Batter Bar brings its crepe creations to Downtown Lynchburg
It’s been a whirlwind six months for Nicole Davidson and Chelsea Doebler, the Lynchburg natives and sisters who opened Batter Bar. The eatery debuted as a food truck in November 2019; by late February, they were already expanding to a brick-and-mortar presence inside the Gilded gift shop on Church Street. “It’s a really cool collaboration,” Nicole said.
Nicole came home to Lynchburg after spending four years in Nashville working as a sous chef at an upscale Japanese restaurant and a catering company. Not only was she ready to take on a new challenge, she wanted to be closer to her family. “Before I left, I got to see Lynchburg start to grow,” she explained. “Then in the little bit I was gone, it really boomed.”
Once she convinced Chelsea to open a restaurant with her, they landed on the idea of crepes. The thin pancakes hail from France and are very popular in Nashville—but there wasn’t much of a market in Lynchburg. “My sister and I are really into Japanese culture and she was like, in Japan, there are these cool Harajuku-style street crepes. They roll them into a cone shape and super stuff them with fillings,” Nicole said. “It’s your traditional French base, but it’s a little quirky and different.”
And perfect for a food truck, where you can grab a cone and go—no utensils needed. Since they started serving locals, Nicole says their savory crepes are the best sellers, with the “Avocado BLT” coming out on top. The sweet crowd usually gravitates toward the “Hazelberry,” which includes Nutella, strawberries and whipped cream.
Fresh baked goods are another staple of the Batter Bar menu—and when restaurants were forced to close in March, the eatery decided to pause on their crepes and only sell bakery items to-go. But that’s okay, because Nicole says they chose the name “Batter Bar” to hopefully allow them room to expand the menu in the future. “Brownie batter, cake batter,” she said. “I think it’s important to have long term goals but I’m trying to be present in the moment.”
Batter Bar
1103 B Church Street, Lynchburg (Inside Gilded Gift Shop) Tues – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sat, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sun, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Closed Mondays (Operating hours may be affected by COVID-19 restrictions.)
For the food truck schedule and to book a private event, visit www.batterbarlyh.com.
During the Pandemic…
“Switching to a pre-ordered, grab-and-go system has its challenges, but we are trying to stay positive through everything. The response and support from the community has been so very supportive from those buying gift cards, ordering our mystery baked boxes, and the kind words on social media from those who can’t wait for us to open the doors again.”
The Front Steps Project
When staying at home shows we are coming together Photos by Laura Beth Davidson
The idea of the Front Steps Project originated from a photographer in Massachusetts, who recommended having participating photographers take family portraits in exchange for donations for a charity. Photographer Laura Beth Davidson, of Forest, brought us the idea. After taking a few photos for Lynchburg Living, she put a call out in the community and requested donations for Miriam’s House. As of mid-April, more than 50 families had signed up and over $1000 had been raised! Learn more about her efforts at www.frontstepslynchburg.com.
Here and on the following pages, we highlight a few of her family portraits—they represent members of our community in various professions. Everyone is experiencing this pandemic differently, so we asked them all to answer the same question:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have learned…
The Health Care Workers
“…how amazing our team in the emergency department is. I always knew the people that work in the ED are special, but watching how everyone has come together to protect and care for our community has been so inspiring. In the face of something that could so easily paralyze in fear, the staff in the ED has continued to function at a high level while displaying kindness, strength and courage.” – Leigh Anna Tucker, nurse at Lynchburg General Hospital. Her husband, Drew, is also a frontline health care worker and works in the emergency department as a physician’s assistant.
The City Manager
“…that unprecedented times call for a focus on innovation and epic kindness,” said Bonnie Svrcek, city manager of Lynchburg. She says this pandemic is unlike any local government emergency she has experienced in her 40-year career. Svrcek is set to retire June 30.
The Nonprofit Director
“…that we are all incredibly adaptive as we develop and implement innovative ways to stay safe while caring for our community,” said Sarah Quarantotto, executive director of Miriam’s House. The nonprofit had to quickly develop protocols and processes that would allow them to continue serving the homeless while ensuring everyone’s safety.
The School Principal
“…that kindness and serving others can help us overcome the most challenging obstacles. Central Virginia is a powerful community full of resilient and inspiring citizens,” said Derrick Brown, principal of Amherst County High School. Brown said the lack of internet access in rural parts of the county was their biggest challenge as they implemented a virtual curriculum.
The Restaurant Owner
“…that we really are all in this together, despite all our differences,” said Dave Henderson, owner of The Water Dog. Despite seeing “unreal” unemployment numbers in the local restaurant industry, Dave says is proud to be a part of a resilient group of people who are “driven with grit and determination” as they had to redefine their businesses overnight.
The Religious Leaders
“…the importance of washing hands, staying socially and spiritually connected while physically apart, and of my faith in family and friends,” said Rev. Dr. Diane Vie, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Vie and her husband, Rev. Todd Vie, say two tech-savvy employees helped the church learn how to stream services online and that learning how to preach to a camera was a “strange” adjustment.
The News Anchor
“…how love, understanding, compassion and kindness—something we call LUCK in our house—are the qualities needed now more than ever to help us defeat the fear and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic,” said Mark Spain, news anchor at ABC-13. Mark and his wife, Lynita, decided to use this time to create some custom t-shirts for themselves—one of their designs includes LUCK.
The Police Officer
“…that sadly it takes tragedy or an epidemic to really bring people together. We are being neighbors again, having family structure again, and praying hard for people who are affected,” said Det. Rob Miller, Lynchburg Police Department. Miller and his wife Kelly have four daughters; they celebrated the birth of their first grandchild, Riley, in March.
Editor’s Letter May/June 2020
Following the approval of our March/April issue in mid-February, I was ready to move forward—per usual. Home & Garden Issue, check. Food Issue—you’re on deck. Let’s do this.
But my once-predictable, formulaic plans—like all of yours—slowly started to change as we moved into March. As the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up, Lynchburg Living’s big food-related features were postponed; some photo shoots were cancelled. Once the dust settled from those disappointments, it was time to refocus and take a different perspective… the good news, I guess you could say: We now had the opportunity to tell a more timely story.
As I looked around during the pandemic (virtually), I saw that alongside the negative—school closures, job losses, challenges in the health care industry—there were countless examples of the positive. Donations, manpower, random acts of kindness. We were separated in our households, but still found ways to be there for each other.
So, the Community Issue was formed.
Our main feature, “Coming Together,” only scratches the surface of the good deeds and selfless acts taking place across the region during the pandemic. We also joined in on an international photo movement, The Front Steps Project, by highlighting various members of the community in different professions—on their front porches, of course. Also, our special “LYH” illustrated cover is another example of coming together. We asked Heritage High School art teacher Jon Roark for help and he didn’t hesitate to say “yes.”
The concept of community is also represented in other ways. From Tarsha Joyner’s decision to keep her “absolutely fabulous” bakery downtown to a unique outdoor art initiative in Bedford, this magazine is full of what we do best—positive, uplifting stories about the greater Lynchburg region.
I sure hope this continues. Not the bad stuff—we all are ready to get back into a “new normal” as it’s being called—but the generosity. That shouldn’t be a feeling that rises and falls with Christmas, like a seasonal flu that comes and goes.
Let’s make this concept of community contagious year round.
Everyone is Excited that Tarsha Joyner Decided to Keep Her “Absolutely Fabulous” Bakery in Downtown Lynchburg (Where it Belongs!) Photos by LaShonda Delivuk
Due to her popularity on the local and national level—including the disappointment when news broke last year that she might close down—you might assume that Tarsha Joyner (aka Mrs. Joy) has been baking delicious treats her whole life.
Nope.
“The cookies I made for my kids when they were little were a joke,” Tarsha says. “It was like a Christmas tradition to see how screwed up the cookies would be that year.”
So how did she end up running her own bakery and win $10,000 competing on Food Network? It started with a class project at the University of Lynchburg (then Lynchburg College) in 2012.
Tarsha was working as a secretary and raising teenagers when she decided to go back to school. She wanted to be a computer programmer. Classes at Central Virginia Community College led her to Lynchburg College, where she ended up gravitating toward the graphic design program.
For Professor Ursula Bryant’s class, Tarsha had to do branding for a product line from start to finish. She decided to name her fake business Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats. Why Mrs. Joy?
“I was getting a brand-new bowling ball at that time,” Tarsha says. “I wanted to get my name inscribed but you could only have six letters. It was either going to be Tar Joy or Mrs. Joy. And that first one just didn’t sound as nice.”
Tarsha decided to go ahead and try to bake something for her business: shortbread. Her son was looking for a summer job, so she made a deal with him. If he sold her shortbread at the Lynchburg Community Market, he could keep half of the money. After her shortbread sold out, she started branching out: cake pops, brownies, donuts and more. She watched videos on YouTube and started practicing recipes.
Then came the decision to open her own store. Tarsha found a spot she liked on Commerce Street, the old Bailey Spencer hardware store. No banks would lend her money to open, but she says Phillip Jamerson, who owned the building, trusted that she would be able to pay for the buildout.
Going on Food Network gave her instant credibility. In 2015, Tarsha found out through a bakery group on Facebook that they were casting for a show called “Christmas Cookie Challenge.” The network flew her out to Los Angeles where she brought her five cookie recipes and competed against more experienced bakers—she beat them all.
“When I did that, it was like I became serious. People took me seriously,” Tarsha says.
She was a hit at Food Network too, invited back to compete in “Dessert Games” in 2017 and “Haunted Gingerbread Showdown” last year.
As Tarsha grew Mrs. Joy’s, she learned valuable lessons along the way. She says finding and retaining good employees has been the biggest challenge. Right now, she has a team of six, including two of her daughters. She’s tried to stay away from hiring bakers who might want to put their own spin on her recipes, and she wants people who have basic science and math knowledge. “If you can follow instructions, we’re good. Because I can teach you to do anything,” she says.
The fact that Mrs. Joy’s is still open in Lynchburg is pretty remarkable. Tarsha was all set to close and move her business to Mechanicsville last year to be closer to her oldest daughter and young grandson. Her daughter found her a spot in a shopping center, but the owner abruptly backed out and said she couldn’t have the space.
As recently as last December, she thought she was just going to close the Lynchburg store and take a well-deserved break. Her husband had already gotten a job closer to Mechanicsville and she had a hard time keeping up with the workload. She found one potential group to take over her space on Commerce Street. But then she ran into some issues with them, and on Christmas Eve decided to pull the plug. After two weeks off around the holidays, Mrs. Joy’s opened back up in January.
One of the first things you’ll notice when you walk in the store are the huge cinnamon rolls, which Tarsha says are “as big as your head.” One roll can feed a family of four. Her donuts are very popular as well. If you remember the old Bill’s Pastries shop off of Memorial Avenue, these donuts are the closest you’re going to get. In fact, when Bill’s wife passed away, the family came to Mrs. Joy’s to get donuts for the funeral.
Besides a variety of baked goods, you can get an education at Mrs. Joy’s. She teaches classes all the time on subjects such as cookie decorating. At kids’ birthday parties you can learn not only how to make delicious cookies beautiful, but also the science behind why each ingredient in the cookie is important. Like quilting or knitting, Tarsha hopes baking is a pastime that doesn’t get lost.
“I feel like we need to make sure that these things are still done and taught to everyone so that they don’t fade away,” she says.
Spend five minutes with Tarsha and you will realize how much passion she has for what she does.
“I’m not afraid of failing. I really have no fear of failure,” she says. “If you know anything about me, I always tell people when they say, ‘I’m afraid to do this or that,’ fear is of the devil. Fear and faith cannot exist in the same space.”
Tarsha has been on quite a journey since growing up in and out of foster homes in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She didn’t have family recipes or memories of cooking with parents and grandparents.
“They didn’t take that kind of time with us. We didn’t have those opportunities,” she says. “Nobody spent time with us to do anything.”
And she doesn’t forget the people who have helped her along the way. That includes Janet Dunford, one of her professors at CVCC.
“I learned so much from her that was applicable to everything that I do. In art, in baking, in raising my kids. She taught me so much,” Tarsha says. “I don’t think she’ll ever understand the impact that she had on my life.”
Just like she’s been helped, Tarsha wants to share what she’s learned with anyone who might be in her shoes. One of her best pieces of advice: know your worth. “If you don’t know how much you’re worth, someone else will gladly tell you what you are worth,” she says. “And then you’ll never be worth anything.”
During the Pandemic… “Some people came into my shop, they didn’t know what they wanted, they didn’t even care… they just wanted to help us out. People bought certificates, food for their neighbors and their friends to support us and I appreciate that more than they will ever know.” – Tarsha Joyner on the widespread support she received during the COVID-19 restrictions
Living Out Loud May/June 2020
Special Delivery In the midst of hospital restrictions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Centra Health contacted Lynchburg Living to see if we could deliver boxes of our March/April magazine to Lynchburg General Hospital. They wanted to distribute them to patients who were unable to receive visitors because of visitation changes due to the coronavirus. It was our pleasure to get our publication into those hands—and we hope our Home & Garden issue was an uplifting read during a time of very difficult news.
Hip-Hop Hooray E.C. Glass High School teacher Casey Wood sent us a message after the release of the March/April issue, which included a feature about his “Exploring Language and Culture Through Hip Hop” class. “Just wanted to say thank y’all so much for the wonderful article. It means so much to these kids to be surrounded with that kind of positivity.”
No, thank YOU Casey for thinking outside of the box and inspiring your students!
Hill City Eats When restaurants were forced to close their dining rooms in mid-March, we took action. Our Hill City Eats list was a resource for readers to use to find take-out, delivery and more from their favorite local eateries. At Lynchburg Living, we truly #supportlocal and are passionate about our small business community.
We Want To hear From You! Send us an e-mail to shelley@lynchburgmag.com. Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense.
Sweet Dreams
CENTRA WORKS HARD TO KEEP SLEEPING INFANTS SAFE
Forget what your grandmother, or even your mother, told you about how a baby sleeps best. It could be fatal advice.
Every year researchers are finding new techniques to prevent infants from suffocating in their sleep.
“The biggest thing they taught us was to be sure they are lying on their backs,” said Victoria Solomon, whose daughter was born in September at Virginia Baptist Hospital. Like many new parents, Solomon said she was most concerned about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, when babies die in their sleep for no apparent reason.
Solomon and other mothers are benefitting from a new program being used by Centra, which was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program with the highest designation as a “Gold Safe Sleep Champion” for their commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.
“Sleep-related death (SRD) results in the loss of more than 3,500 infants every year in the U.S.,” Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., neonatologist and medical director of research at Cribs for Kids®, said in a news release. “We know that modeling safe infant sleep in the hospital and providing education to families has a significant effect on infant mortality. Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program is designed to recognize those hospitals that are taking an active role in reducing these preventable deaths.”
Last summer, Centra began using swaddles on all infants born at Virginia Baptist Hospital, funded by the Centra Foundation. “Right after Ellie Grace was born, one nurse taught my husband how to swaddle while another helped me,” Soloman recalls.
Dr. Holly Turner, a Centra pediatrician, says swaddling infants prevents them from waking when they have a startle response, keeps them warm, and simulates the security of the womb.
One of the newer recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics is to keep the infant in a bassinet or crib in the parents’ bedroom for the first six months to a year. “You are within earshot if the child is having a choking episode or is in any kind of distress,” Dr. Turner said.
While monitors can alert parents to trouble, it’s difficult to see what’s actually happening, she added, so it’s better to have an immediate visual of the baby. It’s also far more convenient for nursing mothers to have the child nearby.
Solomon said she and her husband sleep well with their daughter in the room and that it’s reassuring to know the most up-to-date practices for sleeping infants. “I think SIDS was always a concern for us,” she said.
While infants should be in your room, you should never sleep with them in your bed because of the chance of rolling over and suffocating them, Dr. Turner added, explaining how most SRDs occur at four to five months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there were 3,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in the United States in 2017. These deaths occur among infants less than one year old and have no immediately obvious cause.
The three commonly reported types of SUID include: sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), unknown cause, and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. Of those deaths, 1,400 were due to SIDS, about 1,300 deaths due to unknown causes, and about 900 deaths due to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.
Dr. Turner said doctors still don’t know what causes SIDS, but accidental suffocation and strangulation can be prevented by following safe sleep guidelines, which also include keeping a baby’s sleeping surface firm and free from blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or crib bumpers. “I talk to parents about that until my face is blue,” she said.
Putting infants on their back has proven the best position, Dr. Turner said, because children normally turn their heads if they spit up. On their stomachs they have no way to turn their heads and can suffocate. Dr. Turner also noted that pacifiers can help reduce the chance of SIDS, though it’s not clear why.
All the Centra pediatric nurses and physicians talk to new moms about best sleeping practices, as well as demonstrating them at the hospital while mother and child are there. Women with vaginal births stay 48 hours, while those with Caesarean sections stay 72. New moms also get handouts about safe sleeping. “The more knowledge you give parents, the more numbers [of deaths] decrease,” Dr. Turner said.
Create a Safe Sleep Environment The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
• Place the baby on his or her back on a firm sleep surface such as a crib or bassinet with a tight-fitting sheet. Use a swaddle or sleep sack. • Avoid use of soft bedding, including crib bumpers, blankets, pillows, and soft toys. The crib should be bare. • Share a bedroom with parents, but not the same sleeping surface, preferably until the baby turns one but at least for the first six months. Room-sharing decreases the risk of SIDS by as much as 50 percent. • Avoid baby’s exposure to smoke, alcohol, and illicit drugs.
The Buzz March/April 2020
BEHIND THE SCENES
Temperatures were in the teens as we descended on Atelier Studio & Gathering Space January 23 for a styled spring-inspired photo shoot. Inside the Madison Street business, it was all hands on deck (or in some cases, ladders were used) to create two unique table settings—from the perfectly tied napkins to the exquisitely styled flower arrangements.
Later in the day, at the home of Jill Rufus in Forest, the family dog Hershey offered plenty of comedic relief as our freelance photographer, Laura Beth Davidson, worked her magic—(we’re not 100 percent sure, but we think he was subtly telling us he wanted a belly rub?)
Flip to our expanded Home & Garden section on page 25 to see how it all turned out!
Local Openings & Closings
Hello! to Hawaii Poke and Greens in Cornerstone. Hello! to County Smoak on Timberlake Road (near Tiny Town Golf). Goodbye to the Calle Cruz Miami and Uprooted food trucks as the owners relocate to Florida this year. Hello! to Mardel Christian & Education. The book store will open next to Hobby Lobby this spring. Hello! to Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats. The bakery will not be relocating and is staying in Downtown Lynchburg! Goodbye to Whole Health Physical Therapy in Wyndhurst. Goodbye to Waitr in Lynchburg. The app stopped its service here in late January. Hello! to a new location of Batter Bar on Church Street.
Mark Your Calendars
M*A*S*H, The Play March 5-7, 8 p.m. Based on Richard Booker’s 1968 novel about three Army doctors, this Renaissance Theatre performance is full of comic adventures… with a little bit of romance and drama, too. Buy tickets at www.renaissancetheatrelynchburg.org and see our complete Theater Preview Guide starting on page 52.
Empty Bowls 2020 March 21, 10:30 a.m. Raise money for Lynchburg Daily Bread at this 12th annual event at the Academy Center of the Arts’ Warehouse Theater. Your $20 ticket includes a hand-made ceramic bowl (all are donated by local potters), soup tastings, bread, dessert and a beverage. Buy tickets at academycenter.org.
Lynchburg Garden Day April 21, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. This self-driving tour, part of Historic Virginia Garden Week, features five local properties full of history and unique charm. This year’s lineup includes the octagonal villa and ornamental gardens at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. Find more information at www.lynchburggardenclub.org.
Antique Rose Festival & Sale April 25 – May 31 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of this beloved Hill City event at Old City Cemetery that’s also the largest antique rose sale in the Mid-Atlantic region. The festival includes a series of special events at the cemetery and downtown. Learn more at gravegarden.org and read more about the history of the festival starting on page 93.
Dance Theatre of Harlem May 2, 7:30 p.m. This dynamic, multi-ethnic ballet company will take the stage at the Historic Academy of Music Theatre. Dance Theatre of Harlem’s performances include classic as well as contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate African American culture. Buy tickets at academycenter.org.
Editor’s Letter March/April 2020
I joke with my friends when each issue of Lynchburg Living comes out, “This one is my favorite.”
True, there are some magazines that stand out in my mind more than others over the past four years. (And there are a couple that I recall thinking, “Well… we’ll do better next time.” Such is life.)
But for real—this issue is my favorite.
When I look back on how it all came together, two words come to mind: connection and collaboration. Starting last summer, I began organizing what kind of content we would include in our Home & Garden issue. A colleague recommended I check out Jill Rufus’s home in Forest. During our first phone conversation, we connected on so many levels—from how hard it is to balance work and family to our gravitation toward colorful décor. Not only was she a delight to work with on our home tour—“Bold and Beautiful,” page 27—I feel as though I’ve made a friend, and gained a mentor, too.
We also collaborated with several phenomenal local businesses to pull off some stunning Home & Garden content:
I suggested a styled tablescape to Ashley Hilbish at Curtains, Blinds & Bath—done, she said. We needed a location—Adam and Sarah Mullins welcomed us into their Atelier Lynchburg space. Then, Heather Smith of Fleur by Heather didn’t hesitate when asked if she could create centerpieces.
James T. Davis not only agreed to talk paint colors with me, they took it a step further and created full design boards for us.
Mary Ellen LaFreniere, of Steel Cut Flower Co., said “yes” to a relatively late-in-the-game decision to do a photo shoot showing unique ways to decorate with flowers.
These folks made my job easy—I’m grateful for a community that is open to new ideas and creative concepts.
Who are you connecting and collaborating with this year?
“Best Of” Omission We made a mistake and accidentally omitted the Best Tattoo Studio category from our Best Of Lynchburg Awards featured in the January/February issue. We have apologized to those affected and have taken steps to make sure this clerical error doesn’t happen in the future. Below are the following winners in that category:
Gold Kiss of Ink Tattoo
Silver Caspian Tattoo
Bronze Jesse James Ink Tattoos
Honorable Mention Lucky Penny Tattoos S and J Visual Art Productions
Great Job! “Tobi, thank you for doing such a great job writing the feature about Gospel Community Church! We love it, and think you did a fantastic job weaving together so many details and elements from the history to current day. Shelley, thanks for including us and please thank Chris, as always, for a fantastic layout and eye-catching design; the whole book is a great issue—kudos!” – Jennifer Redmond, Communications Director at Gospel Community Church (“New Life,” January/February 2020)
“I just read your article on hugelkultur from January 1st and was blown away that other people in Lynchburg care about permaculture design! Do any of you know of any local permaculture groups, clubs, or communities here? Great article, by the way!” – Nate Hornbeck, (“Hugelkultur,” January/February 2020)
Top Teacher Tour Editor Shelley Basinger was determined to surprise each of our 15 Top Teachers at their schools this year. So in January, she scheduled 15 school visits in roughly three weeks. It was a lot of work—but it was more than worth it to make these teachers smile! Here is a look at a few of her visits:
“I was so surprised and excited to receive this award! What an honor!” – Kate Dillard, surprised at the Altavista Elementary faculty meeting
“Thank you for stopping by yesterday, Shelley. What an honor.” – Elizabeth Wendland, surprised during class at the Bedford Science and Technology Center
“Thank you for the presentation you made at our faculty meeting last week. I was caught completely off-guard!” – Mike Bremer, surprised during a faculty meeting at Sandusky Middle School
“That was sweet of you to take the time to come to our school to present the award. I am very appreciative of the honor…” – Lynn Tolley, surprised in front of an assembly at Amelon Elementary School
“Thank you so much for surprising me with the beautifully framed and matted award, it was such an honor to receive.” – Yvonne Hansotte, surprised during a horticulture class at Brookville High School
“I was totally surprised and consider it such an honor!” – Fred Schmidt, surprised while he taught math at Jefferson Forest High School
We Want To hear From You! Send us an e-mail to shelley@lynchburgmag.com. Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense.
Portable Playhouse
Local photographer Laura Beth Davidson’s youngest daughters (twins) received this cardboard box for their third birthday in October and quickly took it outside. Their two older sisters joined the fun—and soon, her 8-year-old got a little creative. “Of course, just playing in the house would have been too simple,” Laura Beth joked. She grabbed her camera to capture the “mobile” home as it moved around in circles on the driveway. “Life with four children is exhausting,” Laura Beth said, “but it is certainly never boring!”
