Behind the scenes in House Key
The plan was to finish transplanting some saplings. We started the project yesterday and got one little tree successfully in the ground before a sudden afternoon storm rained us out. Should’ve only taken an hour to complete the job. But … Continued
A friend, who had been cleaning out old boxes in her parents’ house, came across this photograph of her great-grandfather’s former home, dated 1929. She rushed over to show it to me, asking if I could guess which house it … Continued
A Pride of Place: Rural Residences of Fauquier County, Virginia by Kimberly Prothro Williams My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book offers a good overview of Fauquier County historic homes and their architectural history. It is well-researched and laid … Continued
National Geographic just published new findings in an article called, “This Neanderthal Child Grew Up Just Like Us” that greatly inform what we know about growth patterns and lives of Neanderthals living over 49,000 years ago. The article that inspired … Continued
I knew House Key would be set on Wildcat Mountain the first time I rode its trails years ago. Rich in visual and historic detail, the air is permeated with a spiritual quality that elevates the soul. If the climb doesn’t take … Continued
Love this view of Great Run! It’s an oil on copper by Patty Rice that absolutely captures the essence of one my favorite spots described in House Key. Jordan first introduces us to it in Chapter Four, Jury of Peers: “We reached … Continued
We finally caught a break after twenty-some straight days of rain this spring. The landscape woke up from a stark and bleak sleep in an explosion of green. Once again, we’re enjoying meandering paths that are lush, vibrant and alive. Here’s a photo … Continued
Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending a lecture at the Art League, An Evening with John Singer Sargent, given by Richard Ormond, former Deputy Director of London’s National Portrait Gallery and author of multiple catalogue raisonnés. Not only distinguished as the … Continued
This is just the sort of book you’d expect to find in the library in House Key… A rare fore-edge painted book, such as the one shown in the video I shared on FaceBook in Cornell’s Rare Book and Manuscript Collection, … Continued
It’s been a while since I’ve added any news, but the truth is I hunkered down through the winter months and got a fair amount of writing and painting done. I knew I would have more to say once the … Continued
