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Thistledown Puppets provided lots of laughter and an entertaining performance to the classes at L'il Scholars Preschool on Thursday morning, November 19. Philip Hatter is both the creator and puppeteer of Thistledown puppets. The preschool is located in Fincastle Baptist Church and Jennifer Aylor is the director.

The children filed into the room excitedly noting the puppet stand in the front which contained a lion, a couple of goats, a one eyed frog, a monkey, a scruffy calico cat, a bull, a pig, a rooster, and Ebenezer Scrooge.

Hatter described how his Bull puppet show has now traveled to England and he is making puppets for people all over the world. "We actually went to Europe this year," he said about the travels with his puppets. He is making 11 more puppet Bull shows to be played in Europe. He has a comic style book published  called a "Bunch of Bull." Its all about a bull who wants to be an intellectual in a city and leave the farm far behind. Thus the puppet show follows the travails of the Bull in his quest to be an intellectual.

He did a brief story line with each of his puppets even displaying the foam he formed for a new puppet. The favorites seemed to be Ebenezer Scrooge and the "goat" of Jacob Marley. The children were delighted. The Rooster sang a morning song to the tune of "Ode to Joy" and ended with a big "Cock -A-Doodle Do!'

Each child had the chance to try on a puppet. "The monkey puppet was my first puppet-my brother and I each had one growing up and used to play with them," said Hatter. He also showed the children a book about the late Jim Henson maker of the Muppets, who was an inspiration to him.

For more information on Thistledown puppets go to thistledownpuppets.com

Christmas is coming!

Virginia Mountain Vineyards Holiday Open House
Saturday, Dec 4 & Sunday Dec 5; 1-5PM
Live Holiday Music
Hors d'oeuvres
Grape vine wreath making
Great Holiday wine and gift accessories
540-473-2979
www.vmvines.com

6th grade band students at Read Mountain Middle school held their first band concert on Tuesday, November 16.  The students, under the direction of Mr. Jamie Lawson, played 11 different songs, closing their show with Jingle Bells.  This is the first performance by these middle school students, and they did an outstanding job.  (As reported by unbiased parents and family members in attendance.)

Submitted by Heather Simmons, Read Mountain Middle School.

Mill Mountain Theatre has announced the complete cast of "Annie Jr.," a production of the beloved musical with the familiar roles filled by 35 students, ranging ages 6 to 18, from schools all over the Roanoke and New River valleys. The play will be performed Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 17-20 on the Trinkle Main Stage in Center in the Square. Tickets $10-$12.

Cast members from Botetourt County are: Olivia Goodman (Breckinridge Elementary), Josie Wiegandt (Greenfield Elementary), Max Cassell (Lord Botetourt), Miranda Newman (Lord Botetourt)

Arts writer Mike Allen has more details, and the full cast list, on his Arts & Extras blog.

Twilight In Buchanan Tree Lighting
Please, help us fill Main Street Buchanan on Saturday, November 28th at
7:00PM.
Join us as we kick off the Christmas Season by lighting the Buchanan
Town Christmas Tree.

Rediscover an old fashioned Christmas in Downtown Buchanan.
Saturday, November 28th at 7:00PM
Town of Buchanan Christmas Tree Lighting
Help us make this the best year to date.

FREE REFRESHMENTS
OFFERED BY THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9:00PM!

“Rediscover an Olde Fashioned Christmas!” For more than six decades hundreds have returned to lined Buchanan’s Main Street cheering floats, marching units and bands as they announce the arrival of the Christmas Season. This year’s parade features the award winning James River High School Marching Band, a Scottish Bagpipe Band known as War Pipe, dozens of marching units and floats prepared by area churches and civic organizations as well as antique autos, clowns and horses and our most honored guest, old St. Nick. The Parade will begin its way down Main Street at 4PM. To enter call the Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program at 254-1212.

Students carrying out toys for Social Services last Christmas.

Central Academy Middle School has started it's annual Toys for Bote "tots" toy dirve. Last year the school collected 678 toys. All toys are distributed through Botetourt County Social Services to children in Botetourt County. Any new, unwrapped toy would be appreciated. Toys can be dropped off at the school, Fincastle library, Dollar General store in Fincastle and Country Cookin in Troutville. The toy drive will go through Dec. 15th. Contact the school for more information 473-8333

--Nellie Ward

An Evening with Cast ‘N Brass
Sunday, December 20, 2009
7:00 p.m.
St. Mark's United Methodist Church
T.A.M.E. (That All Might Eat) will be collecting canned food items at the door to help those in need during the holiday season and beyond.

submitted by Floyd Boone

Tootsie and DaveTimmerman are moving the Stoney Battery Road light display to Ohio.

The huge Christmas light display on Stoney Battery Road in Troutville, beloved by not only Botetourt County, but by the Roanoke Valley, will be darkened forever beginning this year. No thousands of Christmas lights, animated displays or slow moving vehicles full of Christmas light seekers. The Timmermans hosted Santa and Mrs. Claus also for years in a little red house by the road and it will darken as well.

Tootsie and Dave Timmerman are moving to Ohio so she can be closer to her family. They have the house and acreage up for sale and are taking loads of belongings on an almost weekly basis to family in the Ohio Valley. Dave Timmerman, retired from Norfolk Southern,  has loaded a big rig trailer with the Christmas decorations and as soon as the house sells, is hopeful to put out the display at his new home in Ohio.

"We've had a good time here and I hate to go." said Dave Timmerman.

Tootsie who also decorated everything inside the house, noted that they have seen thousands of people over the years.

"Last year the Santa House gave out 3,800 Christmas gift bags to boys and girls that visited Santa and Mrs. Claus and the year before that, gave away 4,200," she said. Multiply that number by Moms, Dads and grandparents and the number easily reached the ten thousand per year mark for visitors not counting the drive-by traffic. Where else in Botetourt did that many visit in a period of a few weeks?

While recorded Christmas tunes floated across the hillside, lights flashed, chased and flickered around the yard. Mary held Baby Jesus, a carousel full of Christmas figures spun happily, snowmen smiled, a huge American flag waved in lights, even a helicopter was among the treats to delight both young and old from Thanksgiving through New Years.

Truly, the Timmermans have been a seasonal draw to the Troutville area and no doubt accounted for food and gasoline sales for Botetourt County, so their departure is also another economic blow to the area. However, they will be most greatly missed by those whose eyes reflected the wonder of the Christmas lights, who heard the deep laughter of ol' Santy Claus in the little red house. For those who appreciated that Christmas comes but once a year, here was a family who really knew how to celebrate!

No doubt, the lights will shine around the Timmermans in Ohio. Good luck Tootsie and Dave, we will miss you!

Santa's House Troutville is moving to Ohio, too.

Adrian Crounauer made famous in "Good Morning Viet Nam," now lives in Botetourt and will portray Kris Kringle in Showtimers"Miracle on 34th Street."

Adrian Cronauer of the movie "Good Morning Viet Nam" made famous by actor Robin Williams portrayal of his radio career in the armed forces, now resides in Botetourt County. After serving the Pentagon as a specialist in MIA and remains recovery as a Bush administration appointee, Cronauer and his wife of 40 years, Jeane, have located to the Fincastle area.

He is currently going through his Viet Nam materials and MIA materials and donating the non-classified items to Texas Tech University where they have a Viet Nam War museum, he said. He remains actively involved with his time in the military.  "We are going on a Caribbean cruise as a guests on a Veteran's Cruise  and I will be a  speaker," said Cronauer.

The Cronauers have a beautiful home and love the rustic location full of wildlife, birds and a happy squirrel who seems to have adopted the Cronauers or at least the bird feeder. They also have the most spacious and wonderful smelling cedar lined closet. How appropriate for Kris Kringle and the Mrs!

Cronauer has spent the better part of his life using his deep voice for service and career. He actually moved to Roanoke Valley over forty years ago in 1968. He was part of Showtimers then and well he fell in love with that beautiful costumer, Jeane, while he participated in the theater group. A lawyer by trade, he moved around the Northeast a bit before the stint in Washington, DC.

He is letting his hair and beard grow and well he has a nice size for a Santa as Jeane pointed out with a pat to his belly one night when we met in CVS. "Miracle on 34th Street" will play the following dates at Showtimers on McVitty Road in SW Roanoke County.

December 2 - 13

Wednesday - Saturdays 8 p.m.
Sundays 2 p.m.
Extra performance
Saturday, Dec 5
2 p.m.

Ticket prices:
$12 adults
$5 ages 18 & under

For Box office ticket information To order tickets, call our box office at

(540) 774-2660

(877) 336-9294, toll-free.