A Visit to Tyler, Texas with Betty Lynch and Copper

It's time to meet another one of Mom's friends from the Divas of Boomer Diva Nation! This week we are off to Tyler, Texas to meet Betty Lynch and Copper.

Betty is the creator and author of My Country Kitchen. She makes all kinds of yummy things to eat. Then she shares how to do that with her friends. She has taught Mom how to make all kinds of good snacks for me. My favorite is Grandma's Meatballs. I love meatballs, and the ones Ms. Betty taught Mom to make are the best!

Betty is also a mom, just like my Mom. She takes care of Copper. Betty rescued Copper in May of 2008. Her vet found him standing in the middle of the road, stopped and picked him so he would not get run over. They ran ads and no one called for him. Knowing Betty had just lost her last pet, the vet called her and told her about Copper. It was love at first sight. Although Betty has realized that Copper had been mistreated as he runs from everyone who comes in her house, Copper is adjusting well and she loves him to death.

Betty sent Mom some information about Tyler.

"We are located in East Texas, also known as the Bible belt. It is a mid size city, population about 100,000. Also known as the Rose Capital of the world. The farming industry is roses. We have a beautiful rose garden that is the home to many, many years worth of beautiful and expensive beaded ball gowns from the previous rose queens.

Our city is also the home of a beautiful Tyler Zoo, oil refinery, medical community, large legal field, ranchers and some of the nicest people you could ever expect to meet. We have Tyler Junior College, Texas College, University of Texas at Tyler, along with a number of private schools. Our city is so clean and we have managed to keep smog to a minimum.

Many things to enjoy in Tyler including, museums, stage performers, concerts, traveling shows, E.T. Fair, tennis, football, basketball, soccer, both indoor and out, golf courses, bowling, miniature golf, skating, pottery, craft fairs, azalea trails, boating, wineries with lots of one of a kind shops.

Winters are very mild, however our summers get very hot with temperatures at 100 plus degrees with high humidity."

When we go to Texas, we don't normally stay in a hotel. Mom has lots of friends and family in Texas. But for those of you who don't Mom did some research and found the perfect place for you to stay - The Holiday Inn Select - Tyler. Mom found out that they have big comfy beds with lots of pillows just the way I like. And when Mom called to talk to them about bringing me, she said the people on the phone were very friendly and helpful. That's always a good sign. If the staff is friendly to me on the phone, they usually are once we actually visit the hotel as well.

Along with all of the great things to do that Betty listed, Mom found a park we can go to. Mom and I love to walk in the park. Some parks even have cabins or let Mom bring her tent and we stay for a few days. Tyler State Park has all the things that make parks great for me - hiking trails which I love, even though I do have to wear my leash. And Mom found out the park has raccoons! We have a raccoon at home. He is an outside semi-pet that Dad found when he was a baby. Mom and Dad didn't put him in a cage. They said he was big enough to be on his own with some help. So now he comes and sits on the porch with us at night and eats cat food out of his bowl. I like raccoons. I'm glad the park in Tyler has some. It would make staying there sort of like being at home.

I hope Mom will take a trip to Texas soon. Then maybe we can stop in Tyler and visit Ms. Betty and Copper. And maybe she'll teach Mom how to make some more yummy things to eat!

Top 10 Places To Vacation with Your Mom and Dad

Mom and I like to travel. Sometimes we even take Dad with us. In our travels we have discovered that some places are more welcoming to pets than others. So here's my list of the top 10 places to travel with your Mom and Dad!

1. My own neighborhood - Northwest Arkansas. Whether you stay in Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, or Fayetteville, there are hotels that will make you feel welcome. Lots of outdoor trails and parks to walk and play in. Big Wag Dog Bakery! Boat rides on Beaver Lake. It just doesn't get any better than this.

2. Colorado Springs, Colorado - home of the Olympic Training Center, Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Plenty of pet-friendly hotels, dog parks, and 113 vets!

3. Portland, Oregon - a garden for mom, lots of places to stay, the largest city park in the US for me to visit, and more dog parks than almost any other city in the country!

4. Albuquerque, New Mexico - mom loves taking me to see the petroglyphs (whatever they are. All I know is it's a nice walk). Plenty of places to stay, Three Dog Bakery (almost as good as Big Wag Dog Bakery) and the Annual Doggie Dash & Dawdle, Animal Humane's largest fundraiser.

5. Austin, Texas - Mom and Dad found Austin on a trip to Corpus Christie. Mom loves bats and Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America. I was hoping I could chase them like I do the birds at home, but Mom only lets me sit by her and watch. There are lots of pet-friendly hotels and dog parks for me.

6. Asheville, North Carolina - We just discovered Asheville through our friend, Beverly Mahone. If you read my story about her and Asheville then you know why I love it. Great places to stay and things to do. There's even a camp for dogs!

7. Charlotte, North Carolina - Another great place in North Carolina. Mom likes baseball and the Charlotte Knights baseball team has a day that they let their four-legged fans come watch them play. Charlotte is also the home of Barbara's Canine Cafe and Catering. Again - it's not Big Wag but it's a close second when I'm far from home. Lots of parks and pet-friendly hotels.

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia - Maggie Wags Dog Boutique (I still have my Egg Babies), Just Dogs Gourmet, Canino's Pet Bakery and Boutique (Cheese and Bacon birthday cakes!), and lots of other places that cater just to us. Virginia may be for lovers but Virginia Beach is for dogs!

9. St. Louis, Missouri - St. Louis has an entire museum dedicated just to dogs - The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog. 'Nuff said!

10. Orlando, Florida - Beaches, beaches, and more beaches. Great hotels to stay in. Sun and sand - what more could a dog want?!

Save a Life - Adopt a Pet in Asheville, NC!

Continuing my campaign to help other pets not as fortunate as I am to find happy homes. Today, we are featuring the Asheville, NC Humane Society. I'm sure you remember that Asheville is Boomer Diva Nation founder and my friend, Beverly Mahone's favorite place in North Carolina! Let's make it an even better place by helping some of local four-footed and furry residents find permanent homes!

Asheville Humane Society/Buncombe County Friends For Animals is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization with over twenty-five paid employees. AHS is governed by a fifteen member, active, volunteer Board of Directors and supported by more than 800 general members. AHS receives payments from Buncombe County and the City of Asheville under a contract arrangement to operate the Shelter and Pet Adoption Center. The organization programs are also supported by donations, memberships, grants, and fundraising.

Asheville Humane Society is dedicated to promoting the compassionate treatment of animals in our community through education, sheltering and adoption.

Asheville Humane Society was formed in 1984 as Buncombe County Friends for Animals Inc., primarily as a governing body for the County Pet Adoption Center and Animal Shelter, which was previously operated by the County. Asheville Humane Society has operated the Shelter since September 1990. On July 1, 1996, we started operating and enforcing Animal Control within Buncombe County. On October 1, 1997, we began providing animal control services for the city of Asheville as well. In late 2002, due to state budget shortfalls, the City of Asheville elected to take City Animal Control back under its police department. In July of 2006 the Buncombe County Sheriff's Department, with the advice and direction of AHS, once again began providing animal control in the unincorporated parts of the county. AHS still provides sheltering services for Buncombe County, including all of its municipalities.

Here are some of the great friends available! I hope you will find a place for one of them in your home!

Walker
Whoever says that hounds can’t be trained has never met me! I’m super smart and I love training. I’ve already learned how to “sit”, and I’m working on walking nicely on a leash and on how to lay down. Of course, I am a beagle—I like to follow my nose!—but I’ll follow it right to the treat in your hand as you teach me something new! Ask to see me next!


Springsteen
Terrier, Pit Bull/Mix
This pet also comes with 30 days of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information please visit http://www.sheltercare.com/us/index.asp or call 1-866-375-PETS.




Bowser
Retriever/Mix
This pet also comes with 30 days of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information please visit http://www.sheltercare.com/us/index.asp or call 1-866-375-PETS.



Clover
Domestic Shorthair/Mix
This pet also comes with 30 days of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information please visit http://www.sheltercare.com/us/index.asp or call 1-866-375-PETS.

Our organization offers 24PetWatch microchips, which include free registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424.

Learn How you can SAVE A LIFE! Click Here!

Remember, my goal is to help 1000 pets find homes this year! Check out my newest partner shelter - Asheville Humane Society. And when you adopt a pet, be sure to let me know so I can track my progress toward my goal!

Explore Asheville, North Carolina with Beverly Mahone and me!

A couple of years ago, Mom "met" a woman named Beverly Mahone. I say "met" because I don't think they have ever actually seen each other face-to-face. They have only gotten to know each other through Mom's computer. And yet, Mom says meeting Miss Bev was one of the turning points in her life and business. Bev is the founder of Boomer Diva Nation . She invited Mom to be part of something she called the Baby Boomer Diva Web of Fame. Mom says that is where she met other women like Miss Bev - all trying to make a difference in the world. She says they are the women who inspired and encouraged her to make some of the choices she has made lately that have helped her have a business that let's her stay home with me. I LOVE Miss Bev for helping my Mom be able to spend more time with me. I know that once you get to know her, you'll love her too.

I told Miss Bev that I wanted to feature her home in North Carolina in my blog, but she told me that her favorite place is Asheville. That's where she and her husband went for their first wedding anniversary. She sent me something she wrote about it and I want to share it with you.

"I was born and raised in Ohio and North Carolina was not on my career map after college. But I ended up here and have lived in North Carolina long enough to be called a "southern fried yankee." North Carolina is nothing like I thought it would be. As someone who grew up in the midwest, I expected a "separate but equal" mentality but that's not the case at all.

As a news reporter, I've had the privilege of visiting many cities and towns in North Carolina but my favorite has to be a little town in the mountains called Asheville.

"Quaint" "friendly" and "artsy" are a few words I would use to describe Asheville, NC. That's where my husband and I decided to spend our first year wedding anniversary. Asheville is one of the best kept secrets for tourism in a state known for tobacco and basketball. Asheville is nestled in the mountains of Western NC. The one thing that impressed me the most about Asheville is the fact that it has a rural, small town feeling and tourists blend in to the community. Every place we went we felt welcome and easily struck up conversations with many of the locals. It was really difficult to tell who the tourists were.

The mountain air was refreshing and the landscape is breathtaking. Asheville is also the home of the Biltmore House,which has 250 rooms and each one has an interesting story behind it. The gardens are absolutely exquisite!

I love living in a place where I get plenty of Carolina blue skies and an opportunity to experience the very best the entire state has to offer. "

Doesn't Asheville sound like a fabulous place? I think so! And there are lots of things to do with your pet. So let's take a look at dog-friendly Asheville, NC!

When Mom and I looked for a pet-friendly place to stay, we found the perfect spot. The Residences at Biltmore sets the precedent for luxury accommodations in the Asheville area. This concierge condo hotel is nestled on top of a hill cradled by old-growth hardwood trees, just outside the gates of the Biltmore Estate in South Asheville. Doesn't sound like the kind of place that would have a room for me, does it. Well surprise! You can request a pet-friendly room! It all looked great online, but Mom called just to get a better feel for the place. Mom spoke to a woman named Leah who was very helpful and knew a lot about Asheville. After talking to her for a few minutes, she said that Leah had just confirmed her feeling that The Residences would be the place to stay on our visit to Asheville.

Now that we know where to stay, what is there to do for little dogs like me? Well, the first place you have to visit, of course, is the Biltmore Estate. This opulent estate of George Vanderbilt is America's largest home covering 4 acres with 250 rooms on 8000 acres. A variety of sites and activities include an interpretive 1890's working farm, an award winning winery, extraordinary formal gardens, a one-of-a-kind shopping center, several eateries, and they also provide a variety of festivals and special events throughout the year, and numerous outdoor recreational opportunities. Dogs of all sizes are allowed throughout the grounds; they are not allowed in buildings. It is up to individual stores whether a dog is permitted inside. Dogs must be under their owner's control, leashed, and cleaned up after at all times.

Another great place to visit is the North Carolina Arboretum. The 434-acre site is nestled in one of the most beautiful natural settings in the United States. Mountain peaks bound the property's visual perimeters and 1.8 miles of the Bent Creek stream run through the center of the Arboretum. Dogs are allowed throughout the park and on the trails. They are not allowed in any buildings or in the Bonsai garden. Dogs must be under their owner's control, leashed, and cleaned up after.

One more stop on our tour of Asheville, NC - the Asheville Urban Trail. Learn about Asheville's architecture and historic past on this unique 1.7-mile walking tour, which includes delightful sculptures along the way, including Thomas Wolfe's size 13 bronzed shoes. Tour leaders or audiotapes are available to guide you. Dogs are welcome on the trail. They must be under their owner's control at all times and be leashed and cleaned up after.

Along with great places to visit, there are events just for us! If you happen to be in Asheville in April, check out Chimney Rock Park's Bark in the Park on the 18th. Chimney Rock goes to the dogs for this special event dedicated to our canine companions. Agility demonstrations, rescue organizations, contests and lots more will keep you and your pup busy.

If you can't make it in April, then go in September and take your canine companion to The Dog's Camp. It's September 20-25, 2009 in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is a week devoted to the joy of training and competing in canine sports. They've brought together top instructors to coach you in all aspects of working with your dog. Learn the skills that will help draw you and your dog together as a winning team; develop the know how to train, communicate, and compete effectively.

After a full day of outdoor fun, you know I'm going to be hungry. Mom checked for some places that would allow me to come and eat with her. As I'm sure you have learned by now, only outdoor restaurants allow little dogs like me. But Mom found a couple that sounded pretty good. I don't know about the food, but I sure do like the names. They just sound fun and friendly. The first place she found is The Laughing Seed Cafe. Mom said it's vegetarian. I think that means green stuff. But some of that is okay. Dogs are allowed at the outer tables. They must be under their owner's control, and leashed or crated at all times.

The other place Mom found is called Sunny Pointe Cafe (see what I mean about fun names?). This eatery and bakery specializes in using local, organic ingredients with dinner and daily specials, and indoor and outdoor dining options. Dogs are allowed at the outer tables. Dogs must be under their owner's control, and leashed and cleaned up after at all times.

I see now why Miss Bev loves Asheville, NC so much. What a great place to visit! And while you're there, be sure to call Miss Bev and tell her Traveling Bob sent you. While you're at it, check out the Divas of Boomer Diva Nation. Who knows? Maybe Miss Bev has room for one more Diva and maybe it could be you!

Touring with the Divas!

My Mom is a member of a great group of women - The Baby Boomer Divas of Boomer Diva Nation (http://www.boomerdivanation.org). They live all over the country. There are even Divas in Canada and Australia!

Now that you have learned all about dog-friendly Arkansas, my home state, I thought if would be fun if Mom and I introduced to you the homes of the other Divas. So I am going to do a series of posts on each of the cities where the Divas live. I'll tell you all about the great pet-friendly places to go and things to see. And you'll get to meet the resident Diva. Many of them have pets of their own so you'll get to meet them too! Aspen, Copper, and lots of others!

To give you an idea of what's in store, here's a partial list of where we'll go and who you'll meet!

Raleigh, North Carolina - Diva Beverly Mahone
Grande Ronde, Oregon - Diva Angie Baker
Marietta, Georgia - Diva Debra Stokes
Melbourne, Australia - Diva Kathie Thomas

And that's just the first month! Lots of places to visit and Divas to meet.

First up - A visit to dog-friendly Raleigh, NC, home of the founder of Boomer Diva Nation, Beverly Mahone.

Little Rock, Arkansas Dogs and Cats Who Need a Home

My campaign to help 1000 dogs and cats find homes this year continues. This time we focus on Little Rock, Arkansas and the pets available through CARE - Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals.

CARE was established in 1998 for the dual purpose of rescuing abandoned dogs and cats facing euthanasia as well as to provide programs to help people get their pets sterilized. From a group of 4 initial volunteers, CARE has grown to the point where hundreds of volunteers devote thousands of hours to our rescue and spay-neuter operations. Since CARE does not have a shelter facility, they use their website as a virtual shelter where you can view pets available for adoption and submit an adoption application on line.

The animals pictured on this page are homeless, and in immediate need of a foster or permanent home. Who are they? These are animals that have been identified by CARE as adoptable pets. Where are they? These animals are currently housed at the animal shelter of one of central Arkansas’s municipal or county animal-services departments OR have been otherwise abandoned OR are living in some other situation where the animal cannot or should not remain.

If CARE can locate a volunteer foster home for these animals, then CARE plans to take them into its rescue program and proceed to search for a permanent (“adoptive”) home for each of them. The first step in that process is to place the animal in a foster home. CARE has no kennel or boarding facility of its own, but relies upon volunteers to provide temporary (“foster”) homes for the animals that are in its rescue program. For this reason, without volunteer foster homes, CARE's rescue program could NOT operate.

With respect to animals in the municipal or county animal-services shelters, each animal is assigned an “available date” that is based upon the date when the animal is admitted into the shelter. The “available date” is the date when the animal becomes available either to be adopted from the shelter or to be euthanized there. Each of these shelters is required to accept all animals within its jurisdiction that are surrendered to the shelter or are collected by the shelter in the course of its duties. Thus, unless an animal in the shelter is timely rescued by its owner or adopted directly from the shelter, the animal must be euthanized at some point after its ”available date” in order to make room in that shelter for more animals.

If you can open your heart and your home to save one of these lives, please contact CARE at telephone: 501-603-2273 or telephone: 501-804-2273 or email CARE at care@careforanimals.org.

Read their Foster Family Agreement & Fill Out a Foster Application On-Line

Sweetie Petey is a wonderful cat, who truly fits his name. He comes to CARE from Little Rock Animal Village where he was picked up as a stray. Sweetie Petey has a great disposition -- very affectionate with a calm, laid-back personality. He gets on well with other cats and seems to be okay with dogs as well. Sweetie Petey loves to be petted, and rolls back and forth on his back when he wants a belly rub. He also rides well in a car. Sweetey Petey is neutered and vaccinated; he will be microchipped. [01-23-09]

Jessie comes to CARE from the Mayflower Animal Control where she was found walking down a busy road. Jessie is a beautiful dog with a sweet personality. She is very smart and quickly learns commands. Jessie loves to cuddle and be close to you. She loves to play frisbee and will be happiest in a home with a yard. Jessie is being treated for heartworms; she will be vaccinated, spayed and microchipped. [2-12-09]

Marcy is a happy, active two-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. She is getting along well in her foster home and plays happily with the foster's two dogs and six-year-old daughter. Marcy loves playing with toys and playing chase with them. She loves to eat and happily sits for treats. In keeping with her Labrador-retriever genes, Marcy loves water. She does well with other dogs and children. Marcy has been spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped. She was a rescue from Benton Animal Control. Marcy is doing well with housetraining and walking on a leash. [12-28-08]

Buck comes to CARE from Mayflower Animal Control where he was picked up as a stray. Buck is a very strong, happy dog and is eager to learn. He knows basic commands like "sit" and "stay," and Buck loves his treats. He will be vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped.

Save a life today! Sometimes just a few extra days can mean the difference between life and death for a dog or a cat on "death row" at animal shelters. CARE is often asked to rescue gentle, well-mannered, healthy dogs and cats from animal control shelters and emergency situations. Their ability to help these animals is limited to the availability of foster homes. If you love animals, please consider opening your heart and home to one that might otherwise die.

I was lucky. I have a Mom and Dad who love me and I have lived with them for a very long time. Please help me give other cats and dogs the same opportunity. A foster pet may stay at your home for as short a time as two or three days. Sometimes, it takes a couple of weeks before he or she finds a permanent home. Fostering an animal, whether for a day or a week, is an incredibly rewarding experience.

Are your a Person who thinks "Gee, I'd love to foster, but I won't be able to let them go to another home." -- everyone at CARE has gone through that stage. One thought helps the most - if you let this one go to a great home (maybe not as great as yours, but still a very good one... ), that opens up your house to save another cat or dog.

Click here to find out more information about becoming a CARE foster home.

Save a life. Call today and foster or adopt a pet! Tell them Traveling Bob sent you!

501-603-CARE

Have You Fed The Birds Today?

Mom just came home from shopping. I saw the bag from the pet store and thought it was a treat for me. No such luck. All she bought was a bunch of bird seed! BIRD SEED!? I don't eat bird seed. I was a little upset - alright I was a lot upset. But then Mom reminded me how much I enjoy chasing birds. And she told me that in the winter, birds have a hard time finding food. She told me that it's so hard for them that people all over are joining together to remind others that they need to feed the birds. After listening to her, I felt bad that I had been mad. I like the birds. I can chase them. And when I'm tired and I'm just sitting in the sun, I can listen to them sing. It helps me sleep. I would not like a world without birds. So I've decided to do my part by sharing some information Mom got from the Wild Bird Center.

Consider that: - A typical backyard bird doesn't weigh as much as two nickels. - Birds spend most of their waking hours searching for food -- without the help of "hands" and "fingers". - They may consume 15% of their body weight overnight just keeping warm enough to survive. - Like mail carriers, they're outside in sleet, snow, wind and cold.

One-third of the adult population feeds wild birds in their backyards. Providing food, water and shelter helps birds survive, benefits the environment and supplements wild birds' natural diet of weed seeds and harmful insects.

Backyard bird feeding is an entertaining, educational and inexpensive pastime that can be enjoyed by children and adults. It provides a needed break from today's frantic lifestyles that helps keep families together. Young children are drawn naturally to the activities involved in feeding wild birds. Chickadees, for example, fly back and forth between a feeder and a nearby tree. On each trip, they take a single seed and fly to a perch. While holding the seed with their feet, they peck it open and eat the kernel. This can capture a youngster's imagination.

Adults enjoy the relaxation and peacefulness afforded by watching birds. Nature serves to relieve the stress and can get one's day going on a tranquil note. For example, the Northern cardinal is a common visitor to many feeding stations. A beautiful bird, the bright red male and his more camouflaged mate often will be the first at the feeder in the morning and last to leave at night. Mated for life, they can be observed sharing morsels of sunflower and safflower seeds during the nesting season.

Feeding wild birds in the backyard is an easy hobby to start, and it need not overtax the family budget. It can be as simple as mounting a single feeder outside a window and filling it with good-quality birdseed or oil sunflower seeds. This feeder can be a hopper, platform or tubular variety or one that sticks to the window.

Parents can challenge an inquisitive child's mind as they explore together these factors to encourage visits by their favorite birds. It also makes excellent material for school projects and reports. In fact, bird feeding is an excellent teaching tool. Children can assume daily responsibility for cleaning and filling the feeders. Different species of birds can be identified with a field guide. And the activity can be expanded form that point, depending on the interest of the family.

For example, suet products often are put out in wire baskets to attract woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and others. Another variation of feeding is to provide sugar water in special red-colored feeders to attract hummingbirds in the summer. These little wonders of nature will hover right in front of you to drink, and present an entire bird study all by themselves.

If you offer water, particularly if it's dripping or running, you may attract birds that do not visit your feeders. Many interesting and eye-catching species are not seedeaters, preferring insects or berries instead. Adding a birdbath warmer to keep water from freezing in northern states during winter creates an oasis for bird watching. To round out the family's backyard birding program, birdhouses can be purchased to provide shelter in winter and breeding sanctuaries during spring for cavity-nesting birds.

Feeding backyard songbirds is an extremely popular wildlife-related recreational activity around the home. A stress-free and inexpensive activity, backyard birding brings a welcome flash of color and dash of motion and splash of sound into everyone's daily life.

Mom and I will fill our bird feeders tomorrow. She has lots of them all over our yard. We have a big yard so she needs them all. I hope you will feed them too.