Stockley Gardens and The Rubber Duck Norfolk, VA

The Rubber Duck, by Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman, was installed in the Hague to celebrate the re-opening of the Chrysler Museum. His urban sculptures make people smile so we had to go and see it. The duck is located in the beautiful Ghent area of Norfolk.

We walked along the Hague and saw the duck from afar.

 From the artist, about the Rubber Duck:
10 x 11 x 13 meters
Inflatable, pontoon and generator

The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages!

I don't know if it has healing powers, but I do have to say that there were hugs all around as we walked up to see the duck!

The duck will be at the Chrysler Museum all week so there's still time to visit. But when you do visit. make sure you don't leave your glass of ice water near the sidewalk while you take a selfie!

Sammy only took a sip, I don't know why the guy didn't want it back after that!

After visiting the Rubber Duck, we walked back along the Hague to the Stockley Gardens Art Festival. They have this festival twice a year--once in the spring and once in the fall to benefit the Hope House.

We walked through the art festival and looked at all the artists' booths. Al and I played a game similar to "The Price is Right"--we both guessed how many times people would tell us how beautiful the dogs were. Al guessed low so he wouldn't go over--but I guessed high and I won!

Sammy and PG weren't the only beautiful dogs at the festival--Sammy's doppelganger was there!

Then Sammy saw another dog that looked exactly like him in the mirror! He couldn't figure out why that dog kept disappearing! And why didn't that dog smell like the other dog?

On the way back to the car, there was a booth where people were selling hula hoops decorated with duct tape. Sammy had to try out the green one with animal paw print duct tape!

PG said, Quit fooling around, Sammy! It's time to go home!

Wish you were here!
Joyce
Sammy & PG

James River Greyhound Picnic, Aylett, VA

Today was the James River Greyhounds Spring Picnic. It is held at the home of one of our volunteers in Aylett, VA. It was a beautiful, sunny day--but the wind was really whipping around! We lost a couple of tents and Houndstown Collars' whole display blew over!

PG got a new collar and pretty pink leash from Houndstown collars--before they lost their display. We picked out a collar that we thought Jade would approve of. It had Day of the Dead skulls on it.

Sammy got a new collar, too. We picked out flags of the world for him--because Chris and I agreed that when he barks, the whole world hears him!

Sammy could hear the hounds getting ready for the Fun Run--where we clock the hounds running using a police radar gun.

PG ran 23 miles per hour. Nowhere near the fastest runner at 37 mph.

Sammy ran 31 miles per hour. He got sidetracked by the little boy who ran across the finish line and then he tried to run Katrina, the photographer, over! Last year he ran 38 mph!

We played a couple of games at the picnic--Concentration and Unwrap the Present. PG was really tired at the end of the picnic.

Sammy won a gold medal for "Most Talkative"--and being the most talkative can really tire you out at the end of the day!

Wish you were here,
Joyce
Sammy & PG