, where there are three of the boys’ bedrooms, a kitchen, billiards room and home movie theater.

It’s a major upgrade from their last home, where all of the boys shared one bathroom. While Jill certainly has moments where she misses their younger years, she’s also the type of mom who thrives in the present. “Years ago, my first house was very matchy matchy. It looked like kids lived there and I wanted it to look that way,” said Jill. “But I knew once my kids were older, I could really invest in stuff that would stay nice. Once that time came, I knew and did exactly what I had always wanted to do.”

SIMPLE AND ENDLESSLY VERSATILE, THIS RECIPE COULD BE THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF A STRESS-FREE WEEKNIGHT DINNER PARTY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RJ GOODWIN

The best parties are the fun ones—the ones you leave with a smile on your face. But if you are the host, there can sometimes be too much to do to enjoy your own event. Take heed—these three tips for stress-free party planning will help you relax and enjoy the night:

1. Weeknight over weekend. Everyone’s weekends are so busy that scheduling becomes a nightmare. Why not pick a weeknight when more of your guests are available? Since nobody expects you to take the day off to cook and clean, expectations are automatically lower, and by having people over on a weeknight, they tend to say goodnight faster.

2. Keep the guest list small. The best parties are often the smaller ones, giving you a chance to have more interesting conversations and get to know your friends on a closer level. Inviting 4-6 guests is a good number for that, without too much work involved.

3. Cook only one thing. It’s tempting to try too hard and attempt more dishes than you should. Keep the menu simple, but make things festive by serving in nice dishes. Plan to make only one thing yourself and assemble the rest. For instance, the recipe below for a savory Dutch Baby makes for a fun, dramatic (but quick) main course. Serve with a Spinach-Strawberry salad and some good ice cream with store-bought pound cake for dessert and you have a party!

Dutch Baby
Makes 4-6 servings per “baby”
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min

INGREDIENTS
3 extra large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2+1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur brand)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

RECIPE PREPARATION
Place a 12” cast iron skillet in the oven and heat to 450 degrees. Let skillet heat up for 20 minutes while you prepare the batter.

In a regular blender, blend eggs until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add milk and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and blend for another 10 seconds. Add flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper and blend just to combine.

Remove the skillet from oven and carefully pour remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into it and swirl quickly to coat. Before the butter burns, pour the blender-batter into the skillet. Bake until settled in the middle and puffy and brown around the edges. Don’t worry if one side is taller than the other; that’s part of the fun (and it will sink down, somewhat).

TOPPING IDEAS
A Dutch Baby lends itself equally well to both savory and sweet toppings without changes to the recipe. It’s a blank canvas for being creative! Here are some of my favorites:

• Mascarpone, berries and powdered sugar (great, make-ahead dessert!)

• Mozzarella, pepperoni and basil (add topping and then bake under broiler for a few minutes to melt cheese)

• Thinly sliced gravlax, sour cream and dill (trust me, it’s delicious!)

• Sautéed kale, crispy bacon, and shaved Parmesan (I like green curly kale because it’s very mild)

Even if you walk the straight and narrow, we’ll all need legal help at some point in our lives. Whether it’s a typical home purchase or a rare estate settlement following the death of a relative, lawyers are there to guide us through some of life’s biggest moments.

For the fourth year in a row, Lynchburg Living is your source to find the region’s best lawyers. We once again partnered with Date Joe Research Company to conduct a peer-to-peer survey within the local legal community.

The lawyers included on this list were nominated by fellow lawyers. That says something about their integrity and professionalism.

You’ll find the full list of this year’s lawyers on the following pages—plus, we’re taking a closer look at real estate law and the top mistakes people make when buying a home.

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