Today has been incredibly beautiful. The threat of the first winter weather is past (and slightly over blown, as it turns out).

The cold north wind and sub-50 degree temperatures of the last two or three days are behind us for a little while longer.

The last of the clouds blew over this morning and we spent the afternoon hours under a pale blue sky and mild temperates. There was a bit of a wind, but then it’s Kansas and a day without wind of any kind is, well, weird! Afternoon temperatures near 70 were nice, too, but comfortable only if one was wearing a jacket or working outside.

Fall colors were especially vibrant in such brilliant light, even if they are past their prime. There are two teenage maple trees in the J. J. Krehbiel Park at the Carriage Factory Gallery. The smaller of them is on the north side of the park and is in the most glorious color right now. (See below)

The other has been showing color since we returned from our last trip to Michigan over Labor Day weekend. The color started at the top and has been gradually working its way downward with each passing day. Presently, the top is a pale, weather-worn red, similar to the faded paint on an old Farmall tractor. Below that is a brighter version of that same red with some gold and yellow-green mixed in toward the trunk of the tree. The bottom most branches and the leaves closest to the trunk are still a pale-yellow green. (See above. That’s the gallery in the red brick).

I have been looking at it today and attempting to figure out how I might paint it and what colors would be best suited. I could, I think, use pretty much every color in my paint box or pencil box and still not do it justice. The real challenge would be accurately capturing all that glorious color without making it garish.

It’s been as beautiful a couple of days in Arcadia, California as it has been in the center of the country. Just warmer.

And faster.

I’ve been checking in on the Breeder’s Cup World Championship races periodically, watching coverage by means of the race videos on the Blood-Horse.com. (Great website, by the way). I watched four of the five Friday races in one sitting last night and saw some great, overwhelming victories (Zenyatta in the Ladies Classic) and some great close finishes, as well.

Saturday’s races are not less thrilling.

The first ever Breeder’s Cup Marathon was great to see. Long distance racing is classic, to my way of thinking, and I’m glad to see it added to the Breeder’s Cup card. I love it and the Irish horse, Muhannak was perfectly placed and rated to come through in the stretch and win. Actually, having a foreign horse win at the added distance is no surprise whatsoever!

That was followed by the Turf Sprint, which was almost as opposite as two horse races can be.

Another first ever for the Breeder’s Cup, the Turf Sprint is an approximately 6-1/2 furlong, all out run from start to finish. Fourteen horses participated and, as with most turf races, the field was fairly open until the stretch, when the horses at the back of the pack charged forward and the field finished in almost as tight a group as they started.

The winner, Desert Code, came from far back in the pack and was 11th of 14 at the last turn. But he charged up the middle and stuck his head in front at almost the absolute last minute! What a charge!

And what a way in inaugerate a new race.

This is why I love horse racing!!!! The horses!

By the end of the day, I’d seen all the other races, as well. And I’d been inspired by the grace and power of what I consider to be God’s crowning animal creation.

I was also left thinking that I needed to do another horse racing painting at least. And get to a race track as soon as possible. Eureka Downs next summer, maybe?

©Copyright 2008 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit Carrie Lewis’s website.