For some reason, the dancing rabbits have been a bit of a focal point in my mind on this trip to judge barbecue. I’m not sure exactly what they represent – but there has just been something joyous about them since i discovered their existence a few weeks ago. And sure enough, i was happy inside seeing them there.

The hares are in Ballantrae Park, a very nice 20-acre park in a very  nice section of Dublin Ohio, a northwest suburb of Columbus.   I think Jack Nicklaus is from here, &  Ballantrae IS called a park and golf resort community.   The rabbits are dancing on top of the hill overlooking a splash pad.  Locals call it “bunny hill” or “bunny park”.  Pretty simple, right?

The official name of the sculpture is “Dancing Hares”.   It is by Sophie Ryder of London, England, and was first unveiled in 2001. The rabbits stand 24 feet tall; their posture represents the courting ritual of the large hares Ms. Ryder used to see at home in England as they appear to stand and “box”.    Originally on loan, they have since been donated to the city of Dublin, Ohio by the Ballantrae developer for a tax break.

At the foot of the dancing hares is a very attractive splash pad (above).   I really don’t know much about it, except when I visited it was a warm day and the kids were happy.  Scattered around the lawn were (was?) a variety of families picnicking, resting – just enjoying the beauty of a day. Which it was.

I do hope the rabbits make you smile as they made me smile. It required a wee detour to find them; I deemed it eminently worthwhile! And I smile again just seeing their pictures.

Another courthouse, this one in Ripley, West Virginia – the county seat of Jackson County. I really don’t know much more about this building than that. Note the war Memorial (Civil War I think) to the left of the photo.

Finally, this. I had located the Jackson County Courthouse Square in downtown Ripley and was looking for a place to park when I saw this sign (above). The space was empty; I’m a veteran, so I parked. On Facebook, the question has come up as to whether I needed to have an official veteran’s license plate to be eligible to park there. The sign says nothing about that, and there are two or three things on my car that would lead one to believe that I am a veteran, but I may actually ask Jackson County what the rule is. This parking spot is right beside a collection of military memorials and U.S.military flags on a corner of the courthouse grounds.

This reminds me of another sign I saw in Hagerstown Maryland, in a grocery store parking lot. There with the signs for handicapped parking; expectant mothers parking; mothers with strollers parking – there was a parking space with a sign that said “65 And Over”. I parked it there, that day, too!

But, that was another trip.