Horsies -- junkyard & otherwise

How's this for a bad dream: to be offered my choice of one of those t. rex sculpts you can see out on Iron Springs Road -- or one of Gene Galazan's junkyard horses. I'm sure I would dither and dither until the genie or wizard gave up on me and withdrew the offer.

However, the point of this post is that finally the granddotter had a chance for a close look at the equine pair over at Prescott College. As I may have mentioned in the past, the little one is absolutely besotted by horsies. Has been, for years.

She definitely liked the Galazan critters. I'm pleased -- she's not a stickler for realism as so many kids are.

Unfortunately, she missed out on Shingles, over at the True Value hardware emporium. Just goes to show that you can find one of almost anything at a proper hardware store! And, yes, I'd settle for Shingles if offered.

The lone horse property

Can anyone give me the official zoning for an in-city horse property? One or is it two acres per horse? And how many such properties remain in November of 2008? Whatever the answer, I'm quite certain that the spread over by the rodeo grounds is most likely grandfathered. I'm sure I've seen more than one horse over where Gail Gardner swerves around a corner to nestle up against the old fairgrounds.

Here is the one inhabitant I was able to photograph the day friend Patty drove me round and round about in that neighborhood which is, what, about a mile or so from the Courthouse? I've often wondered just what the story of this remnant from an earlier era might be.

Goats in Her Future???

There is a new scheme afoot in my dotter's household. Not her doing, BTW. Oh, no. Now ensconced on one acre up in Alaska, they are zoned for ..... a horsie!!! (Did I mention that this granddotter is besotted with the idea of horsies?)

But horse flesh is pricey. And so her dad has come up with this scheme to start out with a pair of breeding goats, learning to care for animals and selling the young to build up a nest egg with which to buy a ..... Real Live Horsie.

I recalled that I had a picture or two of goats taken at the Yavapai County Fair last month. So this post is dedicated to my SIL and his Grand Plan. I recommend that you read all about how they are trying to teach a nearly 6-year-old all about how to milk a goat... it's a hoot.

Of course, they might consider sheep. I'm sure that a winter in Alaska would produce plenty of heavy-duty fleece...

...for the shearing...

...even if the critter has to wear a coat to keep warm for a while.

Or they might raise pigs like these boys -- but I'm sure a little girl would find her pets' future as bacon to be a tragedy.

A cow? Too dang big, so big that they required a separate building at the fair.

Rabbits? Well, the sign warns us about the ferocity of bunnies, such as the little guy below.

And geese are well known for intimidating little kids, so that's out. I guess the dotter's family will have to settle for goats.

Reminding me -- what ever happened to llamas and alpacas. As I recall, the SIL lusted after an Andean camelid. Of course, they are as pricey as horses.

Wee Horses, Antique Cars & Elders

It's been Natl. Assisted Living Week over at Las Fuentes, where Mom lives. Different special activities for residents and family every day. Yesterday was a luau lunch; above are the costume leftovers.

A three-ring circus was scheduled as the grand finale for today. Two of the rings materialized, but a monkey and his person were among the missing on Scott Drive! Nonetheless, it was a grand morning.

First to arrive were two miniature horses from Mini Mystique. These gentle creatures are so well trained that they are even allowed to walk between beds in a nursing home to cheer up patients. Just incidentally their trainers hope to have a drill team of minis in next January's Rose Bowl parade.

Weighing in at about 150 pounds, a mini can pull two or three people in this little cart. The horses are too small for riding.

Here my aged Mom (104 in December!) pets one of the horses; dog, cat and other animal visits are very popular at local hospitals as well as facilities for seniors.

The splendid old wrecker was one of the antique and classic cars that paraded for the gathering. Here, the owner and his dog meet the dark stallion. Gives you a good idea of the comparative sizes. (Note: I held off on the car pictures because I expect to photograph more cars tomorrow down in Skull Valley at the ice cream & pie social.)

Carol and Cindy, the ladies who plan and produce the activities over at Las Fuentes, check out some of the photos taken this morning.

By noon, the circus was over, but balloons in the dining room were a reminder of the morning's excitement.

Rural Rust

So --do you suppose that this fine horse comes from the dragonworks down near Anthem? The style is somewhat similar, though the venue is quite different. Horse I caught this weekend outback in the high country.

This seems to have been a weekend for rustic rust yard decor. For example, this wagon down in Yarnell....

...this one time truck in the high country adorning the same property as...

...this relic that graces the entrance to the estate.

All by way of saying I'm home, I have lots of pictures and no time tonight! A wonderful weekend was had by all.

Scenic Surfaces

Surely there are no more landscaped walls and similar decorated surfaces. Already, I have put together two collections of pictures from around Prescott (here and here.) Not counting the murals. But checking out the photo folder, I have found still more:

Only in one of those forest in-holdings would you discover such rustic overload: a painted rooster and the horse, plus sahuaro bones plus old rusted bedsteads. I did discover another painted horse in an alley near my house last year... but Ollie hasn't been visible of late.

Next stop, Jay's Bird Barn, which features two beautifully decorated columns (above and below.) Trees full of birds, of course.

Closer to home, it's still a bit chill to be enjoying the patio, but the daisies continue to bloom all winter.

Plain bricks don't sell as well as painted ones, even up in Sedona. A shop I spotted while at the recent film festival.

I'm not sure if this painting of a barren Thumb Butte plus our civic bird, the raven, qualifies as a painted wall or a painting. But I'm very fond of ravens, so the picture stays, regardless. At the Raven Cafe, of course.

And finally, subtle, not gaudy, this water tank. The scenery fits in nicely with the nearby oaks. Found way west at a small subdivision off the south side of Iron Springs Road. For now, I've exhausted the supply. Want to bet I won't find any more?

Those Beautiful White Horses: the Lippizaners

When I saw news that the Lippizaner Stallion show was coming to town, I knew that we had to go, to indulge granddaughter's infatuation with horsies, if for no other reason. I had never seen the horses, even when in Vienna. At that time, I preferred wandering around my favorite European city by myself to see whatever happened my way.

This was also an opportunity to explore the new arena over in PV. And, it turns out, to learn a lesson or two about the convenience of ordering tickets on line. Not to mention the high price of same. Specifically, a $7 surcharge per ticket at gettickets.com. Thanks, but I'll do a will-call at the window the next time.

Inside the arena: above, boxes overlooking the shows plus flags -- the Stars & Stripes, the Arizona flag and the Maple Leaf, leaving me to wonder what's the Canadian connection. Below, a view across the way at the bright lights and advertising.

But it was horses that we came to see. Beautiful, classically trained white horses from the famous Spanish bloodline. These were the Hapsburg dynasty's mounts for several centuries.

The granddaughter is intent. Note the close-up (below) of her horsie T from the Rez, where her dad has been working recently.

Intermission: time for the vacuum (above) and for buying the inevitable merchandise (below), two DVDs and a you-were-there Tshirt.

More horses. I fear the formality and precision of the stallions may have been lost on our little one, whose experience with horses tends to be either carnival ponies or western rodeo styles. On the other hand, she should be heartened to know that half of the riders were women.

Wouldn't I love a horse like this proud animal! Members of this troupe were trained at the Florida HQ, but bought from the same Austrian stables as the Vienna Lippizaners. More recently, a few youngsters foaled here in the States began their intensive training for future shows.

Show's over.

A final view of the arena from the outside.

And a glimpse of the granddaughter's new Lippizaner Tshirt.