Visiting Churchill Downs

A few weeks ago the Kentucky Derby celebrated its 150th anniversary race. The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May. I have never been to the race, but two weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Churchill Downs with an attraction group that our company is a part of. Churchill Downs is where the Kentucky Derby takes place.

One of the perks of my job is getting to visit other tourism attractions. When we do, we get to meet with a lot of their front line people. It is a great way to share information and experience the different ways in which different places do things. If you missed my post about spending a few days in Louisville Kentucky check it out here

The Kentucky Derby was held on May 4th of this year. As I mentioned this was the 150th anniversary of this very special race. I hadn’t really thought much about the race but now that I have been to the track I would love to see an actual race.

Our group got into town on Sunday May 5th. There was still lots of decorations and festivities going on but most were starting to die down by Sunday afternoon. Tuesday May 7th was our day to explore several places and get a behind the scenes tour. Churchill Downs was first on the agenda.

We arrived at Churchill Downs and went through a gate leading us to one of the training areas. We were met by an older gentlemen who told us that, first of all we weren’t supposed to get in the way, so we didn’t. Second, watch out for the horses and respect the trainers and our surroundings, we did. We felt so fortunate to have this opportunity I think we would have walked on our hands if he had told us to. Of course I knew we weren’t going to be able to see any of the thoroughbreds. What we were able to see was some of the up and coming future hopefuls of the Kentucky Derby maybe 2025, 2026, 2027.

Even though we arrived by 9:00 AM the stables were already hopping. Our guide, who was amazing, told us that the trainers arrive around 5:00 AM to start working the horses. They work them for hours and then do a 45 minute to 1 hour cool-down. Most of the trainers live onsite for several months out of each year.

When I closed my eyes I could almost hear the thundering of the hooves and the cheering of the crowd. These horses are trained for this moment, it can be an awesome, exciting and heart breaking moment for many.

***Watching one of the trainers walk his horse. Beautiful!!***

The Kentucky Derby winner for this year was Mystic Dan. He won by a nose!! He barely beat out Sierra Leone and Forever Young. This is the 26th time that the Kentucky Derby has been decided by the length of a neck or less. The Kentucky Derby is commonly referred to as the “most exciting two minutes in sports’ because that’s normally how long it lasts. It is 1& 1/4 miles long or 2,200 yards. Mystic Dan came out of stall number 3.

We were able to stand in the stalls. It was very exciting thinking about Mystic Dan being there just 48 hours or so before and getting ready to run the race of a life time.

Of course I had to stand in the stall where Mystic Dan stood it was very exciting!!!!

We also visited the Derby Museum. I learned so much about the Derby. Check out their website ***http://www.derbymuseum.org***

Some of the information in the Museum:

We were also able to watch a clip of the derby. I have to tell you that our tour guide was the most amazing man. He truly loved horses. He told us that when he was a young boy he would come to the stables early in the morning and watch the horses being led through their daily training routines. He would muck out the stalls or do whatever he could just to be around them. He said that when he came to the Derby he liked to stay behind the scenes and watch the horses come out. He said he had only sat in the stands one time.

What an exciting visit. I never thought much about the Derby but now I think I would like to go and experience the race. Maybe I should add that to my bucket list.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!!!

Hello Tuesday!!! Let’s Catch Up

Hello friends and happy Tuesday. I feel like I haven’t checked in with you for a while. Let’s catch up. How have you been? Last week was an unusual week for me. It was full of different things. First of all we had to have a tree cut out of an electrical transformer on our driveway. That put me late for work one day because the driveway was blocked. Then I got a nail in my tire and had to have it patched. A little late for work another day. It was just a week where a lot of crazy things happened, nothing bad just unusual.

I will have to say living in a small rural area has lots of advantages. First of all the power board came to cut the tree out of the transformer, they also cut some extra limbs hanging over the driveway. These were limbs we could not reach without a bucket truck. Thank you guys. When my tire started to lose air I was able to stop at the little country store on my road and air it up a few times, no charge. Maybe you don’t have to pay to put air in your tires but most of the places around us charge for that. When I went to get my tire patched at our local co-op they got me right in and patched my tire and didn’t charge me a thing. So nice. It is nice to see that good things still happen in the world, even small things mean so much to me.

So after a lot of crazy things happening during the week I spent a lovely Friday evening at a local restaurant with a couple of friends having appetizers and drinks and listening to karaoke. The restaurant was right on the river and it was nice and relaxing and so good to be hanging with friends.

On Saturday my sister and I had a short shopping trip and lunch. I bought a new purse and some sandals. I had made a promise to myself not to buy any purses or shoes this year because I have plenty. But I have discovered as I have gotten older I prefer sandals with a strap on the back. And I needed a pair of those. I found a great pair that I love. The purse, well what can I say I saw it and I liked it and I bought it. Sometimes you just break the promises you make to yourself.

***Look at this pillow I found. I love the colors and it would be so easy to make. And a lot cheaper too. I didn’t buy it I think I will try to make it.***

Are the Cicadas in your area? They are here and they are loud. We first noticed them about two weeks ago. Since then we have found their shells and listened to their constant drone daily. They are everywhere!!!! Even our kitties don’t like to be outside during the day because it is so loud. I jokingly said I was going to string the shells together to make a necklace.

I finally finished knitting this pair of socks in my WIP pile (Work in progress) I am trying to finish some of my projects that I have neglected for months. These socks were in a small bag that I had put up and forgotten about. I had one sock finished and had started the second one. I knew immediately the stripes and colors were not going to match. That’s probably why I lost interest. But I decided to get them out and finish the pair. I’m okay with the mismatched look of the socks. They will still be warm and cozy.

I am leaving you with a short video of the sound of the cicadas at my house. I am told they will be around for another month or so.

Have a wonderful week

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

The Five Winters of East Tennessee

Hello friends. We are smack in the middle of Blackberry Winter. I know you are probably getting tired of hearing me talk about these winters but they really are a thing that has been happening for many many years. Some people call them “cold snaps” but I call them winters. The funny thing about these “winters” is that they all happen after spring arrives. Each winter usually lasts for a few days to a week or so. As I have told you my husband poo-poos them and tells me the cold snap that we are having has nothing to do with:

Redbud winter in late March or early April
Dogwood Winter in late April
Locust Winter in early May
Blackberry Winter in mid May
Whippoorwill Winter in late May (this one has also been called Woolen Britches Winter)

Let me tell you a little more about them.

Redbud Winter happens in late March or early April. The Redbuds bloom out beautifully. They actually look purple once they have bloomed out but the tiny bud is actually red, giving it the name of Redbud.

Dogwood Winter happens in late April. Although, it can happen at different times in different parts of the area. We had Dogwood Winter this year in early April. The temps had been really warm in early April and then plunged and we knew we were in Dogwood Winter. Also the Dogwood trees were blooming like crazy.

Locust Winter. In early May the Locust bloom and we have a temporary cooling of the weather. For us this year, in East Tennessee, this one came along around the end of April. The Locust blossoms look very similar to blackberry blooms. But the Locust blossoms are usually on a larger bush and the blackberry bushes are more spread out and usually grow together with several small to the ground bushes.

Blackberry Winter, which is what we are experiencing here in East Tennessee now, is around the second week of May and almost always around Mother’s Day. The temps today and the last few days have been wonderful and cool. I even wore a jacket this morning. Now just because the Blackberries are blooming does not mean we have blackberries ready to eat. Those won’t become ripe enough until around late June and early July.

Whippoorwill Winter. When you hear the song of the Whippoorwill in the early mornings and late evenings you know that summer is truly on the way. This is usually the last of the cool weather. It is also called Woolen Britches winter because years ago, just when people put away all their winter clothes, the temps would turn cold again and they would still need a sweater or something warmer.

I recorded this last year out on my driveway. The Whippoorwill can be very loud.

The Whippoorwill is actually a very small nocturnal bird. You never hear it during the day. In the daylight it sits in the trees and on the wooded paths. It is hard to believe such a sound comes from such a small bird.

Check out my previous posts about Redbud Winter And Dogwood Winter

Many years ago early settlers did not have the weather channel or google to let them know when the last frost would happen. When would it be safe to plant their crops? They relied heavily on these different signs to let them know about planting their fruits and vegetables. I remember hearing my parents talk about the best time to plant certain things in the garden. If the Dogwood had bloomed then the last frost was over. There is a lot of folklore and legend around these winters. I cherish all of them.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!

A Few Days In Louisville Kentucky

Hello and happy Monday. Last Sunday I had to take a trip to Louisville Kentucky for a work meeting. I was meeting with the tourism group that my work is a part of. I will have a much more detailed post on each of the attractions that we visited. I had such a fun time.

As you may know. The Kentucky Derby was held on Saturday May 4th just four miles from the hotel we were staying in. We were going into the city on Sunday so most of the action had already calmed down before we got into town. I was traveling alone and I left out Sunday afternoon. It was about a five hour drive for me. Of course I put off packing until the last minute. I think if I felt better about how I look in my clothes it would be easier to prepare and know what to pack, but that is a story for another time.

I left out about 2:00 PM on Sunday and drove the entire drive with just a couple of quick stops. When I arrived the hotel was still decorated with hundreds of flowers from the Derby celebration.

We stayed downtown at The Embassy Suites on Fourth Street. It was so nice and the staff really had it going on in The hospitality department. Everyone at the hotel was so nice and helpful. Even though they had just dealt with hundreds of people staying at the hotel for the Derby. Our hotel was within walking distance of Museum Row, and the Muhammad Ali Center. And we were just four miles from Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.

I had stopped for a quick bite on my way in so once I got to the hotel I just settled into my room. It was very nice. It was actually a suite.

And you know me. I brought a good book and some knitting. My meeting the following day didn’t start until noon so I slept in. Such decadence!!!! Only a meeting and dinner was scheduled for Monday.

Along with the meetings I knew a lot of fun had been planned as well. When we do these meetings we usually get to meet with several of their lead tourism people. On Tuesday we got a behind the scenes tour of Churchill Downs, Toured the Derby Museum, visited a Loom House and was able to do a little weaving, we had a bourbon tasting at the Frazier History Museum, and finished the day off at The Louisville Slugger Museum. What a fun and tiring day.

***Churchill Downs. It was hard to believe that only 48 hours earlier this track was full of the sound of thundering hooves.***

***The Little Loom House. One of my favorite stops.***

I can’t begin to tell you in one post about each of these wonderful places. I will put them in separate posts so that you can experience each place.

After a short meeting on Wednesday morning I started my long drive home. Unfortunately it rained most of the way home and took me even longer to get there.

I was so happy to get home even though I did have to go right back to work the next morning. I think the inside kitties missed me a lot. They both insisted on sleeping on the bed with me.

That is what I have been up to. Add in Playing catch up at work and it has made for a very busy week. I have missed all of you and I am happy to be back.

Always remember

Love your day your way!!!