"Roses, Wines, and Canines"

If you've been around here for any time at all, you already know that I am one of the core members of Greyhounds Rock Fredericksburg, a nonprofit fundraising charity.  We raise money for, and educate the public about, canine cancer.  We staff the GRF booth at local events (pet fairs and wine and beer fests, mostly.), selling our hand-made collars, leashes, jewelry, wine glass holders, etc., talking pretty much nonstop, and soliciting donations.  We also organize an annual event in the fall.  Since 2010, Greyhounds Rock has donated over $40,000 for canine cancer research, support, and treatment.

Emma and Daniel, with their friend TJ.  All three of these sweet dogs died of cancer.

In the past, our fall event has been a two-day conference that we called "Take a Bite Out of Canine Cancer".  This year, we are doing something a bit different.  On Sunday, September 27, from 11am to 6pm, here at Hartwood Manor and next door at Hartwood Winery, we are hosting "Roses, Wines, and Canines" ... a fun family and dog-friendly day in the country.

Emma, our first greyhound, adopted in 1999.  She loved squeaky toys ...

... and laying in the sun watching the world go by.

She enjoyed children ...

... and she was a superb Therapy Dog.

(Now you know what's been taking up so much of my time and why I haven't been here very often.  I have been doing what I can to tidy up this place and whip it into shape to receive guests ... hopefully LOTS of guests.)

Then, there were two.

This pic was taken at the greyhound gathering in Dewey Beach, Delaware.

Emma was mostly people oriented ... she tolerated Daniel ...

... and I like to think that she came to enjoy having a little brother, after we adopted him in 2005.

As of today, five days in advance of the event, plans are in place, the gardens look as good as they're gonna get, and we are VERY excited.  We will have food, Blessing of the Hounds, a scavenger hunt through Hartwood Roses' gardens and Hartwood Winery's vineyard, wine tasting, a vendor market, photo booth, raffle, auction, door prizes, and more.

I love this photo of Daniel and me.  It was taken at the GRF conference in 2011, four short weeks after Emma died.

Daniel was such a sweet boy!

I knew from the first time I met him, while transporting him and another dog from NC to a foster home in VA, that he was intended to be my dog.

His sweet, smiling face got even more beautiful with time.  He left us way too soon, in 2013, just shy of his 12th birthday.  This is the last photo that I took of him.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under.  We will accept walk-in registrations, but we prefer that folks register in advance (so we have the most accurate guest count for food and chairs and such.)  Register at the Greyhounds Rock web site, www.GreyhoundsRock.org.  Our beneficiary this year is the Greyhound Health Initiative.

There is still time to plan to attend "Roses, Wines, and Canines", and we will be honored to have you.  If you can't attend, and you want to support our efforts, donations are always welcome.  (we make this easy, with a donation page on our web site.  Click HERE.)

Ruby and Winnie are excited to welcome everyone on Sunday.  Okay ... Ruby is excited ... Winnie will probably just bark.

All of us who have dogs have probably lost at least one of them to cancer.  It's a heart-breaking fact, but I accept this as part of the bargain.  The joy that dogs bring to my life is worth the pain of their passing.  My work with Greyhounds Rock makes me feel like I'm fighting back ... paying it forward ... so future dogs can have the benefit of the programs that we support.