Palm Sunday

     On a recent trip to Virginia's Eastern Shore to enjoy time with my family, I took an early morning walk along the edge of Metompkin Bay. Longtime blog followers will know that I have been here many times before, but it is always beautiful to me, especially at sunrise. Although both dogs joined me, it was Penny's first extended walk since arriving. Due to her tendencies towards hound dog obstinance and bolting, she had to remain leashed, while the more trustworthy Isabel could run unencumbered. Even restricted, Penny overdid it. Once back in Norfolk she could barely walk, her remaining back leg now temporarily unable to do the work of two. I had to carry her up and down the steps for a few days. She is fine now, but my guilt remains for taking her too far.

     While I was on my walk, a rocket was launched from nearby Wallops Island, but all I could catch was the aftermath. Despite what the crazy looking trails might lead you to believe, I understand it was successful. On board were experiments from 4 different universities.

     A light frost covered much of the landscape, and though the calendar said spring, there was only one sign it had begun here. At the base of dormant Phragmites, a clump of long forgotten Narcissus bloomed, outliving the gardener who brought them to this place.

The Unexpected Dog

The day we got Loretta, we did not wake up and say "let's get another dog today".  We were on our way home from a disappointing auction and stopped at the animal shelter on a whim. In idle chatter with the attendant we told him what kind of dogs we liked. He told us that if we waited a few minutes someone was due to drop off a litter of redbone, and black and tan coon hounds. Of course we stuck around and came home with a new dog, and it was a good thing for her that we did. She was in bad shape for a dog so young, and would likely not have lived another day or two. Rather than showing her gratitude, or rejoicing in the lucky turn of events, Loretta spent life always looking over her shoulder.

She was perhaps the most difficult dog I have ever owned, not that she was a bad dog, she just had so many issues. Loretta had numerous and costly health problems, which was doubly unfortunate because she reacted badly to anesthesia. We picked her out of the litter because she was the quiet one, but she nearly spent the rest of her waking hours barking. She was deathly afraid of storms, and could predict their arrival well before the warnings would crawl across the bottom of the TV screen. Even though she was neutered, she always attracted attentions from the opposite sex, but she would adamantly have none of it. One might think that depression is the purview of modern humans, but I can tell you dogs suffer from it also. She also stank, as many hounds do, but I came to enjoy her funk and am already missing it.

Her life did have some moments of joy though. She loved to sing and with little encouragement would throw her head back and let loose in deep soulful song. Loretta also enjoyed her time in the sun, and would follow a patch of it around the house, just like a cat. She went to great lengths to keep her self clean and had a sleek black coat that reminded me of a seal's. On hot summer days she loved to go wading in the river and swish her ears under the water, though she would not swim. She also loved nothing more than to sleep, her long limbs stretched to offer little room for anyone else. Loretta was shy, and conservative with her affections, though there were several humans, beyond her housemates, with whom she enjoyed special bonds.

Loretta entered her senior years gracefully, which was probably easier since she has always been a bit elderly. As recently as last week she was still singing her songs, and even spent time playing games with one of our cats, a most rare occurrence. When Loretta woke yesterday she was out of sorts and unsettled, not wanting to drink or eat, much. Poking around, we found a large mass on her throat that extended down to her chest. She paced most of last night searching unsuccessfully to find a comfortable sleeping position. I took her to the vet's this morning hoping the mass could be something easily drained away or reduced with medication. Dr. Marshall said that would not happen and offered a couple other options, though not sincerely realistic. The x-rays showed how the mass was constricting her trachea to only a 1/4" opening. We really had only one choice, which was to let her go. I know it is clichéd, but she did indeed die peacefully in my arms. I did not wake up this morning thinking it would be Loretta's last day, but just as she entered our lives unexpectedly, she left that way as well.

No'ell Y'all

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

from Loretta, and everyone else,

at A Tidewater Gardener!

On the March Again

Today was the annual Smithfield Christmas parade. My son, his friend, one of our dogs and I marched, or rather loosely sauntered, with the Isle of Wight County Humane Society. Our youngest dog Penny came from the Society and both of our cats did as well, though the cats stayed home with phonophobic Loretta. We participated last year as well, but today my mood was better and the parade was more fun than therapy.

As in most Christmas parades, Santa was the grand finale, and for the Smithfield parade he was riding in a fire truck.  However, the highlight for me was not him, but Paula Dean in a 1963 Mercury Comet.

Sometimes a Parade Is Needed

Over the years the holiday season has lost much of the luster it once had for me. Perhaps a career in retail where Christmas begins in October and the emphasis on acquisition over all else, can be blamed. This year there are also other events keeping the holiday lights a little less bright for me. Several people I care about are going through life changing events with uncertain outcomes. Combining all of this with seasonal logistics and hustle can make it difficult to step back and actually enjoy this time of year and what it has to offer.

In an effort to help lift the brewing holiday funk, a parade was in order. On Saturday Penny and I walked with the Isle of Wight Humane Society in the town of Smithfield's Christmas parade. My son and his buddy also came along and were enlisted to walk available dogs. All four of us had a great time enjoying a big event for a small town. Penny especially had a good time seeing old friends and meeting new dogs, plus she really liked working the crowds and soaking up their attentions. We had to leave poor Loretta at home, as she is not fond of loud noises, strange situations or crowds which kind of keeps parades off of her to-do list.

Here are a good number of the participants taking one last trip to the fire hydrant before the parade started.

Penny did not like the jingles on her costume and kept trying in vain to remove them.

While we were waiting for the parade to start, I had time to fall in love with Teegan...

... and this lovely hound.

Everyone was glad when the things finally got underway.

As much as I would disagree, most people want a little more out of a parade than seeing a few dogs walk by, and the viewers were not disappointed.

Smile and wave to the judges.

Being able to participate in the Christmas parade did me a lot of good and should be part of what keeps me grounded during the holidays. I urge each of you to steal a moment (or several) away from what can be a stressful time of year and enjoy the things that seek to make it otherwise.

Williamsburg Walkabout

Yesterday the three of us, plus the two dogs headed to Colonial Williamsburg for our semi-annual (we missed last year) fall foliage pilgrimage. Most of the trees were still very colorful and as no frost has yet occurred, there were a few flowers blooming as well. We never buy a ticket, but just wander the streets, shop a little and have lunch. It is a great place to people-watch, but we were able to people-meet too. So many came up to us because of the dogs, especially about Penny. Everyone wanted to know what she was and then immediately told us what kind of dog they had, how they wished him or her was with them, where they lived and some tidbit about their life that had nothing to do with dogs.

Enough about canines, let's get on with the walk. Perhaps the most stunning foliage was from the various Maples.

I also enjoy the Catalpas, though they are not usually listed as having good fall foliage, they were a nice clear yellow and the pods are fun.

The Dogwoods are usually one of the first trees to color-up in the fall, but many were still looking good, including this one in the Bruton Parrish churchyard. Other plants also did a fine job of decorating the venerable church.

There were several plantings of Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) that were offering nice color.

Growing on the fence of the St. George Tucker house was this little red Morning Glory. I think it is Ipomea coccinea. This is one of my favorite houses in the historic area, mainly for its unusual colors, but also for the architecture which reminds me of the houses on the Eastern Shore.

Next door to this house is one of many large Boxwood plantings seen around Williamsburg.

Just on the edge of the historic area is the William and Mary campus, and the picture below is of an area known as the Sunken Garden. Patrick Henry set up a camp on this spot during the revolution to fight the British, but on Saturday the only confrontation occurred between co-ed flag football teams.

Close by was a fence supporting Purple Hyacinth Beans (Dolichos lablab).

Across the street is the Adams Garden which this blog has visited before. I really like the fact that many of the plants are more exotic compared with what is typically grown in the historic area, and that I did not notice any boxwood either.

Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

Ginger Lily (Hedychium coronarium)

After the Adams Garden it was time to eat and time for a dog incident. While waiting outside for our lunch to arrive, I saw a couple eating with greyhounds leashed to their chairs. When the woman got up her metal chair either fell over or was pulled over by her dog. The noise startled the dog who ran off down the street still leashed to the chair clanging loudly behind. The woman followed the speeding hound and chair for blocks until it was eventually stopped. After that I double checked how my own dogs were tied, but with food arriving Penny and Loretta weren't about to go anywhere.

(You can see my whole Williamsburg photo set here.)