Well...

At least my party was a winner!

Thanks to Chris, Yashka, Collyn, and Jenn for making the day a whole lot better than it would have been otherwise.  Maybe next year!

Wishing and hoping

I was watching one of those Belmont Classics shows a couple nights ago. James wandered into the studio as the field of the 2004 race swept around the final turn. Smarty Jones was in front and just for a moment, I believed that maybe this time he would win.

He didn't.  

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

I sighed and said, "That race made me cry."

James asked, "Are you going to cry if California Chrome loses?"

"I don't know," I said, "but I'll definitely cry if he wins."

Naturally, that led to a discussion of Belmonts that still have the poser to make me cry, but in a good way. We logged onto YouTube and watched Affirmed and Alydar...

AP Photo/Perez

and Secretariat.  

 Bob Coglianese—MCT/Landov

James was really impressed with Secretariat. "I want to see California Chrome do that!" He exclaimed. 

I laughed and said, "Don't we all?"

But truthfully? I don't care about the winning margin. I just want him to win. Thirty one lengths or a short head, it's all the same to me.  

AP Photo/Garry Jones

In approximately five hours, California Chrome will enter the Belmont starting gate with the wishes and hopes of a million little - and not so little - horse girls riding on his back. I don't know what will happen, but I'll be sure to have a box of Kleenex on hand.

The foal whisperer

Every time I go out in the pasture to play with the foals, Fortunataa's baby does this.

I would be offended, but truthfully, he's not the one I'm there to see. 

James and I went to the barn a couple nights ago.  

Spring Fever was his usual friendly self... 

but "Tiny" was as stand-offish as ever.

But then...

James started working his magic... 

and just like that...

he and Tiny were BFF's.

In fact, Tiny was so relaxed around James...

he ended up lying down... 

and taking a nap... 

in James' lap! 

 It's official...

James is the Foal Whisperer!

Summer vacation

After a month filled with final exams and field trips, term papers and class parties, and even an award ceremony or two...

it's finally summer vacation!

I look forward to the long, hot days spent with kids... 

and critters. 

On the studio front, I'm working hard to finish all the old...

and new NAN/Breyerfest orders.

There's a lot to do, and I'm looking forward to all of it.  It's the first week of summer vacation and the possibilities seem endless.

My brother Tom

When people ask me about my family, I usually say that I'm the second of three sisters.  

That's true, but also, incomplete. In addition to my sisters I have two half brothers, Tom and Jim. They are significanlty older than me, and we weren't raised together, but they are my brothers, nonetheless.

Tom, Jim and Colleen Bray

My brother, Tom, died in his sleep early yesterday morning.  

Photo collage by Beth Bordin Lambden

Tom was a Vietnam veteran and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He taught high school science, coached robotics and touched the lives of several generations of students.

Two Tom Brays

When we got together, which, sadly, wasn't very often, Tom and I mostly talked about horses - he'd done some team roping in his youth - and photography. Unfortunately, because we both preferred to be behind the camera instead of in front of it, I haven't been able to find a single picture of the two of us.

The last time I saw Tom was at my father's eightieth birthday party.  

I was really busy with party related things, so we didn't visit much. However, Tom and Ryan had a great time talking robots and playing with Tom's (really nice) camera. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked over and saw my destructive eight year old holding that camera. I made a comment to that effect, and Tom said, "Stop worrying, Mom.  It's going to be okay."

And it was.

Godspeed, Tom.  Thank you for being my brother.

Field research

Teresa and I drove out to the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado yesterday. 

The main purpose of our trip was to watch Teresa's friend and barn owner, Michael, compete in the CHP Horse Trials with his horse, Guinesss.

Happily, they were both in fine form...

and made short work of the cross country course. 

Naturally, we didn't leave as soon as their ride was over.  Instead, we stayed and watch the rest of the class. 

We studied the obstacles...

and the tack, making note of what was there...

and what wasn't. 

I probably know enough about the cross country phase of eventing to stand me in good stead for the rest of my life in regards to model horse performance showing.

Still, every time I go to an event, I see and learn something new.

Getting up close and personal with real competition horses is one of the single best ways to improve your performance entries.

Take a camera, take a friend and spend a day really paying attention to what's going on. 

There's no better way to learn.

Plus, it's a whole lot of fun! 

Thanks for hanging out with me again, Teresa.  Can't wait to do it again!

Last rat standing

We're down to just one rat now, our slippery little Jellybean.

Jelly's always been something of a slacker, but now that Peppermint and Nutmeg are gone, it's time for her to step up and start pulling her weight.  Jose introduced her to the saddle this weekend.

First he sacked her out...

then he saddled her up!

Jelly did pretty well.

She's no Nutmeg, but I think she'll be fine.