Saturday Slight

 

While we watched the coronation of King Charles III, Bridie stood at her observation post and kept track of what might be happening outside. 

It's a good idea too, because yesterday a peacock came to the yard outside that window with a couple of turkeys--twice. 

Unfortunately, I did not have my camera handy at either time, but it was definitely a sight to see. 

This peacock looked as if it might be a half-and-half turkey, if such things happen. 

Whatever the case, it was a surreal sight. 

This morning, I've been up since 2:30 watching the coronation and have no regrets about losing sleep. 

The pomp, the pageantry, the traditions, all the pretty horses and the history lived up to expectations and maybe even a little more. 

I loved the message in the Archbishop of Canterbury's sermon:  not to be served but to serve. 

Maybe this will be the theme of King Charles' reign. 

For those of us who have basically "grown up" with Prince Charles (a year younger than I), this is a poignant moment in our history. 

At long last, he is the King of England.

Other generations will wait for the coronation of the next king. 

For those of us in our 70s, royal happenings reflect on the timelines of our personal journeys which have coincided from afar with those of the British royals. 

When King Charles' mother Queen Elizabeth was crowned, we did not have a television at our house so we have viewed that ceremony only through old film clips. 

I have one friend, however, a few years older than I and who has poignant memories of the 1953 coronation. I loved what she wrote last night about her plans to watch today, 70 years later. 

from Diane:  

Though not an Anglophile, I do plan to watch the coronation tomorrow morning. It is purely nostalgic.

 As a 10 year old in 1953, we did not own a television, but Wayne and Marian Ebbett, who were our Poplar Street neighbors, had purchased a TV just prior to the coronation. Marian invited me to come over to their house to watch. 

 How exciting it was to see this lovely, very young woman, wear a bejeweled crown, sport an ermine cape, ride in a spectacular horse drawn carriage on her way to become the Queen of England. 

It was the first televised coronation in history and cameras were not allowed in Westminster Abbey. 

 To this young tomboy in Sandpoint, Idaho, it was a fairytale like I had only read about in books. I was certainly in awe of the coronation and of this new contraption that brought the world to our neck of the woods. 

 So, I will watch, but I don’t think it will affect me in the same way. The eyes of a child see things differently.

Taken from our home television screen circa 2023.

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Speaking of crowns, today also marks the beginning of the quest for the next horse-racing Triple Crown. 

As of now, all the horses in the Kentucky Derby have a chance to win the Triple Crown.  By the end of today's race, however, only one will be eligible. 

If that same horse goes on to win the Preakness in two weeks, the drama and excitement will rise as we look ahead to the Belmont Stakes. 

There's that excitement, but like today's British coronation, there will also be history, tradition and beautiful horses to be seen in Louisville.

I haven't even done any research about this year's field of Kentucky Derby contenders because it's been a busy week tending to outdoor stuff. 

So today, rather than the usual party,  I plan to curl up, enjoy the quiet time and make this rainy day a TV binge event, listening to poignant stories of horses, trainers, jockeys, etc., shedding tears while listening to "My Old Kentucky Home" and then watching "the greatest two minutes in sport." 

Should be fun. 

Happy Saturday.