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Page 11 · column 2 of 4 · from the scan, no model involved
By Sally Morgan
Special to the Rappahannock News
The Rappahannock County Association for the Arts and the Community (RAAC) welcomes local resident Richard Antony who will talk about his recently released book, “Mountain of My Dreams,” as part of the Second Friday at the Library Series on Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Rappahannock County library.
Antony and his wife Sandra are the owners of Long Mountain Nursery. “Mountain of My Dreams” tells the story of the couple’s evolving dreams and their struggle to create an azalea nursery on a Rappahannock mountainside though they had no formal horticultural training, no real business experience, few mechanical skills and absolutely no idea what they were getting into.
In 1977, the Antonys purchased 25-acres of land where they hoped to build a retirement home one day. Like a lot of people who discover Rappahannock, the two quickly became entranced by the region’s natural beauty, the fascinating people they met and the quieting effect their weekend visits had on their lives.
Before long Richard began questioning why they had to wait until retirement to move to their “farm.” Despite Sandra’s uncanny ability to recognize the shortcomings of each new scheme, Richard kept churning out one idea after another, from creative commuting to doing woodcrafts, from finding local work to acquiring a license to work in the building trade.
Then, one day, a Maryland neighbor suggested they consider starting an azalea nursery. Sandra and Richard, avid gardeners, immediately saw the merit of the idea. Within days, the couple began constructing an experimental nursery in their suburban backyard to help them gain first-hand knowledge of
See RAAC, Page B10
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