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Bv Donna LaPr£
Rappahannock News Writer
The Earth is slow, dense and strong here. Strong, old mountains, the oldest on the planet make it so. We are tucked against the mountains, far out from the big city, so far that many people have never ventured this far.
There are rivers and streams which wind around, sometimes rushing furiously as in after a good rain. Some of these streams and rivers travel down from the mountains, seeking solid ground.
Rocks are abundant in places. Large outcroppings and a wealth of white quartz stud the weighty clay soil. Occasionally there is blue quartz to be found, especially near the Blue Ridge’s base.
The plants and trees are still varied and abundant. A burst of wildflowers every spring, summer and fall reminds us of our vegetal riches. Animals continually delight many of us, and annoy others.
This is an unhurried, slow place, slow to change, though politics, monied interests and slick commercialism have begun to furrow changes into the conservative and simple fabric of life. Independence, staunchness and conservatism in its best expression manifests itself in earthiness, groundedness, a community that gathers
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