Innkeeper Speaks about Peace Corps

Jim and I met long after his two year venture with Peace Corps and I still like hearing about his experiences for those years. Last night was another one of those opportunities when he was the speaker for Blackstone Rotary Club.He opens the meeting speaking an incomprehensible string of sounds.. and using mime. Repeating over and over, we start getting what he was talking about. And then he explains, that's how he learned Marshallese. Jim joined Peace Corps right out of college going to San Jose for an introduction... or as he put, they worked very hard at trying to talk those interested into backing out.... The interviewers were former Peace Corps Volunteers and knew the hardships first hand. He was told he was going to be all alone and isolated without other Americans for two years. That didn't daunt him. He then when to Hawaii for 10 weeks of training. Hawaii??? That a tough training site, right??

Jim then went to an island in Central Pacific with only 200 people and lived with a family that spoke no English. He job assignment was to teach English as a second language (TESL) . He continued to tell the Rotarians about foods eaten (fish, coconut, and lots of commodities - canned bologna and Spam), fishing adventures, how he lived on the island, and live among the Marshallese.

Peace Corps is celebrating 50 years this year - thank you, Jim, for sharing your Peace Corps experience with me again and with my fellow Rotarians!

Blackstone, Virginia is on the National Register of Historical Places and is a good walking tour for visitors to Blackstone. The Grey Swan Inn Bed and Breakfast is a part of the registered site, located at 615 South Main Street. Other places of interest include downtown Blackstone (which is a Virginia Main Street community), Schwartz' Tavern and The Carriage Museum. Wear good walking shoes, bring your camera, and enjoy Blackstone's history!!

Below is a walking tour map beginning at The Grey Swan Inn and outlines the residential areas that are part of the National Register:



View Larger Map

What a President Would Have Eaten

Happy President's Day!

While volunteering at our local Blackstone Friends of Library bookstore, The Book End, I found a wonderful little cookbook "Monroe Family Recipes" which was published in 1988 by Ash Lawn-Highland, College of William and Mary, the home of James and Elizabeth Monroe in Charlottesville, Virginia. What a find... it gave a bit of the history of the cooking and foods available during Monroe's time.

Here's one of the recipes which we'll want to try at the Grey Swan Inn when the summer tomatoes are in:


Tomatoes and Eggs


(Original recipe: Grease muffin tins; put one thick slice of unpeeled tomato into each tin; season with salt and pepper; break one egg on top of each slice; again season with salt and pepper and put a small piece of butter on top of each egg. Back in an oven until the egg is set. Serve on rounds of toast and garnish with parsley. This is good with cheese grated over the egg.)

1 large ripe tomato

6 eggs

salt, pepper

butter

6 slices of bread, toasted

parsley

1/4 cup grated cheese



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Grease six muffin cups thoroughly with butter. Place one thick slice of toato in each cup. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.


Break one egg into each cup. Season it with salt and pepepr and place about 1/2 tsp. butter ontop of each egg. Back until the eggs are firm and set.


Serve on hot toast with cheese and parsley sprinkled over each egg. Serves 6.

Civil War Encampment - June 13 & 14, 2009

Come to Nottoway Court House, Virginia, June 13 & 14, 2009 and enjoy a Civil War Encampment!
There will be lots of activities for all ages to enjoy. Stay at The Grey Swan Inn Bed and Breakfast during this weekend event and continue the Civil War theme with breakfast foods designed around foods served during the mid-1800's.

Be sure to come to Seay Park in Blackstone, VA on Saturday for the Lemonade and Cookie Social from 7 pm - 9 pm

Arsenic and Old Lace

SACT (Southside Area Community Theatre) & Mitchell's Restaurant presents Arsenic & Old Lace

Enjoy a play about a dramatic critic who comes home to become engaged to his love, only to find out that his two sweet dear old aunts have developed a bad habit of poisoning lonely old men. They feel what they are doing a service putting these men out of their misery. They even bury them in the cellar complete with funeral services. Fortunately, his brother is a perfect patsy since he already thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt - the murders could be pinned on him and he live out his days in Happy Dale sanitarium. Unfortunately, the other devious brother makes an untimely return home with his drunken doctor friend. They too have been on a killing spree.

This play is full of comedy and will delight all. Many local celebs are making appearances in this play - Liz & Charlotte Walters, Jim Hausbrouck, Tom Forrester, Kelly Forrester, Pete Smith, Richard Aviles, Joe McMillan and many many more! This play is directed, organized and kept on track by Christy Aviles (Director) and Mary Sydney Gilley (Stage Manager) just to mention a few. Without the kindness of Mitchell's - we would be doing this all on the street! Can't forget the blood, sweat and tears of Tilly Conley (Producer) and Bev Boyko and their crew of volunteers!

I STRONGLY urge you to come - the talent is amazing - It will be a great show.

Show Dates and Specifics -

May 28, 30 & June 4 & 6 at7:00 pm Dinner & Show - $25.00 - please arrive 1 hour before performance

May 31 & June 7 at 2:00 pm Show Only - $10.00

Please call Mitchell's to make reservations (434-292-4100) Limited seating is available.

Coming Soon to Blackstone - Arsenic and Old Lace

More to be posted soon - with dates and ticket information!

Marriage Renewal Retreat - Feb 13-15, 2009

MARRIAGE RENEWAL RETREAT

Let this Valentine's Day bring your marriage back to its honeymoon luster. Love never dies, it just needs to be polished.

Rainbow Arriving Workshop for Marriage Renewal will focus on understanding and practicing the powerful regenerative techniques of the wisdom teachings of east and west that can help you make your relationship workable for greater personal awareness of who you are as a joyous being. You will discover how the relationship of marriage can reveal to you the keys that will unlock the happiness you know is just beneath the surface of your love for each other. Those who practice wisdom together expand their wisdom together. Discover how your marriage can give birth to all you know you can be.

The workshops will include DVD intensives with world spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle and meditation master teacher Jack Kornfield. You will also learn an easy energizing stretching and breathing routine you can do together or separately to open portals of awareness within. And you will learn how to make the healing power of meditation portable so that you can transform stress in your life into opportunities of personal healing and rejuvenation.

"Can one workshop do all that?" you may ask. It can if you expect a rainbow to arrive in your life.

Retreat Location: Blackstone Yoga Center, Blackstone, VA
Lodging: The Grey Swan Inn Bed and Breakfast, Blackstone, VA

Planned itinerary:
Friday, February 13, 2008
2:00 pm - 6:30 pm Check-in & Workshop Registration
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Dinner (on your own)
7:00 - 9:00 pm 1st Workshop Session
9:00 pm Return to Inn/Free Time

Saturday, February 14, 2008
8:00 am Full Breakfast
9:30 -11:00 am 2nd Workshop Session
11:00 pm Free time & Lunch (on your own)
2:00 - 3:30 pm 3rd Workshop Session
3:30 - 7:00 pm Free Time/Dinner (on your own)
7:00 -9:00 pm 4th Workshop Session
9:00 pm Return to Inn/Free Time

Sunday, February 15, 2008
8:00 am Full Breakfast
9:30 - 11:00 am 5th Workshop Session
11:00 am Workshop Celebration at the Inn
12:00 pm Check-Out

The Retreat and lodging is available for up to 5 couples and will include a full breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings as well as beverages and snacks at the Inn. Rates for retreat and lodging from $398 (double bedded room), $420 (queen bedded room), and $465 (king suite). There will be a 3 couple minimum for the retreat.

Call The Grey Swan Inn Bed and Breakfast at 434-292-3199 for reservations and further information.

About the Retreat Facilitator:

Ed Conley, 72. is a photographer and yoga/meditation teacher in Blackstone, Virginia, where he lives with his wife, Tilly, a native of Blackstone. From the early 60's Ed was consumed by hunger for truth in in 1968 had a profound and life changing awakening through a connection with the world teacher Krishnamurti. In the 70's he found a direction for his journey through association with Alice Christensen, American Yoga Association, and Swami Muktananda of Siddha Yoga. Ed and his wife ran a meditation center for Siddha Yoga in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in the late 70s. Having settled in southside Virginia in the 80s, Ed began teaching yoga in Blackstone, but his practice had not matured yet and all of his interest turned to feature writing for the local paper, the Courier-Record, and photography, Leaving the newspaper in 1994 Ed devoted all his energies to building a photography studio. In 1986 a connection was made with Swami Satchidanada at Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia. And in 2005 during a visit to Yogaville that initial connection opened into a dynamic spiritual awakening that has transformed Ed's life and channeled all his energies into writing and teaching yoga/ meditation full time. Since then he has been writing daily on his spiritual blog, Wyde-Angle.com is working on a book of spiritual insights, and publishing articles in the Integral Yoga Magazi ne. Ed is currently designing workshops and yoga classes for the Thrive Health Center opening in 2009 in South Hill, Virginia, and teaching yoga classes at the community college. Ed's driving interest is to make the healing principles of yoga and meditation workable in our busy modern life. The vehicle for this teaching are the Rainbow Arriving Workshops that custom fit the teachings of yoga to specific populations. Contact Ed at byc@blackstoneyogacenter.com