Celebrate Memorial Day

I appreciate each and every person who has given their time,

limbs, or life for the preservation of my country.

Thank you.

Lovey

Leofgifu Glyndwr Devine -

She and I miss Banichi.

Steve and Indi

Steve on the patio

Indi investigating extra construction materials
from the robin's nest on the light

Indi, in front, and Steve -

little wiggle-butt monsters

A Nice Morning

I slept Friday night without any covers over me - no sheet, nothing. Yesterday evening, just in time for the Veteran's Memorial Arch to be dedicated, we had rain, thunder, and lightning. When I crawled into bed with Lovey last night, I pulled up the sheet, bedspread, and then added my afghan. It's 58 degrees outside now; I have the window and the patio door open, and Lovey is sunning herself on the concrete outside. When I walked to the bakery and back this morning, people coming out of the Millennium Harvest House were staring at me. I guess it was because I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, while they were bundled up in long pants and jackets over turtleneck sweaters. It's going to be in the mid-70s this afternoon - what I consider to be perfect weather, after a night in the mid-40s. And we're expecting mid-80s tomorrow for Memorial Day. I might post a photo or two tomorrow, but I don't think I'll actually write anything in my blog. I'll be contemplating those who have defended this soil for the past 500 years.
Lovey seems to be happy to be home, even though Riley, the Shar Pei, has moved upstairs. He and Keith now have a much larger apartment, but Riley still believes that "home" is two doors down from my place. Birds are singing outside and a light breeze is blowing. Lovey is now in my lap, purring. All is well.

Chincoteague Homes

House on Jester Street

House on Lewis Street

House on Marsh Point Lane

Be It Ever So Humble...

Lovey slept on my chest all night in our bed - me being her bed, while my body was in the bed. She was very fussy when I left to go to the store this morning, but when I returned and showed her nothing but kitty food and kitty treats in the bag, she began to purr. She has spent the past 45 minutes exploring the back yard, and is now sprawled on the tile floor, as it's rather warm outside already. I say it's warm because while I'm sitting here at the desk, my neck and the back of my head is sweating to the extent that my hair is wet. Lovey and I are happy to be together again at home.
Steve and Indi were ecstatic when their folks arrived yesterday evening. I thought both dogs would injure themselves in their wiggle and jump dance to greet Laura and Cory. Laura's luggage did not make it back with them, so we are all crossing our fingers that it will show up, as it contains her favorite clothing. Four men tried to mug Cory in St. Petersburg, but he was able to hit a couple of them and yell at the top of his lungs, so they did not steal anything. And my gifts from Russia are breath-takingly beautiful, and are perfectly suited for me.
I think that Lovey and I will just relax around the house today. I might go down to the Boulder Creek Festival tomorrow and take a look around. Monday, all I have to do is carry a chair out to the parking lot, and I'll have a curb-side view of the Bolder Boulder race. A fun, relaxing weekend in which to contemplate the gift of freedom given by our military heroes.....

Cool Critters

Visiting the beach in hot weather can be relaxing

For urban guys, a fountain is fine

Or fresh seafood caught at the river

can be very appetizing...

Hot...

The heat in Colorado is, at least, dry heat, not the humidity-laden muggy, wet blanket that a person finds in coastal states. That being said, I'm going to whine. The average high temperature for today is 73 degrees. We are expected to see 93. After all the rain and hail we've had lately, this will come as a shock to our system. At 6:45 this morning, as I was walking Indi and Steve, I ran into a neighbor who was already complaining because it was 64 degrees with 53% humidity. I really wanted to laugh at him, but didn't. Colorado is a state of extremes, and folks living here should be, or get, used to that fact. Steve and Indi are super and sit and cock their heads from side to side when I tell them that Laura and Cory will be home this evening. I hope they understand. (And I will get to be at home with Lovey!)
Let's see, odds and ends: Abby Toll, who was convicted of felony animal abuse when she taped a Shiba Inu upside down to a refrigerator, has a new lawyer. She was supposed to be sentenced by the judge today, but he will announce a new sentencing date instead, as the new lawyer "needed time to read through the trial transcript." She just needs to be locked away from anything helpless - children and animals - in my opinion. .... Jockey Julian Leparoux's spinal injury will keep him out of the saddle for another 5 weeks. And, hopefully, Calvin Borel will be released from the hospital after treatment for his eye infection. Borel hopes to be back in the irons next week. .... As the college students leave town, there are more adoptable pets available to everyone. I've seen a few interesting guys that might get along with Lovey. And, finally, local schools are now out for the summer and kids will be swarming everywhere.
I hope you have a super Memorial Day weekend!

Where They Shouldn't Be...

Kitten exploring the washing machine

Chihuahua on warm clothes in dryer

Ferret exploring kitchen counter tops

Pet Safety

Yeah, I know... It's ironic that I'm writing about pet safety after my cat died from poisoning. The idea here, though, is to remind you that critters can get into things without you knowing, or even thinking, about it. What set me off today was the news report from Sydney, Australia about a four-month old Persian kitten who miraculously survived being washed and spinned at high speed in a washing machine. The kittens' eyes were damaged by the detergent; but to what extent, the veterinarians do not yet know. Otherwise, the kitten seems to be OK. - The owners left their front-loading washing machine door open. Apparently the kitten found the dirty clothes to be a nice nest for sleeping - my cats and dogs always have, but not inside the washer. The owners tossed in more dirty clothes, closed the door and started the washer. Luckily, Kimba somehow survived.
My number one rule when I am at home or pet-sitting is: Know where your pet is. Before I start any machine, either at home, or where I am currently employed, I am certain that I know where the pet(s) is(are) located. No washing machine, no dryer, no vehicle, no oven - anything - I will not press a start button, or turn a key until I am absolutely certain that no pet is inside of a machine or an engine or any compartment... I do not leave doors to machines open, unless it is a given in that specific household - and I always check inside before I start anything. Kittens, cats, puppies, small to medium size dogs, ferrets, bunnies, gerbils, rats, guinea pigs... they are all critters that like to investigate their environments. Please be certain that you do not harm them. You, as the owner or guardian, are totally responsible for your pet's actions. Take care.

No Hail Here

So far, this area has been lucky. Earlier this afternoon, a hail storm dropped 6 to 12 inches of hail north of Denver, but south of Boulder and Niwot. The hail ranged in size from pea gravel up to the size of regulation baseballs. There is a great deal of damage to vehicles, homes, trees, gardens, and livestock. Roof tiles were broken and shutters ripped off, and siding has been holed; windows of cars and trucks are gone, and if a convertible or soft-top Jeep was parked outside, the tops are now rags and the interiors are filled with hail; trees and gardens have been stripped and flattened; newborn livestock have lost their lives. Total estimates of loss will not be available for 2 weeks or so. So, of course, my mind goes to wildlife - birds and nests, ducklings and goslings, squirrels, rabbits... The wild animal world, as well as livestock, is once again paying it's tribute and homage to Mother Nature. - Unfortunately, the flora and fauna along our coasts are paying with their lives for man's greed for fossil fuels, dying from the BP oil spill... and not being a kill from natural occurrences.

On the Carousel of Happiness

An alpaca
A camel

A Saint Bernard

A fish, possibly a koi

A kangaroo and her joey, giving gifts

The rabbit, checking his watch;

a white-tail deer and a cheetah;

and, in the background, a great blue heron.

***The above photos (and many more) may be found in the "Animals" section of the website for the Carousel of Happiness at http://www.carouselofhappiness.org/ ***

The Carousel of Happiness

The Carousel of Happiness will celebrate its Grand Opening at 10 a.m. Saturday in Nederland. I certainly wish I was going to be there. Scott Harrison has crafted 58 creatures for the ride, carving, painting and detailing them since 1985. He originally envisioned this carousel while serving in Viet Nam in 1968; and it will become a reality in three days' time. Carousel of Happiness is a non-profit organization, run on, and with, donations, that is dedicated to helping children with disabilities (especially those living in mountain towns). For more information, a look at the carousel critters, and an interview with Mr. Harrison, please visit http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15161450#axzz0p31ZPHI5
The kids aren't happy with me, as I've closed off the doggie doors into the backyard. Today is yard service day, and I've picked up poop and gathered toys from all over the back yard - and opened the door into the front garden, but the kids are still unhappy; even though we've had breakfast, walked, and they've had both their teeth and bodies brushed. At least I know they'll be happy sometime on Friday when their parents return home. - We play, we wrestle, we tug toys, and I give them lots of love and treats - but I'm just not their real people. (I had thought and hoped that Laura and Cory had seen the big bridge swaying like mad over the Volga River - but I looked up the place on the map, and found that they are far, far away from that incident. Rats.) But Lovey and I will be home together Friday night or Saturday morning, so I will be content.

Favorite Female Authors II

Lillian Stewart Carl

Blaize Clement

Carolyn Haines,

who asked when I'd come pet-sit for her

Alarms

I learned something new yesterday - that it is illegal for arbor services to spray trees when the wind is above 15 mph in Colorado. I was also happy to learn that information. This morning has been very interesting: the power went off, and that caused alarms to go off all over the house, which freaked the dogs out. Of course, there were no lights, and I forgot where Laura showed me the big flashlight for just such an occasion..... First, I had to run and shut off the alarm system, then I grabbed my stack of "what to do if..." papers - and realized that I couldn't read them without light. I found a candle, but no matches. I finally had a brainstorm that said if I looked in the kitchen drawer that contained boxes of replacement batteries, I might find something. I found a tiny flashlight inside by feel, turned it on, and relaxed a bit. Then I had 8 places to go and turn off alarms and shut down equipment, like the pool heater and pool pump. That took me 45 minutes. Then I had to convince the kids, Indi and Steve, to come back inside, realize that the alarms were not going off, and give them a treat. Then I went back to bed. I awoke two hours later and was horrified to hear voices, speaking casually, from the pool room; I'm so happy I decided to peek in before calling 911, as the TV had turned on when the power came back on. I certainly would have felt extremely foolish if I had made that call! When I arose for the day, I had to go around and turn everything back on, including all the pool equipment. Steve and Indi are fine, but I'm somewhat short of sleep, and I have to go see Dr. Shapiro this morning. Yuck.
Besides yesterday's Chinook winds (and the damage they caused), the big news around here was that Dr. Oz and his wife will be running in Monday's Bolder Boulder 10K race on Memorial Day. As the course runs right in front of my apartment building, about a half-mile from the finish line, I'll probably see them, as I'll be out cheering on my brother-in-law, as usual. The thing is that I don't know what Dr. Oz looks like.... so I guess I'm out of luck. I usually give a big yell for the ROTC squads and the Armed Forces squads that run the race; and sometimes I'll yell for a certain costume that takes my fancy. We'll see what happens this year. And I might head down to the Boulder Creek Festival on Saturday or Sunday, just to see what they have for exhibits this year. It's all free, so why not?

A Few Favorite Female Authors

Margaret Coel, at the

local used book store

Anne McCaffery, at a

book signing

Ann Ripley, with
a "book cake"

A Movie and Books

Kathy, Jim and I had a very nice dinner last night - roast chicken, fresh corn on the cob, a wild greens salad, and dessert was vanilla bean ice cream with fresh strawberries on top. We watched Julie & Julia, talked, and before we ate, I gave them a tour of the yard; after the movie, we took a house tour. It was almost 11, so they decided not to hop into the pool before going back home. Their friend Jane couldn't come, and when they first arrived, we went down the street and filled a trash can with fresh manure from the horse and pony at a neighbor's home. The film, Julie & Julia, was extremely fun to watch and was a great way to relax. I've been waiting for the tree service guys to call and let me know they are on their way, so I can unlock and open the gates to give them access to the back yard. It's after noon and the wind has picked up considerably - blowing about 30 mph out there now. I'll need to call and check to see if St. Vrain will spray in this wind - if not, I can relax and take a nap. I just finished the fourth book in Ann Ripley's mystery series, and have started on the fifth, which is set here, where I live. The last book was about murder during a garden tour, and I was excited and delighted to read an acknowledgement to someone I personally know - Catharine Long Gates, of Long's Gardens, in Boulder. She and her family have been iris specialists for three generations, but I know her from her work on the Silver Lake Irrigation Ditch. She is a super lady. I'm 3 chapters into the fifth gardening mystery, and have already been laughing up my sleeve about descriptions of people and places I know. This book will be a fun read.

Pretty Views

Old Town, Arhus, Denmark

A field of bearded iris, Salem, Oregon

Sheep at pasture in Malmo, Sweden, overlooked by the

Orestund Bridge which links Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo

Almost Serene Sunday

It's beautiful out. I've been doing research on tulips and irises, as well as the Chincoteague family tree. Once I finish this blog, I'll take Steve and Indi out for a nice long stroll - since Indi has blown out two knees and one hock, we do stroll. Laura has never seen her front garden in bloom, so I have been taking photos while she's gone. And I wonder if she and Cory saw that swaying bridge over the river in Russia (it was on the news) - after showing the bridge, the camera panned out into the river and showed a Viking Lines-type cruise ship. The only problems I know she and Cory have had is with their e-mail access.... Kathy and Jim and a friend, a chiropractor, are coming over for dinner and a movie tonight. It should prove to be an interesting time. (No, this is not a date set-up for me - Jane and Kathy barter services with each other.)
I have thought for the past year that the only way Sarah Palin could frighten me would be if she got into a national office. She proved me wrong yesterday. On a GOP visit to Denver, she made the quip that she would probably start cheering for the Broncos - because she liked the out-spokeness of rookie recruit Tim Tebow regarding his Christianity. That scared the be-jesus out of me. My first thought was: "Run, Tim, run!! She will eat you alive! And her religious views are a little skewed, too!"

Critters

Huggable....



Kissable....



Lovable....

Books and Dogs

It's not yet 9 a.m. here, but the temperature is in the mid-70s and the humidity is all of 8%. The wind is blowing at 22 mph, and we are expecting gusts of up to 50 mph this afternoon. I got up earlier than usual (at 5), and watered the flower garden so it wouldn't lose too much moisture, as the fence protects it, and it doesn't get full sun until afternoon. Then I made blueberry pancakes, walked Indi and Steve, then fed and loved and brushed them. I finished reading the fourth Dixie Hemingway, pet sitter, mystery by Blaize Clement yesterday, and e-mailed her an appreciative comment - and was surprised to receive a nice letter in return this morning. The fifth book in the series is also out, and I highly recommend all of them. They are set on Siesta Key, near Sarasota, and are very well written. Now I'm back reading Ann Ripley's mystery series about organic gardening.
Not much else is going on here - Steve and Indi take a lot of time and loving, a lot of grooming and teeth-brushing, and are very good companions. They are very high-energy dogs, like Boo and Rosie, Lucy and Pepper. Sometimes just looking at them makes me feel tired - but they are such happy critters that I can't deny them fun and games and much more exercise (on my part). I know I've lost 4 pounds in the last week .....

Coastal Scenes

Marshland on Assateague Island

Boats at a private dock on Cedar Key

The Suwannee River

Angry, Upset, and .... ARGH!

It's a gorgeous day out, and the weather folks say it will continue that way for the next four days. Lovey is doing well; Rosie and Remy are OK, but missing their walks; and Steve and Indi seem to be doing very well. I'm OK. But events that I have no control over have me angry and upset. Which events? (1) The continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and BP's extremely lame excuses and inability to close their well-head. (And then I had to laugh when Rand Paul stated that President Obama's criticism of BP was un-American. - Doesn't Paul understand that BP stands for British Petroleum?) I am just totally disgusted with the whole thing - and very worried about all of the fragile habitats, and all of the flora and fauna, along any bit of coastline that has to deal with the effects of billions of barrels of crude oil. I am angry and afraid for people who may lose their way of life on the water, and for all of the creatures that will suffer (and are already suffering) from this horrific accident. (2) I am angry about the state of Arizona's immigration stand. I am not saying that we should open America's borders wholesale; but I feel that the way Arizona's law was written is very much like the Jim Crow laws of the Old South (I grew up in Florida and Virginia). Any Arizonan officer of the law can legally stop someone for their appearance, and check their identity and background, just because they look Hispanic. That just goes entirely against the grain of America being "the home of the free." I do realize that the US is "currently in a war against terrorism" - but, please tell me, how many of the terrorist suspects being held by the US are of Hispanic descent? And most of the southwestern United States have 300 to 400 years of historical ties to Mexico and Spain.... so where is the cut-off line? How would one decide who looks Hispanic and who doesn't? - I just don't get it.... (3) The Sunday before Easter, a twelve-year-old girl, who lived in the town of Greeley, Colorado, decided to walk (with her parents permission) to her friend's birthday party, being held about a mile away, at the friend's home. The young lady never arrived. It was hoped that she might be a run-away, but there had been no hint of a reason for it. Her body was found two days ago, in a drainage ditch, not very far from her own home. Police have confirmed it is definitely a murder investigation. I am angry and upset about this, too. I do realize that "times have changed" since I was a child... But I am still shocked that a young person in a small town can be so mercilessly done away with, on her way to a birthday party. It is stupefying. It is terribly frightening. For me, it seems completely un-real.
If there is something that you want at Barnes & Noble, but have been putting off purchasing it, B&N has a 30%-off sale for on-line orders through Sunday, May 23rd. This is coupon for use on only one item that is at regular price. If you wish to do this, the coupon code to enter for your order is Y3V4U3X ... It has been announced that both Setsuko and Dublin will not be running in the Belmont Stakes on June 5. ... And, I wrote in my blog about the falls of Kent Desormeaux and Julian Leparoux during the running of the Black-Eyed Susans Stakes, the day prior to the Preakness. Julian L has continued to have some back pain since his fall, and finally had an MRI done. He's been riding since the accident with a compression fracture of his T-8, in the middle of his spine. He will be off horses for the next 2 to 3 weeks. And Calvin Borel will be off his scheduled mounts, due to an eye infection, until Saturday or Sunday.
I hope you have a great weekend!

Dogs

Australian Shepherd puppies

A four-month-old Dachshund

An Irish Setter peeking over a fence

Nature

It's overcast this morning, following another evening of light rain; 54 degrees with 97% humidity. Steve, Indi and I survived the visits of the yard crew and Eric, from the tree service, yesterday. I took the kids on one long and three short walks, as we had temperatures in the mid-70s with a modicum of humidity. It's supposed to be in the upper 70s today and the low 80s through Sunday - I'll be filling the drinking bowls with ice about every three hours those days. I've been observing a robin building it's nest on the flat top of one of the patio lights, which is attached to the wall between two sliding glass doors in the master bedroom. That bird is incredibly busy, and gets into some of the wildest positions when placing her new additions to the nest just-so. Laura has a tremendous eye for color, and the combination of colors in the tulip bed in the front garden is beautiful. The iris are about to bloom - tightly furled petals peeking out of their buds are an iridescent dark purple, and I'm looking forward to the actual blossoms. I've been lucky in walking the kids so far; Steve believes everything is his best friend, and he's been sprayed by skunks twice this spring. If I spy any skunks, we turn around and walk in the opposite direction, much to Steve's disgust - he moans for about the next 100 feet.
If you enjoy cooking, looking at recipes, and/or seeing new cooking gadgets, I advise you to visit www.cookingenthusiast.com - I have been enjoying their catalog and recipes. My biggest problem is they have a really neat chicken infuser/cooker - it's made of ceramic, has a well for your liquid infusion, and a bowl (to gather the juices for gravy) with a pour spout and handles. It's a really neat little item - but they have a photo in the catalog of a roasted chicken still sitting on top of the infuser, which causes me to break out into almost hysterical giggles. The chicken is very plump (nicely browned and with pepper and herbs clearly visible on the outside), and, to me, it looks like me sitting on a log (or post) with my elbows (the wings) resting on the tops of my rounded hips (the drumsticks). It looks funny. And it just keeps making me laugh. - Am I really losing my sanity?
And a final note that last year's Derby winner, Mine That Bird, has been moved from the training of Chuck Wooley, and is now in the hands of D. Wayne Lukas.....

A Tree as Refuge

A boreal owl

A Sumatran tiger and cub

A young raccoon

Weather, Reading, and Horses

After a somewhat wild evening, with tornadoes to the north of us, and a long lasting thunder and lightning storm, it's very pretty outside. I thoroughly enjoyed NCIS last night, although I would have liked to have seen more of Gibbs and Ducky - Ducky working, and Gibbs getting his horse and riding into Baja... I'm about a third of the way through Deceiver, C J Cherryh's latest atevi novel, and, as usual, I want more, now! After this, I'll go back to Ann Ripley's gardening mystery series, and then I think I'll have to visit Pern for a while. (Did you know that in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, today is the day that Arwen Evenstar leaves Rivendell, on her way to marry King Elessar?) The Aussies are great companions, and we'll soon leave for a morning jaunt. I'm currently awaiting the arrival of the yard crew, having swept the backyard (again) for toys and poop, and unlocking two of the four gates. I'll need to unlock the other two for the tree service this afternoon.
Twenty-four years ago, Ferdinand was the surprise winner of the Kentucky Derby. Ferdinand was a bright chestnut colt, trained by Charlie Whittingham, and ridden by Bill Shoemaker. He upset the favorite in the Derby betting, a colt named Snow Chief; both colts were from California. Ferdinand's trainer told Snow Chief's trainer, Mel Stute, that he felt that Snow Chief just couldn't handle the track at Churchill Downs, and encouraged him to run in the Preakness. Snow Chief won the Preakness handily, under jockey Alex Solis. Having won the Florida Derby and several other stakes races that year, Snow Chief was named 3-year-old Colt of the Year. He raced for another year, winning several more stakes races before retiring to stud. Saturday, while the 2010 Preakness was being contested, Snow Chief had a heart attack and died at the age of 27. - Here's to his memory!!
The field for the June 5th Belmont Stakes is taking shape; a couple of horses from both the Derby and the Preakness look as though they'll try the mile and a half course. Possibilities include: Ice Box, Fly Down, First Dude, Make Music for Me, Dublin, Stately Victor, Drosselmeyer, Game On Dude, Setsuko, Spangled Star, Stay Put, and Uptowncharlybrown. As usual, with no Triple Crown contender, the Belmont looks wide open....

Local Critters

A couple of young skunks

The robin is the harbinger of spring here

A coyote on the roadside

Morning Serenades

It's overcast this morning, but in the 50s, with a high of 67 expected here. In western Colorado, across the divide, however, they are expecting 2 to 8 inches of snow. Steve wolfed down his breakfast, but Indi wouldn't touch hers, so it's in the 'fridge at the moment. Laura said she wasn't a big morning eater, but that Steve would eat all day long, if possible. I'm seeing that now. After refusing her breakfast, she did have the chutzpah to come into the office and beg for treats, though, so I'm not worried about her. ... While I have not tried the Bowflex machine in the exercise/pool room, I have tried out all the other equipment. Surpri-i-ise! I like just sitting in the hot tub/pool best. But I get over-heated if I'm in there for more than 10 minutes, and then I get a tremendous headache - not like a migraine, up front and behind my eyes, but it's like a huge vise has the back of my head in it's grip and just keeps squeezing... I find it an interesting occurrence.
I've been charmed by the rabbits, birds, squirrels, skunks and fox in the neighborhood, and have found that the coyote pack likes to howl about 2 a.m., which sets Steve and Indi off. The Aussies go at an all-out run, explode through the dog doors, and try to convince the coyotes that they'd better not approach any nearer. Now, there is a six-foot tall solid wood vertical fence around the back yard, and there is wire fencing buried vertically under the fence and at the gates (along with horizontal wiring at the gates); the only things that get in the backyard are squirrels and creatures that can fly... You'd think the kids would know that by now.

Prince Rupert

Prince Charles Louis (left) the soon-to-be Elector and

brother Prince Rupert (right)

By Sir Anthony Van Dyke, 1637

Prince Rupert leading the charge at the Battle of Edgehill (1642)
by Harry Payne

Prince Rupert and his Cavaliers riding through Oxford
by Henry Justice Ford

Monday

It's a gorgeous Monday morning in Colorado. The sky is blue, the sun is bright, I have walked Indi and Steve and brushed them, and took a quick run to the grocery store to replenish my Coca-Cola supply. I'm scheduled to see Dr. Shapiro on the 25th; other than that, I'll be here in Niwot with the wiggle-butts. Nancy and Joel visited yesterday and loved the kids and all their toys. And I've seen and chatted with most of the neighbors around the area - Walt and Sophie, and their owners Marilyn and Terry; Shasta and his family; the ladies on Oriole; Chad and his family; Ann and Marty, their dogs and horses. It's a lovely quiet neighborhood.
Neither Super Saver nor Lookin at Lucky will be running in the Belmont Stakes. First Dude's connections are thinking about entering, but don't know yet. ... The Colorado Horse Park has several up-coming hunter/jumper shows, a dressage show, sheep dog trials, and their first 3-Day-Event of the season will be June 11,12, & 13. That's followed by the Regional Quarter Horse show. This is when I wish I could afford a car....
Boulder itself enters the wide open spirits with the annual Boulder Creek Festival; this year it's May 29 through 31. The Bolder Boulder 10K Race is the 31st, with local and international road racers competing; and it's also the Rubber Duck Race in Boulder Creek for all sorts of prizes. The end of this month is a real blast for every family member!

Super Horses III

A painting of Rysdyk's Hambletonian (1849 - 1876)

He is the foundation sire of all US Standardbred horses

Dan Patch, the best pacer of all time (1896 - 1916)

Undefeated, and a World Record holder for 54 years

(for a mile at the pace)

Greyhound (The Grey Ghost), best trotter ever (1932 - 1965)

Winner of the 1935 Hambletonian
World Record holder at a mile trot for 31 years