Author: Ol' Fuzz Face

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Farmhouse in a Food Oasis

It took her a long time to admit it, but now Blondie says, “We have a farmhouse in a food oasis.” No, she didn’t always hold that view. After all, from the kitchen window of the house of our dreams in Idaho, we literally could see the local Walmart from our kitchen window. In fact, we could also see Sam’s club, Albertsons, Winco Food, and Fred Meyer. We lived in a sea of nearby grocery stores. – Obtaining fresh food was no problem then.

What’s the Food Problem?

Here in Sperryville, life in the house of our realities is quite a different story. There are no nearby, conveniently located grocery stores. That’s the problem. Let’s talk about how we turned that problem upside down and came up with better ways to obtain, store, and use the food we enjoy here at Serendipity Farmhouse.

This map illustrates our problem. But it doesn’t reveal all the hidden details. For example, even though the Luray Walmart is only 19 miles away, we must negotiate Thornton Gap to get there. In the winter, it’s a treacherous drive.

And so it is with each of our four primary grocery store locations. There’s a long drive, and weather and traffic can make it a dangerous proposition. – Consequently, we can’t go food shopping like we used to in Idaho falls.

The extent of our problem became quite clear during our first winter in Serendipity Farmhouse. The winter of 2013-2014 brutally demonstrated that each of our four major grocery locations were not as accessible as we originally thought.

I tried to downplay the severity of the situation and explained to my dearest Blondie that things weren’t really as bad as she made them out to be. However, in January and February, I had to make multiple trips to Idaho and left her to fend for herself.

Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen

Upon my return, I was confronted by an always beautiful but ever so angry Miss Blondie. She had two things to say to me.

First, “Tell me again with a straight face, Fuzzy! Tell me how convenient grocery shopping is here!”

Second, “Fix it!!!!!”

What’s the Food Solution?

As with so many problems we’ve encountered in this, the house of our realties, we had to learn how to adapt to farmhouse living. In the 1920’s, how did the first residents of this house do things? Back then, there were no Walmart stores or big grocery chains. In fact, those folks probably didn’t even own a motor vehicle.

And that was the revelation. Instead of looking to Front Royal, Culpeper, Luray, or Warrenton, the first residents looked right here to Sperryville. How could we have missed the fact that we live in the midst of a wonderful agricultural area. Food of every type is bountiful. All we had to do was learn how to process, store, and use the food that’s all around.

That’s why we’re learning how to make food from scratch and plan meals using basic ingredients. The Serendipity Farmhouse blog is how we share with you what we’ve learned.

Now We Have a Farmhouse in a Food Oasis!

Over the next few weeks, we will introduce you to some of the local farms that provide a good portion of the food that makes it to our table. They provide fresh fruit and vegetables, beef, lamb, and dairy. Please join us and meet some of our neighbors.

The Most Important Food of All

Of course, we always keep in mind, “Man shall not live by bread alone …” And that is how we found that here in Rappahannock County we truly do live in a food oasis. That’s because here we also have the perfect place to be nourished by the Word of God.

food oasis
homemade salsa
Persnickety Pierre, Preserved Foods, Preserving, Recipe, SFH Food Talk & Recipes, Test Kitchen

Serendipity Farmhouse Homemade Salsa – Pierre’s Challenge

Why settle for second best when you can have your very own homemade salsa? Chef Blondie has known the answer to that question for years. In her Test Kitchen, she demands that you never, ever settle for second best. And that is why I challenged her to show me that she could devise a homemade salsa mix recipe that would satisfy the palate and bring joy to a family gathering.

homemade salsa

As you may remember in the post How to Make Serendipity Farmhouse Salsa Mix, Chef Blondie accepted my challenge. She allowed me to observe the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test Kitchen Staff in action. I recorded how they assembled and combined the ingredients for the salsa mix. Then, I observed the preparation and canning of the salsa. Finally on July 30th, I participated in the debut family taste test. – In all respects, Chef Blondie surpassed my expectations!

Making this Salsa Recipe Your Own

Dear Reader, it is up to you to make this recipe your own. If you enjoy salsa with chips, use it in taco salad, or combine it with any number of Tex-Mex recipes, then you should print this recipe and start using it right away.

Remember, this recipe is based on a mix of ingredients. You can change ingredient measurements to suit your individual tastes. That is what Chef Blondie has done. – If it worked for her, it certainly can work for you.

Please note that the recipe provided here contains four separate sets of instructions. The first set is the most important. It describes how to prepare the salsa itself using the Farmhouse Salsa Mix and a few other ingredients.

The next three sets of instructions explain three different ways of storing the salsa: in the refrigerator, in the freezer, and long-term storage by processing and canning. – The choice of methods is yours.

1. Level of the homemade salsa challenge

Because the Farmhouse Salsa Mix is already prepared and ready to go, the challenge on preparation day is minimal. Yes, you must scald, skin, core, and chop the tomatoes. And yes, you may have to mince some garlic, but these are but minor tasks.

2. Selection of good-quality salsa ingredients

It’s up to you to source good tomatoes. They can be fresh, frozen, or canned. In fact, when the Test Kitchen conducted this test, Chef Blondie used both fresh and frozen tomatoes.

homemade salsa

3. Use of cooking and canning techniques

The Test Kitchen Staff is renowned for their adherence to the best kitchen practices. Cleanliness and technique are the watchwords for all when they conduct a test. On this test day, the staff was doubly aware of their practices because they knew I, Persnickety Pierre, had my eye on them. – Their every move was the epitome of high culinary art.

4. Development of superior salsa taste and flavor

There is only one way to be sure that you have developed superior salsa taste and flavor – hold an open and honest taste test. And so, a taste test was held in the kitchen of Daughter #2. (You might recall that she received two Persnickety Pierre’s Paw of Excellence Awards – See the post here.) The official judges were Daughter #2 and Son-in-Law #2. I also tasted the salsa, but I recused myself because of my close association with the SFH Test Kitchen.

5. Presentation of homemade salsa & the judges’ decision

Immediately upon our arrival, Daughter #2 quickly set a tasting table. She was quite wise in using cup-shaped chips. They are perfect for getting just the right amount of salsa with each chip. – Then the kitchen went totally silent. The tasting had begun.

I dare not attempt to repeat the compliments or describe the sounds which happy tasting judges make when they encounter a salsa that truly matches their high expectations. Let me merely state two things. First neither official judge had anything but praise for the salsa. Next, when Chef Blondie said the she would take the salsa jar and remaining contents home with her, both of the judges quickly and quite adamantly said that the salsa would stay with them.

So, there you have it! Chef Blondie accepted my challenge. And because she did, two happy tasting judges, the entire SFH TK Staff, and I, Pierre LeChat, are much happier people now.

Why settle for second best when you can have your very own homemade salsa? In the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen, we never, ever settle for second best. This salsa shows what can be done when you follow that rule.
be prepared
Be Prepared, Ol' Fuzz Face, SFH Lessons Learned

Lifelines to Clotheslines – The Right Fix

From lifelines to clotheslines things can go wrong – strive to be prepared with the right fix. We here at Serendipity Farmhouse continue to learn that any day can be a bad day if you haven’t used forethought and built preparedness into your plans. – This week we had another example of why this is so true.

Hi! Ol’ Fuzz Face here – Let’s talk preparedness.

be prepared

In my post No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare I waxed eloquently about ‘lifeline functions’. I made some good points, but I didn’t really get into practical solutions.

Likewise, in my post How to Prepare – Graceful Degradation I probably left you scratching your head with my use of terms like ‘upgradation’ and ‘graceful degradation‘.

The Right Fix – A Practical Example

Last Wednesday, our dryer died. My dearest Blondie could wash clothes as usual, but she needed a way to dry them. – No problem! – We had the right fix! We went into our graceful degradation mode. Just like the first residents of our nearly 100-year-old farmhouse, we merely had to hang the clothes out to dry on our clotheslines.

be prepared
Blondie hanging the wash out to dry.

The loss of our dryer is temporary, it should be repaired this coming week. But the ability to use our clothesline is permanent. Should the dryer fail again or if there is a major lifeline power outage, we just gracefully degrade to our backup mode.

Cost Factors – The Right Fix

You may have had better experiences than we have. Our recent experiences have caused us to reconsider our strategy for home repair preparedness. Here’s what we’ve observed.

  • Major appliance repair costs have risen greatly.
  • Home warranty and appliance warranty service companies have become far less responsive, especially since COVID.

Our home warranty service used to pay for itself almost every year. But service degraded so badly that we had to drop it. Other warranty plans are expensive. For example, Sears Appliance plan starts at $49.99 per month ($599.88 per year).

Now, we act as our own home warranty plan. We put away $50.00 each month and don’t touch it until a need arises. – This works well, and for us it is the right fix.

Clotheslines – Right Fix vs. Wrong Fix

Even when you have a good preparedness backup plan, there may be some bumps in the road. For example, on the second day of using the clothesline, it broke.

The Wrong Fix: A number of repair options were open to us. It was our job to determine which was the best. One option was to use a clothespin to hold the broken clothesline together. – This was obviously a wrong fix.

be prepared

The Right Fix: A square knot is not the best for joining two lines together. But, if you don’t have the needed length of line for a better knot, the square knot will do in a pinch. – In this case I used a square knot so my dear Blondie could dry the clothes. – It worked and it was the right fix.

My point is this. Use forethought and build preparedness into your plans. Be prepared to change your plans when conditions and circumstances dictate. Always be prepared to improvise and select the right fix.

feast of Saint Benedict; May the Holy Cross be my light!
Faith, Family, & Country

May the Holy Cross be my light!

On this feast of Saint Benedict, we here at Serendipity Farmhouse are meditating on the Latin prayer that begins “Crux sacra sit mihi lux!” – May the holy cross be my light! In so many ways it reflects our life as Oblates of St. Benedict. – If the Holy Cross is our light, we will never live in darkness.

Living by the Rule of Saint Benedict

When we founded this blog five years ago, we made our original Dedication to Our Patrons – St. Scholastica & St. Benedict. From time-to-time, we have provided excerpts from the Rule of St. Benedict to show how we apply the Rule in our daily lives at SFH. We provide one example in our post St. Benedict of Nursia – July 11.

A simple prayer for the feast of St. Bendict

You can carry this prayer with you always, if you wear the Medal of St. Benedict. The initial letters for the prayer are on the back of the medal. They are inscribed in the vertical (CSSML) and horizontal (NDSMD) members of the cross.

The full form of the prayer: Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Nunquam draco sit mihi dux! – May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide!

A little background on our Benedictine way of life

The feast of St. Benedict is an important day at SFH. It reminds us of the peace and stability that can be found living according to the Rule of St. Benedict. We have been Oblates since 1980. Since then, we have been associated with the Oblates of Conception Abbey, located in Conception, MO.

We owe special thanks to the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Peace in Rutherfordton, NC. They have supported us so many times with their prayers.

You can learn more about The Medal of Saint Benedict here.

PAX

Baby Back Ribs
Main Dishes, Ol' Fuzz Face, Recipe, SFH Food Talk & Recipes, Test Kitchen, Traditions

Back Porch Baby Back BBQ

What could be better than baby back ribs for the 4th of July? Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, the answer is nothing could be better. For eight years, we’ve used our special back porch baby back rib recipe. We’ve enjoyed it, refined it, and perfected it.

Whether it be for honored guests, for close family, or just for Blondie and me, this recipe has never failed. And today, I’m going to share our family tradition with you.

Let’s Get Cooking!

Okay. I’ve donned my official SFH Test Kitchen Chef’s apron. I’m ready to go out onto the back porch. It’s hot and humid out there! (After all, this is Virginia in July.) But I’m not worried about that. Nope! – With the exception of little bit of up-front tender loving care, I won’t be out on that hot deck for long.

Allow me to lay out for you our baby back rib BBQ cooking secrets using Persnickety Pierre’s Criteria of Excellence.

1. Level of the challenge

We originally came across the basic recipe for Foolproof Baby Back Ribs at Food.com. It worked well for us, but we soon realized tweaks and changes were in order. We had a good recipe in hand. Our challenge was to make it better.

A large part of our testing would be focused on documenting the proper cooking temperatures. That’s because the original recipe was not specific. – If the goal is to have a good recipe that’s repeatable, it’s necessary to eliminate as many variables as possible. Temperature is a tremendously important variable. So, our big challenge was determining and documenting the cooking temperatures that would bring about consistent results.

2. Selection of good-quality ingredients – It’s the Baby Back Ribs

Our Test Kitchen staff emphasizes that proper sourcing of the baby back ribs is critical. We’ve found that the ribs sold at Sam’s Club are consistently high in quality and they are affordable. – Make sure you shop around and get the best in quality and price.

3. Use of cooking techniques

Earlier, I talked about not being concerned about the heat on the deck. That’s because the first steps in cooking the ribs are minimal. The ribs will spend an hour cooking, and they should remain covered. All you need to do is check the temperature of your covered grill periodically (Every 10 to 15 minutes).

When you preheat the grill, try to get to 450℉. Once the ribs are on the upper rack of the grill and the cover is in place, let the temperature drop to about 350℉. That’s where the temperature should remain for the entire first hour.

Note 1: Suppose it’s a rainy day or a blizzard is heading your way. This recipe can be adapted for use in your kitchen oven.

Note 2: If you want to cook some corn on the cob like we did, feel free to open the cover and quickly place the corn on the lower rack. When you do the periodic temperature checks, quickly turn over the corn and close the lid immediately.

Except for a few temperature checks, you can vacate the hot deck and seek out a cool place to relax.

For sweet Wife and me, that means it’s time to enjoy the SFH signature drink – The Serendipity Cocktail! (See: French Cuisine & GRITS)

4. Development of superior taste and flavor

Pay attention to the spices you choose for the rub. For example, my dear, sweet Blondie has trouble with some types of garlic powder. To avoid this problem, we have substituted onion powder in the rub. – Voila! That solved Blondie’s problem and good flavor is retained.

Consider the personal tastes of your guests and their dietary preferences. Be prepared to modify the ingredients for the rub accordingly.

5. Presentation of the Baby Back Ribs

Remember, this is a 4th of July or other summer holiday meal. Presentation is not the primary concern. However, keep a large supply of paper napkins or paper towels nearby.

Happy cooking!

What could be better than baby back ribs for the 4th of July? Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, the answer is nothing could be better. For eight years, we've used our special back porch baby back rib recipe. We've enjoyed it, refined it, and perfected it. - Whether it be for honored guests, for close family, or just for Blondie and me, this recipe has never failed.

Father
Faith, Family, & Country

My Father’s Secrets

What do I know about my father’s secrets? I lived with him for 17 years and we had many a long talk. But they weren’t just long talks, they were much more than that. Dad was a storyteller. His stories transported me to far off places in Europe, Asia, and South America. Yet, with all of that, there remained stories that went untold. – For decades now, I have wondered if I didn’t ask him the right questions, or if these untold stories were my father’s secrets?

My Father – What I know and what I don’t.

In the early 1950s, Dad traveled to Peru for a big engineering job. Although he didn’t say it, while in Peru, he traveled from one end of the country to the other. That’s because the pictures and artifacts he brought back add more to his story.

For example, I still have an ashtray he gave me from the Chimu Hotel in the town of Chimbote. The picture you see here is Dad standing in front of a fishing boat and several reed boats (caballitos de totora). The location probably was on the Pacific coast near Huanchaco, Peru, northwest of Chimbote.

The problem for me, however, is for all I know about Dad’s time in Peru, there is so much I more don’t know. I never asked the question, and he never ventured to tell the story. The same can be said about so many periods in his life. Perhaps there wasn’t enough time to tell the story, or perhaps he thought there was no need for me to know.

Other Fathers and Their Stories

Just yesterday, my beautiful Wife and I told a story to one of our grandson’s. It was a story about his dad, our son. It is a story that we treasure and have recalled many times since the 1980s when it happened. Our son, though very young, met and talked with the Papal Nuncio. In fact, he even gave the Papal Nuncio a letter for the Pope. Sometime later, the Papal Nuncio sent a letter to our son telling him that he was in the prayers of the Pope.

The point is our son had not kept this a secret. He had merely never told the story. And which of his children would ever think to ask such a question? – Sometimes a father’s secrets are unintentional.

My Own Secrets

Not all fathers started out as good men. Many of us fathers are still working at becoming good men. In that sense, we don’t want our children to be the men we were. As father’s, our job is to strive to teach our children how to become the men we would want to be.

Like my father, I have become a storyteller. Many of my stories fictionalize real events from my younger years. Sometimes, I tend to embellish the stories with colorful and incredible details. Believe me, I have told a lot of whoppers along the way. Nevertheless, it’s important to tell these stories. This is because my children and grandchildren might not think of asking me the question. Yet years from now, they might wish they had.

But since I was the man I was, there are some stories that I need not tell. And just as it was with my father, that’s okay. My job is not to discourage or dishearten. Rather, my job is to strive to teach my children and grandchildren how to become like the man I would want to be.

What Man would I want to be?

So, thinking about all the joy I experienced this Father’s Day, perhaps it’s time answer the question for my dad, and for my son, and for myself. What man, what father, what father without secrets would I want to be? – – – See for yourself.

father's secrets
Be Prepared, Farmhouse Living

How to Prepare – Graceful Degradation

Sometimes, words get in the way when explaining how to prepare for whatever might come. Our recent post No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare could have been read in many different ways. Based on the questions we’ve received, we learned that each of our readers understood what we had to say. But they understood what we said in their own individual way.

So, in keeping with our promise, here is the first in the series of posts explaining what we do to ensure lifeline functions resilience. We will try to keep the concepts simple. You will learn why it’s much easier than you may think.

Why Prepare? – Bad things happen.

How to prepare for a flood

The flooding of our vast 1.203-acre estate in September 2018 opened our eyes to one of the realities we face here at Serendipity Farmhouse. But, as you can read in our post Monte’s Bug Out Buggy to the Rescue, we had a plan and the plan worked.

Likewise, when the lights went out and the phone went dead this May, we were not overly distressed or inconvenienced. We had plans and the plans worked. (See No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare for details.)

How to prepare for loss of power and communications

Be Prepared – It’s Nothing New

How to prepare - Be prepared

Here’s a picture of yours truly during his scouting days in 1962. The red circle shows that I was a Second Class at the time. The badge of rank declares the motto “Be Prepared”.

When you study the origins of that motto, you find a scout must be prepared to do his duty. – That is, my duty to God, my wife, my children, and my country. And my duty dictates that Serendipity Farmhouse must be prepared.

How To Prepare – Understand Upgradation

Our farmhouse came into being sometime around 1927. Our historical research indicates it was originally a very simple structure. It did not have indoor plumbing. The first tenants used coal and wood to heat the house. Of course, it did not have electricity. – Despite all that, many people called it home.

Each family left its mark. Electricity probably came during the mid-1930s. Someone added plumbing to the kitchen. – And so, it went. Now, Serendipity has a host of modern upgrades. Let’s call that process ‘upgradation’.

Serendipity Farmhouse doesn’t grow older with time – it grows better!

How To Prepare – Graceful Degradation

Many people we know love to go camping. They enjoy heading to the woods or the mountains just to get away from the rat race and the distractions of modern life. In a sense, they voluntarily live without some modern conveniences. Sometimes, they say they want to learn how to live like their grandparents lived. In their minds, they have what they need, and they enjoy their voluntary graceful degradation.

Even though Serendipity Farmhouse is situated on a floodplain, it still stands. SFH has never surrendered to the elements. And it has served its tenants well for nearly 100 years. It provided shelter and stability for families well before any modern upgrades were ever made. Thus, it only stands to reason that the best way to prepare for a breakdown in lifeline functions in the 2020s, is to learn how to live in this house the way the first residents did in the 1920s. If it worked for them, it will work for us.

Following posts in this series, will show you some of the things we’ve learned. You will see why we rest easy at night. No, we aren’t prepared for every possible disaster. But we know now that our grandparents didn’t have to live with the pesky distractions of modern life. We also know that the Scout motto “Be Prepared” is for us a most welcomed duty.

How To Prepare – Just One More Thing

The SFH motto is Pray, Prepare, Preserve. When you ask us how to prepare, we also have to let you know that our plan is not just about physical welfare. So, as we discuss material graceful degradation, we will occasionally provide details on something we call spiritual grace-filled degradation. – That is what completes our plan on how to prepare.

Pray always and God bless!

Sperryville
Farmhouse History, Farmhouse Living

Why Do We Live in Sperryville?

“Why do we live in Sperryville?” – That’s a question we’ve been asked quite often. In fact, it’s a question we ask ourselves from time-to-time. Why would we want to abandon our grand view of the majestic Snake River Plain and the mountains beyond? What was there in Virginia, especially in a remote place like Rappahannock County, that would cause us to leave our large, modern home in Idaho and move here? – Let’s see if we can unravel this counterintuitive tale and provide a satisfactory answer.

farmhouse history

Hi! Ol’ Fuzz Face here.

Well, you might not have guessed it, because this the first time I’ve ever done this. How would you know it’s Farmhouse History Time? But here we are together, so let’s make this an opportunity for us to have a little chat about our move to Serendipity Farmhouse.

Over the coming months, this will be our time together to answer your questions over a cup of coffee or tea. I’m so fascinated by your questions because they almost always end with: “What were you thinking?” – Answering that question always is the lead-in to an interesting story.

A Partial Answer

If you’re impatient and just want a quick and simple answer to the question posed today, just go and read How it all began – What were we thinking? But there’s a whole lot more to it than what we said in that post. So, let’s go back and look at a couple of things.

Idaho – The Beautiful, Beautiful Mountains & Rivers

I could easily post a thousand pictures of the mountains and national parks in Idaho and Wyoming. The pictures of sunsets taken from our deck would leave you silent in awe. The mountains states are God’s country, especially where we lived. Take a look at us in places that were no more than just a short drive from our home.

Most people know the Tetons from pictures taken in Wyoming. But my dear Miss Blondie couldn’t help but being entranced by views like this from the Idaho Side.

By the way, this was pretty much the same view I had during my 15-minute commute home from work each day.

Few tourists know of the entrances to Yellowstone Park from the Idaho side. But my beautiful Spouse and I liked to explore and find places like Cave Falls. What could be better than this in Sperryville?

The Kitchen of Our Dreams

We frequently say that in Idaho we had the house of our dreams. But Serendipity Farmhouse is the house of our realities. Here we can see Chef Blondie wishing a fond farewell to the kitchen of her dreams.

How could an old farmhouse kitchen in Sperryville ever match this?

Wonderful Dreams vs. Amazing Realities

If you read our post How it all began – What were we thinking?, you know that we missed our children. Even more, we were deeply distraught that we were missing time with our grandchildren, who were growing older without us there to share with them. – Although we loved it, our house in Idaho wasn’t really our home.

Why we live here

Look at this picture a second time. It shows Sperryville as seen from Tunnel Parking Overlook on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. From an elevation of 2,510 feet, off in the distance, at the base of Turkey Mountain, you might be able to see a small section of Sperryville. If you squint, you might even see a small farmhouse there too.

Now if you are deeply perceptive, and if you’ve been following my tale closely, you will notice that there is something quite conspicuously absent from this picture. Yes, something very important that most certainly should be there is missing. – What might that be?

What was missing from our Picture of Sperryville?

We were!! – But not any longer. Because this is now the home of our realities.

Farmhouse nightmare
Farmhouse Living, Pray, Prepare, Preserve, Rappahannock Neighbors

No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare

Wednesday morning, fire destroyed a Sperryville auto shop and nearby utility lines; it could have caused a Serendipity Farmhouse nightmare. But, due to practical planning and a small measure of serendipity, it didn’t.

According to the Rappahannock News story Explosions, fire destroy Sperryville auto shop:

A local auto shop in Sperryville was razed early Wednesday morning after catching fire and exploding, downing power lines and leaving more than 300 homes in the area without electricity.

The article explains that the incident occurred just before 5 AM. That was about when I had just finished my prayer time and was eating breakfast. I had heard some strange sounds outside and noticed the lights flickering. Then the Internet went dead and my telephone flashed, saying that I should check the line.

Something was going on. Soon the sound of sirens confirmed that a serious event had happened near Serendipity Farmhouse. It was only hours later that I would have the opportunity to assess the nature of this critical infrastructure event.

Critical Infrastructure Security

I suspect that very few of you have read A Guide to Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). – – Why would you?

That publication lists the 16 Current U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sectors. It also notes that there are four designated lifeline functions – transportation, water, energy, and
communications. The crucial assertion by this CISA publication is:

These connections and interdependencies between infrastructure elements and sectors mean that the loss of one or more lifeline function(s) typically has an immediate impact on the operation or mission in multiple sectors. [My emphasis added.]

Preliminary Lifeline Functions Assessment

Here is the event scene as it looked at 3 PM. The auto repair shop was totally destroyed. Most of the fire crews had departed. Apparently, Rappahannock Electric Company had already completed their on-site work. Power had been restored.

Multiple Verizon trucks had arrived, and workers were repairing telephone lines.

Xfinity technicians were performing repairs on Internet, TV cable, and digital phone lines.

Transportation

Did the fire have an impact on transportation?

At 5:12 AM, The Rappahannock County Fire & Rescue Department reported: “Crews are working to extinguish a commercial structure fire in Sperryville. Please avoid the immediate town of Sperryville due to multiple exposures and dangerous conditions.”

Additionally, Son’s Road and Water Street were closed to through traffic. – This had some impact on Serendipity Farmhouse.

Energy

Did the fire have an impact on energy?

According to the Rappahannock News, over 300 homes in the area lost electric power. Owing to a bit of serendipity, electric power is fed to Serendipity Farmhouse via a different distribution circuit than feeds the central portion of Sperryville. But for those 300+ families, there was great concern and inconvenience.

Water

Did the fire have an impact on water?

For the 300+ families without power, this was most certainly a big problem. Almost everyone in Sperryville gets their water from wells using electric pumps. No electricity means no water. No water for drinking, cooking, washing, or flushing.

Communications

Did the fire have an impact on communications?

As I noted earlier, Serendipity Farmhouse lost Xfinity/Comcast Internet access, cable, and telephone just before 5 AM. But Xfinity/Comcast users were not the only ones impacted. Verizon telephone lines are on the same utility poles as the electric and cable lines. This meant that, with the exception of mobile cell service, Sperryville was without communications.

Consider the implications of this 11:47 AM report from Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office: “Rappahannock County Public Safety Communication Center 911 lines are back up and operating. For non-emergency calls please dial 540-522-7355. Administrative lines remain down.“

Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan

What do we do at Serendipity Farmhouse when the lights go out? – In the words of my most wonderful wife Blondie – “Panic!!”

But she and I know that after we allow ourselves a brief moment of panic and dread, we immediately set about implementing our Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan.

At Serendipity Farmhouse, we don’t live off-grid. And, as you can see by Wednesday’s fire, we are dependent on critical infrastructure. But because of thoughtful planning, there is no need for this type of event to become a farmhouse nightmare. Although we’re not homesteaders, preppers, or survivalists, we live a practical life. And we adhere to a commonsense motto that allows us to enjoy a good night’s sleep. That motto, of course, is Pray, Prepare, Preserve. That motto motivates us to prepare for events like this.

We know what the four lifeline functions are. We understand what loss of those functions means. So, we have developed a plan to build resilience into the way we run Serendipity Farmhouse. CISA defines resilience as:

Resilience may be defined as the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions. This means being able to withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions, deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally-occurring threats or incidents.

Over the next few months, Blondie and I will show you what we do to ensure lifeline functions resilience. You will learn why, here at the vast 1.203-acre estate known as Serendipity Farmhouse, there is no need to have a farmhouse nightmare.

Sperryville is our community, the place where we live. Wednesday’s fire was destructive and tragic. Our prayers go out to Andrew Manuel, the owner of Wrextorations. You can donate to Wrextorations here.

Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor
Farmhouse Living, Test Kitchen

That Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

Saturday, we had our first springtime dinner on the deck. We seasoned our dinner with that unique Serendipity Farmhouse flavor. And just what might that unique farmhouse flavor be? Well, let’s find out.

Serendipity Farmhouse Springtime Opera

Don’t be fooled by the word Opera. For us, it has nothing to do with singing. Rather, it has to do with numerous labors and works. Often, these opera combine in a way that give us a taste of that Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor.

It’s Spring! There’s so much to do here on our vast 1.203-acre estate. This is not a time to sit back and rest. We’re in the midst of planting vegetables in our three gardens. The grass is growing, and the lawns must be mowed. The deck needs to be stained. The outdoor chores are multiplying and consume our day.

Meanwhile, the highly trained staff of the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test Kitchen is working overtime. They are laboring feverishly to complete a huge list of important recipe test-and-evaluations. Our new stove “Mr. Clyde” hasn’t had a moment’s rest.

Farmhouse Hospitality

Just about the time we had thrown up our hands and said we can’t handle one more thing, a new email appeared on my screen. The title says it all. – “So hungry” –

Yikes! In less than two days, an important guest will arrive at SFH and share dinner with us. – I quickly, but carefully (surprises of this sort are not always welcomed) informed my beautiful Spouse Blondie of this sudden change in plans. Together, we consulted our usually, highly comprehensive menu to see what we had planned for Saturday.

Oops! We soon found that our usually, highly comprehensive menu entry was not as comprehensive as it should have been. – We have found two important truths in menu making:

  • 1st: When in doubt, adding TBD (to be determined) to a blank meal space is an easy way to cop out when you entirely lack any culinary inspiration.
  • 2nd: TBD doesn’t taste very good, and you shouldn’t serve it to special guests. This is a most serious breach of farmhouse hospitality.

Benedictine Hospitality

I immediately rounded up the entire SFH Test Kitchen staff. We all gathered together and listened as Chef Blondie explained the reason for this emergency session. As is usual in a situation like this, we opened up the absolute best reference manual ever written to restore peace and purpose to our Test Kitchen.

As you may or may not remember, we are Benedictine Oblates. (See: Dedication to Our Patrons – St. Scholastica & St. Benedict.) Consequently, the Rule of St. Benedict is our standard reference manual and guide. So, when we have a Test Kitchen or hospitality crisis, we immediately refer to Chapter 53: The Reception of Guests.

We zeroed in on two points from Chapter 53 that would solve the problem at hand.

  • 1 – All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35). 
  • 18 – Additional help should be available when needed, so that they can perform this service without grumbling.

That was it! We had a plan! We would welcome the guest with the best of whatever we could offer. Blondie, Pierre LeChat, Mr. Monte, and I assumed our battle stations. We did this without grumbling. This was a task of Benedictine Pax (peace) and joy.

Menu with That Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

Under Chef Blondie’s watchful eye, the Test Kitchen staff planned the venue and menu for the evening of Saturday, April 29th. It reflects the spirit of Chapter 53 and the Benedictine spirit of hospitality.

Venue

We would hold our dinner outdoors on the deck. It would be informal.

Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

I stained the Serendipity Farmhouse deck on Wednesday. Blondie cleaned and positioned the deck furniture in the most elegant and attractive manner. Then, she prepared the porch to be the main serving center. We tirelessly cleaned and re-cleaned the entire area several times. There was not a single stray maple seed to be seen. – It was ready!

Menu

We decided to prepare dinner primarily from ingredients we had on hand. Most importantly, we elected to serve items we had made from scratch or obtained locally.

Appetizer: Small Charcuterie Board

  • Gruyère Cheese, Extra-Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, SFH Homemade Chèvre
  • Mozzarella wrapped in Prosciutto.
  • Marcona Almonds
  • Assorted Crackers

Salad: Simple tossed salad, highlighted with Red and Green Romaine picked from SFH Vegetable Garden #1

Entrée: Lasagna with Meat Sauce – We used locally raised, grass-fed grass-finished beef from Reality Farm. The Parsley was picked from SFH Herb Garden #1.

Bread: Freshly baked SFH Sourdough Artisan Bread. Although the SFH Test Kitchen is still testing this recipe, the Staff felt confident that we were ready for our most recent recipe to make its debut. We would serve the bread with our special homemade butter.

Beverages: Assorted – The featured wine was a 2020 Vin de Miason from our favorite local Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery.

Dessert: Chocolate and Walnut Covered Brownies

Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor is for Every Day

And there you have it. Farmhouse living the Serendipity way has its own unique farmhouse flavor. The Serendipity way prompts us to grow our own food. It guides us in how we prepare our food. We season that farmhouse flavor with locally grown meat and dairy items. And when there is need for a toast, we make that toast with an excellent local wine.

But the most important ingredient we add to that unique Serendipity Farmhouse flavor is our Benedictine Farmhouse Hospitality. That is the secret ingredient we share with every guest who visits Serendipity Farmhouse.