We’re back at home after a great trip to New York City. It was so much fun to introduce our 12 year old friend to the Big Apple for the first time. She was knocked out by it. We went to the Museum of Natural History to see “The Horse” exhibit. The "painted ponies" standing outside were beautiful. When you buy your ticket, they give you an appointment time to go into the exhibit . We had to wander around for an hour before we were scheduled to enter. Fortunately, that museum is so amazing that you could wander for days and not see it all. Once we got into “The Horse”, we waltzed through from beginning to end in ten minutes. It was a disappointment. I insisted that we walk back and forth through it two more times in case I missed something wonderful. It was uninspired, I’m sorry to say.
The rest of the city did not disappoint us. At one point, we walked through Times Square, which was a challenge with two cute young girls tightly in tow. The crowds were intense. I have to admit that I was happy to come home to our quiet country haven.
The girls bought butterfly masks, so yesterday, they took a group photo with Siete. Our young guest told her mother that she thought that having horses was like having extra children. She’s decided that she’s going to stick to owning dogs and cats because they are less work. I reminded her that the reason I have horses is that they are good for my soul. I don’t think she knew what I was talking about, but my daughter did.
The earthquake in Los Angeles reminded me of how glad I am to live on the East Coast. I am relieved that all my friends and family are safe today in California. We will never forget the big Northridge quake, since we lived about 10 miles from the epicenter. I just went outside and said thank you to Mother Earth for being solid under my feet.
When I was in New York, I kept thinking about one of my favorite quotes from
E.B. White:
“New York can destroy an individual or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York unless he is willing to be lucky.”
10 comments:
Sorry to hear the exhibit was so disappointing. :-( But, it sounds like you enjoyed the city, despite that let down. Love the butterfly masks!
Ann
I'm sorry to hear that the exhibit was uninspired, but it's great that you enjoyed the rest of your trip.
I love those butterfly masks, but where is Siete's and Silk's? Now that would be a fun picture.
We are always amazed when someone states they would prefer not to have horses, aren't we. I guess they are just not for everyone.
Great photo with the girls and Siete! ;)
What exactly was in the "Horse" exhibit?
NYC is amazing. I have been 3 times and there is just something about it. I could never live there, but I think maybe I did in a past life or something. I just feel connected to it in some weird way!
Thanks, Everyone - I should have explained what was in the exhibit - There were skeletons of horses and lots of artifacts - Like a Mongolian saddle and a pony express saddle and some spurs and ancient horse shoes. There were some videos of different ways in which horses are used - barrel racing , horse racing, cattle herding, therapeutic riding. There was an old fire engine that had been pulled by horses. I liked this bronze sculpture by Deborah Butterfield of a horse that looked like it was assembled out of pieces of driftwood. There was a Greek vase of women riding horses - Amazon warriors. I guess what was missing was the spirit and emotion of the horse - which might be hard to capture without a real horse - but it didn't really show or express what it is that people really love about this animal. So, that's why I think it missed the mark.
Love the butterfly masks!
The exhibit does sound dry - but otherwise it sounds like you had a fabulous time.
A few years ago we saw the painted horses in the airport at Albuquerque -we almost missed our flight back due to looking at them!
don't you just hate that when you are so looking forward to something and it is a let down - Glad you had a good trip anyway
Hey, Victoria. Sorry the display was disappointing. I saw many of the Painted Ponies in New Mexico, where they were exhibited in the airport and throughout the state, which I really enjoyed. I don't know what all was involved with the Met exhibit, but you are right that the rest of the museum can make up for a lot. It's probably my very favorite museum in the U.S.
Come by my blog to pick up the Brillante Weblog Award.
I was planning on going to that too, so was interested to hear about your experience. I was hoping to ease into the soul-experience of Horse.
What would you do to change it, if you could?
Love the butterfly masks. I think they should have gotten some for the horses, too :)
Sorry the Horse Exhibit wasn't what you expected. How many Painted Ponies were outside? I have a friend who collects them. She has almost a hundred of them!
My family is located near the area where the latest earthquakes hit, in Covina, CA.
And you may not believe it, but earthquakes do occur on the East Coast. I remember while growing up in Maine, feeling a pretty big earthquake while at school.
There have been major earthquakes in MA, NY, MD and all over the Eastern Seaboard, too.
In fact it seems that the East Coast is due for another earthquake soon.
I found a very interesting website that even includes a map of the earthquakes that have occurred on the East Coast.
http://www2.bc.edu/~kafka/Why_Quakes/why_quakes.html
Oh, and I forgot to say that Painted Ponies are very popular here in New Mexico. Many people collect them and they are in many of the stores around Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
I've avoided getting caught up in the Painted Pony fever.....my checkbook won't allow it! :)
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