July 21, 2026
Column
Blessed Assurance – Underestimation
Ihave recently been involved in some car care issues and have had to have “estimates” performed for the work that needed to be accomplished. This is often a harrowing process on a car with 200,000+ miles on it. The estimates for one piece of the work led to estimates for the next broken or worn-out part.
Blessed Assurance – Engaged
It is wedding season once again. In fact, according to one source, 76% of all weddings in the U.S. take place between May and October every year. I am currently engaged to officiate four weddings over the next year, and they all fall in that time frame. People are once again getting engaged and married after a hiatus during and for a couple of years after COVID. It is good to see that people are finding love and are being led to commit to another person – it’s good for them and it’s good for society.
Thoughts from the Crossroads – San Francisco
Dear Readers, Rick and I visited California recently, and really enjoyed our time there.
Roadside History – Three Notch’d Road
Once upon a time there was an old Colonial road in Virginia called Three Notch’d Road; sometimes Three Chopt Road. Its route followed an 18th century trail between Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley, most likely replacing an earlier pathway used by Native Americans. The road became a mainstay for east-west settlement patterns in Central Virginia from approximately 1730 onward. By the time of the Revolution its use as a major travel route was a well-established Colonial asset as the war came to a close. Later years saw its roadbeds improved, paved, straightened and shaped for U.S. Route 250 today. Regardless, the name and trace of the old colonial road have survived west of Richmond and on U.S. Geological Survey maps. Interstate-64 mostly followed the same path except for a diversion crossing the Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap instead of Jarman Gap. Nevertheless, the route of the Three Notch’d Road remains virtually intact and in service from Henrico County through Central Virginia and Charlottesville to Augusta County west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Thoughts from the Crossroads – Two Lafayettes
Today’s column is keeping in theme with America’s 250th birthday, but also in honor of the federal holiday Juneteenth. I’m writing about James Armistead Lafayette - a Revolutionary War Patriot. James was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation owned by William Armistead. He eventually met the Marquis de Lafayette (the exact details of which are lost to history, but presumably through James’ owner) and the two formed a unique and lifelong friendship. Thanks in large part to this friendship, James had an extraordinary life.
Blessed Assurance – To the victor
In 1828, New York Senator William L. Marcy uttered a phrase that described what he saw going on with political cronyism and nepotism leading to a small number of people benefiting from this unhealthy and unethical behavior. He said, “to the victor belong the spoils”. In his day and ours, the victors of any contest do not only win that contest, but they gain even more from contract bonuses and endorsement deals worth more than the winnings from the actual event. Likewise, we see small numbers of people benefiting from preferential treatment in contracting and in some political appointments. Insider trading, backroom deals, lobbying, dark money payments to political candidates are all bets by the givers that if they are victorious then they will reap far more than they have sowed.
Letters from Dogwood – Loving a new old dog
O urs has been a family of three for quite some time. 0ur ancient calico cat Patches— She Who Tries to Trip Me as I Walk—is that noisome third, her demanding early morning yowling sufficient to make us get up.
Blessed Assurance – Pursuit of excellence
In my considered opinion, most people in the world want to do things as well as they can. We all pursue excellence as a rule; we just sometimes come up a bit short in the execution. Afterall, we all have different gifts and things that we are good at doing, but some folks have the deep drive as well as innate talent to do something excellently.
Thoughts from the Crossroads – Poplar Forest
Dear Readers, for many years I’ve wanted to visit Poplar Forest, down near Lynchburg. For one reason or another it never happened. Well, thanks to a little extra push from America’s 250th anniversary, I finally made it there! It was a wonderful visit. Here’s the story.