In Middleburg, when citizens refer to their "children," they may be referring to their animals as well as their offspring, so it makes perfect sense that the annual fundraiser for the Middleburg Humane Foundation would be a Blessing of the Animals.

Reverend Lupton Abshire, previously at Christ Church in Georgetown, presided over the the fifth annual Blessing of the Animals, which took place Sunday, October 10, on St. Francis of Assisi Day at Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

Although Reverend Abshire had presided over the Blessing of the Animals in his previous post, the Middleburg ceremony was his favorite. "I would pet the animals, and as I said the words of the prayer, every animal was calmed."

One animal he didn't touch as he gave the blessing was four-month-old Lola, Barbara du Pont's new Harris' Hawk. "She lives in our kitchen, so she is very used to people and other animals. But all the excitement at the church was a little much for her," says du Pont.