Trying to learn...this is just the fourth project I've done

I did watercolour club at Northside Library today, and I think I did rather well up to a point. It was a white horse. I did pretty well up to the horse's muzzle and eye, and while I knew what I needed to do, I just didn't have a steady hand to do the eye right or get the definition of the muzzle right, to be honest. I have essential tremor in my hands, so it might have been a factor. I'd like to try again when I'm not time-constrained and see if I can do better, though. Here is my art compared to the reference work and photo.

 

Compared to the teacher's artwork

Compared to the reference photo

I feel awful

This is not how I wanted to ring in the new year--not at all. My chest cold has moved into my head, which is a little odd, as it usually goes the other way. I got up and took my medicine after a bad night of being up and down, so I'll probably just head back to bed after I drink something. On top of everything else, I was in bed last night when the kitten, who usually goes for succulents, decided to nibble on my bamboo. So he got summarily removed from the room and the door is closed right now. He loves the succulents, the juicy, thicker, probably sweeter leaves. He pulled a Hawthornia up like a bonbon out of its little pot, and I found it yesterday by accident and put it back down in the soil to see if it will root again, even though it's been a little nibbled on the outer leaves. I don't hold much hope for it, but still. The only plant in the house that is questionable as far as being toxic to cats is his favourite, the aloe, which doesn't appear to hurt him but can cause mild vomiting in cats. All the others are safe, and the toxic plants went to our pharmacy. He's denuded most of my red velvet Echevarria. I'm hoping it comes back. But it is frustrating. He was no doubt weaned a little early because he's a very orally fixated cat, and he loves to put fingers and just about everything else in his mouth. But for the most part, fortunately, he's leaving other plants alone, including the orchids. I have two of those blooming right now and then three others have put up flower spikes, so soon I'll have almost half (I have twelve, between what was at work and what was at home), one Oncidium and eleven Phalaenopsis species. The Hawthornia plants are each in two tiny pots in the same pot with a Phalaenopsis, and I'd been having trouble watering it in a corner, so I moved it out and that's when the kitten pounced upon. But he didn't hurt the orchid.

Here's what's blooming at the moment:



By the way, here are some links you might find interesting related to this post. The first is an article on types of orchids used as houseplants:

20 Types of Orchids to Use as Houseplants

The others I keep as a bookmark on my Chrome browser (both on the computer and the phone, in case I'm plant shopping and need to know if a plant is safe. It is the ASPCA's guide to Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List -- Cats. There is another one for Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List -- Dogs I also have. But they also have one for horses. It's very good, explaining the effect of each and including those that are good and bad for pets. For example, I loved my shamrocks, which are not true shamrocks and are actually Oxalis, and I had them in the library for years, and then at home at the apartment. But they can cause kidney damage in cats. So they can't be here, as there are two cats, an older one that doesn't really bother plants and the kitten, who is about 9 months old and is into everything. So off to the pharmacy they went. They're looking a little sad there, but they've had a good run. I need to tell them the window's too bright for them.

Alright, I'm going back to bed for a while. Here's hoping that medicine kicks in.

Something a little more light-hearted

On a similar note...

Viral Video Shows Horse Saying Goodbye to His Owner

One video of a horse owner saying goodbye to her pet has gone viral and is melting hearts.

Lisa Beech has been battling a form of cancer for most of her life, she has been an amazing fighter but Wednesday she was admitted into the hospital and may not make it out.

Her daughter Amanda and her friend helped Lisa's 22-year-old horse, Jake, get from Nicholasville to St. Joseph to see his friend.

So sad to hear this!

Danzig Moon Suffers Fatal Injury

Derby runner Danzig Moon suffers fatal breakdown

A collision at the Queen's Plate Trial at Woodbine caused the horse to fall and break a leg, and he was euthanised. So sad.

By the way

I didn't watch the 'Big Game' with all its hype, commercials, and half-time show, but I did see this a few days ago, and apparently the folks at Budweiser, given their success last time, decided you can't go wrong with puppies and Clydesdales. And you know what? They're right. Here's their 'Lost Dog' commercial from this year's Super Bowl:

It was a good run while it lasted

I took out time out of my day's activities, around 6:52, to watch the Belmont as California Chrome attempted to complete the Triple Crown. Sadly, that didn't happen; instead Tonalist won, leaving California Chrome in a tie for fourth.

We haven't had a Triple Crown winner since 1978. Carter was President. Grease was the big movie of the year, and disco was in full swing. The last horse who accomplished this was Affirmed; he is buried nearby my home on the Darley Stud horse farm, which I have visited. I was 11 years old when he won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont, and firmly in my horsey-girly phase, as a friend calls it. I particularly loved the books of Marguerite Henry, such as Black Gold, King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, Stormy, Misty's Foal, Justin Morgan Had a Horse, and Brighty of the Grand Canyon. I was particularly taken with the story of Black Gold, winner of the 1924 Kentucky Derby, who wnen he was seven ran a race where he broke down yet still finished the race on three legs, leading to his euthanisation and burial at the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Black Gold never raced in the Preakness or Belmont, instead winning several state derbies. But he had spirit, and I suppose it is the spirit of horses I admire so much, even though, despite living in 'The Horse Capital of the World', I don't really have much experience with them and in fact have to avoid them because I'm terribly allergic to them. :)

Anyway, I'm sorry that California Chrome's dreams were dashed. But at least it was a safe race and I hope he continues to excellent things.

This gets points for the most adorable commercial, ever, I think

It's also a nice integration of Passenger's 'Let Her Go', which I like so much I have the album on my phone. :) Budweiser obviously realises that you cannot go wrong with Labrador pups and Clydesdales when it comes to Super Bowl ads. :) Thanks to Jill for showing it to me earlier today.

Coolness

Although I don't think I'd want to be the guy running with the target. :)

It would be a nice Olympic sport, too.



Horseback Archery Enjoys Comeback in Hungary

I'm glad this had a happy ending

Arabian show horse rescued after swimming three miles into the ocean

William, a 7-year-old grey stallion, had been part of a photo shoot with other horses. Frightened, he bolted into the surf.

He started to swim. And swim. And swim until he was nearly three miles offshore, headed for oil rigs.

On land, a team of four from the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol, Carpenteria-Summerland Fire Water Rescue, and California State Parks set out to find the horse, whose official name is Air of Temptation. His owner, Mindy Peters, told Huffington Post that he had never been swimming in his life.

I think he's had enough swimming for a lifetime. Poor thing. This caught my eye this morning when I was reading the news. This is one lucky horse. Granted, horses can swim, but not normally for such long distances. I wonder if he horse-paddled? [Sorry, couldn't resist.]

When I was a girl

I loved horse stories, especially the Marguerite Henry books (my favourite was Black Gold) and Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. I went through a horsey-girly phase where I read about them, drew them obsessively, etc., etc. Despite the fact that my horsey-girly phase dimmed long ago, I'm severely allergic to horses, and to be honest, I'm a little bit afraid of their sheer size when I encounter them for real, even so, horse stories such as this still move me:

Burma's True Love: How a girl lost — and found — the horse she cherished

It has all the plot twists of an excellent horse book or movie, and, thankfully, a happy ending. I had never heard of the practice of using mares to test stallions undergoing quarantine for contagious equine metritis, and the process and what it does to their bodies seems horrible. They were used up and thrown away to slaughter by people who did not really love them. I'm so glad that this horse and her companion were rescued, and that a girl and her horse were reunited.

Another mystery cracked with genetics

Cave Painters Were Realists, DNA Study Finds

Scientists have wondered for years how much imagination went into animal drawings etched in caves around Europe, for example with depictions of spotted horses experts didn't think actually existed. Now, after DNA analysis from the fossilized bones of prehistoric horses, they found a genetic mutation that gives rise to a spotted coat.

Spotted Horses in Cave Art Weren’t Just a Figment, DNA Shows

Roughly 25,000 years ago in what is now southwestern France, human beings walked deep into a cave and left their enduring marks. Using materials like sticks, charcoal and iron oxides, they painted images of animals on the cave walls and ceilings — lions and mammoths and spotted horses, walking and grazing and congregating in herds.

Sad what people do in the name of hate

Via Joe.My.God.:

Barn Fire Kills Eight Horses in Ohio. Anti-gay words were found spray-painted to the side of the barn. That anyone could kill innocent animals in the name of hate is not really surprising, I guess, but it is terribly sick and sad.

Seven adult horses and one foal died as a result of an arson fire at 874 West Richards Road in McConnelsville just after 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. Owner Brent Whitehouse said he woke to discover the barn engulfed in flames and immediately called 911, but it was too late. "I couldn't get the door open I could still hear the horses kicking and I tried as hard as I could to get them out and I just couldn't get them out in time," he said. Those who know Brent believe this was a hate crime, explicit words relating to his sexuality were spray painted in large white letters on the side of the barn before the fire was started. "They obviously don't know him very well, because he's a sweet-hearted person and how he lives his lifestyle is nobody's business but his own," said friend Bobbie Nelson.

Trust

A man. A horse. And a building of trust.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Awwww

6-pound horse may set world record: Foal measuring 14 inches tall may be tiniest ever born

Dr. Rachel Wagner, Einstein's co-owner, says the Guinness Book of Records lists the smallest newborn horse as weighing in at 9 pounds.

Breeders say that unlike the current record holder, Thumbelina, Einstein shows no signs of dwarfism. He's just a tiny horse.

I've seen Thumbelina--she's come to the hospital since she has the horse equivalent to dwarfism and that is a condition we treat. The picture at the story site shows a completely in proportion horse--but a very tiny one. Here's a video of Einstein:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Oh, and guys at NBC, he's a miniature horse, not a pony--completely different.

I must confess that

I have never been to Keeneland, Lexington's thoroughbred racetrack, nor for that matter any horse race in Kentucky. I once went to Louisiana Downs in Shreveport with my father and grandmother when I was 19. I learnt I should never bet on horses; I bet on the long-shot and the favourite to show in a five horse race. Guess which horses didn't make it?

But it sounds like today's Blue Grass Stakes was well worth seeing, as we lead into the Derby.

40-to-1 shot wins shocker, earns trip to Derby: Stately Victor surges down stretch to capture Blue Grass Stakes

You must understand that horse racing is serious business in Kentucky, both literally and figuratively. And the Derby is the event of the year (akin to New Orleans' Mardi Gras, I suppose, but with mint juleps and hats). Even those who aren't fans catch the fever at Derby time. I usually try to tune in. I love grey horses, and tend to favour those, or black ones if there are no greys. They don't tend to win, of course--most horses are bays, so the odds are in their favour. But still...my favourite Derby winner was Black Gold, who won in 1924. His story was told in Marguerite Henry's book named for him. He was euthanised after breaking down four years after the Derby during a race at the New Orleans Fair Ground, and he is buried there. Despite his injury, he finished the race on three legs. A race, the Black Gold Stakes, is run at the Fair Grounds in his honour today.

Quote of the Day

'There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast it is all a sham--all a sham, James, and it won't stand when things come to be turned inside out and put down for what they are.'--Anna Sewell, Black Beauty, 1st edition

I loved Black Beauty as a child, and although I devoured horse books during my horsey-girly phase (the most notable being those of Marguerite Henry [my favourite of hers being Black Gold]), it all began with Anna Sewell's remarkable book. It was my first glimpse into the cruetly of men towards animals, and of course it has a lesson to teach in terms of animal welfare that was quite blatantly meant by Sewell, who didn't really set out to write a children's book, but rather one for those working with horses.

I came across this quote again through the What Book Got You Hooked?, where Morgan Freeman brought up the quote (changed in later versions apparently to 'other animals as well as humans', which seems to be a little politically correct for me). But whatever the wording, the sentiment is dead on. All in all, Black Beauty came out as #9 in the voting. Kentucky was the #3 state in voting, which I was glad to see. Dr Seuss books were #1 and Hawaii was the state with the most votes, and they'll be receiving 50,000 new books for children in need, so that's great.

Wow

With 'Bird' in hand, Borel charges to win

Unlike many Kentuckians (and quite a few guests to our Commonwealth), I was not at Churchill Downs, or even watching the Kentucky Derby in simulcast at Keeneland, Lexington's historical track. I didn't go to a Derby party--I worked instead, but I was at a friend's house at Derby time and like no doubt millions of others, we switched the TV over to watch the most famous 2 minutes in sports.

What a run! I had gone with Dunkirk (because I like grey horses, although bays, being more prevalent, win more often), and my friend had picked him because he liked his particulars. But out of nowhere a 50-1 long shot came barreling through along the rail to win the 135th Derby--a horse bought for less than $10,000, with good breeding but not a great background in terms of races. But Mine That Bird also had an excellent jockey, Calvin Borel, whom at first I thought was French by his accent, then recognised the Louisiana accent I grew up around.

The article above is by former Lexington-Herald Leader writer Billy Reed. (The H-L only keeps their articles public for 7 days, so I found another source to link to.)

There will be no stud fee for Mind that Bird, or offspring for that matter, as he is a gelding, one of only two that have won the Derby in my lifetime.

What a run, though....I wonder how he will do (if they enter him, of course) in the Preakness and Belmont.

Didn't see the race? There is an official Kentucky Derby channel on YouTube, and they've posted a replay (and graciously allowed it to be embedded):

Yay!

I got my Amazon.com gift card today. $100 free to spend; not bad for doing nothing more than paying bills and shopping. I went ahead and ordered the digital voice recorder and a CD. I was going to get the recorder and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Latin, but I didn't have enough with the tax (just my luck, we have a distribution centre here in Lexington, so we're taxed up front--although maybe that means I'll get it faster). Also, the shipping was free. So I'm happy.

Anyway, just thought I'd update. Oh, and I'm glad Big Brown won the Preakness. I hope we have a Triple Crown winner this year. He looks like he very well could do it. The Belmont's a longer race that tends to break the streak, though.

Good night.

Holiday cheer

Today was:

1. Our company holiday potluck, where they provide the entree and sides, and we provide the desserts.
   
2. Santa's annual visit to the company, complete with draught horses
   
3. The party for our lunch bunch this evening

I always leave Santa to the kids and go pet the horses instead, even though I'm quite allergic. They're beautiful. I'm assuming they're Clydesdales--they have the same long hair on their legs like others I've seen. This one had an abcess and they'd duct taped his hoof around. Poor thing.