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April 19, 2023
Dear Friends,
It’s hard not to fall in love with Rockbridge County in the month of April: the redbud, the dogwood, the green blush of woodland hills. The whole landscape is a painting, and we live within it. It’s a good month to celebrate art, both created and found. Read on to discover what we found in our Boxerworld this month.
Yours for a thriving Earth,
Boxerwood Team
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What’s For Dessert Betts?
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Among the very few pieces still around, let’s look at one of Bob Munger’s simpler pieces. It hangs out on the barn immediately across from the pavilion. Time has dulled the words. Today, only a few sun-bleached vertebrae and 3 ribs might capture the passersby’s attention. And then there are the well-worn words….
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Boxerwood is made of many parts. It is made of trees, sun, soil, rain, and so on; but it is also made by the people who have imagined it and cared for it. Today, we’re asking for your support so that we can continue to fund the vital, revitalizing work done by two of our highly skilled garden caretakers.
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The PlayTrail is Boxerwood’s little gem. Every year hundreds of children and families enjoy the sound of the babbling brook, the shade of trees, the clanging of dishes in the mud kitchen and the joy of playing in nature. As one of the PlayTrail’s guardians, I like to add something new to wow the kids each year. This month, with a little help from our friends, we transformed a key element from our award-winning Christmas float into a musical instrument installation.
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We recently installed ten new garden benches, thanks to funding from the Rockbridge Community Health Foundation and Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital. Built by local artisans, the benches feature metal bases supporting naturally rot-resistant, locally harvested black locust wood. It’s one of the ways we’re striving to make the garden more accessible to all – come wander, rest, and set a spell.
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Plans for the fall Spectacle keep unfurling: we had our first build and launched a project blog. We secured puppeteers and musicians for our July camps (space still available, kids 9 - 14). And thanks to the hard work of Boxerwood educator Catherine Epstein and her LDMS Spectacle Drama Club (pictured above), we’ve got characters and wild ideas for a script!
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Friends of the late Devan Malore are hosting a day of outdoor art at Boxerwood on Earth Day, Saturday April 22, from 10 am - 4 pm. Free activities include outdoor yoga, a Woodland Art Walk, an art creation station, and a gallery of Devan's original works. His art will be available to purchase, and the proceeds benefit Boxerwood.
In case of rain, the event will be Sunday, April 23.
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Music in the Garden Returns
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The Late Night Stumblers will kick-off another beloved season of music and picnics on Friday, May 26. The 2023 season features eight concerts and runs until early September.
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PARTNER IN THE PICTURE:
Our Lifetime Supporters
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Last spring many of us gathered at Boxerwood to plant daffodil bulbs in honor of our late board president, Mike Yoemans. The planting site, which we’re calling “1,000 Shouts of Hope," bloomed gloriously for the first time this month. As an organization dedicated to Earth care, it is an honor to be a part of Mike's legacy and to remember his
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years of service with such beauty. We are grateful. We’re also grateful for the many others who also carry a bloom for Boxerwood in their hearts. This generosity comes forth through annual giving as well as bequest or other financial arrangement related to end of life planning.
When we learn a Boxerwood friend has remembered us in their will, we are humbled and delighted but we just wish we had known earlier so we could thank our donor. If you plan to name Boxerwood as a beneficiary of your estate, would you consider letting us know? In appreciation of your gift for the future, Boxerwood would like to honor you now as a Legacy Garden Member, which includes lifetime benefits.
Please contact Laurie Macrae, laurie@boxerwood.org, to learn more about planned giving opportunities.
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Boxerwood's mission is to educate and inspire people of all ages towards becoming environmentally responsible stewards of the Earth.
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