Playing hookie at the fair

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this sign in Salem.  That's what I call my boy - Ladde Boy!!

I have no idea who this woman is, but her horse was all masculine and gorgeous, and their matching outfits just begged to be photographed.  

 Isn't he beautiful?  I absolutely do not like "bling", and especially don't want anything resembling "bling" on my horse tack.  But, when I see something authentic, western and classy...I love it!  The horse's tack and the gal's outfit look so good together, don't you think?  He was a very proud horse,  beautiful propulsion and head carriage.  And yes, this is a Mustang.  He's from the Coyote Springs HMA, and his name is...Coyote.

 Another pretty little Mustang...so bored with it all!!!

This little grey horse is decidedly not a Mustang.  This is an Arabian, but he was so adorable that I just had to take his picture.  He was quiet, confident and his rider was right there to support him at all times.  Very nice.

And this...person...was anything but there for her horse.  I would have enjoyed very, very much, marching up to this woman and delivering a much-deserved slap across her face; or better yet, I would have liked to place that stud chain across her upper gum and delivered several very hard shanks on the lead!!!  She continuously was yanking on this poor horse's face/gums.  I watched her for quite a long while, and seriously could not see any reason whatsoever to be yanking on his face.  And, he was a yearling.  Poor, poor horse...he absolutely deserves a better handler than this "bitch"!!!  Sorry, but this sort of thing just ticks me off and frankly, she doesn't deserve him at all!!  This is a beautiful, yearling Mustang.  And, despite his handler, had a soft eye and a kind expression when he wasn't being attacked.  Some horses will survive despite their human's efforts to the contrary.  Isn't he just lovely?

And this boy was just so quiet and peaceful.  Soft, soulful expression on his face the entire time I watched him.  The gal riding him said that he's always like that, content and a joy to be around.  I didn't get a full body shot of him, but he was a beauty - inside and out.  And, as you can see...he too, is a Mustang.  :)

The little buckskin below seemed fairly pleased with everything in general as well.  I tried and tried to get a good shot of him, and this is the best that I could get.  He's so cute!

This is the same little Mustang Pinto from before.  The poor little guy was scared to back through these poles, but he tried and tried, and eventually did it.  And, you guessed it; his handler did not offer one bit of praise for his efforts.  Now tell me, would it have killed her to take a moment and rub his neck, or offer a soft, kind word for his efforts?  I sure hope this horse is for sale and that someone much more deserving of him takes him and offers him a better home.  Grrrrr!!!

This is Hank.  He's a big boy, and was being groomed for his upcoming bareback equitation class.

And this pretty girl is Claire...a Shire owned by one of our clients.  One-Mile Shires of Yamhill, Oregon.  My boss's son Brian, competed with a couple of this client's horses in the Junior Driving class and won his class.  Quite an accomplishment when you consider he'd only had 2 or 3 lessons before the show day, and he was driving a team of younger Shires whom he'd never driven before.  Whoohoo!!  Pretty good for a skinny, 10-year old boy!!  That's a lot of horsepower.  :)

And now for the beautiful gardens!!  Oh, I am attracted to the pretty flowers and always dream of having more and more and more...these are flowering lily pads.  Aren't they just beautiful?  I didn't see any frogs, but the pond did have gold fish and Koi.

Chrysanthemums and Zinnias.  I'm not sure what the grasses are, but they're pretty too.

And the beloved Petunia...one of my all-time favorite flowers for their long-lasting, all summer long blooming power, abundance of colors, types, sizes and so easy to grow.  Just pinch the deadheads, water them periodically and watch them grow!!!

I see grasses with featherly plumes, Larkspur, Zinnias, Hydrangea, Petunias and Verbena.  So pretty!!
I'm not sure, but those beautiful salmon-pinkish ones might be a daylily...do you see anymore?

I love flowers of all types, sizes and colors; but my most favorite has always been the purples and blues as the mainstay, with a little of other colors thrown in for good measure.

I just love old, or vintage signs.  Heck, I love new signs when they're cool!  Like this one here, propped in the bed of an old truck.  The truck is pretty cool too, but just look at that sign!!  Isn't it great?  

When I was a kid, my dad had an old truck just like this one...sure brings back memories.  Ours was green and had wood in the bed of the truck.  Funny how you can remember some things.  I think this sign and all those pretty pansies would look great in our back yard.  I've been looking for something that would "pop" with color!

Aah...just had to throw this one in for fun.  What was she thinking!?  :)

Pretty, pretty birds.  Apparently, they enjoyed having their pictures taken, because I asked politely, and they posed for me.  Wasn't that nice of them?

If there are young children reading this blog, please avert your eyes and ignore this following picture, please.
Turtle porn...I just couldn't resist!!  :)

A sleeping tiger.  You know what they say about letting sleeping tigers lie don't you?  No?  Let them lie, silly!

And below, is my scally-faced husband who did not want his picture taken!!!! Such a pickle puss...

And, me being not so much of a pickle puss, but a silly goose getting my picture taken!!

An old McClellan saddle...

Cool, old stuff...I love it all!!

See that ice cream maker in the above photo?  When I was a little girl, we had one just like it only it was old faded red paint.  We always took turns cranking that thing for hours...boy, it sure was good ice cream though!!

In the above photo, I have an old butter churn just like that one.  I love all this old stuff.

And all the pretty decorated cakes...I just love how creative some people are.

Wow - this one is impressive!!

 Adorable!!!

Aahh...YUM!!!  Pies are my hands-down most favorite dessert in the whole, entire world!!!  So good!!!  And nobody, I mean nobody baked a pie like my momma!!!  She was the best, the queenie of all time!!!

 Especially her apple pies...oh my, I'm talkin' "to DIE for" delicious !!  *drool*  Yummmmmm...
Look how flakey that crust is.  My crust never looks that good.  This was the blue ribbon winner.  I had serious thoughts of taking just a wee little piece...nobody would've missed it!!

And the quilts.  Oh my, is there anything quite so beautiful and so dearly treasured as a handmade quilt?  I love all of them.  I would have taken more pics, but my silly camera went dead.  There were so many that I had a hard time picking a favorite.  But that one above, the colors are so soft and lovely...just my style.

Beautiful and lovingly made handmades...simply works of art, each and every single one.

Look at that lacework...I could never, ever have enough patience to do something this intricate.  Never!  I certainly can, and do admire it though.

And these old flour sack dish towels.  I love them!!!!

Years ago, at my bridal shower, my grandma made for me, hand-stitched, flour sack dish towels just like these ones.  Each day of the week represented, and each one with its' very own beautiful design.  I still have them.  But, because I've used them day in, day out, for almost 30 years now...they're looking a little worn.  But, grandma would surely smile if she knew just how I always think of her each and every time that I reach for one...over and over again.  Timeless, one-of-a-kind treasures.

 So beautiful...

 And, the place settings...some are cute, some fancy, but all lovely in their own right.

Such a lovely Irish Proverb.  I've never heard it before, but I love it, and shall try to keep this in mind; always.  Growing old is a gift...

 And lastly, another of my all-time most favorite flowers ever... the happiest flower that God ever created,
the sunny, bright and always cheerful, Sunflower.  It just screams summer to me.

The state fair was fun.  So many of the same wonderful things to see, do and taste.  Notice there's no pictures of the food here.  We were too busy eating to take pictures.  Funnel cake with bavarian cream and chocolate drizzle, Oriental noodles with teriyaki chicken and vegetables, grilled chicken burrito with rice, beans and pico de gallo...need I say more?  Oh, and don't forget the ice cream cone...good grief.  Why does it always look like so much more when it's written down?  *sigh*

Sure was good though.  :)

Blessings, from the never will be skinny...lady at Cingspots.