Bluemont Fair: Ritual of Late Summer

One of the rituals that helps usher in fall in Loudoun County is going to the Bluemont Fair, a good old-fashioned country fair that shows off area handicrafts, baked goods, music, livestock, and wines. My husband and I go every year to mill around with thousands of others who stroll through the tiny town, eating and enjoying the day. And this year we brought our friend, David, who needed a break from the crazy pace of DC.

"Wow!!!" he wrote in a thank you note, "What a perfect afternoon. Trying to describe it to my wife it almost seemed surreal -- as if we had been transported back in time. Gravel roads. Country homes. Artisans. Hand-cranked organs. General store. Fresh baked goods from non-state approved kitchens . . . I almost didn't want to return to the beltway again -- ever." I think that's the kind of hold that real places can have on a soul.