Further, we wanted to ensure that there would be plenty of action 9 days from now when my brother and his wife arrive for their first visit to Lexington. While we got conflicting reports from track personnel, we feel confident that when they arrive, an early morning Keeneland visit will be richly rewarding.
After a leisurely jaunt through horse country, we arrived back home to rest a bit before touring Henry Clay's Lexington estate, Ashland. Sorry, no cameras allowed. It was both picturesque and historically enlightening.
After Ashland, Mike invited me to join him at an honest-to-goodness, by god, Kentucky cattle auction. That's right folks, I sat right there at ring side and watched Mike do his cattle-buyer thing.
Paris, KY Cattle Auction - What am I bid?
For a guy that barely knows the difference between a ribeye and an NY strip, I couldn't tell the difference between the best-buy cattle and the culls. Fortunately, Mike makes his living knowing a good heifer from a not-so-good one. He won several bids and will be toting them doggies home tomorrow.
After the auction, Michelle and Liz joined us at a cool Mexican restaurant in Paris (Kentucky, that is). I'd love to tell you what we had for dinner, but we let the waiter pick our meals. Whatever it was - it was delicious.
After dinner we headed back to Fink Farm. A cowboy's work is never done. First Mike checked in on the tiny young calves. They are not only learning how to suckle and eat solid food, but they are also getting ready for an anxious group of elementary school kids who'll be looking to get up close and personal with them tomorrow.
A cowboy's work is never done. A sunset vigil.
Fink Farm is akin to a family fun center. The visiting elementary schoolers will also spend time with some baby goats and some friendly Alpacas as well as the calves . Mike and Michelle are the grandparents every kid wants to have. How cool to be here and share in some of the fun!
Michelle checks in on the youngsters
Alpacas are interesting critters that look like they couldn't decide what to be.
They appear to be part poodle, part sheep, part llama, and part Bichon
Still more curious farm friends!
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings...stay tuned...
I understand the excitement of sitting in on a cattle auction. I did that here in Texas where I don't remember. What I do remember is the rancher down the row chewing on a cigar that had long ago "burnt" out, when he pulled out his pocket knife, cut off the burnt end, and popped the rest of the cigar into his mouth and was chewing on it 45 mins later when I left. Len, you are a Texan, you don't mean to tell me you ate Mexican food that you didn't know the name for. In Ky I doubt the waiter spoke Spanish, that's probably why he didn't know the name. This week-end we head to Lubbock for Esther's grand daughter's graduation with a Master's Degree. We come back and I head to NC to ck the chimney and start the roof. YaHOO Bobcat!
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