There was an
Augusta County Board of Supervisors meeting tonight but I decided to skip it. I have been to so many meetings lately including last night and tomorrow night that this was one I didn't
have to attend ... so I didn't....
It was cloudy and blustery today with high of 62 in the Valley. The 6:00 weather forecast called for a cold front to come through tonight with thunder, lightning, and up to an inch of rain. We need the rain but that will cause many of the leaves to come off the trees. A number of them sport bare branches already....
Tomorrow's forecast is cooler as the cold front brings back seasonal temperatures. The long-range forecast for next week showed possible snow flurries....
My "Texas" sister and her family are coming in this weekend to stay for Thanksgiving week. I'm excited to see them ... the three sisters and families and our parents will spend the holiday together. I love to be with them because, with the one sister living in Texas, we do not often have the opportunity to get together....
Green Valley Book Fair in Mt. Crawford will open the Friday after Thanksgiving for its last two-week run of 2007, and my sisters and I intend to be there. The
Farmer's Market in Dayton will be busy as will be the
Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft as folks stock up on spices and baking supplies. Meanwhile, in downtown Staunton the trolleys will be running as Christmas shoppers pack the streets and restaurants and search for that perfect gift....
If you have not been there you should check out
Zelma's in downtown Staunton on Beverley Street. It is a vintage clothing store that carries an eclectic mix of clothing items from yesteryear. The owner and her husband are staunch patriotic Americans; he served a year in Iraq, and the shop sports a "Win the War" sign in the window....
"The Nutcracker" practices are underway as local ballerinas prepare for the annual Christmas production held at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton ... with a special appearance by a local performing as the Nutcracker. Performances this year will be the weekend of December 8-9....
Staunton's annual
Christmas Parade will be the Monday after Thanksgiving, November 26, at 7:00 p.m. in downtown Staunton. Parade units will line up near the fire station on Augusta Street, wind their way east on Frederick Street, turn down Market Street, and then west on Beverley Street where it will pass in front of all the shops and storefronts decorated for Christmas. This small-town parade is a particular favorite every year with the streets packed with families. Children have Christmas lights reflecting in their eyes as they ooh and aah over floats and high school marching bands and Santa Claus. We always meet friends at the same spot each year and watch together, then head to Byers Street Bistro afterwards for hot chocolate and to warm up. The most enchanting Christmas parade was the year it snowed ... no accumulation but the gently-falling snowflakes gave a magical feel to the evening....
Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County ... SWAC ... it's a wonderful place to live.
Took SWAC Niece to the Bistro in downtown Staunton for lunch. We sat on the patio on a pleasant summer afternoon with a slight breeze. Photo is view from our table up Byers Street toward Middlebrook Avenue.
Patio dining is a pleasant experience when visiting Staunton. 
Bundle up the kids, pile them in the car, and head to Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park to drive around the two-mile loop and gaze, ooh, and ahh over the 30-plus Christmas displays set up by area organizations. Last year, 30,000 vehicles viewed the holiday treat. Open daily now through January 5, the lights will be on from 5-11 p.m. offering a delightful treat for young and old. Better still, park the car and walk around the duck pond in the cold night air and give the kids a chance to stretch their legs.
There was an Augusta County Board of Supervisors meeting tonight but I decided to skip it. I have been to so many meetings lately including last night and tomorrow night that this was one I didn't have to attend ... so I didn't....
