A This and That Friday

Two weeks ago, when Annie and I visited historic Santa Anita Race Track, we obtained four posters of 2014 Horse of the Year, California Chrome.  We also saw his jockey, Triple Crown winner Victor Espinoza, several times throughout the day.

Although tempted, we did not wait in line to have our posters autographed because the line was SO long, and we wanted to enjoy the full Santa Anita experience.  

We did.  And, I would happily go back again, even if we did lose a few dollars on some races.

Around the track were reminders of the Pegasus Invitational International, which is being run tomorrow in Florida.  The purse:  12 million dollars.  California Chrome will be running in the race.  It's his last. 

Should he win, the flashy Thoroughbred with four white stockings, could set a horse-racing money-winnings record. 

The race programming begins at 1:30 p.m. on NBC.  So, if you're in to horse racing, it might be fun to watch. 

In fact, it could be every bit as fun as watching the nation's only undefeated team during last night's ZAGS-Torero's game.  

Those ZAGS are truly amazing and so talented, and, for sure, when the games are not sloppy, as some have tended to be, their individual and team play seems almost super human. 

Of course, everyone in ZAGland knows they're 21-0 now, and, of course, everyone in ZAGland is saying "Hail Mary's" and keeping their fingers crossed that this phenomenal string keeps going.  Tomorrow at 7 p.m., they'll take on Pepperdine at the Waves campus in Malibu.  

GO, ZAGS!

Yesterday was kinda blah around here, so after Mr. Squirrel had finished his lunch at the living-room window and when Bill came home from town, I announced that I was taking off for a bit.  

I saw sun and blue sky off in the southeast sky, so I pointed the Suburu that direction.  

It took a while to catch up with the sun, and by the time I was about to approach it, I made a decision: we would have dinner from the Clark Fork Pantry, including their apple crumb pie. 

That settled, I took my time and stopped whenever the situation presented itself to get a halfway decent photo of something . . . anything. Blah winter days don't offer much in the way of inspiring photography. 

My travels took me up the Spring Creek Road which turns off the highway just before the Lightning Creek bridge at Clark Fork.  Of course, I occasionally thought about Viggo (nominated for Academy Award) and his perspective when he drives that road on his trips to his Idaho home.

The best possibilities for photos and the safest on that narrow, windy road were at the Clark Fork Fish Hatchery where I could turn off and park. 

The stream, occasionally appearing amidst deep snow and flowing over vivid green moss, offers a lovely and cold but serene sight. 

After picking up ham and cheese sandwiches and that pie from the Pantry, I returned home, stopping for a few minutes at the drift yard west of Clark Fork. 

That's where the sun was shining brilliantly upon the lake.  It's also where I found an "Annie" tree.  

Flipflops and Crocs adorn the branches, and, who knows, maybe passersby will continue add to the color as time goes on. 

Twas a nice late afternoon break from the blahs and a nice, easy dinner leading up to the big game. 

Today Bill is enjoying a work getaway as he's headed to Garfield Bay with another forester to board a boat and then cruise across the lake to Kilroy Bay.  The metal detector and snow shoes went along with him as he left a few minutes ago. 

They'll be talking a forest plan with a property owner who also owns their lake transportation.  I have a feeling he's gonna see some rich and stunning North Idaho beauty. 

Guess that's about it on this quiet Friday.  

Enjoy the photos, and just think:  January is gradually coming to a close, and it hasn't been that bad this year. 

Happy Friday. 

This crow showed up and stayed the day with the horses on Wednesday.  I don't know what initiated the bond, but it was fun to watch the bird go wherever Lily and Lefty went.