Tredegar Announces Holiday Ornament Contest

From Times Dispatch article:

The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar is hosting a holiday ornament contest to decorate the center’s 7-foot tree. All ornaments must be handmade and include at least one item used on ornaments created during the Victorian era, such as paper, lace, ribbon or walnut shells. (Gilded walnuts were popular.)

The ornaments will be hung on the center’s tree, which will be on display in the museum store through the new year. One grand-prize winner will receive passes to visit Historic Tredegar. Runners-up will be featured online on Historic Tredegar-related websites.

Each ornament must have the entrant’s name, address and phone number attached to the item. The deadline for entries is Dec. 12. Drop off entries at the center’s museum store, 500 Tredegar St., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The winner will be announced Dec. 15.

For details, call (804) 780-1865, ext. 21, or email pcarringtonwallace@tredegar.org.

“Oregon Hill” the novel (not yet published)

It will be interesting to see how this book release is received. However, that won’t be for another 8 months or so.

From Amazon.com page:

Willie Black has squandered a lot of things in his life – his liver, his lungs, a couple of former wives and a floundering daughter can all attest to his abuse. He’s lucky to be employed, having managed to drink and smart-talk his way out of a nice, cushy job covering (and partying with) the politicians down at the capitol.

Now, he’s back on the night corps beat, right where he started when he came to work for the Richmond paper almost 30 years ago. The thing Willie’s always had going for him, though, all the way back to his hardscrabble days as a mixed-race kid on Oregon Hill, where white was the primary color and fighting was everyone’s favorite leisure pastime, was grit. His mother, the drug-addled Peggy, gave him that if nothing else. He never backed down then, and he shows no signs of changing.

When a co-ed at the local university where Willie’s daughter is a perpetual student is murdered, her headless body found along the South Anna River, the hapless alleged killer is arrested within days. Everyone but Willie seems to think: Case Closed. But Willie, against the orders and advice of his bosses at the paper, the police and just about everyone else, doesn’t think the case is solved at all. He embarks on a one-man crusade to do what he’s always done: get the story.

On the way, Willie runs afoul of David Junior Shiflett, a nightmare from his youth who’s now a city cop, and awakens another dark force, one everyone thought disappeared a long time ago. And a score born in the parking lot of an Oregon Hill beer joint 40 years ago will finally be settled.

The truth is out there. Willie Black’s going to dig it out or die trying.

Jack o’lantern Tour

As with past years, Oregon HIll gets some imaginative pumpkins. Next year, if have any money, I will put together some sort of jack o’lantern contest. Don’t forget the parade on Monday (and be mindful that some folks will be trying to get home from work to be with their kids).

Greenhorns Documentary At Byrd Market Tuesday

From the Byrd House Market blog:

…after market we’ll be hosting an outdoor film screening and panel discussion – Shalom Farms is presenting The Greenhorns – a very groovy film about young people choosing the farming profession and way of life.

Figure around 7:20 pm. The 50 min. film will be followed by a panel discussion with local young farmers.