The Roanoker - March/April 2021 - 8

editor's note

Those Puppy Eyes
written by Liz Long, Editor A puppy was just what my broken heart needed in the middle of a pandemic.

e said goodbye to our beloved Jack
Russell terrier, Fisher, last spring. As you
might expect from a childless dog lover
who considers pets family (and often mentioned
him in this very column), there was nothing that
could console me. I've said goodbye to dogs before,
of course, but after 11 years with Fisher - which
included important life events such as career
changes, moves, marriage and a house with his
very own yard - his peaceful passing hit me hard.
We were grateful to get extra quality time with
him during the pandemic, but afterwards, being
in our home day and night without a dog simply
magnified the loss. The eventual search for a new
four-legged family member came with its own
disappointments, as adoption waiting lists had only
grown during quarantine.
But as luck would have it, two months later, we
welcomed six pounds of sweetness into our home:
nine-week-old Henry Titan Long. My husband and I
were both new to puppy parenting, which included
2 a.m. potty breaks, baby shark teeth
(both the nipping phase and
finding them all over the house
as they fell out) and worrying
about hitting all the monthly
developments " just right. "
(Is parenthood basically that
times a million? How do you
guys do it?) But I loved every

second, even at 2 a.m., because it meant that we had
a dog again. All I had to do was take one look at his
puppy eyes and know it was worth it.
What actually surprised me, however, was seeing
everything through those puppy eyes. It turns
out Henry was exactly what my mental health
needed during a pandemic; not only did we get
out of the house (and off the couch) for walks and
playtime, but for him, everything was brand-new
and exciting. How can one not love adventures on
the greenway and Mill Mountain trail, with so many
smells and things to see, or new toys and tasty
treats! I'm not sure if I've ever had more fun than
when I'm with him, watching him experience new
things. (If I have 1,000 photos on my phone, 997
are of him, not to mention the deleted blurry ones.
The remaining three are my attempts at pandemic
bread, obviously.) He's easy to please, sure, but
seeing things as if for the first time helped me gain
a new perspective. He brought me joy in a time
where it was most needed. I'm grateful to share in
his experiences, because it reminds me not only
of how lucky I am for him, but to experience and
appreciate everything else I have, and to see the
beauty in things I'd overlooked for too long. For
Henry (now a 10-month-old, 16-lb. snuggle monster),
every day is his best day ever, with an adventure
to be had, even if it's only a loop in Vic Thomas
park - especially if it's followed by a snack and an
afternoon nap!
See you on the greenway,

tell us about...

your pets! What do you love most
about your beloved dog or cat?
Share your thoughts on our social
media pages!

we want to
hear from you

Questions, comments or feedback
about The Roanoker? E-mail llong@
leisuremedia360.com

contributors

Aila Boyd

is an educator and
journalist who resides in
Roanoke. She holds an MFA
in Writing from Lindenwood
University. Read her Gist
pieces starting on page 18.

8 MARCH/APRIL 2021

Christina Nifong

is a writer with a decadeslong career profiling
interesting people, places
and ideas. She's recently
launched a new email
newsletter focused on life
in the slow lane, called
Nourishing Stories. Sign up
and find more of her work
at christinanifong.com.
Read her feature on Lindsey
McKinnon on page 32 and
Mother Daughter Duos on
page 36.

John Park

has become the
quintessential food
evangelist for Southwest
Virginia and the
surrounding regions.
Though John lives in a suit
by day, he prides himself
on sharing his love of great
eats and the people who
make it possible. Follow
his social media moniker
@hungryasianrke and see
John's dining photos of
Crystal Spring Grocery on
page 86.

Damon Perrott

was born and raised
in Roanoke, VA. He
puts passion into his
work as a commercial
photographer operating
in the Virginia and
Pennsylvania markets.
Dogs are one of his
favorite photographic
subjects. Visit
dogsplendorimage.com
to view more of his work
and see his images of
our Top Dog 2021, Indigo,
on page 50.

Dan Smith

is an award-winning
Roanoke-based writer/
author/photographer and
a member of the Virginia
Communications Hall of
Fame (Class of 2010). He
is founding editor of a
Roanoke-based business
magazine and a former
Virginia Small Business
Journalist of the Year (2005).
Read his feature on Dogs
versus Cats on page 52.

Bob Sowder

is a native of Roanoke
and enjoyed a career
in broadcast television
and advertising, working
in markets from D.C. to
L.A. and a lot of fly-over
country. On a visit back to
Roanoke in 1999 with his
wife Jules, they discovered
Roanoke and returned to
raise their two children.
See Bob's photography on
the cover and in our Homes
section starting on page 68.

Aaron Spicer

is a veteran editorial
photographer originally
based in Northern Virginia,
with credits in numerous
regional and national
publications. Aaron
specializes in creating
clean and contemporary
environmental portraiture
that tells a compelling
story. See his photography
of Claudia Whitworth on our
cover cover story beginning
on page 28.

TheRoanoker.com

http://www.christinanifong.com http://www.dogsplendorimage.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com

The Roanoker - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - March/April 2021