Racing and Books

Bright sunshine and patchy snow on the ground...  Kits outside playing (and tracking in mud) and squirrels filling their tummies.  It's a nice morning.  I've watered and fed the chickens, and collected 3 eggs; watered and fed the kits who live with the chickens.  Fed and walked Rosie.  Come home and taken care of my kits...  The internet connection is completely gone at Rosie's, so I'm happy I'll be returning home tonight.  Still have the chicks and kits until next Sunday, and next weekend, I'll be staying with Boo.  I'll be keeping busy.
  There were some exciting horse races yesterday - and a terrible death.  The San Luis Rey Stakes race  finished pretty close - Fire With Fire, who led from the starting gate, won by a half-length over Lucayan, who was a nose in front of Temeraine.  Vagabond Shoes, however, an older horse that I really like, was put down after the race.  Vagabond Shoes was bumped coming out of the gate, and just "didn't feel normal" to his usual jockey.  When the rider asked the horse to increase his speed, the rider heard a loud "pop" from a hind leg, and the horse stumbled badly. The jockey pulled Vagabond  Shoes up, and he was vanned off the track.  The horse's left hind cannon bone was shattered; and the decision was made to euthanize him.  ...  The Spiral Stakes ended with a "blanket finish" - three horses hit the finish line at almost the same time.  We Miss Artie won by a nose, with Harry's Holiday beating Coastline by a head for second place.  It was a thrilling race.  ...  The Bourbonette Stakes was touted as the return of Sloane Square - but she could only finish second, two and a quarter lengths behind Aurelia's Belle, and two and a half lengths ahead of Kate's Eyes.
  The more I read, the more I love the books of Robin Hobb.  I recently re-read The Liveship Traders trilogy; I just finished the four books that make up The Rain Wild Chronicles; and last night I started reading  The Tawny Man trilogy, which (I just found out) follows The Farseer Trilogy.  So I still have six more books of hers to read, not to mention another series, and all of her other books.  This woman writer is absolutely fantastic!  She creates viable worlds, sets the scene with interesting characters, and interweaves history, magic, and ancient lore into a wholly believable universe.  I highly recommend her books to everyone!