The definition of the word "classic" has come to mean many things to different people, and not just in the arena of music. A movie fan might casually toss the term around to describe his favorite film; a collector of art or antiques might use the word sparingly, for only the most significant pieces; a literature professor might reserve it for only a tightly defined group of works.
But the definition is sure to vary depending upon whom you ask. How old must a car be before it can truly be called a classic? If its your car, and you need the money, and you are about to place the ad in the newspaper...are you going lose a day to research the criteria? I doubt it!
Not everyone is as specific as an art historian when labeling something a classic. Within days of its opening, many movies become an instant classic. How many FM radio stations proclaim their programming as "all classical all the time"?
My brother just sent me an email that he is off on his bike to go see The SARATOGA CLASSIC HORSE SHOW. The show, inaugurated in 1927 and brought back to life in 1998, is a highlight of the early summer season in Saratoga Springs. This top-level historic competition attracts many of the country's best horses and riders, and benefits scholarships to Skidmore College students.
In Saratoga Springs the rider of the Grand Champion horse during Grand Hunter Champion week will receive a special award, a Lawn Jockey/ Yardell that will be painted in their own/preferred barn colors.
A Lawn Jockey/ Yardell is a small statue of a man in jockey clothes, intended to be placed in yards. Most today are white jockeys, but historically black jockeys were commonplace. The lawn ornament, popular in certain parts of the United States in years past, was a cast replica, usually about half-scale, of a black man dressed in jockey's clothing and holding up one hand as though taking the reins of a horse. The hand sometimes carries a lantern or a metal ring suitable for hitching a horse.
I am sure those in attendance at the Maine Common Ground Fair in Unity Maine were not dressed as well, nor did many drive the same kind of cars, as those at the SARATOGA CLASSIC. Although some of the Amish farmers in the Unity Maine area may find a Lawn Jockey/ Yardell useful to lean their bicycle against (I doubt many would be using a bicycle lock), the real winners at the Donkey and Mule Show most likely would probably prefer some bags of oats, bunches of carrots or loads of hay for winning the annual donkey jumping contest.
"To really appreciate donkeys and mules, you must watch us (the donkeys and mules) working with our servants (they call themselves our owners). We are loving creatures who want to please and are willing to do the unusual biddings of these folks. Watch us jump, pull wagons and haul logs, carry our servants on our backs, follow them around obstacles and encourage them to play silly games. Come to our show and join the fun! Talk to the people who think they own us."
The Fair allows fairgoers to make connections with a rapidly expanding base of organic farms in the state of Maine.
May I recommend for your enjoyment: Drink at least a cup of coffee with lunch
You may also enjoy reading: Lost luster
I am by no means ready to die! So, with that fact established, let's begin at the beginning: See links for all the Genesis posts to date: Genesis Through My Eyes
In my not too distant past, if I were to see a street person, a bum, sleeping in a door front or on a park bench, I would have kept my distance and perhaps shrugged my shoulders.: He had the "smarts" to ask someone where to go, I didn't
Fortune has allowed me to come full circle and return to my earlier interest in photography. I am at that age were some weight loss would be beneficial. I certainly don't believe all photographers need to starve, but my initial goals are realistic, if not humble. The industry has changed tremendously, but the possibilities are unlimited. I am grateful that my parents' gave me a generic name. It's allowed me to explore numerous paths unhindered.
"I continue to seek exquisite beauty in my images, exploring all techniques, old and new".
web blog: Epicurean Health
web blog: Comics Legends and Lore
web blog: Timeless Snippets