Blooming Jonquils of Sugar Hollow

The jonquils are now blooming in the woods along the Moormans River of Sugar Hollow, Virginia. Spring has finally arrived.

George Washington at Age 19

“A good moral character is the first essential in a man.” ~~George Washington

Very few Americans today appreciate the indispensable role played by George Washington in the formation of the United States of America. Without General George Washington, there probably would not be a United States of America today. George Washington was America’s First Great General. He was an indispensable leader of the American Revolution.

I snapped this photograph of a nineteen-year-old George Washington at the museum at Mount Vernon Plantation, Virginia.

Mitt Romney Victory Rally at Patriot Center

I wish you could have been there yesterday at the Patriot Center in Fairfax for the Romney Victory Rally! It was an inspiring day. Mitt Romney is a great man. Our nation is blessed to have him. Ann Romney was there too, beautiful and wonderful. We waited in line for more than an hour and when we finally got into the auditorium, the 7-8 thousand seats were almost filled. The seats soon filled to capacity and when Ann Romney arrived she announced that there were as many people snaked around the building as were inside. All of Virginia's top Republicans were there to introduce Mitt and Ann. America is fortunate to have Mitt Romney willing to serve as our President. He is an inspiring man and all day today millions will be praying for him to become our new President. His family will be a model for the nation. God Bless America forever.

Lee's Stratford Landing of 1781

On 30 March 1781, two hundred thirty years ago, British sailors from armed vessels anchored in the Potomac River near Saint Clement’s [Blackistone] Island, and attempted to land at Stratford Landing as part of a mission to destroy and loot the plantation houses along both sides of the river. From his home Chantilly, which had a good view of the island, Richard Henry Lee, Lieutenant of the Westmoreland militia, watched the movements of the ships. The British launched smaller craft to approach the shoreline while the large ships fired cannons to cover the attack. Richard Henry Lee met them with a small, ill-armed group of local citizens. In the skirmish that followed, the Westmoreland militia repelled the attackers, killing one British sailor who was buried on Stratford beach.

The image, Lee's Stratford Landing, is subject to copyright by Edna Barney. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin, an administrator of "The Revolution ed" pool.

Mysterious Tombstone of Occoquan

Mill House Museum, Occoquan, Virginia

This tombstone was washed away from the James Arnold family cemetery in Woodbridge, Virginia to the banks of the Occoquan River during the Hurricane Agnes, 1972. According to "Our Mysterious Tombstone" by Martha Roberts, it marked the grave of a New York man, Frank Hurlybuff, who had the stone carved, a casket constructed, then dug a grave in his friend's family cemetery and shot himself. No one knows the meaning of the C.N. 42 W.A.C.O inscription, however the same was found on the tombstone of Elizabeth Hurlebaus, buried at the Crow Road Cemetery, Litchfield, Medina County, Ohio. Elizabeth is believed to have been the wife of Frederick Gottleib Hurlebaus.

The image, Mysterious Occoquon Tombstone 1893, was originally uploaded to the Internet by Edna Barney. 

NOVA Barbies

I found the following “Christmas Shopping” suggestions at an unnamed message board. This is an inside joke, meaning that one needs to understand the acronym NOVA to "get it." Translation: one must have some familiarity with the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC.

Reston Barbie:
This princess Barbie is sold only at The Reston Town Center in Chico’s. She comes with an assortment of Coach Handbags, a Lexus SUV, a long haired foreign dog named Honey, and a “cookie cutter” $2,000,000.00 house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with “augmented” version.

Springfield Barbie:
This modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar Minivan and matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full time occupation or secondary education. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.

Prince Georges County Barbie:
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, a Pontiac with dark tinted windows and a crack pipe. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills). Unless you are a cop, then we don’t know what you are talking about.

Great Falls Barbie:
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and Scioto Country Club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won’t be able to afford any of them.

Fredericksburg Barbie:
This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a NASCAR shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud light and a Hank Williams, Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken’s butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a Confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.

Herndon Barbie:
This collagen injected, rhinoplastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available.

West Virginia Barbie:
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out of another Barbie’s house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

Falls Church Barbie:
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, archless feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her “Willow.” She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Clintonville Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.

SouthWest Barbie:
This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his ‘79 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

Dupont Circle Barbie/Ken:
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple “snap-on” parts.

Potomac River of 1634

In early spring of 1634, when Father Andrew WHITE and the English colonists on the Ark and Dove sailed into the Potomac River, they were enthralled with the beauty of the “great stream” and its wooded shores. They named it Saint Gregory, in honor of the canonized Pope of that name. "Never have I beheld a larger or more beautiful river," wrote Father WHITE. "The Thames seems a mere rivulet in comparison with it; it is not disfigured by any swamps, but has firm land on each side. Fine groves of trees appear, not choked with briers or bushes or undergrowth, but growing at intervals as if planted by the hand of man, so that you can drive a four-horse carriage, wherever you choose, through the midst of the trees. Just at the mouth of the river we saw the natives in arms. That night fires blazed throughout the whole country, and since they had never seen so large a ship, messengers were sent in all directions, who reported that a canoe, like an island, had come with as many men as there were trees in the woods."

The image, Potomac River, was originally uploaded to the Internet by Edna Barney. It was posted here by Neddy of .

A Soldier's Lament

"NO PATRIOTISM"


This is one example of graffiti that occupying Union soldiers left upon the walls of Blenheim in Fairfax, Virginia during the War Between the States. This photograph is from the attic, however when wallpaper was recently removed from the main floors of the old Greek Revival farmhouse, graffiti was discovered everywhere. This "Soldier's Lament" records:

4th Month

No money

No whiskey

No Friends

No Rations

No Peas

No Beans

No Pants

No Patriotism (underlined)

"Blenheim," located at 3610 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia, is a brick home built by REZEN WILLCOXON about 1858, to replace an earlier frame dwelling. This 12-acre former farm, includes a cemetery for several generations of the Willcoxon family who lived here. Blenheim is renown for its outstanding examples of Civil War soldier graffiti. It is currently being restored. The day we were there, a recent tropical storm had left many downed trees, but no damage to the structures.

The image, Soldier Graffiti, was originally uploaded by Edna Barney. It is posted here from Barneykin's account.

Visit Neddy's Archives for more of Edna's writings.

Virginia's Big-Eared Bat

In the mountains of the Old Dominion about 1,500 Virginia big-eared bats are wintering in their bat caves, unaware that they will soon be receiving a prominant status. Virginia has a state bird, the cardinal; a state flower and tree, the dogwood; a state folk dance, square dance (why not the Virginia reel?); and a state beverage, milk. Soon Virginia will join Texas in honoring a bat. The Virginia big-eared bat, which also happens to be an endangered species, seems destined to become the state bat of the Old Dominion.

Everything you need to know about our new little mascot.

• http://www.biology.eku.edu/bats/vabigearbat.htm 
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_big-eared_bat