Zeus' First Trip To The Ocean

Matt and I, and the rest of our fur family, have lived in Jacksonville going on three months now, and believe it or not, of all our trips to the beach, we had yet to bring Zeus with us. The beaches here are dog-friendly year round (BONUS! Most beaches are only dog-friendly in the off-season) but only after 5 P.M. Rarely do we leave the house that late in the afternoon to go to the beach, so Zeus has always snoozed on his bed while we have fun in the sun. The other day, Matt had some shots he had to film by the beach, and it was quarter after 4 P.M. We tossed Zeus in the car, Matt threw on his trunks, and I put away my work for the day to join.

For being a part Great Dane, part Labrador, Zeus is definitely a water dog. His coat, more like a Lab's coat, repels water, and his feet are webbed. I'm not even sure if pure bred Danes generally like the water, or if they have webbed feet, but thankfully we have a mutt. We take him swimming in the river a lot, and he's been to the beaches of Lake Michigan on our trip back to my hometown last year. 

And let me tell, he had a blast. Before we could get down to the water, and Matt was filming the amphitheater at Jax Beach, Zeus was whining and running in circles because he could hear the waves crashing on the beach, and he so desperately wanted to get down to the water, and get in on the action.

My favorite part of the day was watching children become enamored with him. Zeus always attracts small children because of his size, and he's the gentlest dog in the world, so it's win-win. In no time, two small girls wandered over, their mother with her small dog, I think it was a Pomeranian, and their own tennis ball to add to Zeus'. Each was taking turns throwing the ball and he'd retrieve. And when they'd grab his head and kiss him, I just about melted.

Two more young boys joined in on the fun, and Zeus was in absolute heaven! Before we knew it, an hour passed of Zeus swimming, running, playing, and having the best day of his life. 

Right before we left the house, I had just finished making this skirt. Made from two scarves and some elastic, it's super comfortable and flowy. The bright colorful scarf used for the front of the skirt, was just given to me by my sister, Rachael, when she was unpacking her apartment here in Jacksonville, and I'm 99% sure I originally bought this scarf at Valueland back in Muskegon, Michigan, when I was in high school. The "top" is actually a dress from I'm Your Present (similar one found here), that's a little too short for my frame, since I'm a little above average in the height department. I always have to wear it with a skirt, unless I'm home. Earring c/o Forever Becky (yay my first "c/o" in an outfit-ish post). "Forever Becky" are fellow vendors at RAM every week, and Becky's amazing daughters, 10 and 11 years old, I believe, make handmade jewelry to sell at their booth. These earrings are my staple earrings lately, and I just love them!

Lessons learned this trip: bring more towels, bring gallons of fresh water and giant dog bowl, make sure Zeus drinks at least a gallon before the beach, and an umbrella so Zeus, being the black sun magnet he is, can have a rest, and we can stay a bit longer.

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all are having a great week, with some fun plans this weekend. Myself, I'll be working all weekend. RAMI-CON tomorrow at RAM, and I'm trying out a new market on Sunday, Northside LOVE. You can find Shelby and I, and possibly Matt and Zeus, at both of these markets in Jacksonville. 

Check out our Facebook page for Shelby stops, new listings, sewing tutorials, and more. Have a great weekend, y'all!