It’s finally Friday and the weather made it a kick-up-your-heels kind of day. I decided Mother Nature definitely deserved an “atta girl”, though I may have to take it back in the coming week.

The morning was just perfect, and, finally I was dressed properly for my walk … not too hot, not too cold. The sun was inviting and warm on my face and hair, and it seemed that everything was right with the world.  Suddenly I felt very energized, much like a foal running around the paddock … the wind in my hair and footloose and fancy free.

In 1992, my mom and I travelled to Kentucky and one of our stops was at Kentucky Horse Park. It was early May, the week after the Derby Day.  As we walked around the sprawling grounds, all the new foals were out in the paddock jumping and kicking up their heels like wild Mustangs and you couldn’t help smiling at their antics.  The Horse Park was a treasure trove of history and warm fuzzies and we spent an entire day touring the grounds and attractions.  The weather was picture perfect, much like today, and I snapped this picture of my mom standing at the entranceway to the Park.

I didn’t realize ‘til this morning that the Kentucky Derby was tomorrow. It seems our local news has been chockfull of nasties all week and Campaign 2016 has trumped any other topic on the national news, so the annual running of the three-year-old fillies took a backseat.  At least until today, when the media was all abuzz about “Nyquist” the three-year-old colt that is the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby.  He was named for Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist.  Well, hopefully he runs like the wind, fueled on oats, not pizza pie.

Well, I too was fueled on oats and enjoyed my exercise, though I didn’t run like the wind, as I simply put myself through my paces, taking great strides, just like Nyquist to get ‘er done and move on to the next goal.

I could have dilly-dallied a little longer, just taking in the beauty of the day, but horse sense told me it was a work day and I’d better get back to my post in record time.