Virginia's INTERNAIONAL GOLD CUP

Gold Cup!

Another Family Tradition.

Each October we wouldn't miss this wonderful event.
All the horse lovers and great tailgate picnics are seen there.

The movie stars, politicians and other high profile people who have sprawling horse farms nearby, of course, attend plus seemingly every well dressed woman in Northern Virginia and DC.

This year, seems the trend went toward long pencil skirts, fashion jackets with beautiful dress boots. Fewer Dreby Hats were seen.

For me...I opted to wear the Western Hat from the Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota. Love my new hat. Goes well with bluejeans and boots. For sure, I prefer a great big Derby Hat!















Where is my picture? DUH

As always, I am behind the camera!








Look at this...shoes off on this chilly day!


































Don't you love how they groom the horses?

They are so beautiful, don't you agree?

Being on the rail...multiple rewards...

The

children got to touch the horses~

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...
Fun day!





I LOVE VIRGINIA!!!

Apple Picking in Virginia 08

These are the four daughters who are now bringing their little ones to enjoy Apple Picking
as they did when they were toddlers and each year since.

Can't believe so many years have passed...


Again, on another Apple Picking adventure in the mountains of Virginia.


This has been an annual tradition for the past 33 years. (We were out of Virginia nine of those years, moving to Brazil, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and Key West, Florida for 9 of those years, but we did return to our Virginia home to resume events we love to much.)

About 6 years ago, we found a firepit overlooking the orchard and have gotten there early to claim it each year since.

Our children are parents now and are enjoying seeing there children enjoy what they loved so much.

We roast hotdogs (think this is an apple)...
We look for wood to burn....
We show the world to the newest little one...





We find little creatures in nature...

The boys hang out together...climb trees, gather worms and wood...

The girls gather apples...

What a fabulous day to be together... cook sweet potatoes over the fire and and just hang out while the children enjoy being together in a neat, neat place.

Hope you enjoyed our day too.

June

Foals Born to Wild Horses of South Dakota

All of these foals are about six months old.
Am totally ready to go back. A photographers dream!


Isn't he a beauty! Isn't in good light, but was good photo op.

View from the rickety old bus that took us to places people usually don't see.
This is more of the plains where the wild horses roam.


Beautiful foals everywhere you look.


The 1100 acres South Dakota horse scantuary continue through donations and from sale of these beauties.


















Here is the one that was love at first sight.



Wild turkeys started showing up to roost on the fences of the corral.

This meant our day was done.

Here, the sun is setting on
as old home place....horses roam freely.


Hope you enjoyed seeing my photos.
June

Wild Horses of South Dakota

We enjoyed an afternoon at this fabulous location.

The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary located near Hot Springs, South Dakota, is currently home to nearly 500 wild horses on 11,000 acres of pristine prairie land. This is one place I would enjoy going to spend a few months.
We were taken on a private tour by a woman shown driving the SUV below. I thought she was Indian when I first saw her and even thought she said 'no', I still could see American Indian when I looked at her. Her hair was grey and wild as any of the horses, however, her spirit was gentle and proud. She showed us a great time

and we caught up with the bus with the last tour.

How fun that was! Allen and Ford overlooking a canyon where the Cheyenne River seems to lazily roll right through the beautiful plains.
Cheyenne River below.
Wild horses~


Isn't she content?





This one is one of many brought in to breed.

They look happy and totally unafraid. We were told a horse will leave the herd when they sense their life is coming to an end and go off to die alone. This one has a foal with her. Was told the foal will stay with her as long as she lives and then will be taken to a safe environment to adjust to life without the mother.

You can't see the young one is this shot...but she stands on the other side of her thin mother.

South Dakota Birdhouse

Opening the back door early this morning allowed a rush of cool, cool air to greet me.

Mid-October has been atypically warm for the mid-Atlantic states and our trees in Virginia are late reaching their colorful stage.

Walking out on the deck, more greeted me than the cool air.

My little South Dakota Birdhouse sits there...a new treasure from last trip.

Here it is...

the birdhouse sits on a old fashioned skate that lost the strap and gathered rust in years in some old trunk, barn or such. How could I not bring it home?

I especially love the addition of a grapevine that once grew somewhere on the plains of South Dakota. Isn't it sweet?

June

CPR Readiness Needed~ Always

Just how ready are we for real emergencies?
Me? Hardly ever. Am so guilty of spending a free day in my pj's~ It just says so much about a person, don't you agree?
Then, on the other hand,
I always tell everyone "I'm always available for you," and totally mean it for 7/24.

Today, after a very full and fabulous weekend schedule of one social event after the other, today was free until Cocktails and Dinner with friends this evening....sooooooo in my pj's I decided to stay...that was until I recalled a day last week.

The baby next door fell directly on it's head as he was attempting an escape over the top of his crib.
The mother saw the fall on her monitor and ran to him. He was not breathing and had turned blue.
She immediately called 911 and they came in a heartbeat as did I on their heels. He was breathing and seemed ok but, of course, had to be taken in.
Bottom line, after checked out in the ER, he had sustained a mild concussion but otherwise ok.

This morning, in my pj's, I thought of the possibility of emergencies~ and wondered ~ to what extent of undress I would I really run out the door. After not too much pondering, I knew the answer.
That bottom line was NOT WITHOUT MAKEUP. Well...that might not really be true...BUT,
decided to be better prepared. I put my face on and slipped into clothes ~
THEN took our my manual to reviewed my CPR.

EVERYONE in the world needs to know CPR.

Dinner at Rockledge Manison, Occoquon, Virginia

We were invited to a Dinner Party at the Rockledge Mansion, one of the places I have wanted an excuse see.

The stone house was built in 1758 high on the hillside at the end of the main street of Occoquon, Virginia. Over the years, much history has transpired in this little town on the Occoquon River. All passed within the majestic view of this stone house on the hill.

Weather was wonderful last evening when we arrived, making walking through the quaint little town even more fun.

At the top of the stone driveway, we were met by gentleman in Tux, and continued up stone steps to enter and mingled with all the other guests.

Tables of 10 enjoyed a very nice dinner, I immediately found friends among the strangers. We had one thing in common. We wanted to know more about this beautiful old house.

As they say, it is easier to apologize than to get permission. We girls scampered up the stairs which lead to a dark and shabbily furnished room. It was a bedroom with a fireplace. Could have been made beautiful. The bath had the building "specials" let us say... and low ceiling had ugly wallpaper. We couldn't imagine who would stay there.
The other end of the landing lead to a darken room used for storage and wall which saved us from seeing the part of the mansion we actually wanted to see.
I mentioned the possibility of a ghost as the Internet confirms.

Rockledge Mansion - Rockledge - John Ballandine, a local industrialist, built this Georgian mansion in 1758 with the help of master builder, William Buckland. The ghost here is said to be that of a Confederate Soldier.

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