The July 4 holiday is just past us and I had time to reflect on the spirit of the occasion.

It’s rough living in a dungeon. Even worse when you have the Spanish Inquisition toying with your future and fellow prisoners putting you on trial for, among other things, being a bad poet.

The summer evening emerged mildly as America took the stage at the downtown Pavilion last weekend, softening an already mellow vibe.

It’s the 4th of July; banks are closed, government workers are on a holiday and the mail won’t be delivered. To go about life as if it were any other day would be a national sacrilege. Like good citizens in need of a respite, we party!

This is a good year to test corn land for nitrates considering the weather risk most nitrogen was put through during the last six weeks.

I was honored to speak at the Aging Together Culpeper Community Conversation 2009 last week at the Culpeper Baptist Retirement Community.

It was the summer of 1951, the USA was fully engaged in the Korean War, the economy was booming and the Nelson family with mom and dad, one set of grandparents and four children were moving to Culpeper.

As many of you know, the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce established a Grant Writing Council this past winter.

We just cannot sustain a constant Mad Hatter-style dashing about and the eternal engagement is nothing less than the pithiest issues. Every now and again a reprieve is necessary to the maintenance of at least a semblance of sanity.

Barley is about ready to be harvested and will be coming to town by the truck load near the end of June, headed for storage and later use as livestock feed.

Culpeper is becoming a “destination” for events.

William Stowe was typical of those who fought for the Union and the Confederacy in the horrific American Civil War.

Last week Cpl. Stowe was confronted with yet another conundrum often found on the battlefield; the enemy soldiers looked a lot like his own tent mates, friendly, helpful and also wanting to go home.

Corn growers that have their crop planted are happy to watch it grow while some 30 percent of the crop remains unplanted, making these farmers more anxious by the day as they struggle with nature to finish the job.

Everyone has heard the term “staycation” by now. Though traveling may not be in this year’s budget, having fun should always stay on the schedule. 

Last week Pvt. Stowe was confronted with the horrors of war particularly the events during the Battle of Chancellorsville 1863 and wrote the following;

Bear with me dear reader, I just wanted to say goodbye to a new, yet old friend who passed away on Tuesday morning 19th May 2009.

Last week’s story left Pvt. Stowe on the Stafford side of the Rappahannock River opposite the city of Fredericksburg. He had declared his readiness for yet another battle after a little rest.

Hay making season has arrived here in the Northern Piedmont now that the soil has had a chance to dry out after the much-needed rain.

Winston Churchill once said “business is the sturdy horse pulling the wagon.” What a fitting phrase to begin National Small Business Week.

In commemoration of the 145th anniversary of the Battle of the Wilderness, Miner produced and directed a play based on the letters of William H. Stowe, 2nd Vermont Co F.

Last time, I briefly ventured onto the thorny subject of what to do with our equine friends when they are no longer wanted/needed/useful, especially with the demise of the slaughterhouses here in the USA.

The country music group The Dixie Chicks has a song in which the lyrics state “not ready to make nice.” This reminds me of the economy that we are experiencing.

Retired Library of Congress staffer Paul Spehr enlightened a small audience in the Mount Pony Theater Saturday with a cerebral lecture on the man who made the movies — W.K.L. Dickson (1860-1935), an inventor in Thomas Edison’s lab

First, a disclaimer. I’m about to do something that I’ve never done before in this column and promise not to do again if I can help it. I’m going to talk about the play that my advanced acting class at CCHS will be performing this weekend.

The Civil War is often called the defining period in this country’s history. Great questions were confronted and resolved, great leaders identified, great battles fought and great ideals expressed.

This year Culpeper farmers took the top spots in Virginia.

Paper towels and happy birthday — these are two important keys to keeping your office safer during the current swine flu “concerns.”

One of the things I do in my limited spare time is manage a forum for business people who love horses.

Does anyone ever tune into W I I F M radio? What’s In It For Me?