Blooming in Winchester

On Saturday with dark clouds looming but the sun valiantly maintaining its superiority in the sky, I headed to Winchester to see the Apple Blossom Parade. I've been wanting to see this for a few years since it's one of the oldest celebrations in Virginia, this being its 92nd year. The only years it didn't run were WWII years of 1942-1945. It's an annual celebration of the apple blossoms and the coming fall crops and lasts 6 days. The whole town is decorated in pink and green, houses flying pink, white and green flags, balloons and every other form of decoration paraphernalia. Residents and visitors wear pink and green, me included. I'd never been before as I found it a little overwhelming, not knowing where to park or where the best places to watch the parade were. With so many visitors attending it would be easy for a novice like me to make a wrong decision. So today I met a friend whose uncle lives in Winchester. We parked outside his house and then walked the short journey to Handley Blvd where we bought front row tickets right opposite the covered seating, where the judges, queens and princesses sit. It was that simple!

I loved the little store with pink and green everywhere, and this dog was certainly his blooming best. We walked some of the streets along the route where houses were decorated with lanterns and banners, chairs lined up on lawns and drinks flowing freely as people readied themselves for the parade. Music played from yards and cyclists rode up and down the roads, definitely an idea if I come again. We made our way to our seats and patiently waited for the start, watching as the chairs filled up quickly around us. It seemed no time had passed at all before the beginning of the parade was announced.

The Bloom Time float rolled by, with its pink apple blossom trees and clock, a theme followed by many of the following floats. The parade's Executive Director, John Rosenberger, looked resplendent and happy in his bloom attire.

And of course, throughout the parade there were princesses and queens, floats filled with pretty girls and even some senior ladies who were still fortunate enough to be turning heads in their later years. Each float or vehicle that carried anyone of importance was escorted by a military guard, I loved that attentive detail. The Queen of the 92nd Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival this year is Virginia Isabella Barker, the great-granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, and Victoria Chuh is Miss Apple Blossom Festival, the official hostess.

There were many floats decorated for the parade, most of them keeping to the blossom theme but others choosing something completely different. There are also many opportunities to win awards for the originality and appearance of the float, these awards were placed on their sides, the judging obviously done before the parade started. I was extremely pleased to see that Shenandoah Caverns won overall first place. This is one of my favorite places to visit, a jaw dropping experience to witness the size of the old floats once used for The Rose Parade, Thanksgiving or inaugurations on display. I thought the Rubbermaid float had used a flag from the Cavern's exhibit, but realized they were different when I checked my old blog entries, both are here. Shenandoah Caverns definitely possess the skills to create beautiful floats and theirs was easily the most original today while holding true to the parade's theme.

There were a few celebrities in the parade today, but only 2 who I knew of, Elle Macpherson, one of the original supermodels, and Jeff Burton, who I know as a racing commentator, but was also a stock car racer.

The cavalcade of floats was broken up with various other modes of transport or displays. This herd of horses performed twirls or walked backward while their riders threw circles with lariats, long ropes vibrating before people's faces and then hauled in quickly. The black horse danced to the beat of the music. Each troupe of horses was followed by a guy in a 4 wheeler who twice had to hop out in front of us to swiftly scoop up droppings, a task so well executed with speed and smiles that he received thunderous applause from the crowds, actually more than the horse and rider team proceeding him!

The prettiest fire engine in the show, a stagecoach, a Beverly Hillbillies knock off, all drove past and then I actually recognized someone. The director of the Berryville Gas and Steam Pageant, Kenny Pruitt, cruised by on a vintage Farmall tractor. There was also a group dressed in period costume march with a banner. Winchester was founded March 9, 1744 and apparently at that time was the most western town to be settled.

The Wiener Van was here today, there's only 6 of them in the country. The drivers are known as Hotdoggers and hand out Wienermobile toy whistles, but we never saw them. I would have loved one of those... Some skateboarders from DC put on a show, flipping their boards as they jumped. speeding past on 3 wheels and then performing jumps over their team members who held their hands in prayer, and no doubt their breath!

 

 

 

And of course, lots of bands. I was really happy to see 2 school bands from Front Royal. They all played magnificently, but likely saved their best for when they reached us, since the judges were right opposite. Quick marching steps and gleaming instruments, with polished buttons and shoes, these bands were resplendent, and the last band below played Sweet Caroline which had everyone singing along.

  

At times there were pauses, as bands sometimes performed slower, or mainly because various groups of Bolivian dancers stopped in the street to perform a routine. Whenever we had these quiet times a chap up on the wall behind us, dressed in green regalia with a gold crown would yell out, "APPLE!" to the crowd, who would promptly respond with an equally loud, "BLOSSOM!" This would go back and forth until a float or somebody else in the parade turned the corner for the final stretch on which we were sitting. The WINC FM radio car had passed with Katie G and Robert Allen driving but I was disappointed at not seeing Barry Lee, until I realized that he was sitting opposite us with another gentleman. They were both commentating for the TV coverage that would run the next day.

These Bolivian dancers were my favorites in the parade, their outfits a sensory overload of color, reminding me of The Mummers Parades. They needed so much energy to dance the 1.55 mile route, and as they neared the end, some were visibly exhausted. But as they approached us, and the judges, they somehow found some last dregs of power and began dancing, boots stamping, with twirling skirts and jackets that glittered in the sun that was still resiliently shining a little.

And just about 3 minutes from the end, after a 3 hour parade, a few raindrops plopped down. The sun had given up the battle and now dark thundery clouds presided over us. We started walking back to Scott's uncle's house and just as we approached the heavens opened. I was so glad the parade hadn't been washed out as people had feared. It had been a success, and as Barry Lee noted, the organizers would be meeting up on Monday start planning for next year's event.

I took the photo below the following day when the parade was on TV. You can see me sitting on the front row, perfect placement for my first Apple Blossom Parade.

A Green Garden Week in Warrenton

Yesterday morning I left sunshiny FroRo and headed up the mountain into a thick fog of misty rain. Down the other side the weather remained damp and dismal but the air was still, compared to the gusty gales that I'd just left. The countryside was bright green as though brand new fields had been laid down on either side of the road like clean blankets. Spring had definitely sprung, with emerald leaves on branches, resplendent in their newness without any brown tarnishes from bugs or disease. The banks and hedgerows were sprouting furiously with new foliage as though it were a race to cover the ground.
I had taken a day's vacation to drive around and see the gardens of Warrenton featured in Virginia's Historic Garden Week. We were to start at the PEC headquarters, where we'd register and get a map.
They had just completed planting their native plants garden so I walked around that. Few of the plants were blooming but I'm sure it will be a picture in a few weeks once it's established. There were 4 houses to visit but we were told one of them was now not open due to boxwood blight. This is a fungal disease that can kill the boxwood and is highly contagious, so no visitors would be allowed in case any of the spores were carried off on shoes and would then contaminate elsewhere. Although I respected their decision it was a disappointment as in the property descriptions this particular house sounded as though it had plenty of gardens to see.

But nevertheless I drove to the first house and parked up. We were shown around the house as emcees described various Italian paintings and the owner's extensive whiskey collection. I wasn't at all surprised to discover that photos weren't allowed inside the house so have none to show, but I was anxious to see the gardens.

There really wasn't much to see. A couple of hibiscus and lilac bushes supplied fragrance and the only color so I wasn't impressed. But my spirits were lifted when I saw this amazing chicken coop called Cluckingham Palace, with its own chandelier and door hinges fashioned after chicken feet. The chickens were also very friendly, trotting over to chirrup and cluck their hellos.
For the next house everyone had to board a shuttle as the steep driveway climbed a mountain and wasn't able to cater to continuous cars trying to pass each other on the narrow barely paved road.

 This house used a lot of the stone from Wildcat Mountain on which it was built and once again we were expected to tour around and marvel over the interior decorations. I wanted to see the garden!

There were some blooms out the front of the house but nobody could tell me what they were, but I was pretty sure they were orange geums. I used to have a lot of red ones in my English garden. We were finally released out of the back of the house onto a grassy slope. But no garden.

 I took a few photos of the greenness since there was little color. There was a herb garden and a kitchen garden but these were both minuscule and had obviously only been planted a couple of days ago. I did admire the neatly tied daffodils, the first time I've seen this done since I left England. Some Nodding Star of Bethlehem bulbs were glistening in the grass, shining bright on their own in the vast green lawn. There were beautiful views of the mountains, topped with shrouds of fog.
The next house was supposed to have flower gardens and English style flower beds so I rushed to park up and made my way over to the front door. We were herded once more through the rooms, noting the family's interest in horses, with the Maryland Hunt Cup and paintings of the winners. The owner also donated the land of the Great Meadow, a popular horse eventing site near Marshall.

 We went from room to room and once I saw the exit I made a beeline for it.

 The disappointment rose once again. Yes,the views were handsome but there were no flowers to be seen, only various shades of green. I did love the succulents growing between the paving slabs. There was a huge stable complex which everyone was strolling towards so I followed. One horse in particular was very friendly, enjoying the copious amount of kisses I bestowed upon his nose, and when I stopped he nudged me for more.
I was staring at a bed that had plenty of perennials shooting new growth but was unable to identify them. A couple of ladies stopped beside me bemoaning how none of the plants were labeled and I sympathized with them. I had said nothing to anyone else of my disappointment in the tour, thinking it was just the English in me that had been expecting more from the gardens than anyone else, so it was actually a relief to hear that others were thinking the same as me. This was supposed to be a 'garden tour' within 'garden week', not a house tour to view the owners' luxurious lifestyles. I told them that as far as I was concerned the PEC headquarters had been the most useful stop, where I'd actually learned about and got information on plants. The ladies said they would be writing in to complain and informed me of the better regions to view proper gardens in next year's garden week.

 I drove towards home after the tour and stopped off to get some flower pots, making sure they were colorful. One thing was for sure, I certainly have a lot more color in my back yard than the three homes I saw today put together, but nevertheless it had been a nice day out. And a day off work is always a winner!