I can now report with certainty that Neddy is not totally black - he has 7 white hairs inside each ear. He had a blast yesterday afternoon and evening - dashing in and out of the apartment, and honing his hunting skills. He caught two spiders, one moth, and a dragonfly, and was very proud of his exploits. Lovey has been going two patios down and looking for Riley, the Shar Pei. Riley and his owner, Keith, moved upstairs three weeks ago. I saw Keith yesterday evening, and was embarrassed when he told me how he had heard a cat crying outside his bedroom window the night before. He thought he recognized Lovey's voice, looked out, and saw that it was her - she was on the ground, projecting her voice up to Riley on the second floor. Riley got agitated, so Keith took him downstairs, and allowed Lovey and Riley 15 minutes of playtime together. Keith thought is was cute that Lovey had searched them out, and cried until Riley came out to play. As I wrote previously, I was embarrassed. Lovey has a very loud voice and she occasionally gets on my nerves, talking constantly as she does. I fervently hope that she doesn't make a nuisance of herself. (And, as far as I know, Neddy has yet to meet Riley.)
Rail Trip was the favorite in yesterday's Hollywood Gold Cup, but he lost by a half-length to the 7-year-old Awesome Gem, who carried 7 pounds less. ... Gio Ponte, who won the Male Turf and Older Male Racehorse championships last year, won the Man o' War Stakes by a neck yesterday. It was a repeat of his win last year in the 1 3/8 mile turf classic. ... And the only foal sired by George Washington, twice a Cartier Champion in Europe, ran her first race on Friday, winning easily. Date With Destiny, a bay filly, won the 7 furlong race at Newbury in England.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Dogs and Horses
Rosie discovered a large group of stinging insects Thursday - I don't know if it was a hive of bees, or a nest of hornets, wasps, or yellow jackets. I know she kept digging around in some deep grass near the garden fence, and suddenly came out with a yelp, pawing at her nose, followed by a wedge of buzzing, flying things. We went further down the irrigation ditch, then I pulled two stingers from her nose, and gave it a good covering of thick, wet mud. By the end of our walk, she was fine, even though one side of her nose was slightly larger than the other. Yesterday, the young fox kits had a ball, popping their heads out of their den (about 6 feet from Kathy and Jim's rear fence) - and making Remy and Rosie go crazy in their efforts to go through or over the fence to get them. They very much delighted in teasing the Irish kids.
You may recall the name of Abby Toll, the young woman who duck taped the 8-month-old Shiba Inu puppy in an upside down position on the side of her refrigerator, after wrapping its jaws, ears, paws and tail in elastic hair bands, and then covering them with more duck tape. She was sentenced yesterday, here in Boulder, for her animal cruelty charges. The sentencing includes 30 days of jail time, 3 years of probation (in which she cannot be near any animal), 200 hours of community service, and a payment of $717.00. She still blames the entire incident on her ex-boyfriend and the dog, even while she proclaims that she is "an animal lover." What a bunch of hooey! I believe that she should have received the maximum sentence of 90 days in jail, at least.
And, if you'd like to read a "feel good" story, I recommend the following: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38179950/ns/sports-horse_racing/ It's about a woman named Margo Sutter who rescues horses - Thoroughbreds and others - and then sends them on again in a new direction. She is the founder of Mid America Horse Rescue; and I'm behind her 100%!
You may recall the name of Abby Toll, the young woman who duck taped the 8-month-old Shiba Inu puppy in an upside down position on the side of her refrigerator, after wrapping its jaws, ears, paws and tail in elastic hair bands, and then covering them with more duck tape. She was sentenced yesterday, here in Boulder, for her animal cruelty charges. The sentencing includes 30 days of jail time, 3 years of probation (in which she cannot be near any animal), 200 hours of community service, and a payment of $717.00. She still blames the entire incident on her ex-boyfriend and the dog, even while she proclaims that she is "an animal lover." What a bunch of hooey! I believe that she should have received the maximum sentence of 90 days in jail, at least.
And, if you'd like to read a "feel good" story, I recommend the following: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38179950/ns/sports-horse_racing/ It's about a woman named Margo Sutter who rescues horses - Thoroughbreds and others - and then sends them on again in a new direction. She is the founder of Mid America Horse Rescue; and I'm behind her 100%!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Ragtime
Blogging late is better than never.... I have just returned home from seeing Ragtime the Musical at The Curtain Playhouse in Denver (actually, Wheat Ridge). My one word: Stupendous. Wow! I laughed and I cried and my feet kept finding the rhythm of the piano without my thinking about it. What a glorious play! The Curtain Playhouse has all of 36 seats for patrons - and the size of the stage equals the size of the seating area. It's a very intimate theatre. I am prejudiced, because I know one of the performers... but my sister cried at least five different times, as did I, and we both laughed, also. The cast was superb - with many of them portraying multiple parts, except the lead players. After their bows, the actors and actresses mingled with the patrons in the entry hall/lounge area - and everyone had equal access to all. It was a great ending for the audience.
Being a WASSP (White Anglo-Saxon-Scandinavian Protestant), I have never had to deal with the many prejudices that still abound in our country. Having grown up in the Deep South, I was a witness to racial prejudice, but I can't remember noticing religious prejudice. I'm sure it was also there, but that I just did not recognize it or take notice of it. I try to be, and hope that I am, prejudice free. This play was about the lives and times of African-Americans, Jewish and Irish immigrants, other immigrants, and American WASPs - it was about basic freedoms, creativity, hatred, love, and heartbreaking loss. It was about all of us. It was great.
Being a WASSP (White Anglo-Saxon-Scandinavian Protestant), I have never had to deal with the many prejudices that still abound in our country. Having grown up in the Deep South, I was a witness to racial prejudice, but I can't remember noticing religious prejudice. I'm sure it was also there, but that I just did not recognize it or take notice of it. I try to be, and hope that I am, prejudice free. This play was about the lives and times of African-Americans, Jewish and Irish immigrants, other immigrants, and American WASPs - it was about basic freedoms, creativity, hatred, love, and heartbreaking loss. It was about all of us. It was great.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Locally Seen Flowers
A pink peony (Paeonia lactiflora)
A columbine (Aquileria caerules)
Elephant's head lousewort(Pedicularis groenlandica)
Canines, Equines and Felines
I've pretty much been out of the main stream of events for the past 72 hours - sick as a dog on Tuesday, up on the mountain yesterday, and today I slept late, walked the dogs, visited Dr. Shapiro, and came home and went back to bed. It's been in the low 70s today, and I've been in bed with flannel sheets and an afghan over me, and was still cold. I'm currently in sweats and wool socks; but I have to admit the patio door is cracked open at the moment, so Lovey and Neddy can play. Tomorrow all I have to do is walk Rosie and Remy and then go to see Ragtime in Denver in the evening. I am looking forward to the weekend, when I don't have anything at all scheduled. One of my clients, who frequently cancels at the last moment, has just informed me that she is thinking about acquiring a puppy prior to my next scheduled visit, taking care of her adult dog. She could not control her previous young dog, and we spent 18 months trying to find the youngster a new home (which was finally accomplished). Now, less than a year later, she wants another puppy. I don't know if I want to go through this with her again or not. I need to decide soon and let her know.
Neddy is growing apace and barely fits inside his favorite sleeping spot (a 10-inch frying pan). He and Lovey play together all the time, and if she wants to evade him, she still has four places that he cannot yet jump to. Lovey freaked out one of the last times I took her alone in her carrier - this past weekend, she was extremely quiet and content, as Neddy was inside with her. (And that certainly made me happy!) ... On the racing scene, Global Hunter won the American Handicap at Hollywood Park on July Fourth. Two strides past the finish line he took a misstep and dislocated his right foreleg fetlock - after 4 hours of surgery, his prognosis is good. .. Saturday, July 10th, the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap will be run, with Rail Trip carrying the high weight of 123 pounds. (And Man o'War carried 138 as a 3-year-old running against older horses carrying less weight, back in 1921....) .. Zenyatta had a nice work out at Hollywood Park, as did Rachel A. at Saratoga. Rachel Alexandra is slated to run in the Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 24. The Lady's Secret was originally scheduled for August 1, but since Rachel was entered, the race has been moved up in time, and the purse increased from $150,000 to $400,000. If Rachel scratches, or otherwise does not run, the 1 1/8-mile race will revert to a purse of $150,000. (To me, that somehow smells of favoritism....) ... And Pony Penning is a little less than 3 weeks away!! (Yahooo!!!)
Neddy is growing apace and barely fits inside his favorite sleeping spot (a 10-inch frying pan). He and Lovey play together all the time, and if she wants to evade him, she still has four places that he cannot yet jump to. Lovey freaked out one of the last times I took her alone in her carrier - this past weekend, she was extremely quiet and content, as Neddy was inside with her. (And that certainly made me happy!) ... On the racing scene, Global Hunter won the American Handicap at Hollywood Park on July Fourth. Two strides past the finish line he took a misstep and dislocated his right foreleg fetlock - after 4 hours of surgery, his prognosis is good. .. Saturday, July 10th, the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap will be run, with Rail Trip carrying the high weight of 123 pounds. (And Man o'War carried 138 as a 3-year-old running against older horses carrying less weight, back in 1921....) .. Zenyatta had a nice work out at Hollywood Park, as did Rachel A. at Saratoga. Rachel Alexandra is slated to run in the Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 24. The Lady's Secret was originally scheduled for August 1, but since Rachel was entered, the race has been moved up in time, and the purse increased from $150,000 to $400,000. If Rachel scratches, or otherwise does not run, the 1 1/8-mile race will revert to a purse of $150,000. (To me, that somehow smells of favoritism....) ... And Pony Penning is a little less than 3 weeks away!! (Yahooo!!!)
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