This year’s parade was smaller than previous years, but you couldn’t tell from all the happy faces. Here’s what I saw:

As far as the parade participants, I’ll let you decide who had the coolest costumes:

the Farmers Market Cow gets my vote

OR

re-enactors of the Recent Unpleasantness

Chatauqua runs all week. Click the link on my blog roll to access the Festival website to check on daily events. This is truly a unique celebration. It’s all about friends and neighbors coming together to enjoy each other and the beautiful place we live.

P.S. Happy Father’s Day!

Granted, the storms we have been experiencing are no where near the size of the ones the Midwest are experiencing, but if a tree lands on your house and destroys it, it really doesn’t matter the force of the storm. Your house is still gone.

NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oversees the National Weather Service (NWS,) which is the organization that collects and disseminates information and issues weather advisories. For those of you who have trouble remembering the differences, here are NOAA’s definitions of WARNING and WATCH:

WATCH — Issued by the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma. The center monitors conditions favorable to thunderstorms and then alerts the public when those conditions are present.
WARNING — Issued by local NWS offices, based on radar signs or a storm seen by a trained spotter. It is a message to the public to take precautionary actions because a storm is likely to occur.

Here’s how I do it:

WATCH – Shit’s getting’ deep. Somebody could die.
WARNING – We’re in deep shit. I could die.

If you don’t have an emergency radio, you should get one. Ours can be operated with a hand crank and can be used to charge a cell phone. We listened last night while the tornado warning was in effect for Wythe County. The NOAA broadcast was very specific as it tracked the storms, mentioning specific roads and ridges.

“This storm cell is tracking roughly parallel to I-81 traveling south along the service road approaching the town of Wytheville. . .winds of 80-90 miles per hour are hitting the outskirts of town traveling west along E. Main Street…..the storm has now made a 90 degree turn into…

ATTENTION K-MART SHOPPERS! THERE’S A FUCKIN’ TORNADO IN ISLE 4!”

Well, you get the idea. The current forecast calls for good weather today and tomorrow, with more thunderstorms Friday and Saturday. Stay safe.

Chestnut Ridge behind our Humble Little Cottage

I’m declaring peak color day today for the trees on Chestnut Ridge. Some of the other areas in the county are either past peak color or a few days away. I’ve been toodling around the town and county the last few days collecting specimens. Herewith is my collection:

The chili dog is one of life’s guilty little pleasures. It’s as American as…well….hot dogs and apple pie.

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates that Americans consume 20,000,000,000 (that’s 20 billion) hot dogs per annum. That works out to 70 hot dogs a year for every man, woman, and child in the country.

The history is somewhat murky, but most historians credit Charles Feltman, an immigrant German butcher in Brooklyn, New York, as the first to combine a frankfurter sausage and a soft roll which he called “red hots.” The year was 1867.

In 1920, a man by the name of E.N. Umberger opened a store at 165 E. Main Street in Wytheville and began selling the wildly popular sandwich.

Today the store still exists and the world famous “Skeeter Dogs” are still their best selling item.

Walking into Skeeter’s is a step back in time. Much of the place is the way it was when E.N. ran the store. The lunch counter is the same and the steam table is the same except for the stainless steel top that has replaced the old linoleum.

The numerous advertising signs on the walls are not the reproductions sold all over the country, they’re the originals.

I chatted with Miss Elizabeth, the 77 year old lady who has worked the counter for the past 24 years. When I told her of my love of chili dogs (my name on yahoo and aol is Chilidawgguy), but that for health reasons I don’t eat them much anymore, she said, “You only pass this way once. If you see something you want, and can afford it, get it.” Words to live by. When asked about her favorite celebrity customer, she pointed to a picture of then Governor, now Senator, Mark Warner and said, “The Governor stops in a least once a year, whether he’s running for anything or not.”

Miss Elizabeth

In one of those serendipitous moments, I met Rodney and Carrie Catron from Virginia Beach. They were in town visiting Rodney’s 101 year old mother, and stopped in for a couple Skeeter Dogs before they left for home. Rodney attended the old Wytheville High School from 1948-1951. In those days, chili dogs were 15 cents a piece or 2 for a quarter. A coke from the box still sitting against the far wall was a nickel. He ate two a day….every day.

Carrie and Rodney Catron

Before I left, I took Miss Elizabeth’s advice to heart. I had one with slaw.

**********

The Chautauqua Festival, a week long celebration of life in the Blue Ridge, is underway in Wytheville. Sponsored by the Wythe Arts Council, the main festival is taking place in Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park off 4th Street in downtown Wytheville. Chock full of fun, food, and entertainment for the whole family, the festival began June 16 and runs thru this Saturday, June 26.

Each day’s events vary. So far there has been a chili cookoff, a flower show, booths for gardeners, classes for both adults and kids, and, one I found particularly useful, an outreach health program for military veterans.

Much of the daytime program Tuesday was devoted to activities for and by the Mt. Rogers Community Services Board, our local mental health and rehabilitation facility. The band “Common Ground” led the festivities which also included a crafts table featuring work by community members.

Some of the activities for the kids have been particularly fun and will continue throughout the week. When you go, look for Brenda Boone, the clown princess. Her motto: Humor, Don’t Leave Home Without It. Today’s activities include a magic show and storytelling.

Compared to most festivals I’ve been to, the food here is surprisingly good. Many of the vendors are local, and some of our local restaurants are participating. Look for Rose Gonzalez and her Tex-Mex booth. At 3 for $5, her tacos are the best value there.

Rose Gonzalez, the Taco Queen

Night time entertainment so far has included nationally known country rockers, “The Kentucky Headhunters,” and Michael Angelo Batio, one of the 100 best metal guitarists of all time. Tonight (Wed.), the musical program begins at 5:30pm and features 4 bluegrass bands. Hope to see you there!

The Wytheville Farmer’s Market successfully launched its 3rd season Saturday, and all indications are that this will be the best season yet. Located in the old R.P. Johnson parking lot on Main Street, the Market is sponsored by H.O.P.E. Ministries (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Existence) and the Wythe/Bland Community Foundation. The Market is under the enthusiastic leadership of full time director, Suzie Richert (276-389-9306) (wythevillefarmersmarket@live.com)

Virginia grown organic vegetables and herbs, grass-fed beef, free range eggs, home baked goods, flowers, handmade crafts…this year’s market has it all.

Home Gardener George Krause with some of his organic produce

Several of the vendors, Anderson Grass Fed Beef, and Lazy Bee Farm, we have encountered before at other locations and can attest to the quality of their products. Lazy Bee’s sourdough bread makes excellent French toast.

Martha Holder of Lazy Bee Farm in black tee-shirt

For two people who don’t eat a lot of red meat,  Anne and I have a goodly amount of hormone-free, grass-fed beef in the freezer thanks to small producers like Cassell Family Farm, whose ground beef provided the basis for a yumalicious meatloaf I made last night.

One vendor I would particularly like to point out is Jason Hounshell of Earthganic Greenhouse. Jason was last year’s market director. 100% of his proceeds go to support Crossroads Shelter, a local homeless shelter.

Jason Hounshell

Market Shots

Miss Mattie's Delights

Home baker Sue Govin who has been at the market since the beginning

Dave Richert, Suzi's husband, with some of their Wilder Woods Farm products