Gayton & Short Pump, Virginia

Gayton

When Chad, left, asked children at Cambridge church for a show of hands if they had ever forgotten anything, he got a more of a response than he anticipated. Hands flew up from adults all over the congregation.

Mike leads Cambridge church in worship.

Owen joins Cambridge church this morning. Pastor Jay Smith introduces the seven-year-old to the congregation as Owen's parents, Sunday school teacher and deacon look on.

Members of the church welcome Owen into the fellowship of the church.

A new use for a baby carriage was noted this morning. Carriers have always been purveyors of something precious. But bagels ....?

Aubrey with her mother Anna. It was in Aubrey's carriage that the bagels were found. Her father maintains his concern was for the ears of those around them, not to cradle the bagels. She hates being strapped in the carriage. He says it is better for all concerned to carry her and let the bagels ride.

Jason stylin' this morning — the girls gathered around him, and the photographer, are reflected in sunglasses.

Short Pump

Clouds sail by Short Pump this afternoon.

Hibiscus in bloom outside Whole Foods in Short Pump. When we lived in Georgia, we planted them along one end of our house where they bloomed the entire summer.

Sarah in a new scarf. She has been working at the Daily Grind while in high school. Sarah will graduate in a few days, then head for New York University at the end of the summer to study music business.

Richmond & Short Pump, Virginia

Richmond

Dancers in traditional dress top off a day of food and fellowship at the annual Greek Festival put on by Richmond's St. Constantine and Helen's Greek Orthodox Cathedral. This is the thirty-third year the church has sponsored the event.

Oaks along Malvern Avenue near the Greek cathedral make it one of the most beautiful streets in the city. 

Short Pump

Feris takes to the swings at Deep Run Park. We were looking for a friend who was scheduled to perform at the park tonight but never found him.

A Green-backed Heron stalks small fish in the shallows of the main lake at Deep Run Park.

Sunset lights up clouds above the park.

In the twilight an Eastern Painted Turtle surfaces looking for food in the growing darkness, and ...

... Canada Geese come off the lake to settle along the shore for the night.

Short Pump, Virginia

Daily Grind

Hulabaloos Concert

It was nip and tuck for the first outdoor concert of the season at the Daily Grind. Just as tables and chairs were being set up an early evening thunderstorm dropped a half inch of rain in a matter of moments. The concert almost moved inside, but the band and Sam Jarrar — owner of the popular coffee shop and cafe — decided to chance that the promise of rain had passed on by.

A good crowd gathered in spite of the weather. Molly Ann enjoyed keeping time to the singing of ...

 
... Harry Gore and Rolfe Trimble.

The Hulabaloos are, left to right, Dave Olenyik (bass and vocals), Harry Gore (guitar and vocals), Jerry Ferguson (drums), Rolfe Trimble (lead singer) and Roger Koller (keyboards, guitar and vocals).

The crowd stayed into the late evening in spite of a continuing threat of rain.

The concert ended two songs early when rain once again made good on its promise. The audience pitched in to quickly move instruments and delicate electronics inside.

Richmond, Virginia

American Diabetes Association

Father of the Year

2009

Awards Dinner

The Father's Day Council presented their annual Father of the Year awards dinner benefiting the Richmond Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. This year four men were honored at the Jefferson Hotel (left to right): William J. "Bill" Shalley, G.S. Sandy Fitz-Hugh Jr., W.T. "Bill Steele and Peter N. Pastore.

Susan Steele greets friends arriving at the reception honoring her husband Bill.

Peter Pastore's grandson finds a quiet corner on the stairs of the Jefferson's Grand Salon during the reception.

Sandy Fitz-Hugh talks with family and friends during the reception.

Bill Shalley is introduced as a Father of the Year at the awards dinner.

Sandy Fitz-Hugh rises to accept his award.

Bill Steele shares the podium with one of his grandchildren ...

... and accepts the congratulations of his son.

Bill Shalley's daughter, Caitlin, reacts to a video presentation on her father ...

... and congratulates him as he comes off the podium.

Richmond & Gayton, Virginia

Byrd Park, Richmond

Media Group Picnic

It was an afternoon of fun after weeks of hard work and deadlines. The media group gathered for a cookout and games. Left to right: Scott and Shawn beat Don and Gunther across the line in the three-legged race.

Eloise, second from right, reacts to a gift given in honor of her starring role in the popular PSA "Eloise, the Rappin' Grandma." The series ended recently after 10 years. The gift was given to her by Ricky, right, producer of the series.

Roy and Greg lead their team to a sweeping win in the tug-of-war.

Leslie concentrates on the egg toss.

By guest blogger Modibo Jalo

Who is this man? Craig disappears beneath several layers of cream pies tossed in a contest by media types given a chance at revenge on their directors.

By guest blogger Mobido Jalo

Gayton

Harper and Lindsey share secrets as only infants can at Cambridge church. i think they were talking about 401Ks and on-line investing.

Short Pump, Virginia

Tobie hoping I will go to bed soon. He's hanging in there with me, but barely.

Still life on the entertainment center, left to right: sunflower in hand-thrown vase, mariner's watch, Indian flute and giraffe engraved on slate.

Short Pump, Virginia

Memorial Day

Memorial Day begins at the all-day breakfast place for a game of checkers and ... breakfast!

 
I wandered over to a nearby retention pond to watch Canada Geese while waiting for a table and found clusters of Oxeye Daisies. 

Jenine found a tiny millipede. It is good for a half hour of letting it wander across her hands, transferring it from finger to finger. When it was time to eat, she found a bush for it.

I'm not sure what is going on here. Either Sadie and Tobie are claiming Jenine or the chair ... maybe both.

Things may look peaceful, but it's an illusion. Angel, left between Sam's legs — one of Sam and Alison's newly adopted dogs — and Sadie, center between Feris and Alison, are working out their relationship. So far it's a bit contentious. We thought they had worked it out the other day, but apparently there are still some unresolved issues between them. Sound familiar? Things in the dog world aren't so different from those in the human.

Left to right: Shawn, Sam, Dianne, Alison and Feris play "Shut-the-Box." It's an old sailor's game of dice and numbered pegs dating back to the days of sail. The one who wins gets to slam the box shut.

It was a busy and exhausting weekend for the dogs. Sadie settles in for a quiet evening at the end of the day.

Short Pump, Virginia

Does she look guilty? She is! Sadie chewed up an SD card tonight. On it were wonderful images I took today of children I enjoy, friends I fellowship with and a Canada Goose pair who in the golden minutes before sunset let me closer to their goslings than any pair has before. No, I didn't beat her — she's never been beaten — but she reads me like a book and knows how displeased I am.

Short Pump, Virginia

It is a beautiful cool, morning in Short Pump. Left to right: Edna, Linda, Trevor, Jenine, Dianne and Alison gather for breakfast at the Daily Grind.

Jenine holds an imaginary conversation on her cell phone, pacing the parking lot, putting one finger in the air and saying, "Just a minute," when someone interrupts her.

Trevor, right, helps Edna understand the workings of her computer. She is a fast study and he soon has her surfing the internet.

Samantha, the resident duck at the Daily Grind, now has a man in her life. Edna named him Dudley D. Duck after a mallard she and her husband once raised in a dresser drawer by incubating the egg with a lightbulb. The original Dudley imprinted so strongly on Edna's husband that the duck would fly above his car when he drove to the school where he taught in the morning and home with him at the end of the day. This Dudley usually comes in the evening with Samantha. Today he showed up early by himself and only stayed a short while.

Dianne waiting at our local movie theater for Night in the Museum to begin. Our grandson Max drew the duck on her shirt, his father Brian designed it.

Jenine at the end of the day. She is like an energizer bunny — it takes a long time, but when the battery runs down, that's it.