Historic Ghent, Norfolk, VA

We had to drive Alan to a class in Norfolk and wait for him to finish--so we spent an hour and a half exploring the Ghent business district. To get there from Hampton, cross over the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel on I64, get off at Exit 276A for Granby Street, follow Granby Street to 21st Street, take a right and you will be right in the heart of Ghent.

The iconic NARO Theatre is on Colley Avenue and a favorite destination when the dogs aren't along. They show art films, foreign films and once a month they show the Rocky Horror Picture Show! It would be great if they did allow dogs inside! It was very, very hot and humid; and PG would have liked an air conditioned room because her tongue was dragging on the ground!

We heard from another dog walker on the street that we could get doggie yogurt at Skinny Dip--so we thought we'd try that to cool off.

Of course there is the problem that you can't go inside the yogurt store with your two dogs in tow! Luckily for me, there was a nice gentleman standing outside who offered to go in and buy the yogurt for me. And it was only $1 per cup!

And even though it was decorated with little dog kibble crunchies--Sammy didn't want any!

So we piled into the van, blasted the AC and went to Doumar's--where every day is Ice Cream Day! We didn't have to worry about going inside because a carhop comes to the car, puts a number on it, takes your order and brings out your goodies. I had to have a famous Doumar's cone. And Sammy and PG each had a cup of vanilla. Abe Doumar's famous creation, the Original hand-rolled pure food cone filled with delicious ice cream, was first sold in 1904 at the St. Louis Exposition. The cones are still made by hand today.

Since we were cooled off, we went back to walking on the hot sidewalks while waiting for Al! Somebody's dog was really sinking into concrete! And not walking too straight!

That dog did not follow the advice in this window. "To straighten the crooked things. First you must do the harder thing. Straighten yourself."

Finally when we got to the Kitsch store--Al was ready to go. There are lots of restaurants in Ghent with patios that allow dogs. We'll go back when it's a little cooler so we will have no melted dogs!

Wish you were here,
Joyce
Sammy & PG

Williamsburg Farmer's Market, Williamsburg, VA

We haven't been to the Williamsburg Farmer's Market for several weeks so it was time to go back and see what kind of goodies we could buy. The market is in Merchant's Square and parking is free on Saturday mornings in the Francis Street lot.

Lots of dogs go to this market! Usually there are a couple of greyhounds, too--besides the ones that we bring!

Alan has no trouble filling up two or three bags in no time at all. Not only is there produce--there is seafood, baked goods, meat and eggs. There is a knife sharpener, too--but he couldn't sharpen Alan's mandolin blade.

A bronze sculpture showing Thomas Jefferson seated on a bench with a draft of the Declaration of Independence in his hands is a favorite photo spot in Merchant's Square. Sammy and PG couldn't pass up the photo op! The work was crafted by George Lundeens of Colorado and unveiled in 1999.

Thomas Jefferson: "I have lived temperately, eating little animal food, and that not as an aliment, so much as a condiment for the vegetables which constitute my principal diet."

Thomas Jefferson cannot be called a vegetarian as we understand the term today. In his own time, however, he was unusually moderate in his consumption of meat and was notable for the variety as well as the quantity of vegetables he ate. --From the Monticello website.

We got the last strawberries of the season. I'm sure Thomas Jefferson would approve!

Wish you were here!
Joyce
Sammy & PG

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

Easter on Parade, Richmond, VA

It is our family tradition to run the Pet Easter Bonnet Contest at Easter on Parade in Richmond, VA for James River Greyhounds. It started out a little bit bumpy this morning as a gust of wind broke off one of the legs on our brand new tent. Luckily, James River Greyhounds had an extra tent we could use for the day!

Eric and Jade are always so helpful at the table. They sit there all day and take all the information from the contestants.

We didn't have bonnets for our dogs--but they did have Easter bunny ears to wear. Sammy had blue.

PG had pink.

And I had to make Eric and Jade take a turn wearing the ears!

While the kids were manning the tent, Sammy, PG and I went for a walk down Monument Avenue.

We had to get our photo taken with the local celebrities! We talked about the rainy day from last year!

We got lots of questions about greyhound adoption. That's why we do these events--to get more hounds into their forever homes!

Of course, we have to tell everyone that 99% of greyhounds do NOT bark like Sammy!

The third place winners in our pet bonnet contest were this couple and their lab. The man made sure to tell us that his wife didn't make the costumes--he did! They won a gift certificate from Dogma.

Second place was this woman and her little dog. Her bonnet was made with dozens of purple peeps and her dog's bonnet only had one! She won a gift certificate from Pet Ridge.

And these were the first place winners! This little girl spray painted her dog! Jessie and Melissa from the radio station 103.7 emceed our event! They won a gift basket from PJ Petts and a $100 Petco Gift Card from Summit Media.  All the winners also got a book, 1000 Dog Portraits, from James River Greyhounds.

This pig in a pram didn't even place in the contest! What were those judges thinking? Thanks for this photo, Holly!

This magnificent statue of Robert E. Lee is the backdrop for the Easter on Parade event. A beautiful day!

Wish you were here,
Joyce
Sammy & PG

Sandy Bottom Nature Park, Hampton, VA

Today was a beautiful, sunny, 70 degree, spring day so we went to Sandy Bottom Nature Park for a walk around the lakes.

From Interstate 64, get off at Exit 261 onto Hampton Roads Center Parkway. Sandy Bottom Nature Park is on the right hand side about a mile from the exit.

We walked around Sandy Bottom Lake and Crystal Lake. It's a flat trail and very easy to walk on.

The cormorants and the turtles were having a party on Sandy Bottom Lake. When a turtle would slide into the water, the cormorants would jump up into the air like they were dancing!

Spring is ready to bust out all over this park! Sammy notices this one tulip blooming!

And there were Easter decorations in the little garden. Next week they'll have a huge Easter egg hunt here for the kids.

One of Sammy's favorite things to do at this park is to go into the water! There are a few places where it's easy to wade into the water. This spot is at Crystal Lake and this bench is almost always submerged. Sammy barks when he gets close to these spots. Ready to go in for a swim, he says!

Sammy gets out and shakes it off on the path!

"Come on, Sammy! Quit messing around in the water!" PG is ready to go!

Wish you were here!
Joyce
Sammy & PG