WHAT A DAY......WHAT A DAY

The 57th Annual
Scottsdale

ARABIAN HORSE SHOW

I found 'my eye' focusing on the eyes of the horses

I took 465 photos

The photos I chose are my preference

THEY TELL THE STORY

What a day.....what a day

These little munchkins were waiting their turn

Their parents would parade them around the ring

There was even a little fairy sitting in the saddle with pink cowboy boots

Note......the 'weights' on the front houves

I turned around and saw this......

THEN

I saw this!!!!!!!

We went over to an outdoor corral where we could get quite close to the horses

The lens picked up the veins on the head

I thought this photo was interesting

with the boot and stirrup

'in the picture'

I was astonished at the way the horses held their heads

I asked a fellow about this.....

He said they are trained to hold their head a certain way and then eventually they just do it

ARABIAN PLEASURE DRIVING

First prize

What a beauty

These horses have paint over their eyes

Doesn't this look like a statue?

And......the winner is

Raptors were on dislplay inside the main tent

We are back indoors once again

We sat beside a rider who was watching either her sister or friend

When the girl would go by she would say

SHOULDERS BACK

HEAD UP

SMILE

There was always that waiting period

Lots of action in the warm-up corral

Transporting a saddle

All fours are off the ground

The horse must be thinking

THIS IS HARD WORK!!

Ladies Side Saddle - English

When I first saw the horse coming I was intrigued with the nose

being half black and half pink

Now I wonder if it was painted black?????

This gal's job is to get the attention of the horse

so the head and ears are up for the photographer

Here comes the winning horse

The photo has been taken

Look at those legs

Here come the cowgirls and cowboys

The horse blanket matched her outfit

The sun is shimmering on the mane and tail

Sooooooo pretty

This is the Arabian Western Pleasure

AATR 40 and Over

There were so many riders that they had to divide it into two groups

The riders were asked to line up in front of the judges

They waited quite awhile for the results

Some horses did what they were told

Some horses took a walk

as you can see

ARABIAN MOUNTED NATIVE COSTUME

Check out the bare foot

Such beauty

The late afternoon sun is a photographer's friend

Best costume

The show was over

What a day

As we were walking to our car I noticed this horse

having a bath

Boy I bet that felt good

This is home for many of the horses

We spotted this Canadian flag

Look at the ribbons hanging from the building

A few of the horses in the winning circle were from British Columbia

WHAT A DAY

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THE TURTLES CONQUER SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN

Some weeks back a few of the 'female' hikers approached Curt asking him if he could arrange a  hike to the Flat Iron for the slower hikers      (referred to as the Turtles)

After some planning a dream came true for many first time flat ironers

There were three leaders

Curt

Jerry

Joe

Friday, February 10th

7:15 in the morning

42 hikers met in the parking lot of Canyon Vistas RV park

The biggest group taken up before this date was 19 hikers back 4 years ago

We then drove to the Mining Camp restaurant parking lot where we started the hike

There's the mountain in the background

Starting the mile walk to the mountain

Our first destination -Siphon Draw

HA

Catching a few hikers having a snack before heading up the bowling alley

One of many breaks

We can see the light at the top of the 'tunnel'

not really a tunnel

but

going with the saying!!!!

So many bolders

So many loose rocks

Looking back to the Mining Camp

We're at the top of the Flat Iron

YEAH YEAH YEAH

Ken and Devonna out on a rock

Apache Junction in the background

Interesting place for your gloves Jan!

Zoe talking to her parents in Penticton BC

Brother Beau climbed the Flat Iron when he was home over the Christmas holiday

Zoe wants to climb Superstiton with Beau

Ask me if I am going up again?

NOPE!!!!

What a view

We all started way down there

The starting parking lot is the corner property near the trail

Group photo of the newbies

They joined the old timers

Here we are all 42 of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE CANADIANS

Joe..Janet..Zoe..Di..Devonna..Ken

The group getting ready to treck down the mountain

Some decided to climb up to the hoodoos before heading down

A Father and his daughter

Curt and Kari

Looking north to Four Peaks Mountain

Zoe with her Granny and Papa

Looking east

Two friends heading down the path

The Hoodoos on top of the mountain

It's a long way down

Some came down on their butts

I was one of them!!!!

It is starting to open up a bit

We can actually walk over the rocks

Zoe on a mission

Last major hurdle

We are down!

Looking back you can see the top of the Flat Iron

Yes.........we were way up there

Coming out of the valley 

Spring is coming

Mexican Gold Poppies are popping up

Ah............back in the parking lot

A good day

Well.....it was good

It was worth the slips and slides

The huffing and puffing

The pounding of the heart getting around the tree

The pounding of the heart and 'jitters' while waiting my turn to

get over the crevice

Have to say.....

Thanks to Ken and Joe for their guidance

Couldn't have done it without them

It was even worth the aches and pains the next day

and

the next few days!!!!!!!!

ha-ha

LIFE IS GOOD

VALLEY FEVER..............

Valley fever is a fungal infection

These fungi can be stirred into the air by anything

that disturbs the soil such as

construction

and

wind

The fungal infection is contracted by inhaling soil-dwelling spores
It infects humans and dogs

Our Gwendolyn has contracted valley fever

She started out by being lethargic

She lost five pounds

She had a fever

and

was just not herself

The good news it was caught early and
it is not contagious
The bad news is that she may be on medication anywhere from six months to two years

Yesterday and today Susie and Bing

curled up with Gwendolyn

Some days Gwennie feels warm to the touch

The cats will think she is a heating pad!

Time for a yawn

Her tongue is going back where it belongs

How can you help but not love this face

This morning Gwendolyn went from the

bed to the chair

Once again she was joined by Susie and Bing

Her little nose is dry

When Joe picked up her prescription from the pharmacy he was told there are five Gwendolyn O'Rourkes throughtout the states in their system

Three are ladies

Two are dogs

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?????

this blog is for Georgette

Not to worry Georgette

Gwendolyn will be fine

You can read about valley fever on the internet