rajafacesbothways

Homage to "Two Things At Once"

My friend, Kathryn, whose blog is the above, has recently been photographing her feet every day as they have taken her to various places, including Chicago Cubs games and surgery. I noticed my shoes reflected in the window at Yoko En origami horse display and took this photo in her honor.

It's important to keep putting one foot in front of the other but it's also good to pause and notice where you are.

 

 

Horses--They're Everywhere!

Horses in all shapes, colors, materials keep emerging. Approximately 1300+ real ones from all over the world are at the WEG games. However about 1800+ small origami horses and a 9 foot origami horse,  possibly the tallest in the world, are dwelling at YukoEn Garden. This was a project developed by local artists Dr. Carolann Fried and Anne Leader with the help of students in the area.

The Horse Park, not to be outdone, has gone bigger and brighter:

Shhh. I find myself becoming a bit tired of horses. And the Festival of the Horse is about to absorb downtown Georgetown for the next four days.

Trixie Rides Again

Gift From the Desert was busy today, making it more fun to be a docent while meeting people from all over the world. It's interesting to see what grabs their interest---one woman was ecstatic to see the Hittite Kikkuli cuneiform Tablet of a Horse Training text (early 14th C. BCE); many of the techniques for dressage training remain in use today. Another woman returned twice to show her husband a small cuneiform clay tablet  (about 5x3 cm--late Babylonian) of a receipt for a gift horse from Darius 1st. Why? Because he was the ruler from 516 BCE who put David in the lion's den! (See! I don't even have to make thing up!)

Also Trixie rode again--these are horses in the Alltech exhibition area.

And below is a horse made of shells:

That gal wil ride anything!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax Dollars at Work

Working as a docent for the Gift From the Desert was designated as a special event--a reception for members of the Kentucky legislator. Since they have been making up things in Frankfort I figured I could make things up for them for a change. It wouldn't matter since they probably wouldn't pay attention anyway.

I overestimated them. They gathered to mingle, drink wine and nibble on goodies; a few went through the exhibit, one on his cell phone as he urged his wife to look quickly since they had dinner plans.
It confirmed what I already knew--even at the Horse Park there are more horses asses than there are horses!

Is This For Real or Surreal?

WEG athletes are staying at motels at the edge of Georgetown. Haven't noticed any of them dining downtown but I wonder about their reaction when athletes from Japan, Australia, Portugal, Finland and Germany discover Fava's frickles. Will frickles become a world-wide favorite?

And will they wonder why a jockey and Minnie Mouse are separated by a horse glued with plastic spoons and knives?

And will the empty bourbon barrels, some filled with flowers, mislead them into thinking, since bourbon was first created in Georgetown by a minister, that this Kentucky-only  beverage would be available to sip here? Not!

Let the Games Begin

The World Equestrian Games begin tomorrow. I'll get a close-up on the activities (as close as one can get without buying a ticket) when I volunteer at the Horse Park on Sunday and Tuesday. This week the park was closed for intensive completion. There are tents everywhere. Below are a few photos of Alltech Experience  area and some of the many tents scattered throughout the park. Huge outdoor and indoor arenas have also been built in the past 2 years.

The flags in Georgetown seem to have settled in a mediocre arrangement and here we can move on to the Festival of the Horse next week.

The World Equestrian Games will receive national TV coverage on NBC the next 3 Sundays. 

 

Some of the many tents:

 

And probably the most popular place in the Park.

Horsin' Around With Trixie

Ten years ago "Trixie" rode many of the Chicago cows. Today I took her down to Lexington for the Horse Mania horses found throughout the city. She rode about half of the 80 horses in today's 93 degree weather, then said "Screw this--cows are more fun to ride." (Trixie is a tough lil doll). This is the extension of my "Where's Trixie" project. Somewhere on every horse you can discover her.

The Siren of the Bluegrass

1HP

 

Lady Godiva's Horse

Double Duh!

Two retractions of former blogs are in order.

1.  Three hummingbirds have been at the feeders since I wrote they had all left. Now who's the bird brain?!

2.  The Main Street flags have been rearranged once more. The previous arrangement of the flags parallel to the street with the American flags on the left resulted in the U.S. flags often getting tangled in the light poles while the flags of other countries blew freely. Soooo--the fire department returned once more and hung both flags at 45 degree angles, facing the street, allowing all flags to be blowin' in the wind.

As far as I can tell none are hanging upside down but it's difficult to tell with flags from infidel countries.

Nothing to Hum About

The humming birds have hum-ed off--none around for the past couple of days. I had hoped our continuing 90 degree weather might have fooled them into thinking this is Peru. However they insisted they had to hurry and zip through Texas because their immigration papers had expired.

They were sure fun while they lasted.

The Bluegrass Experience

The visit from Studio Ruthe was busy and fun. I gave her the "Bluegrass Tour" of Frankfort's Capitol, galleries there, and in Georgetown and Lexington; exposed her to the essence of southern living--the 100 year old Weisenberger Mill, the fall antique market in Oxford, gigantic sandwiches at Wallace Station in Midway, the monthly Art Hops in Georgetown and Lexington and rooftop beer with live music from the Court House square.

Plus the fringe benefit of the Flag Folly drama and frickles at Favas. My favorite waitress, Brenda, was there and stood nibbling on the Frickles  while chatting with us. There is a certain uniqueness in a place where the waitress enjoys the food she serves with you! Ruthe met several artists and town characters--only a small portion of the people I know here.

Unfortunately, my marketing did not convince her to move here from Pittsburgh. Stepping back a couple of decades just didn't convince her to leave her big city background.

I think one more visit could do it though!