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The Online Magazine FOR and ABOUT Southside Virginia

2/14/2026

Pun Intended

And the Winner is...

   For the past two issues we have been running a contest called Pun Intended, where the idea was to figure out what the two pictures (shown below) had in common, and tell us what the pun was supposed to be.

   The winner was to select a local Animal Shelter or Humane society to receive a small donation from Discover Southside as the prize. We originally planned for the contest to run for a month, but it looks like we might have made it a bit too difficult (or too corny). With no correct answers in the first month, we extended it for another month and finally came up with some winners.

   In case you missed it, you can Click Here to try to figure it out before you read the answer below.

   For those of you, who have been waiting for the answer to the pun, be prepared to groan.

   The original pun started when we were riding along the highway and saw all the pink and purple flowers growing on the side hills. After seeing a dog running through them, the idea of a really bad pun occurred. The flowers were of course Phlox. Although the dog was not a Beagle, it could have been. So in the twisted minds of your faithful Discover Southside staff, it became "Phlox and Beagles" ala the Delicatessen fare of some fame; "Lox and Bagels". So a bad pun and a fun contest were born.

   Without further fanfare, here are the winners.

   Kathy C. of Halifax, had the first correct answer when she sent us an e-mail simply saying,

   "(ph)lox and a b(e)agel! Fun!" Kathy

   Thanks to Kathy's correct answer we will be donating $25 to the Halifax County Humane Society.

   The second place prize of a 50 lb bag of Dog Food, donated by Supply Line Discounts in South Boston, goes to the Danville Area Humane Society.

   And as promised, Lake Country SPCA in Clarksville will be getting a $25 donation for letting us borrow Ruby, the Beagle in the photo.

   The real winners, of course are the animals who benefit from the care of the shelters and volunteers which feed and house them until they can find permanent homes.

   We would like to thank everyone who helped us with this contest and to those who kept the secret until we let the cat out of the bag � sorry - we mean announced the winners.

   For anyone who would like to help these local shelters with donations or in other ways, their contact information is below. You may also see the "More ways you can help" section below.

   In parting, it gives us great pleasure to announce we had word from the Lake Country SPCA that Ruby has found a wonderful home, and is still quite humble in spite of her celebrity status.

More ways you can help

   Local Animal Shelters and Humane Societies are often staffed by volunteers, and funded by contributions. Many things are in short supply. If you are able to make a donation, that is one way to help. Volunteering your time is another. In many cases they need food, (pet) beds, collars and leashes, blankets and more. Even if you can’t afford to give money, you may have some of the needed items lying unused around your house. Call your local shelter and ask what they need.

   Another thing that can be a great help and make a wonderful addition to your life is to consider adopting one of the animals. Most of the animals at shelters have been, or will be, spayed or neutered and have all their shots. Typical adoption fees cover these costs. Even if you can’t adopt one yourself, consider an adoption donation to help defray the adoption cost for some other loving home who would like to adopt, but may not be able to afford the fees.

   Our special thanks to Lake Country SPCA for letting us spend time with Ruby.

   To donate or become a volunteer -

Lake Country SPCA is located at
7577 Hwy. 58
Clarksville, VA 23927 (next to Ace Hardware)
Call 434 374-8076
or email lakecountryspca@yahoo.com
www.lakecountryspca.com

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Halifax Humane Society -

Those who have donations, questions, or would like to become foster homes can call the society�s toll free number � 866-553-7365 � and leave a message in the appropriate voice mailbox
or write to
Halifax County Humane Society
PO Box 969
South Boston, VA 24592.

halifaxcohumane@yahoo.com

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Danville Area Humane Society

We are located at 996 South Boston Road in Danville, Virginia
Our mailing address is
P.O. Box 3352
Danville, Virginia 24543
You can also contact us by phone at (434) 799-0843, or by email at dahsinc@yahoo.com

http://www.dahsinc.com

Contact: Paulette Dean - Director
(434) 799-5306

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We would also like to thank:

Supply Line Discounts
1190 Bill Tuck Hwy (Hwy 58)
South Boston, VA 24592
434-572-6077

   Andy and Linda Bly for letting us use their garden.

   And Docks N More LLC. on Rt. 58 in Buffalo Junction. Before we found the Bly's garden, to use for the photos, Docks N More was willing to special order several pots of Phlox for us to use in the picture.