From the Press Release;

Richmond ’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will continue offering its guided walks on the Slave Trail throughout March and has added a new walk to see the growing nesting colony of Great Blue Herons in the James River Park .

The guided walks along the Slave Trail will be offered on the remaining Saturdays in March at 2 p.m. These are emotional walks that originate at the docks at Ancarrow’s Landing in the James River Park and cross the river to conclude at the site of Lumpkin’s Jail and the Reconciliation Statue.

The guided walks to see the heron rookery on the James River are a new program being presented by the department in partnership with the Audubon Society. They will be offered every Saturday throughout March at 11 a.m.

More than 40 nests of Great Blue Herons have been counted in the James River Park ’s growing rookery. It is a short hike to the viewing site, but you must be able to climb a ladder. Dress appropriately, and if possible bring binoculars or a spotting scope.

All walks are $5 per person and require advance registration by calling 646-8911.

A late (my fault) photo update on the Good Shepherd Fall Festival that was last Saturday from Laura Dysart.

Meeting in the Middle is a new local initiative that is looking for caring adults 45+ who are interested in making a difference in the lives of 6th graders. There are many choices: volunteers can be matched with youth in 1:1 placements, work with small groups, assist with enrichment activities after school, and/or participate in a one-day volunteer project. Make a difference in your community! (Full Press Release)

Meeting in the Middle is sponsored by HandsOn Greater Richmond and to sign up go here and page down until you find Meeting in the Middle. If you have any questions, please contact Ellie Burke, our Meeting in the Middle Project Coordinator, at 330-7400 ext. 109 or eburke@tcfrichmond.org

The Richmond Free Clinic Consortium is offering free back-to-school physicals and vaccinations Friday, Aug. 21 to children that are uninsured or enrolled in Medicaid. This is only for elementary school aged children. For more details including locations go to RTD. Thanks goes out to the the health professionals that are donating their services.

I think fondly back to those mythic summers I spent complaining about how bored I was. Can you imagine such a thing? Now that we’ve got a tight budget and kid of our own to entertain through the summer doldrums, I’ve been digging for kid-friendly past-times that only require a little jingle.

Richmondbargains.com provides an extensive list of cheap and free kid things to do this summer. One of my favorites is the link to Historic Richmond Region’s 50 free activities. Our 5 year old has been clamoring for a visit to a cemetery. I can’t really explain why she’s so eager, but a trip to Hollywood Cemetery would perfectly fit the bill and would allow me the opportunity to grab the DSLR and click away at the awesome statuary.

Read more >

To say that the South of the Jame’s Farmer’s Maket has been a success would be an understatement. Every weekend is crowded with folks taking advantage of all the wonderful items for sale. A few items need to be addressed to insure that it continues to be a success.

Dogs:
Part of the event has been the ability of visitors to bring their dogs to the market. We welcome you, but please ask two things. Please make sure you clean up after your dogs if you have any accidents. And please, if your dog is uneasy around other animals or children, please leave him home. You, the dog and your neighbors will appreciate it. A serious incident could jeopardize the entire market.

Kids:
Second, please be careful with your children. We had a lost child Saturday, and it took a while to resolve the incident, since his father had not noticed the little boy was missing.

Thanks and enjoy the market

Photo by Page.H

Are you looking for ways to keep your kids entertained this summer? Kelly of Chocolates by Kelly, is offering up a slew of candy classes for kids 6 and up.

So I know what you’re thinking. “What am I going to do with the kids this summer????” Well FEAR NOT, I’ve got just the thing. Have your little ones join me every Wednesday for the Summer Kids Confectionary Program, beginning June 17th and continuing through August 12th.  Ages 12 and older  meet at 12:30 – 1:30. Ages 6-11 meet at 2pm.

Sign up for the summer or pick and choose your favorite class subjects.

June 17th – SALTWATER TAFFY
June 24th – CHOCOLATE DIPPING CLASS
July 1st – ROCK CANDY
July 8th – CHOCOLATE LEAVES, CURLS, SPRINKLES, & DECORATIONS
July 15th – FROZEN COOKIE SANDWICHES
July 22nd – ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE MILK MIX
July 29th – MOLDED CHOCOLATES – FUN SHAPES AND COLORS
August 5th – CARAMEL APPLES
August 12th – MIX YOUR OWN ICE CREAM DAY!!!!

All classes include stuff to take home for the family! Woo hoo.

HOW MUCH: Classes are $20 each or save $45 and sign up for the whole summer for $135.

For more information, or to sign up, give me a call!   Please sign up ahead of time, so I know how many to plan for.

See you soon!     Kelly 804-814-5496