Wrap It Up, I'll Take It

Some pics to round out a hot and humid July...

Firstly, I finally made it up to Northampton last Saturday for a morning coffee and paper. It's the first time this year that I was able to make a trip that used to be a (semi-regular) summer routine for me. But so far this season the uncooperative weather and some new obligations have given me cause to adjust the Saturday morning schedule a bit...for now...

But the bright sunshine that morning and the sidewalk sale that was going on that weekend swirled in with the regular Saturday farmer's market, to create a perfect storm of Paradise City pedestrian hubub. The place was jumpin'.



And in that town, where there's people milling about, there are sure to be artists. Musicians and painters were interspersed with shoppers and loiterers...







Meanwhile, outside the perimeters of the concrete-covered sections of the valley, July wildlife abounds, as it does so well in the height of summer. This Bluet damselfly was making the most of it's time by stopping to sun itself between short flights.



The summer blooms, enriched by all the rains, seem particularly colorful this year...



And a tiger swallowtail butterfly was doing it's part to keep those colorful blooms blooming.



Some birds have the good fortune to make their living in cool water, like this blue heron, who was exhibiting his fishing tactics: a study in patience...

Stride ever so slowly...scanning below...stop...very still...don't move a muscle...one more stride...stop...steaaaadddyyyyy....



...PLOOK..!



...nothin'. It's on to the next fishing hole, when prospects are looking slim...



A recent swing by the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary produced a Red Tail hawk that apparently wasn't the least bit intimidated by humans; not stirring a feather as we drove close by to check it out.



Kelly fended off a curious environmental police officer that had pulled up, while I had gotten out and snuck in for a closer look at the raptor...



According to Kelly, the officer was on the hunt for environmentally dangerous types, like the ones dumping mattresses and other junk in the woods nearby, and had little time to worry about 'those crazy bird-watchers'...

I managed to get right underneath the hawk without sending him flying off; it was really the closest I've ever gotten to a wild one. For some reason this guy had no fear of humans, even the huffing, sweating, mosquito-ravaged variety...



Why should it have any fear; these birds themselves are made solely to kill; they're sharks of the avian world. I'd hate to have been a smaller mammal, with this guy's undivided attention...



On the weather front; although June of this year was pretty much a write-off with all the biblical rains, at least July kept it's summer promise of sunshine, lush greenery...



...humidity-powered thunder boomers...



...and hazy sunsets.



Now if August will just maintain the new sultry summer trend, well then, two out of three aint bad...

Go Figure

I can see the appeal of the horse. I'm not a fanatic, nor a buff, nor a farmer; have never even ridden on one, but I appreciate the noble animal. The horse has certainly been among mankind's most helpful and loyal animal companions through millennia of civilization-building, maybe second only to the dog in importance to our advancement. They're swift, smart and strong; all admirable qualities. So, it was with part appreciation and part curiosity that we decided to check out the 70th annual New England Morgan Horse Show last Friday evening, at Northampton's Tri-County Fairgrounds.



It was a week long event and according to the ticket guy in the booth, the biggest Morgan show east of the Mississippi. It's not often in this century that you hear that kind of praise. I believe he said there were some 700 or so Morgans there, and the only show that's bigger was in Oklahoma City in October, west of the ole Miss'.

The particular breed that this show is all about, the Morgan, was actually 'invented' right here in the valley, specifically in West Springfield; and even more specifically, spawning from a stallion named 'Figure' that was owned by Justin Morgan back in the day. All Morgan horses can be traced back to that one steed, or stud...

While this show is the second biggest, it's certainly not the only show around. There are several throughout the year, and most of the local ones in West Springfield and Deerfield.

It was late when we drove by for a look and there were only a few rounds of competition left for the night, but admission was just 5 bucks each and the tickets were good for the next day, so we bit. The show was well attended even at that hour; there are a lot of Morgan fans around here.



Most of the people were crowded around a small enclosed oval track, where the Morgans were doing some of what they're best at: trotting with small carriages in tow. The breed is kind of on the small side for horses, but they are indeed beautiful animals with well proportioned legs and torsos, long sharp faces and flaring nostrils.



There were several different pulling competitions, with two and four wheeled carriages.





One of the two wheeler competitions involved those harness-racer types you see at the betting tracks.



That competition brought on tremendous cheers, as while they weren't actually racing, they did do some spirited jockeying for position and briskly circled the track at fairly dangerous speeds.





Most of the other pulling competitions were a little more conservative and classier in nature, with the riders dressed accordingly.





It was an entertaining time, with kind of a dog-show feel to the whole event, with trotting music playing in the background and an enthusiastic announcer calling out from their viewing box.



At the same time, there was an old fashioned air to the whole show with blue, red and yellow pennants being awarded to the best steeds. The judges carefully watched from center track, and after each event, the competitors lined up so the judges could inspect the horses more closely before making their final decisions.





The crowd whooped and hollered when the judges approached their favorites, trying to skewer the decision-making.





We should have gotten there a little earlier as it seemed to be over too soon, but we feel like we got our 5 bucks worth with some out of the ordinary entertainment.



This much is for sure: when the little one inevitably asks me for a pony in a few years, I'll have no one but myself to blame...

Oxbowski

I was able to catch some of the water ski tournament going on at the Oxbow this weekend, getting there just as the individual act competition was wrapping up with this talented young lady, showing her stuff...



It was a decent crowd on the bleachers and grassy slope of the Oxbow's viewing area, and I found myself a spot close to the water, and near the announcer's stage.





There was a brief delay as the Oxbow's new ramp, (fresh from Sea World and 'Jaws' fame), was inspected before the show.



An issue with the water not being turned on slowed things down for a few minutes. Apparently there's supposed to be water running over the ramp to make it slipperier. Team Holland, the first team on the roster, eagerly called out that they were ready to go, with or without the water...



...but the officials wouldn't have it; The Water Must Be On. But soon enough the issue was resolved, and Team Holland was under way...





They were natural crowd-pleasers, and the audience clapped and cheered enthusiastically at their stunts...







Their jumping was great, although there were a couple slight mishaps that didn't diminish the overall excitement of the performance, at least from this spectator's perspective.



However, the sterner judges had their own opinions...



Next up was a red-shirted troop, who similarly wowed the audience with their own repertoir of tricks and daring-do.



...and finally came the Oxbow's own team; a contingent of nine skiers, all in bright DPW green...



It took three boats to haul them around the Oxbow, as each group took turns at the ramp.



They were definitely the most polished of the three competing teams, and the judges scored them accordingly...



...but after all, this is their home field.



This portion of the tourney wrapped up with an unusual, and world-famous, act for the benefit of a Team Oxbow member who suffered a major tragedy earlier this year. This guy on a hydrofoil ski stunned the crowd with the apparatus' ability to launch out of the water at will, sans-ramp.



The man is good. He's a world champion and has performed all over, doubling the world record for consecutive flips, and even making appearances on tv shows like 'Baywatch'.



A good wrap up to an enjoyable show.



I suspect the new ramp will contribute to a local rise in the popularity of this sport in the coming years, both in competitors and in spectators. It was my first time checking it out, and I'll be back...