fredericksburg, va. june 2016fallsrun.org/archive/2016/webfnl_june2016_fr gaz.pdf · 2016-10-27 ·...

Come join your neighbors on Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. for a Falls Run Pool Party! Burgers & Hot Dogs provided; BYOB and bring a dish to share! Music by Rockin’ Ralph with a performance by “Sync or Swim”. $5 per person (adults only).

The Tea for the CureContact Priscilla Mahon (678-849-7797) or Mary Mork (540-374-5676) to volunteer for “The Tea for the Cure” event October 16, 2016. Help is needed with event ideas, donations, selling raffle tickets, setting up displays, baking/preparing items, decorating tables or donating silent auction items.

Join A Committee!Want to have fun and be part of the decision-making process in Falls Run? Consider joining one of the 10 chartered committees that do so much for the community. Information on all committees can be found on www.FallsRun.org/committees.html.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

www.fallsrun.org Fredericksburg,Va. JUNE 2016

Please Don’t Eat Our Daisies on page 2, column 2

leaf texture. Bee balm, a member of the mint family, is shunned by deer. There’s quite a list, actually, including forget-me-not, bleeding heart, iris, and obedient plant.

Another option is herbs. Sage, rose-mary, and thyme are perennials the deer do not touch. These low growers are interesting to tuck in here and there among your flowers for textural variety (and need no pesticides as a rule). Lavender, which grows best in a dry, sunny spot, will not be bothered by deer. In fact, silver/blue foliage is some-thing they avoid. Dill is safe too, so are chives, and mint is not on their menu (keep this spreading herb in a container though). Parsley, however, is tempting fare that belongs out of reach. Believe it or not, deer can climb steps, and might come up to your deck. Groundhogs too!

If you like to grow vegetables, deer won’t eat onions, shallots or garlic. For an unusual hedge, try a row of asparagus. Once planted, it lasts for many years. Asparagus foliage is unattractive to our deer friends,

Please Don’t Eat Our Daisies...

by Nancy Bevilacqua, Master Gardener (Florida) and Garden Grunt

Living in Falls Run means sharing space with wildlife. It’s evident that deer are dining in our gardens from the forage line on many shrubs. They’re bold enough to nibble on plants near our front doors. What’s a gardener to do?

Here’s the good news: Deer may have strong teeth, but we have better brains. Sure, you can sacri-fice pansies to the unstoppable ungulates. But it makes more sense to plant things they WON’T eat. Deer will devour many tender annuals, but they’re not much for vinca, nicotiana or Dusty Miller. Zinnias are untouched because the leaves are hairy. Spring blooming snapdragons aren’t their favor-ites either. There is also a summer snapdragon (Angelonia) which they leave alone. It’s been featured in the circular bed in our commu-nity garden, Nature’s Oasis. (If you haven’t been there yet, it’s to the right of the community center, off the walking path.) Lamb’s ear and threadleaf coreopsis are perennials seldom bothered because of their

2 FallsRunGAZETTE June 2016

Falls Run GazetteThe Falls Run Gazette is the official publication of the Falls Run Community. The magazine, distributed to all Falls Run resi-dences, is published 11 times per year, monthly with a combined July-August issue. Story ideas or articles can be submitted to the Gazette Committee Chair ([email protected]).Committee Chair: Susan SmartCommittee Secretary:

Donna KapplerEditor: Elizabeth Kelley

Staff writers: Connie Block Barbara Chadwick Elizabeth Clements Jeanette Doolittle Joan Frank Art Gabler Donna Kappler Pat Parkinson Judy Rao Sue Silvers Susan Smart

Contributing writers: Chuck Heath Mary Mork

Staff photographer: VacantAdvertising manager: Vacant

[email protected]

Falls Run Community AssociationPresident: Bob Lawrence

General manager: Anthony Lugo (540) 899-9958 [email protected]

Activities director: (540) 371-4563 [email protected]

© 2016 Falls Run Community Association

as is the foliage of fennel. Squash and cucumbers have hairy leaves and supposedly tomatoes are not a favorite (we must have unusual deer in Falls Run). Rhubarb is not damaged; it’s poisonous (until cooked).

Come fall, instead of delectable tulips, plant narcissus. These bulbs contain an alkaloid compound that makes them unpalatable to deer. Deer leave the blooms alone and won’t touch the foliage. Daffodils come in many colors, sizes, and forms, and some are scented. There’s a perennial that also has alkaloids called “Wild Indigo.” This time of year, it’s blooming in Nature’s Oasis. For more spring bulb options, try winter aconite, bluebells, snowdrops, and allium.

Our community garden does suffer damage, since some of our 100 or so plants are delicious. We spray repellent. With persistence, this has deterred foraging. The trick is to spray everything, not just the plants deer like to eat, so they get the message to stay away from the area. Roxbury Nursery (601 Lafayette Boulevard, Fred-ericksburg) has the best selection. Prices and choices improve when using concentrates. Mixing your own requires some form of appli-cator, and to be honest, they all stink until they dry! But the stuff is non toxic. Liquid Fence smells like

rotten eggs. Bobbex has a pleasant minty smell (sort of). For plants under two feet tall, Deer Scram is granular, easy to apply and also fertilizes. The Garden Grunts have declared daylilies a lost cause, as were hostas. Black eyed Susans, daisies and coneflowers are impor-tant for the pollinators, so we consider it worthwhile to spray. A group usually works in Nature’s Oasis on Wednesday mornings if you’d like to talk gardening, or join in. Mary Henderson, our leader, is a master gardener.

Back to the better brains comment–remember, Falls Run has several master gardeners who run a plant clinic every Monday. Take a look at the resources they offer.

For those who enjoy doing on-line research, the internet has trust-worthy information. Rutgers University has a website that rates plants from “A” (rarely damaged) to “D,” (frequently damaged). The URL is https://njaes.rutgers.edu/deer resistance/. If you’re at the nursery and can’t recall that URL, a smart phone should find it with “Rutgers deer resistance”. You can tailor the answers by filling in the blanks – for example, ask for “least likely to be damaged” and “peren-nials” and see if what you want to grow is on the list. It’s a way to save frustration.

To human thinking, roses are thorny, but to a deer, they are delectable. By the way, most of the builder-planted shrubbery is prime fare for the herd – yews, azaleas, rhododendron, euonymus. You may already have your own first-hand knowledge. And that’s why

Please Don’t Eat Our Daisies Continued from page 1

Please Don’t Eat Our Daisies on page 3, column 1

June 2016 FallsRunGAZETTE 3

Joan’s Vocabularyby Joan Frank, Staff Writer

Allege - What you’ll fall off of if you get too closeAllude – The drug that was popular in the 1960sAlphabet – The first wager made at the trackAltercation – The revised vacation plansAmount –What you need to go ridingAnkle – You need three to make a triangleAnte – Someone married to my uncleAnthropology – A long overdue “I’m sorry”Apart – What splits the way your hair liesApparatus – When your download goes berserkAppease – When you want part of the candyApple – What you must do to tighten a ropeApproach – A jewelry pinArchery – When we’re not willing to share the fruitArk – How a dog with laryngitis soundsArmada – Our parentsArrange – What you need to cook onArrest – What I need after writing this column

we see many a yard with protective netting.

We’d all welcome a compromise between residents who feed the deer (which is against our Cove-nants, Conditions and Restrictions governing document) and others who’d like to cull the herd. Regard-less of your stand on this issue, it

Please Don’t Eat Our Daisies Continued from page 2

will be 2017 before anything can be done. Kevin Rose from Virginia Wildlife spoke to residents in January, explaining how deer thrive in the suburbs and how managing the herd will be an ongoing endeavor.

So meanwhile, garden wisely!

Falls Run Critters—Friend or Foe? by Chuck Heath, Certified Advanced Master Gardener and Tree Steward

For hundreds of years, the area that we now call “Falls Run” was a natural forest where Virgin-ia’s native wildlife flourished. The land was covered with trees, plants, and grasses that provided the food and habitat that these critters thrived on. Streams mean-dered through the wooded area, most notably the Falls Run stream which still runs smoothly and after which our community is named.

When developers started building the infrastructure and homes that we now use and live in, the critters had to move on while the construc-tion took place. We disrupted their natural habitat. Subsequently, those who could began to move back in and co-exist with humans and their property. Many creatures have been able to adapt to humans and get along with them and some have not. We would consider these to be our friends and foes.

Friends are those who do not disrupt our life and property. They do not disrupt our lives and in many instances protect us from critters that are disruptive. I do note that some may scare us. These critters include: bees and butterflies, frogs, lizards, skinks, non-poisonous

snakes, opossums, coyotes, foxes, hawks and many others. These crit-ters (1) eat insects, rodents, and other small animal pests; (2) help keep the deer population in check (coyotes); (3) pollinate our plants; (4) live within our boundaries and don’t damage our property; (5) do not spread diseases; and (6) can be a nuisance and can frighten us.

I should note that coyotes rarely interact with humans, as do hawks. Coyotes will engage a dog if attacked; the coyote and hawks may attack a very small pet on the loose.

Foes include poisonous snakes (we have lots of copperheads here), moles and voles, ground hogs (aka woodchucks and whistle pigs), skunks, beavers, wasps, brown marmorated stink bugs, termites, carpenter and fire ants, deer, ticks, and all invasive species (trees, shrubs, grasses, insects, fish, shell-fish, and diseases). These critters (1) cause damage to our homes, automobiles, plants, and pets; (2) spread diseases which can cause serious illnesses; and (3) can cause serious injuries to humans (i.e. copperhead snake bites).

My top five Foes are: Deer, Termites, Moles and Voles, Beavers, and Ticks.


The Armchair Traveler: Savannah...a Southern GemPhotos and Story by Sue Silvers, Staff Writer

I’m a Yankee. I wasn’t too sure what to expect from the city of Savannah, Georgia. I have to say I was very impressed with the city and would love to go back and explore it much more. We had outstanding weather, with sunshine and temps in the 80s. The sunshine enhanced seeing the beautiful moss dripping from the old oak trees and many azaleas – a photographer’s delight. The many parks we drove by were also so serene and calling you to sit for a while.

Our Falls Run trip took us to the Savannah History Museum, Savannah River Walk, the Mercer-Williams House, Savannah City Market, Riverboat Cruise and we drove by many of the city parks and famous homes. We also got a special tour of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church which was not on our itinerary, but our guide felt we would enjoy.

The Savannah History Museum is filled with more than 10,000 arti-facts from the city’s founding in 1733 to the present day. It also has Native American culture items and a 1902 Crestmobile which pre-dated the Ford Model A. The museum also houses the iconic prop bench from the movie "Forrest Gump" where he sat in the Chippewa Square Park. Oscar and Grammy Awards presented to Johnny

Mercer, born in this beautiful city in 1909, are also on display.

From the museum, we went to the Savannah River Walk where we saw the famous statue of the "Waving Girl" created by Felix de Weldon (he also created the Iwo Jima Monument in Arlington, Virginia). The statue honors Florence Martus, who took it upon herself to be the unofficial greeter to ships by waving a handkerchief by day and a lantern by night. For 44 years, from 1887 to 1931, she greeted an estimated 50,000 ships. She died in 1943 at the age of 75. On September 27, 1943, a Liberty ship (ships built to carry cargo during WWII) was named the SS Florence Martus (hull number 1068) in her honor.

We then visited the Mercer-Williams House, still occupied by Dorothy Kingery, the sister of Jim Williams, the restorationist who saved more than 50 historic houses

in the area. She continues to enjoy the house and her brother's tradition of sharing it with the public. Jim was an antique collector and all the rooms had many unique antiques and pictures. The famous statue of the Bird Girl, which adorns the cover of all the John Berendt Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil books as well as the movie, came from the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah. It is now on display in the Telfair Museums' Jepson Center for the Arts.

After the Mercer-Williams House, it was time for a visit to the Savannah City Market, where we walked along the commercial and social

center of historic Savannah. Our next adventure was a 90-minute cruise on the Georgia Queen riverboat on the Savannah River. The riverboat captain regaled us with intriguing tales and historic facts about the river, once used by the founders of this beau-tiful city. At Old Fort Jackson, a cannon was fired to herald our passing and our captain responded in kind with the deep, rumbling blast from the steam whistle.

A stop not on our itinerary, but which turned out to be a really nice tour, was the St. John the Baptist Catholic Cathedral. Our guide gave

(L to R) Marilyn Coughlin, Bonnie Hughes, Mary Quinn, Chickie Vaillancourt, Nelson Vaillancourt, Carl Sacco and Sue Silvers

Savannah…a Southern Gem on page 5, column 1


a synopsis of the history of the church as she led us along marble floors lined with majestic pillars with real gold bases. The stations of the cross were made from wood that came from Germany and the baptismal font has emeralds on the bottom. The cathedral was built in 1873, was nearly destroyed by fire in 1898 and rebuilt in 1899. Since that time, it has been updated several times and work completed in 1998 for the 150th anniversary and rededication.

We continued our tour of down-town Savannah, passing by the First African Baptist Church, the oldest African American church in America, constituted in December of 1777. Our next stop was the Juliette Gordon-Low House, the beautiful home of the famous Girl Scout founder.

My overall observation of Savannah: one of the most beautiful cities in the United States and truly a gem. I believe all who went will remember Savannah fondly for a long time.

Savannah…a Southern Gem Continued from page 4

The Falls Run Savannah Trekkers

Back row (L to R) Bill Hughes, Patricia Donohue, Karl Sacco, Nelson Vaillancourt, Thomas Donohue, Vernon Duckett, Jim Harney, Suzanne Harney, Kurt Schaffert, Ellinor Schaffert, Thomas Eddy

Middle row (L to R) Bonnie Hughes, Henry Fink, Chickie Vaillancourt, Marilyn Coughlin, Faye Post, Edith Eldred, Beverly Eddy, Betty Marini

Seated (L to R) Lillian Frisch, Margaret Pullen, Charlie Herold, Shirley Herold, Mary Quinn

Hats off to…...Linda and Bob Brown, Kit and Pete Wilkinson, Sharon Higgins, Jeff and Anne Pingrey, Bill Arnst, Margaret Pullen, and Beth Kelley for cleaning up Plantation Drive every quarter. Our neighborhood looks great because of you!

Tennis anyone?by Elizabeth Clements, Staff Writer

Historians believe that a modi-fied version of tennis was played in monastic cloisters in northern France during the twelfth century. At that time, the ball was struck with the hand. In the sixteenth century, the racket was intro-duced along with the name tennis.

Today, the sport is played all over the world, by both amateurs and professionals. At Falls Run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Satur-days, the tennis group meets to play. This is a loose knit group of approximately 25 members who play together on a regular basis.

Often when the weather is coop-erating, members will go to the courts and get in some extra games. Call Elliot Hatfield or Joan Bitely to see if anyone is playing on a particular day. Any resident who knows how to play the game is welcome to join in.

The courts are also used by the pickle ball players on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and at noon on Saturdays. The two courts are available to residents and their guests for play or prac-tice whenever the Center is open.

If you played a long time ago and need to brush up on your skills by taking lessons, contact the YMCA or Stafford County Recreation Department to arrange for instruction.

The courts are a wonderful asset of Falls Run, providing a produc-tive way to remain active!


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A busy March for Greater Falls Run Lions Club

Lion Jim Purton helps out at Micah Hospitality Center which provides food and shelter to the homeless.Photo by Michelle Purton

(L to R) Lions Kurt Martz, Kate Martz, Norma Sain and Carol Murcek encourage food donations for S.E.R.V.E. at the “Stuff the Truck” event at the local Giant food store. Photo by Jim Purton

Welcome New Neighbors

by Sue Silvers and Mary Mork

Andy (Andrew) and Terry (Theresa) Shannon are new neighbors at 55 Smithfield Way. Andy is a native of the Fredericksburg area and for the past 28 years has been a realtor in the area. Terry is from Lorton and is employed at the Home Depot store in Stafford. They lived in Marl-borough Point in Stafford for 14 years before moving to Falls Run. They have a combined family of six chil-dren and 17 grandchildren. They are in the process of making major renovations and updates to their new home and looking forward to enjoying all the Falls Run facilities.

Robert (Rob) and Tina Zaluski, 2 Hanover Drive, had a short move from Falmouth, Virginia, where they lived for the past three years. Before Falmouth, they lived in Caroline County. Rob is originally from Yonkers, New York. Tina was born in the District of Columbia, but has lived most of her life in the Fredericksburg area. Rob still works in the Lincoln Showroom at Purvis Ford. Tina retired from the federal government at Quantico after 33 years of service. Rob and Tina have a combined family of 8 children, 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

by Donna Natemeier

The Greater Falls Run Lions Club (GFRLC) was a busy group during March. GFRLC was the host of the District 24-A Winter Confer-ence held on March 18 and 19 at the Hospitality House in Freder-icksburg. On the 19th, local Lions participated in various service projects around the community. Lions supported sight and hearing screenings at Stafford Junction and the England Run Library Health Fair, the Stafford Emergency Relief through Volunteer Efforts (S.E.R.V.E.) food bank , the Salvation Army, Micah, Stamps for Wounded Warriors, lap blankets for veterans, LLOST (crocheting blankets for babies that have died) and food and other items were collected for Blue Star Mothers and S.E.R.V.E. On March 26, the GRFLC participated in the

S.E.R.V.E. “Stuff the Truck” at the local Giant, collecting 1,211 pounds of food and $405 in donations.


Adventure on the Rails

by Connie Block, Staff Writer

After driving 1,137 miles on a trip through Georgia and Florida, we thought an easy way home would be the Amtrak Auto Train. According to a number of people who have ridden the rails from Lorton, Virginia, to Sanford, Florida (or the reverse) and the 27-year Amtrak employee in our sleeper car, the majority of their rides were uneventful. Not our maiden trip! The one Auto Train makes continuous runs up and down the coast seven days a week. There is no backup. If disaster strikes, it takes days to get back on schedule.

The train left Lorton on time at 4 p.m. on a Thursday. All was well until the lead engine devel-oped trouble (hearsay had it that a hole in the radiator led to frozen brakes). Hours passed while repairs were attempted. Then the “longest passenger train in the United States” had to back up five miles off the siding to hitch to an engine borrowed from CSX. Once the trip resumed, it had to pull off for scheduled trains to pass it. It finally chugged into the Sanford station

at 11:30 p.m. on Friday - over 36 hours after it had left Virginia.

Fortunately, we were not on that train! Automated phone and email messages alerted us well ahead of our Florida departure time that the train was “running late.” What was never specified was just how late. Every few hours, the arrival time got pushed back two more hours. We were given the option of reimbursement, but not until we had whiled away the whole day in Sanford. Actually, Sanford is very picturesque. First Street is paved with bricks and lined with restored buildings. It was fun to browse in antique shops and the arts district. We had a delicious German meal at the family-owned Hollerbach's at the Magnolia Square Market.

Following instructions, we turned our car in at the Sanford Auto Train station by 6:30 p.m. and it was whisked away to a rail car. The large, clean waiting room was full of people of all ages. Amtrak provided snacks at 7 p.m. (chicken nuggets, tuna or veggie wraps) and bottled water. Then 352 of us sat and waited…and waited…and waited. People were resigned. They also were friendly. Periodi-cally, the Amtrak staff updated us on the newest expected arrival time. The train’s first stop upon arrival was to drop off the rail cars loaded with automobiles. Though the unloading process is stream-lined, it took ninety minutes to off-load all the vehicles. Unless one pays extra for priority, you stand and listen as random numbers are called. Even after the tired south-bound travelers claimed their vehicles and departed, we waited some more. Turn-around takes

nearly four hours: cleaning, refu-eling, inspecting, stocking supplies.

Finally, at 3 a.m., we were given the okay to board. We found our Superliner Roomette – all 3’6” by 6’8” of it – with its two berths all made up. I climbed up on the top one so Chuck could get in the lower and slide the door closed. Probably not even Twiggy could stand between the berth and the door! It was hard to get the blanket out of the sealed plastic case since there wasn’t enough head room to sit up. We can’t comment on the beds: probably we could have slept on a rock by that time. The train departed at 4 a.m. and we rocked along quite well until the loudspeaker announced at 7 a.m. “Breakfast is now being served in the dining cars”. Luckily we lurched our way through several cars to eat the continental break-fast (with a perfectly ripe banana at each place) before service stopped at 9:30 a.m. Water, coffee, cocoa and tea were available all the time, but no food at all on the train.

Adventure on the Rails on page 9, column 1


A Hearty Breakfast, Good Company and a Worthy CauseStory and Photos by Donna Kappler

If you had a hankering for pancakes on Saturday, April 16, the Wall of Honor Committee members had just what you needed. Over 115 Falls Run residents attended the event, held every fall and spring, to help raise money for the Committee’s Veterans Day celebra-tion. Pancakes were mixed expertly by Elke Ortmann, cooked to perfection by Loretta Selgelid, Mike Bonacci and Joy Zerby and served hot off the griddle with smiles by Tom Eddy and Haward Boyette. Dona-

tions were accepted by Bob Gilbert at the door and the WOH Committee members roamed the room, making sure residents had enough coffee, tea and orange juice. Pancake Grill Sergeant and Event Chair Wayne Ploger made sure things kept running smoothly, under the watchful eye of WOH Committee Chair Rick Frank. No one left hungry and the event was a success, raising over $1,000 that will be used to host the Veterans Day celebration at Falls Run in November. The WOH thanks everyone for their participation!

The roomette was changed back into two facing seats that became less and less comfortable the longer we sat in them. The view out the window was mostly of unde-veloped woods or marshy areas through the Carolinas. It was disheartening to watch our slow progress on Amtrak Connect. We were assigned to the second seating for dinner, which was at 4 p.m. The food was good. After more slow hours rolling along the rails, we passed Fredericksburg and then Quantico in the dark and finally, at 11 p.m., reached the Lorton station. We were exhausted. I cannot imagine how the Amtrak staff remained pleasant after 60 hours on duty. They do a round trip and normally get some sleep

each night. The engineers and conductors are required by law to switch. That happens each way at a stop in Florence, North Carolina.

Will we take the Auto Train again? Maybe – after quite a while – to use the $300 voucher issued in recom-pense for the delay. The concept is good and on the normal schedule, a big portion of the trip would be while you sleep. Amtrak advertises accommodations for wheel-chairs, but otherwise flexibility is required to get in and out of the berths, to negotiate the stairs and narrow halls and go from car to car while in motion. Also, bring some healthy snacks and something to do. Knitting worked well. The station had limited power outlets for charging batteries on electronic gadgets. At both stations, a shuttle service operates to take you to town after dropping off your car. All in all, it was quite an adventure.

Adventure on the Rails Continued from page 8

Wilma Murphy, Loretta Selgelid and Joy Zerby Rick Frank, Sal Castro, Tom Eddy and Haward Boyette


Between the covers by Susan Smart, Staff Writer

MyÁntoniaby Willa Cather

One of Cather's earliest novels, written in 1918, My Ántonia is the story of Ántonia Shimerda, who arrives on the Nebraska frontier as part of a family of Bohemian emigrants. The author, through her narrator, Jim Burden, describes the lives of Eastern European immigrants at the turn of the

century. Their lives – births and deaths, hardships and joys, successes and failures – are beautifully presented in this remarkable story. Ántonia has a strong and courageous spirit that is buoyed by her surroundings in the Nebraska plains. She copes with the death of her father, takes care of her young sister, and helps to build their farm into a success. The book evokes the Nebraska prairie life of Willa Cather's childhood, and commemorates the spirit and courage of immigrant pioneers in America.

Swamplandia!by Karen Russell

If ever there was a dysfunc-tional family, the Bigtree family in Swamplandia! is it. The family’s island home and gator-wrestling theme park in the Florida Ever-glades is the setting, and when illness fells the mother, the family is plunged into chaos. Thirteen-year-old Ava’s sister, Ossie, falls in

love with a ghost and goes out into the swamp to marry him, her brilliant big brother defects to a rival park called The World of Darkness, and their father leaves for the mainland. A man comes to the island, where Ava is alone, and offers to help her find her sister. After some dark happenings, Ava runs away from the man and is lost in the swamp, but eventually both she and her sister are found by their brother. This is an unusual story that explores the life of an unusual family and the effects on children of isolation from society.

TheBlizzard:ANovelby Vladimir Sorokin

In The Blizzard, a doctor is desperately trying to reach a Siberian village where a myste-rious epidemic is turning people into zombies. He has a vaccine that will prevent the spread of the disease, but is slowed down by a terrible bliz-zard, and a trip that should

take a few hours turns into a lengthy expedition filled with weird encounters, dangerous esca-pades, and other strange adventures. This book is touted as being “Hypnotic, fascinating, and richly drawn, …[combining] an avant-garde sensibility with a taste for the absurd and the grotesque, all while delivering stinging truths about contem-porary life and modern-day Russia.” According to the New York Times Book Review Editor, it’s a “dazzling, utterly distinctive saga from Russia's most celebrated and most controversial novelist.” Maybe so, but I found it to be a confusing and convoluted mix of past, present, and science fiction and I only plowed through it in the hope that something actually turned out to be a plot.

It's Summertime!by Judy Rao, Staff Writer

Let's all go to the beach! We'll eat lots of ice cream, vanilla, chocolate, even peach.

The birds will sing us awake as we sleep in a tent, We will cook over a fire and roast marshmallows on a hanger we bent.

S'mores, iced tea, watermelon and corn, I am ready for summer, I feel reborn.

Get out the pails and shovels, and beach balls. We will play all day until bedtime calls!


Chef’s Corner by Sue Silvers, Staff Writer

Crunchy Mandarin Slaw (Recipe from Marzettikitchens.com)

½ cup Marzettei Original Slaw Dressing4 cups green cabbage, shredded1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained1 cup celery, chopped3 green onions, chopped with tops included1 cup chow mein noodles

Prep: Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl and before serving add the dressing. Toss well and top with chow mein noodles. Enjoy!

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Hats off to…...Don Shiffert for donating the sausages and Beth Kelley for creating and donating the aprons Committee members wore at the Wall of Honor Pancake Breakfast on April 16!

About those gates…by Susanne Lazanov

Some residents believe we live in a gated community. Well, that’s not exactly true. While Falls Run is not enclosed by a fence, we do have gate arms that are designed to provide vehicular access only to residents, their guests and those who have legitimate business to conduct.

In order for our “gates” to work as intended with the least possible cost to the community, we need to remember the following:

■ Slow down when approaching the entrance or exit gate arm.

■ Consider entering at Gladstone Drive or Smithfield Way if you don’t have the patience to possibly have to wait for an outsider to activate the system.

■ Avoid pressing your remote to give access to the vehicle in front of you. It is to our benefit to restrict access to those with a valid reason to enter.

■ Each exit gate arm opens automatically when your vehicle approaches. If you press your remote when exiting, you raise the entrance gate arm, allowing access for unauthorized vehicles. The gate arm will remain in the open position until a vehicle passes through.

■ If you accidentally damage a gate arm or see that damage has occurred, notify the concierge (540-371-4452) immediately.

While we don’t live in a “true” gated community, we can take simple steps to keep our gate arms intact and performing their intended function.


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by Chuck Heath, Certified Advanced Master Gardener and Tree Steward

Did you know that… ■ this spring’s warm temperatures, followed by hard freezes, happened three times and killed new shoots or buds that many shrubs were putting out? Hollies, Encore azaleas, crape myrtles, and newly-planted shrubs will all need a lot of water delivered by hose two times per week.

■ it’s time for your second application of a pre-emer-gent crabgrass preventer? A product containing Dimension [dithiopyr] is highly recommended and can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, Roxbury, or Site-One (formerly John Deere).

■ you cannot cut down a tree without replacing it in Falls Run and that it must be approved by the Modifications Committee.

■ tree topping is not permitted in Falls Run (this applies to all trees, including crape myrtles)

■ the length of the roots of your grass mirrors the height of the grass blade? Taller grass blades and deeper root systems (3” to 4”) will survive our summers better than those cut to look like a putting green.

■ by not using fertilizer on your lawns in the spring and summer, you are protecting the Chesapeake Bay and the crab population? Fertilize in September, October, and November. Tell your lawn services to follow this schedule. Fall fertilization grows long roots that will have your grass looking great year round.

■ when you apply an insect control for grubs, you are killing all the good bugs like worms as well? Only use an insect control on your lawn when you have a grub problem. Tell your lawn service to show them to you.

■ you can injure your pets (and humans as well) if they walk on chemicals that are put on your lawn, driveway, and sidewalk? ALWAYS sweep or blow the chemicals off hard surfaces after they are applied.

■ Master Gardener School is held each fall September thru November in Stafford at the Rowser Building and that everyone is welcome to become a Master Gardener.

Soil Issues in Falls RunHere are the top three soil-related issues in the order that they affect our grass, plants, shrubs, trees and vegetables:1: Soil compaction – this occurs when heavy

equipment, such as mowers, repeatedly traverses the clay soil in our yards. Compaction prevents water, oxygen and nutrients from reaching the roots where they are needed. The fix? Aerate your lawn every fall.

2: Infertile soil – during our community’s construc-tion, most of the topsoil was removed, leaving clay subsoil. Grass seed was planted or sod installed for each homeowner without replacing the topsoil. Nutrients, primarily organic matter, need to be replaced in a systematic method to improve your soil. The fix? Add ¼ to ½ inch of compost as a “top dressing” right after you aerate in the fall.

3: Acidic sulfate soil – this results most often from the exposure of formations containing sulfur, which in our area occur at relatively shallow depths. Soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5 is not conducive to growing grass, which needs a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. The fix? Send a soil sample to Virginia Tech for analysis, and follow the recommendations provided.

Please join your master gardeners every Monday morning in the Community Center at the Falls Run Plant Clinic where we try to help solve your gardening problems. You can also reach me at [email protected].

In the garden


Pool Season – Know Our Safety Rulesby Beth Kelley

How great is it that Falls Run has two beautiful pools? To keep those pools clean and safe, below are a few important rules we all need to follow (see Administrative Resolution 13-03 Community Center Rules, Section 3: Use of Pools). Knowing and following our guidelines will make for a safe, enjoyable summer for everyone!

1: Sign in with your FRCA Activity Card (especially when going to the outdoor pool). Make sure all guests sign in.

2: ALWAYS shower before entering the pools. While our pools are chlorinated, sweat, deodorants, soap, perfume, shampoo, conditioner, and aftershave (along with residual urine and feces) are all organic compounds containing proteins. When those proteins are introduced into a chlori-nated environment, disinfected by-products are produced which can be harmful.

3: Do not jump or dive into the pools. We are fortunate that residents volunteer as pool monitors during Family Hours (1:00 to 5:00 p.m.), but for safety, make sure your family members are aware of this important rule.

4: Alcohol consumption is limited to the veranda, club room, billiard room and general purpose room unless it is an FRCA event (such as the upcoming Pool Party).

5: Use a towel on the pool area furniture when using suntan lotions and use earbuds/earphones to listen to audio equipment.

6: Leave the area clean when you leave (dispose of trash and remove all food items) (food is permitted only in the outdoor pool seating areas). Use unbreakable containers for food and drinks.

7: Children in diapers (including swim diapers) or younger than three (3) years of age are not permitted in either pool (if three or older, children must be fully toilet trained).

8: Don’t wear wet swimsuits at any time in the common areas of the Community Center and shoes/sandals need to be worn going to and from both pools.

9: The indoor spa can be used by residents and their guests who are 18 years of age or older.

10: Smoking is prohibited in the swimming pool areas (smoking is allowed behind the Center between the exterior kitchen door and the parking lot).

Area Farmers Marketsby Connie Block, Staff Writer

C & T Farm Produce (540-371-7246) At the C & T Farm Stand 2 Ringgold Road (intersection of Ferry Road and White Oak Road) Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

At Celebrate by Del Webb 10 Montera Avenue (Riverside Lodge at the Celebrate parking lot) Wednesdays: 8 a.m. to noon

Fredericksburg Farmers Market (540-372-1086) Hurkamp Park (intersection of William Street & Prince Edward Street) (park on city streets or near Ristorante Renato on William Street) Multiple vendors Monday to Saturday: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday: 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Also features: ■ Art in the Park: 1st and 3rd Saturdays from May – October

■ June 18: Kids Market (hand-made/homegrown items)

■ September 3: Community Day

■ October 1: Harvest Festival

Area Farmers Markets on page 15, column 3


In the Junk Drawerby Barbara Chadwick, Staff Writer

Father's Day doesn't seem to have the illustrious heritage as Moth-er's Day and, surprisingly, is not as old. The first Father's day was celebrated in Fairmont, West Virginia. Grace Golden Clayton wanted to honor the memory the 361 men who were killed in the Monongah Mining Disaster on December 6, 1907. The first cere-mony took place on July 5, l908, to

remember fathers who left 1,000 fatherless children. A monument to the founding of Father's Day in West Virginia was erected in 1909.

In 1910 in Spokane, Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd thought there should be a Father's Day. Her mother had died, leaving her father to raise six wee ones alone. After hearing about Anna Jarvis’ work to establish Mother’s Day, Sonora suggested to her pastor that there should also be a day to honor fathers. Several local cler-gymen accepted the idea and on June 19, 1910, sermons honoring fathers were presented throughout Spokane. The idea began to spread.

William Jennings Bryant was a huge supporter of this idea. President Coolidge made it a national holiday in 1924. Presi-dent Johnson designated the third Sunday of June as Father's Day

and, in the middle of his presiden-tial campaign, President Nixon signed it into law in 1972.

A reflection about dads... they come in all shapes, sizes, color and ages. Big hugs, little hugs.

The most interesting fact is sometimes the best dads are not biological. Scout leaders, teachers, ministers, rabbis, priests, friends often step in to difficult situations such as becoming a surrogate father for young ones.

Ties are the most received gift for dads...more ties are sold in America in June than any other month. Tools, lawn equipment, and car accessories are also gifts dad can expect. Over $1 billion are spent on gifts for our Pops!

HappyFather’sDay,allyouwonderful,loving,supportive

fathers.Weloveyouall!

One of our very good Falls Run friends visits all the 55 and older communities in quite a wide area around Fredericksburg and has shared her assessment...Falls Run is the most active of all the commu-nities, with a wonderful, youthful attitude. We know we moved to the best place or why else would we be here? Thank you, residents. It is a beautiful day in Falls Run.

Honoring Falls Run WWII Veterans The Falls Run Wall of Honor Committee encourages all WWII Veterans to attend the 4th of July patriotic Virginia and American Flag Retirement and Replacement Ceremony (a July 4th tradition) at 1 p.m. at Ferry Farm in Freder-icksburg. The George Washington Foundation has invited Falls Run WWII Veterans to attend as honorees at this ceremony. If you would like to attend, please contact Susan Sherman at [email protected].

North Stafford Farmer’s Market125 Hospital Center Boulevard (behind Stafford Hospital) Multiple vendors Sundays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., April to November

Spotsylvania Market 12150 Gordon Road in Fredericksburg (the VDOT Commuter Lot at the intersection of Route 3 & Gordon Road) Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., April to December

Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center Market4600 Spotsylvania Parkway Wednesdays: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., May to September

Please note: Dogs are not allowed at area Farmers Markets (other than service dogs).

Area Farmers Markets Continued from page 14


Falls Run Gets A Little More Beautiful…by Mary Henderson, Master Gardener

Nature’s Oasis, located just south of the Commu-nity Center, now has a place in which to enjoy this beautiful ad tranquil spot. The Oasis is main-tained by the Garden Grunts, a subcommittee of the Property and Grounds Committee. Thanks to the skills of Bill Spring, Haward Boyette, and Rob Bevilacqua of the Garden Grunts and Falls Run Maintenance Technician Jamie Meney, a pergola was assembled on April 20th, achieving a major Grunt goal to provide a quiet place where the beautiful garden can be enjoyed at leisure. Benches have been placed under it for seating and shade will soon be provided by vines that are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Made of tubular steel, the pergola has a patina of rust to protect it from the elements without a need for paint. Falls Run is lucky to have such a dedicated group as the Garden Grunts. Come spend a while in our own little patch of nature so close to home!

The Garden Grunts and Falls Run Maintenance Technician Jamie Meney are the first to enjoy the pergola

Back row (L to R) Bill Spring, Nancy Bevilacqua, Rob Bevilacqua, Jamie Meney, Haward Boyette

Seated (L to R) Gilda Verdi, Sally Conney Anderson, Mary Henderson, Ione Tabor. Photo by Donna Long

fredericksburg, va. june 2016fallsrun.org/archive/2016/webfnl_june2016_fr gaz.pdf · 2016-10-27 ·...

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