The Irvington Farmers Market

Irvington is a small, Northern Neck town with limited commercial offerings. That is, until the first Saturday of every month from May to November.  The Farmers Market, held in the Irvington Commons next to the Steamboat Museum on King Carter Drive, is a local tradition which has won accolades from around the state for its size and quality offerings.  

Over one hundred vendors from around the region come to display their goods.  Items sold include: pottery, hand made jewelry, furniture, paintings, wood carvings, hand made clothes and knitted items, glassware, oyster gardening floats and spat, and a wide array of craft items.

Edible items such as baked goods, artisanal cheeses, uncommon fresh meats such as goat, bison and duck, as well as an abundance of produce are also available.

Informational booths are also present and represent a range of local interests such as The Master Gardeners of the Northern Neck, The Audubon Society, Oyster Gardeners and Virginia politics.

To round off the experience, the central gazebo showcases free musical entertainment.  Food vendors offer a variety of carnival fare and a spattering of seafood. It's best to come early as attendance tends to be heavy. The market is a "must do" opportunity to see unusual arts & crafts in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.  As always, dogs on leads are welcome to attend.

The market begins promptly at 9 a.m. and runs until 1 p.m.  

Personal Note:

We love to attend this monthly summer ritual as all of Lancaster County comes out to support it. The market is a great way to begin a leisurely Saturday, walking the craft stalls, sipping coffee and chatting with people we know.  As dog lovers, we especially like to watch the variety of K-9s who make an appearance.  It seems they enjoy the market as much as their owners.

As an oyster gardener, we purchase our spat (baby oysters) and oyster floats from local vendors, talk to the Northern Neck Master Gardeners about the availability of native plants for our yard and peruse the selection of crafts.  I have a fondness for original pottery with a coastal motif and have purchased several unique pieces over the years.  

We take advantage of the fabulous produce which is available through several local vendors.  Everything is fresh and fairly priced: it is hard to beat the selection.  Heirloom tomatoes, corn and greens keep us coming back time after time.  

July 4th and Labor Day weekends have the largest number of vendors and highest turnout as the town swells with tourists and seasonal residents during this time.  It is a great way to experience the essence of Carter's Creek.

Sometimes it Does Take a Village

I have never been fond of "It takes a village" in association with politics but it is applicable in the story I am about to share.  A neighbor walks her sweet pup every morning past an uninhabited building and, on this particular morning, noticed a small black kitten hiding in the bushes.  Concerned, she passed the information on to us as we were making out way in that direction.  

We found the kitten just where she had described.  He was quite small, all black with medium length fur, beautiful green eyes and the largest ears for a 6 -8 week old baby.  After observing for a time, we decided to offer him some canned cat food which he promptly devoured. 

After conferencing with several neighbors who were also concerned about the kitten, we decided to involve the Animal Welfare League in Kilmarnock.  After several phone calls with them, a woman by the name of Mary Jacobs arranged for us to borrow a "Have a Heart trap" from the AWL and made arrangements with the Kilmarnock Animal Hospital to take him in IF we could catch him. 

We set the trap near his bush just as the sun was setting and an evening drizzle began.  With any luck, the aroma of the canned kitty food would bring him running and into the trap. Several hours later that evening, we returned to find the food half eaten and the very wet kitten huddled in a corner of the cage.  

He spent the night in our sunroom and by morning was dry and ready for his next adventure to the animal hospital.  They were waiting for us when we arrived and immediately took him to the back area and placed him in a cage.  It was my understanding the hospital would test him for transmittable diseases, de-flea him if necessary and initiate a wellness plan to include vaccinations.  We thanked the front office staff and headed to the AWL to return the trap they had loaned us.  

Yes, it did take a village to save this precious kitten from certain death and hopefully his next  steps in life will be more pleasant.  Thanks to all the folks in this community who value life, even in its smallest forms.

Grape Expectations

Sometimes a little competition can be a good thing, particularly when it comes to wine.  There are two stores in the area which provide a free wine tasting every Friday night beginning at 5pm.  

The River Market, located in White Stone on Rappahannock Drive, usually offers a small selection of wines from various vintners. Ramona and David, the sommeliers, are well versed in their offerings and can answer questions to suit most visitors. In addition, The Market serves light appetizers to compliment the wine selection.  In our opinion, the best part of this wine tasting is the mix of locals and tourists who gather to sample the offerings.  After a visit or two, you will begin to recognize repeat visitors and the evening becomes more like a cocktail party.

We often order dinner to go while participating in the wine tasting.  The Market offers a variety of entrées such as filet mignon, New York strip, crab cakes, fish and ribs accompanied by a starch and vegetable. (The menu for the evening is usually taped to the counter by the cash register) The refrigerator case in the rear of the store holds a variety of salads, home-made soups and more.

Specials, located in Kilmarnock on 52 S. Main Street, offers an extensive collection of national and international wines.  They tend to offer more specialized wines such as Orin Swift’s Mercury Head and Papillon but carry many Virginia wines as well. Educating customers about their wine selection is of great importance to them, so ask questions!  A mix of good conversation, cheese with crackers and fine wine offerings complete the experience.

Specials also offers a wide variety of gourmet fare and chocolates.  

The wine tastings at both stores provide an opportunity to learn about new varieties before making a purchase.  Check prices, particularly on Virginia wines and more common varieties as they can be more costly than you might find at the Tri-Star or Food Lion.

Voted Top 3 Charity Event in 2014

It's Coming!  But if you haven't already purchased your tickets for this year's Community Oyster Roast you will have to wait until next year.  Saturday, October 18th marks the 13th annual, all inclusive charity event given by The Chesapeake Academy.  Tickets were limited to 400 lucky people who will rock the night away to the sounds of the Phun Doctors Band while partaking from an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord including: roasted local oysters, fried oysters, hamburgers, hot dogs, sweet potato fries, clam chowder, desserts, beer, wine and soft drinks.

This is one of the top social events of the year and all proceeds benefit the Chesapeake Academy which is located in Irvington.  Mark this on your calendar now so you will be on the look out next October!

"Farewell to Summer" at The Green

  

People begin to arrive

An annual tradition at The Green is the End of Summer party.   The cornflower blue sky and the mild temperatures on the day of the party had already predicted a really good time was in store.  Tables were set up, strands of lights hung between trees, the fire pit was readied for lighting and the grills were fired up.  Countdown had begun.  People began to arrive.  Chairs were placed to form a circle around the fire and an impressive variety of drinks, hors d'oeuvres and entrees were filling the tables.  As it got late and after most people had called it a night, the storytelling and laughter continued by the party-hardy few.  

With people staying busy and not often seeing each other, group parties are a great chance to catch up and find out what other's are doing.   



What's next?  Stay tuned for The New Year's Eve party!   

Oct. 10 - Blue Heaven Rendezvous in the Florida Keys

Moon rise over the Caribbean Club in Key Largo

We realize this post has nothing to do with life on Carter's Creek but thought it might give readers some perspective on where residents go when they already live in "paradise".  
Bermuda, various islands in the Caribbean, and Sanibel were all on the short list.  Ultimately we determined the Florida Keys had everything we wanted without the hassle of airports. 

At one time, the Keys were a yearly pilgrimage for us over Christmas or Spring Break. Limited by school holidays and work schedules, the Keys enabled us to travel in a short period of time and abandon our routine and structure. While safely within the US borders, the Keys feel more like the Caribbean with a splash of Europe.

Originally Influenced by the train scene in the movie "White Christmas", the Amtrak Autotrain became our preferred mode of transportation south.  And just for additional excitement, we all took our motorcycles to tour Florida and the Keys. Our sons thought this trip afforded us three distinct vacations: our overnight aboard the train, the mad dash through the mainland of Florida and finally, our leisurely tour through the Keys to Key West. 

There is something very special about traveling long distance by motorcycle. Perhaps it is the self reliance or making the trip with limited cargo space for clothes and camping gear.  I think it is the oneness we feel with the environment; the heat, humidity, sunshine, breeze and fragrances all combine to enhance Florida's essence.

So, we have decided to re-live some of our past heading south by auto train. This time we're taking a ragtop VW Bug instead of motorcycles. With any luck, the weather will hold and we can go the distance with the top down.  The boys are busy living life, but we will have them with us in our pockets as they're just a text message away.

                                                  

                                                     

Details of our latest adventure will be posted in the "Pages" section below.  

Sunday Drivers

I'm sure you remember a time in your driving experience when you were in a hurry to get to work or perhaps a doctor's appointment and the inevitable occurs; you encounter a Sunday driver.  A person who drives 25 mph in a 45 mph zone and seems truly oblivious to those around him.  It may not even be a Sunday but the driver is in no rush and he has selected this time to hone his driving skills. 

Then, there is another kind of Sunday driver.  You remember.  Before television, computers and video games took over the world, your family piled into the car and drove, at a leisurely pace mind you, to the mountains or the lake for a little sight-seeing and fresh air.
This excursion usually took most of the day and by the time the car pulled back in the drive, the children were tired and grumpy from so much quality time together.

Carter's Creek living presents an entirely different kind of Sunday driver. All forms of water craft inch their way up and down the various branches observing the homes and native wildlife.  Stealthy kayaks, paddle boarders, sailboats, powerboats and runabouts can be seen humming along.  During summer months it can begin to feel as though we are witnessing a parade of never ending vessels.  Not to worry though, as the entertainment is mutual; we enjoy watching them as much as they enjoy observing life on the creek.  

Even creek residents participate in this Sunday ritual, although more often than not, it occurs on any day in the late afternoon.  The preferred vessel is the electric Duffy with an overhead awning and extra large cockpit table.  It is the perfect platform for entertaining friends as they sit back, sip wine, and take in the sights.  

 Dusk is one of my favorite times to cruise the creek in a Duffy.  With the silent motor, all that is heard is the water lapping against the hull.  Soon, homes light up and the shoreline twinkles in the fading light.  It is a quiet and serene way to end a day at the river.