A Polo Match, Darling...

How many times in life do you get an opportunity to enjoy a Sunday picnic lunch while watching polo... Even writing that sounds pretentious.

Actually, it was a very friendly and comfortable setting. Lael and I had packed plenty of food and even getting there late, we were able to find a good spot from which to watch the events on the field.

Had we called ahead, we could have enjoyed a table under the tent. The view was better from there and I don't think there is a charge. No matter where people sat, they sipped a beverage of choice and munched while watching.

Prior to the women's match, we had a chance to check things out. The mallets used in polo are made of bamboo for flexibility. One of the gals told us that she had begun playing in college at USC. Gals of all ages compete together on the same team. She also told us that any kind of horse could be used and that most of the ones at this field would be thoroughbreds. Because I don't know much about horses, that really didn't mean alot to me but it did erase the idea that polo was played only using one kind of "pony".

As with all athletic endeavors, the National Anthem and the presentation of the colors preceded the event. A few minutes before 2 pm, the flag bearer was mounted and posing with teammates.

She circled the entire field,

increasing in speed as she rode. Notice the hat is gone.

What an impressive horse and rider. And what a fabulous backdrop.

We did get to see a bit of the men's competition. And I thought it was pretty funny that one of the pictures I captured happened when there was a "foul" (not sure of the right word, but you get the idea). Notice the one fellow pointing as if to say, "Honest ref, it wasn't me, it was him."

The goal is to get the ball/puck thingie through the goalposts at which point your team earns a point.

The women's teams quickly showed a lopsided score; I think the final at "halftime" was 7 to 3. There was some great teamwork

and individual riding.

After we had enjoyed a couple of hours of "The Polo Experience", we headed to The Jackalope Ranch. A few years back when this restaurant had just opened, Mike and I enjoyed cocktails here and the ladies wore the smallest, tightest, most "uplifting" outfits I had ever seen. So, of course, he wanted to share the spot with Doug. Well, shoot, they now have older and more clad wait staff. Ah, but it is still a very nice, typical Palm Springs, location. (And they have a male host that was delicious eye candy!)

The horse theme of the day carried on in the lighting of the restaurant.

The grounds are beautifully maintained and provided a fine setting for a couple shot.

It is gonna feel kinda empty around here when Lael and Doug head north on Wednesday.

The Date Festival

This is the greeter at the Festival entrance.

Around here, The Date Festival is the equivalent of The State Fair in Minnesota. It runs for 10 days and people come from miles around to spend lots of money and eat lots of different foods. From healthy veggies and chicken in a wrap

to maple bacon donuts... at $9 a pop I did not try one. I bet we see these at the Great MN Get Together this year!

And always, palm trees.

There was a sand sculpture.

And there were tractors on display.

There was art work from the area high schools on display.

It was actually some of the finest pencil drawing I have seen.

And a great recycling display. This hanging lamp is made from pants hangers.

And there were races...

This rider actually smooched his camel when the race was over. When he came over to the stands, we all got a chance to touch the fur - really stiff and bristle-like.

The riders said it was hard to ride a zebra because the skin kinda slides around.

Unfortunately, the ostrich races did not end well. One of the animals was very rambunctious and got away from the cart driver and got tangled up in the red, white and blue draping you see on the side. It had to be manually taken off the track; looked like a leg was broken. When you weigh up to 400 pounds and you only have two legs... well, that can't be good.

There were beauty queens

And a petting zoo with baby animals.

These are Cavi from South America - looked like big rabbits with long legs.

There was a magician performing on the corner. This fellow did an amazing trick... a $20
bill ended up in a lemon... somehow...Overall, it was a good way to spend a day... Just another day in the beautiful Coachella Valley.

Delicate Orchids, A Big Rock and Snow... All In One Day

On Tuesday, we started out at 9 am and hit the donut shop in Yucca Valley before heading to the Orchid Nursery in Landers, CA. Mike and I discovered this place a few years back; it was just as great the second time around.

In each of these bottles is a man made solution nurturing little orchid plants. From the time the powdery seeds are put in the solution, the bottle is not opened, just watered.
It is Minnesota's State Plant that is currently being bottle grown, the delicate lady slipper. It takes two years from pollen seed to time a plant is able to live outside the bottle.
All the colors of these delicate beauties created a need to take multiple pictures! You can really see the "lip" of the orchid in the next three pictures.

Isn't this "dyed" face fabulous. The gal who gave us the tour told us that she got sick of dying plain white orchids so experimented - I like the result.

These orchids looked like acrobats to me.

Mike loved these yellow "dancers". If you look closely, you see the dancing girl in the big yellow skirt.

I love all nurseries! There is just something about the new growth and the colors.

After spending the better part of an hour admiring orchids, we bought a "butterwart" plant which is suppose to capture all those pesky fruit flies. Sure enuf, by yesterday morning there was already a little fly attached to the sticky plant.

Next stop, a big rock... This driver and this car took on this "off road" adventure... three miles of bumpy path.

Yikes, it really is a great big rock - those little specks are the guys admiring it from below.

That is Mike and I posing by the front of the world's largest boulder. Yes, this really is the WORLD's Largest Rock. This boulder is 5 stories high. I have no idea why I felt compelled to smile for this picture...

Here is Lael standing on top... ok she is on top of a rock, but not The Rock. It was a fun place to admire God's handiwork!

Back in World War II days, a fellow lived under the giant rock. It is reported that he had quite a comfortable place. Since he had a German sounding name, the local sheriff figured he must be doing some spying for the Nazis. And since he always kept dynamite and caps under the kitchen table... it did not end well. He and a couple of lawmen were killed. Stories going back even further tell us that Native American tribes met in peace at this site of The Great Rock.

Eventually the Nissan struggled back to the main road and we headed for snow. At Big Bear Ski Resort, we probably saw more snow than most of our friends and family in Minnesota have seen all winter. It met our need for the white stuff for another year.

Nobody was on the half pipe - learned that term from Doug.

From delicate orchids to mounds of snow, it was a very good day!