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  There’s a lot more reasons to head to Greenville than beautiful mountain vistas, 1,000+ restaurants and the revitalization of downtown shopping with new businesses erupting every day.   As if that isn't enough, and y es, I said "erupting."   That’s the best word I could think of to describe this exciting and dynamic area clearly with big plans for a bright future.   I came to Greenville to enjoy the social life downtown in the evenings, and the many opportunities it offers to explore the natural areas surrounding it during the day, but I quickly became fascinated with all the rest the area had to offer.   For one, it’s steeped in a well-preserved history.   It’s more than just a few buildings on the historic register however.    Several historic districts have been defined and earmarked in the city for upandcomers, entrepreneurs, and the rest of us common joes with just an insatiable fascination for the artistic craftmanship in homes built in ...

This seemingly happy animal was my first seal rescue when I worked with a Virginia aquarium and science center stranding team a few years ago to rescue marine animals.    He was a juvenile Harbor Seal discovered rolling helplessly in the surf.  By the time his almost lifeless body was discovered, the typical juvenile stamina and energy seals possess had drained from him.  Harbor Seals frequent these shores in Hampton Roads, and occasionally will pop onto the beach to rest.  But clearly, this limp incapacitated seal was no local visitor, merely there for a short nap.  And typically Harbor Seal rescuees are not the docile adorable creatures they appear, with large innocent puppy dog eyes.   They’re cranky and feisty and ready to bite whatever gets   anywhere near their mouths.   Consequently, the marine scientists and biologists I worked with had developed a great sense of humor to keep us from feeling as depressed and alarmed as the animals we...

Rosie and me Rosie's story is one of love and survival, which seems perfect to blog about in light of new fears and new restrictions this week relative to the pandemic and wondering how our "new normal" winter holidays will roll out this year in 2020.   Rosie was one of about 300 horses - and counting, born on a friend's acreage.  Normally that's not terribly unusual but read on. This huge herd started with one rescue horse and through the years, the owner, Bill acquired more horses one by one.  Some were sick or abandoned; some were born blind, and some were given to him by people no longer able to care for them because of their finances or circumstances.  Bill could never turn even one of them away.  But they all grazed together on his acreage, and ultimately formed their own families and hierarchy through the years. With over 300 acres, Bill divided them up into smaller, manageable parcels he kept in his head, and he would drive through and check on the horse...