5000

   I noticed (a day and a half ago) that this blog was vast approaching 5k views, and have been wracking by brain to come up with an "exciting" post to celebrate. Well, the mark has been hit, and I don't have a fresh new idea to share.

   I do, however, have some exciting news. I received word that I was selected for the John H. Daniels Fellowship at the National Sporting Library & Museum. I will be spending two delightful weeks next summer delving into their massive and varied collection in Middleburg, VA. I will primarily be laying the foundation for my dissertation on Hanoverian horses (the historical, not the modern), but I hope to have time to glance at a few other topics of interest. Like horsebread. Or early Thoroughbreds or Morgans. And I am sure I will accidentally discover many more fascinating things along the way.

Check them out. Seriously.

   I'll work on those new post ideas (and clearing the backlog), but meanwhile I'll leave you with this news and the obligatory cat pic:

Former foster loves his new home

What a week!

    We were in Maryland (mostly) the past week and change, and it was of course a crazy packed week.

     ...before you worry, the kittens are now big enough and healthy enough for a normal living situation and were safely ensconced with their rescuer. Who is now trying to figure out how to keep both of them. I am entirely unsurprised. And by that I mean I planned on it ;-)

   Where was I? Oh, yes, crazy packed week. So we flew out from Cali last Saturday. And Sunday I was off to WV with a former student for a riding clinic. Had a blast showing her around my alma mater, and getting some rust knocked off my riding by Nancy.

I got to ride in this. It was ridiculously nice. 

   And then back to MD! Family things! Sportsball! Actually, that was fun, too.

  The weekend got rescheduled a good half a dozen times, but we did still end up in Baltimore and managed to meet up with one of the two lovely people we'd planned on seeing. We went to the Walters Art Museum. I had planned a fuller post on this trip (it was amazing, and I'm really amazed I never knew it was there, given its founders' role in equine history), but between current events, recovering from airport plague, and needing to prepare for Leeds, that will have to wait. For now, have some pictures:

(click for more)