Keeneland

I was particularly excited to go to Kentucky. I have no recollection of my birth state so it's odd that I've always been very proud of it. Though Dad moved us back to Charleston just two years after I showed up, I managed to absorb the Kentuckian notion of never wearing shoes. That's a thing there. I'm the only one of us Union folks that can't stand having things on my feet. Don't you want to really feel what you step on? Not to mention you can grip with your toes.

Mom has a picture that's been in our house since I can remember. It's a photo of a jockey walking his horse through the trees on a misty Kentucky morning. In the background is a square black fence and there's moss hanging from the trees. It feels very southern and I've always loved the photo and based my whole idea of Kentucky on this one picture. It's a beautifully green photo, calm and serene and as a little girl, I remember wishing I could just step right into it.

I'm pleased to announce that Kentucky lived up to my hopes and I'm quite smitten with this gem of a place. So lush. So green! We made a quick stop in Louisville so Mom could show me where we lived.

Ain't she a beaut? You can't see the best part which is the huge cornfield in the backyard and a lovely Weeping Willow tree that Dad planted when I was born, now standing tall and strong. Much unlike myself.
We carried on to Lexington for the night and drove to the Keeneland Racetrack in the morning.

I still haven't read the pamphlets on Keeneland but from what I gather, they have horse races twice a year, a big horse auction, and most importantly, lots of stables and a big racetrack to train horses on. We got up extra early to get to the track while they were still running the horses. There were 15 horses or so when we mozyed up to the fence to watch them trot by. Some were practicing walking in straight lines, some were out for a causal stroll, and some were full on racing.

We liked the thud of their feet in the dirt. We liked how the sound got louder as they got closer and I loved watching their muscles flex and contract with every stride. It's mesmerizing to watch the horses. We stood for a long time.

Mom promptly dragged me through the giftshop where we looked at everyday items but with horses on them. Dishes, jackets, lamps even. I also found myself getting angry at horse people simply because I recognized lots of snooty things in that store that I've only ever seen on "horse people." 

I severely dislike only one human on this earth and she happens to be a horse person.

 I didn't really want to leave Keeneland. It felt comfortable somehow though perhaps it's just that I felt at home in the bright green humidity.  On our way back to the highway, we took a detour to drive through some farm land, past lots of beautiful stables, and alongside perfect black and white fences.

Oh I really liked it.