SUNDAY IS PHOSTORY DAY!: – or at least this Sunday is Phostory day…

Today is Sunday.

I am on location with my phone and laptop.

Usually, I don’t write from my laptop. And, usually I don’t use my phone camera to take photos. But, sometimes I do…

Anyway, I was looking over the photos on this computer and realized that the pics I take while on vacation (with my phone) which end up on my vacation portable computer, usually never end up on the blog because I forget I have them after I return home.

So, today I decided to post the photos I’ve taken on my journeys this year – all of which were intended for the blog but never made it!

HERE WE GO!

1) Here are photos of a bronze statue that I loved in the Sierra Grand Resort in Reno, Nevada.

I realized that I take awful notes when I am on vacation. All I remember about this incredible sculpture was that it was very impressive, well done and it is about the Pony Express.

I loved staring at this immense statue while everyone else was playing the slot (positioned directly behind the piece, sadly).

The other very interesting fact about this sculpture, to me, was that a local artist, Doug Van Howd, created it! In fact, he has another HUGE sculpture of wild mustangs at the entrance to the hotel. It kinda bugged me that all of these tourists were leaning on the sculpture as if it wasn’t a piece of art.

This bronze sculpture was incredible in person. I stared at it for a very long time…

The other side…

Here is the huge sculpture by Van Howd that sits out front of the hotel. Most of the time there were humans littered all over it. Sigh.

2) SCULPTURA VINEYARDS

Hubby took me to Paso Robles, CA for a wine tasting adventure. We figure that if we cannot move there right now, we can at least go there and have fun occasionally. So, that’s what we did and will do again over Labor Day.

Anyway, one vineyard that has exceptional wine is Sculptura.

I had never visited the vineyard but had tasted the wine at a the Cowboy Camp I attended (Great!) at V-6 Ranch.

Yup, at the end of one of our long rides at V-6, they had a private wine tasting with the folks from Sculptura.

Silly me… I figured since the wine was served on a Cattle Drive, it was probably good but not fancy schmancy wine.

I told Hubby that we should visit Sculptura because it had to be ‘a sweet little place that we should support – and it had great wine’. OK.

So, we went.

OMG! The place was like Versailles, I swear!

We couldn’t afford any of the wine… but we tasted and had a great time! Here was a pic I took of one of the many sculptures on the grounds of Sculptura.

One of the statues at Sculptura

3) DOVER CANYON VINEYARDS

On our wine tasting venture, we went to one of our favorite small and fabulous vineyards, Dover Canyon.

Not only do we like their wine, but the owners have a beautiful St. Bernard puppy – well, he is no longer a puppy but he was a puppy when we first started going there…

I swear, we go there and the first thing we ask is, “Where is your dog?!!”

We love him. He is the best mascot.

This is off of the Dover Canyon Website…

And this is the shot I took… Love that dog!

4) WILD HORSE VINEYARDS

Of course we had to stop at Wild Horse Vineyards...

Everything is themed for the Wild Horse. I inquired about that and the gentleman behind the bar told me that the huge vineyard was the previous home of wild herds. Sad.

He told me that they contributed to several wild horse groups.

Hmmmm.

Lo and Behold, I did see their logo on a few wild horse events I attended here in California so I have decided to support them. Besides, we really liked their wines!

I took this pic during our wine tasting. Wild Horse Vineyards actually supports wild horses!

5) THE NEW HORSES NEXT DOOR

When I was leaving today to go to work, I noticed new horses across the street!

There were 4 of them and they had decided to all stand in front of the gate that led to the road. So odd. It is nowhere near where they live and it is never opened. Of course, they don’t know that since they are new to the pasture… To them, it is a gate that could open and perhaps release them.

Anyway, I rolled down my window and called to them.

The little baby (probably 2 months?) pricked his ears and stood there with his Mom, very brave.

The Paint horse called over the grulla horse.

When the grulla came over, the baby pinned his baby ears. That cracked me up!

(I know nothing about these horses and haven’t met their owner.)

Here are the new horses on my street that I encountered today. They were all at a gate that never opens. The baby was too cute! Here the Paint is calling to the grulla.