Cooperative Living September 2017 - 3

InsideStory
At the tail-end
SEPTEMBER 2017
of an often-searing
summer, we arrive
finally at September,
the gateway to
seasonal change.
As this ninth month
of 2017 unfolds, we
know that cool, crisp
weather and blazing
autumn colors are just beyond
the horizon.
Autumn is a season of travel, rife
with fairs, festivals and celebrations of
community. This issue features our
autumn fairs and festivals section. Pages
12-14 detail the sprawling plethora of
attractions, entertainment, craft and
culinary exhibitions and events available
to Virginians this fall.
Autumn is also the time of the
state fair, an Old Dominion tradition
showcasing Virginia agriculture,
competitions, fair foods and rides at
The Meadow Event Park, birthplace of
Triple Crown champion Secretariat.
A feature on this year's Virginia State
Fair can be found on page 4.
Virginia is blessed with four welldefined
seasons, and autumn can be,
in its own way, the showiest season.
In a good year, fall colors attract viewers
to the mountains like nectar attracts
hummingbirds.
Two of Virginia's autumn-foliage
viewers became engaged to marry in a
magical moment that generated this
year's Cooperative Living Collegiate
Undergraduate Writing Award (for best
Virginia-specific essay), part of the
Virginia Outdoor Writers Association's
(VOWA) annual writing contest.
William Shakespeare wrote, " The
play's the thing, " and our 2017 contest
winner would play well on the stage.
The plot of this year's winning story
may not be what you would expect to
find in an outdoor-writing contest but
the story is, indeed, a winner in every
way. We congratulate Margaret Bunch
for her winning essay, " The Sentinel's
Autumn Day. "
Enjoy the season, enjoy the year, and
as always, thanks for reading your
electric-cooperative publication! 
- Bill Sherrod, Editor
www.co-opliving.com
Reader Photo: Judy Wilburn
OUR MISSION
To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to serve your energy needs;
how to use electricity safely and efficiently; and the people who define and enhance
the quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.
CONTENTS
15 Cover Story
A surprise marriage proposal against the breathtaking
backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the moment that
made for this year's Cooperative Living Collegiate
Undergraduate Writing Award-winning essay.
Cover photo by Laura Emery.
28 Crossroads
A sense of quiet community and history define this oncebustling,
now sleepy country crossroads in the southeastern
portion of Virginia.
32 Dining with Dan
Roving gourmet Dan Walker discovers that Kilmarnock's
Car Wash Café is a rub-a-dub delicious destination for those
seeking a unique and unusual way to enjoy a delectable
breakfast or lunch.
DEPARTMENTS
2 Viewpoint
4 Virginia State Fair
4 WhatzIt
5 History Mystery
6 Mailbag
8 Say Cheese
10 Happenings
Visit us online at:
www.co-opliving.com
12 Fall Festivals
18 Your Co-op News
26 Energy Sense
34 Commonwealth Kitchen
38 Classified Ads
40 Rural Living
Find us on:
Please recycle this magazine.
AAM audited
September 2017 | Cooperative Living | 1
Check out
the Fall
Festivals on
pages 12-14.
LAURA EMERY PHOTO
http://www.co-opliving.com http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living September 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living September 2017
