Virtual Brush Box

Fit To Ride

Awareness of the outside world. Alabama Department of Labor: Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program.

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Shelby County Reporter: Lee Springs Park opens in Helena, has historical remnants, by Alec Etheredge, November 2020

Felt long, probably because I wandered hither and yon to make up the distance.

Section 1: Lee Springs Park. So new the large rocks made for unstable footing. Scenic but short.

Section 2: Hillsboro Trail. Converted roadbed.

Section 3: unnamed woods trail. Well used.

Historical Bits at LSP

Coke Ovens

Inside the water storage basin

Material samples

Outro
Was supposed to be a virtual 5k. I decided on a redo the next day …

Update: [Another Lakeside Stroll, Westin 5km Run, Virtual Melbourne Marathon, December 2020]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Riding Journal, Horsekeeping

Lucky enough to have a horse.

Awareness of the outside world. VACCINE ROLLOUT! I’m a few days late due to writing ahead and the impact will take a while to filter down to daily living. The logistics are staggering; the population numbers enormous. Still. Celebrate where we can. Vaccinations have started!
~~~
What with one thing and another, the home team hasn’t appeared in a post since last Wednesday. They aren’t scheduled back until at least next week, and then they’ll be dodging holiday posts and yearly recaps.

They’re fine.

Milton’s latest feed change is agreeing with him. His coat is even getting slick.

Rodney is liking his feed and tack arrangements.

Ringwork on the weekends, here or one of our regular spots. Handwalks and bodywork during the week. Rodney may do stand practice or a short walk.

I was loving the daily mile. Rodney less so. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable he was alone until I saw how relaxed he has gotten in company. I could work on it, but why? If he hates it that much, is it something I want to insist on?

There are a few iron-clad absolutes with our horses. Keep your teeth to yourself. Keep your hooves to yourself. Stand still when required. Follow when asked.

The rest? Up for negotiation.

Particularly when competing, you are not going to do well if the horse doesn’t like his job. I’m not saying they should adore dressage to the extent of dancing pas de deux in the moonlight together. Just not regard the arena as the sandpit of doom.

The Virtual Tevis provided structure August through November. We are casting about to see what is next.

According to the NPR Hospital look -up tool, area hospitals are over 80% full. We discussed this and have elected to keep riding. In return, we are keeping it as quiet and predictable as one can with horses. Activities that we know. Places they are used to. Quiet walks. Trotting and cantering in protected spaces. Maybe bail a bit earlier than usual if things start to go wahooni-shaped.

Now is not the time for bold ventures and elborate plans.

I have taken to wearing my cross-country vest, both as a safety gesture and to get used to riding with it in case one day I, maybe (swoon), go XC again. [New Equipment]

We are chugging along. At this point, that is awesome.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Other Voices

 
So many stories from the Virtual Tevis. This one’s a sniffler. In a good way. Quotes and photos posted with permission. I wouldn’t ask you to click over three times unless I thought the story was worth the effort. Welcome Deuce. [VT Archives]
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“And what do you know, I have a little black horse I bought to do distance riding with.” Two Paths Farm: Tevis Comes to Us!
 
 

“So now I’m supposed to be an endurance horse.” Two Paths Farm: Along the Tevis Trail, by Deuce
 
 

NEWSFLASH We interrupt this Tevis attempt for colic surgery.

 
 
 
 

“So we walked. One quarter mile at a time.” Two Paths Farm: Just a Little Farther…
 
 
Congratulations Deuce & Two Paths Farm! To finish is to win!

Images

 
Awareness of the outside world. Once again, I ask, charity or PR? Or both? Wells Fargo: Community Giving.
~~~

From old …

… to new.

Wells Fargo Unveils New Logo to Rebuild Its Battered Brand, by Steve Cocheo, with assistance from Bill Streeter, 2019

Process Notes

All photos from Birmingham branch. Street photo previously posted for photography project. Sign photos taken on the way home from Railroad Park. Four posts from one walk. That’s what I call a successful day. [Spotted at the Birmingham Mural]

Railroad Park posts
Thursday [Strolling In Another Park Another Day]
Friday [Views of Vulcan, Revisited]
Saturday [Coming Fact to Face With Unpleasant Realities]
Sunday [Commercial Horses, Banking]

Commercial Horse Art Posts
[Commercial Horses, Pharmacology and Trucks]
[Equine Logo, KLLM]
[Equine Logo: Norfolk Southern]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Images

 
Awareness of the outside world. File this under things I had not thought through. “In North America alone, more than 60 billion pounds of (would be) waste is kept out of landfills and water ways, and instead is converted into ingredients for various soaps, lubricants, textiles, pet foods and animal feeds … Without rendering, an untenable strain would be placed on our environment as waste products from meat producers and consumers would overwhelm our existing means of waste disposal. In addition, without turning an otherwise waste product back into a valuable feed ingredient, demand would increase on alternative feed ingredients, such as soybeans and corn, leading to price increases across a wide range of foods and other consumer products.BHT: Rendering 101. In addition to the obvious, rendering material includes, “Trimmings from supermarket butcher shops, expired meat products from grocery stores, and used cooking oils from restaurants and commercial kitchens.” ibid.
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I saw this sign near Railroad Park while I was walking in a virtual 5K. I took the picture because blog post. Initially, I was hesitant to post the photo. It harks back to a reality when horses where as common as cars. Hence the title of the post. Turns out the sign is historic, but not the way I thought. [Strolling In Another Park]

Birmingham Hide & Tallow is still going strong, now as BHT Resources. “Our service offerings have grown to include rendering, waste cooking oil management and grease trap management.” BHT: The BHT Story.

The dog part of the sign was put up in the 1960s by a dog food company. In the 1980s, BHT bought the building, refurbished the famous sign, and added their name. In 2010, BHT moved, rehabbed the sign, and donated it to Regions Field.

AL.com: Penny dog food sign will wag again at Regions Field, by By Kyle Whitmire, 2013 updated 2019

Bham Wiki: Penny

Roadside America: Penny the Dog

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott

Photography

 
Awareness of the outside world. Vulcan Park and Museum: Virtual and Outreach Programs. Lots of kid/school stuff. For adults, the Learning From Home section has a Virtual Museum Tour in six episodes. Caveat, I have not watched these. On my list.
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What
Magic City Lights
Artist: Carrie McGrann
Vulcan Park & Museum: Vulcans on Parade

Where & When
Taken in Railroad Park during a virtual 5K. [Strolling In Another Park]

Why
A while back I came up with a project taking pictures of Vulcan.

Vulcan is Birmingham’s answer to the Statue of Liberty. You can see him from all over the city. His image is everywhere. In Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, Japanese woodblock artist Katsushika Hokusai portrays the mountain from a variety of angles in a variety of seasons. That’s my plan. With photography. Photos to be added and upgraded as photos are taken and my photography improves. Off Topic: Views Of Vulcan Project, OT: Views of Vulcan

This lasted for 10 photos and then wandered off to wherever old projects go. I don’t get into town enough. When I do, I don’t have the kind of long-range lens that can handle scenic distance. So, I’m restarting it with an emphasis on Vulcan iconography instead of the big iron man himself.
 

 
Who
“Magic City Lights” was the pilot statue … painted by Birmingham art teacher Carrie McGrann.
Vulcans on Parade: The Story Behind the Statues

“I really wanted to go with the theme of Birmingham being the Magic City,” McGrann said.” The Local: Vulcans on Parade, by Grace Miserocchi, 2015

Bham Wiki: Vulcans on Parade

Other art by McGrann, 4. Children Holding Up the City. Bham Now: A Guide to your Fave Bham Murals, by Vicky Lewis 2016

Photos Since Project Hiatus

[Vulcan Stroll, Magic City Virtual 5K, November 2020]

[Spotted on the Vulcan Trail]

All Project Photos, So Far
[Gallery, Views of Vulcan]

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott