FIX, RATTLE AND ROLL!

We recently attended a fund-raiser for our favorite local charity, PetFix, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  PetFix provides low-cost neuter and spay service to NE Ohio.  They recently celebrated their 20,000th surgery!!  That’s a huge step in the right direction to assure every pet is wanted and in a loving home.  NO MORE HOMELESS PETS!  Our dear friend Mary, from flight attendant days , came from Chicago to join us. The weather was stinky.  Why am I always saying that in my blog posts????  But, we still had a BLAST!  After picking her up at the airport we shopped and lunched.  Jack built us a fire that night and we hung out, eating, drinking and laughing.  Saturday required a visit to the local Farmer’s Market – highlighting beautiful Medina Public Square – lunch, of course!  and then the fund-raiser.  We stopped at Michael Symon’s Lola for apps and drinks.  Then off to the Rock Hall.  There was a silent auction, a pet parade of adoptables from the Cleveland APL dressed as rock stars, food stations, a dance contest – and we had access to all of the museum, including the newest exhibit – Women Who Rock!  They have Lady GaGa’s meat dress and boots – yuck!  What a fun evening and the latest numbers show we raised over $40,000!  Yay!  Keep up the good work, PetFix  and come back soon, Mary! 

At Lola

Pet parade

This is the founder of PetFix!  She and her pup were dressed as Lady GaGa!

Reggae!!

Could I PLEASE get out of this costume!?!

The Rock Halls band – Edge

Rock stars for a night!!

Beautiful Dakota Kate in her new PetFix scarf!

WE GATHER TOGETHER……

Recently, we had a wonderful visit from Jack’s family.  His brother, Brett and his two sons, Matthew and Ryan and Jack’s sister came to visit Mina.  Brett is a geologist living in Elko, Nevada and works for Barrick Gold.  Matthew is a fireman/paramedic in Las Vegas and Ryan is a policeman (on the Swat team!) in Reno.  Kristen and her Pomeranian, Romeo, came from LA.  The weather was stinky but we still had fun – take-out sushi in front of the fire, burgers at our favorite pub, pizza with Mina and a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Mina was so pleased to see everyone.  She couldn’t stop smiling!   

Surprise!!

That’s Ryan, our swat team member holding Romeo.  Real men love poms!!

Romie needed to cuddle in his Mom’s pink coat – it was COLD!!

Kristen and Mina out to lunch!!

Happy hour at Camelot!

Rock Hall!!  The building is supposedly in the shape of a guitar?????

Kristen dancing like a rock star!!

Come back soon guys – what a fun time we had laughing at old memories and making new ones!! 

A VISIT TO THE SHORE!

 

Jack, Dakota and I just returned from a visit to Massachusetts. Our friends, Co and Arthur (old Keys neighbors) graciously offered us their cottage right on the beach in Cape Cod.  We stopped at their home in Northborough for one night – enjoying a visit, dinner and Co’s famous apple pie.  Our close friends Don and Alina (also from the Keys!)  were  visiting, too – leaving the next day with Co and Arthur for a Model T rally in Maine.  As we drove over the Bourne Bridge onto the Cape it was pouring down rain but soon cleared and the weather was our friend the rest of the week.  After taking down the shutters on the cottage – up for Irene! – we headed to the beach.  Of course, Dakota was in heaven running, swimming and digging in the sand! We took Co’s advice and dined at all the restaurants she suggested, Jack eating fish every meal!!   With the guide book in hand we hit Route 6 and visited the sites from Sandwich to Provincetown.  We enjoyed being tourists and learning about the history of the island but – our favorite times were just hanging out at the cottage, walking the beach, playing with Dakota and watching the sunsets! 

Loving on Co’s new puppy, Phoebe.   She joins Trixie and Daisy!

Co, reviewing my Cape Cod guide book.  She highlighted the must-sees!

SO good to see Alina!

Florida girl!  She brought and WORE her winter parka!! 

Heading over the Bourne Bridge into Sandwich

Come on, let’s hit the beach!

 

Misty, breezy, beautiful…..

Run, puppy, run!

BIG striped bass!

As we drove up the island towards Provincetown we encountered many closed areas in the National Seashore – closed due to beach erosion from Irene.

 

 

Nauset Lighthouse

A kettle at the National Seashore

Wellfleet – a working harbor and home to a restaurant in a bookstore!!

The Highland Lighthouse

Checking out the view!

A working grist mill!

That handsome guy I get to travel with !

Harvesting cranberries!!

Hyannisport and the JFK Memorial

Back to the beach!!

 

Swim, puppy, swim!

Sunset from the cottage – over Cape Cod Bay

SUMMERTIME HIKING……

Jack and I continue our quest to hike all 23 parks in Medina County.  Plus – much to Jack’s dismay, I bought a book called 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Cleveland!  Onward!  Yesterday’s hike took us to beautiful Allardale.  Stan and Ester Allard donated 336 acres of their farm to the Medina County Park District in 1992.  The farm had been in their family for 3 generations, since 1877. Their donation guaranteed that at least some of the rolling landscape would remain undeveloped.  Allardale has been recognized several times as an outstanding example of forestry and land conservation.  In the 1930’s this farm was among the first to practice soil-saving techniques such as contour strip farming and erosion control using pines and spruces planted along steep hillsides.  Since then, at least 100,000 trees have been planted!!!!!  There are established collections of black walnut, red and white oak, white pine and a variety of others.  Ohio wild flowers were still blooming brightly in August, the sky was blue, the birds were singing, butterflies danced happily and we had a great hike!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An old sawmill

Fern flourishing in the shade

Sun-dappled trees

Rolling meadow

Corn field

Allard farmstead

with an ivy-covered silo

Several gas wells on the property – hmmm..

maybe that’s why they could afford to donate!