Richmond to Memphis

Cookeville, Tennessee

Sadie settles in for the night after a day in the car traveling to Memphis, Tennessee ...

... while Toby guards the motel room ...

... until Sadie finally pleads with us to come to bed.

Photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump & Richmond, Virginia

Short Pump

Copperas Creek

Our grandson, daughter and son-in-law arrived yesterday for an evening wedding. It was a late night for them. Sadie finds a spot in the early morning sun as she waits for our guests to awake.

Max, Toby and Shannon begin the day ...

Richmond

... which includes a visit to the Virginia Fine Arts Museum. Max leads the way to the third floor in the newly opened, renovated facility ...

... the new galleries are bright and open, use natural light, as one moves from modern art to ...

... ancient artifacts — like this bust of the poet Homer.

Short Pump

Graham Meadows Farm

The day ends with a late afternoon photo shoot with Annisa and Eric Haney ...

... they the principle musicians for Crimson Flow and are moving to Stockholm to work with the music industry in Sweden.

Max marks the end of the day with a ride on his father's shoulders.

Photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

Micha in the arms of Oz, his father, mugs for the camera. In a few short weeks he will have a baby sister.

The school bus ...

... becomes not just an object of interest, but amazingly takes precedence over ice cream.

Grandson Max arrives from Tennessee, nose buried in an electronic world, lost in the imperative of saving Bowser ... battling monsters in Bowser's in gizzard.

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

Open Mic

Daily Grind

It is open mic night again at the Daily Grind with returning and first-time performers. Astro Boy (drum) and Vagrant Moon (guitar) return with an eclectic country beat.

Amanda Binder is one whose performance improves with each appearance. This time she adds an electric cello to her act.

Jerry Laverty was one of the first artists to perform at the Grind three years ago. It is good to see him back ...

... and hear his solid guitar, vocals and harmonica again.

Sarah writes her own music. Like Sarah, her performances improve with each outing.

It is a harmonica night. Donald Cole brings his out. It is good to see him. He also is one of the first performers at the Grind.

Mike has performed on stage in musical for decades and has the largest voice of any of the Grind performers. He easily fills the room.

The driving rhythms of Chis Branch finish the evening.

Yours truly photographed by a fellow photographer who grabs my camera for a quick shot.

This photograph by Modibo Jalo

All images taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump and Midlothian, Virginia

Midlothian

This is what one does while sitting in an examining room waiting for a 7:30 a.m. appointment with a primary care physician. Note the windblown hair from the open top Jeep ... 

... It is a beautiful morning.

Between Midlothian & Short Pump

I've been in the turtle rescue business for decades. This eastern box turtle was attempting to cross a six-lane highway ...

... I placed her (it's easy to sex turtles) among these flowers, whose name I don't remember (maybe carrot family). I've lost so much of my botany over the years. Maybe that's a project for later years?

Short Pump

Now this isn't windblown hair. Dianne of the wild locks ... woman ask her where she got her perm and she has to disappoint them by saying it's genetic.

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump & Gayton, Virginia

Short Pump

The Daily Grind

At the Daily Grind, Jenine works on one of her many craft projects ...

... as a pensive Edna sits nearby.

Gayton

Cambridge Church

For kids at Cambridge, Wednesday is a night for swinging ...

... climbing ...

... pirouetting like a ballerina (with a little help from a friend) ...

... hiding from your mother ...

... and maybe a few snacks if ...

... someone can convince them to form a line and come inside.

It has been said that Cambridge has some ...

...  strange looking kids. Maybe so ...

... but look who they have for their teachers!

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

Copperas Creek

Sadie and Toby listen to the night sounds along Copperas Creek.

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

A sun mobile in a local restaurant welcomes clients as the enter the dining room.

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Gayton & Short Pump, Virginia

Cambridge Church

Gayton

Members of Cambridge church lay hands on Carolyn, center, and Randy, in front of her, commissioning them for special service this summer on Virginia's Northern Neck.

Orville, with saxophone, joins the praise team this morning. He was a member years ago before moving to South Africa, then Texas, for several years. He and his wife are visiting for a week.

Photographed by guest photographer Win Davis

It is Pentacost Sunday — the day marking the beginning of the Christian church — and Pastor Jay Smith preaches. It was on this day when Jesus' disciples, gathering after his death and resurrection, began speaking different languages so that  men and women of all nations could understand them. Many joined the infant church that day. From then on believers began gathering in groups like Cambridge, which were eventually called churches.

Short Pump

A dog day afternoon

It is a dog day afternoon. Toby, foreground, and Sadie, rear, decide Dianne's lap is as good a place as any to while away the afternoon along Copperas Creek ...

... a dachshund pays a visit to the Daily Grind and waits for his owner to rejoin him on the patio ...

... while a young German shepherd down the street from the Grind at an ice cream store baulks at all the strange people he has to pass. It is the first time he has been on a lease in public   ...

... and Sadie gives up all hope that there is any chance of my going to bed early until I post to this blog.

All photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

It has been a while since we had Sam on the blog. It was sweet light last night while he waited for the Emily Wilson concert to begin ...

... with Jenine.

Photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II