The Flowers of GMU

This is part II of my GMU experience.  I was surprised to see this many

beautiful colors in and around the campus. Enjoy!

George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

While my son Joshua was enjoying his summer class at George Mason University, I decided to stroll around the campus to see what it has to offer.   Dodging between parent/child university tours that were going on throughout the campus I managed to snap quite a few pictures.  As a result, I split the pictures into two blogs.  Once focuses on the campus and the other covers the beautiful flowers in and around the campus.  Enjoy!   

George ...

There was one student pretending to study under a tree.   
As soon as he heard my camera click, he was gone!

GMU preparing for parents weekend. 

Perhaps this is still used?

A tire swing near off-campus housing.   

The helpful girl at the information booth told me the pond was nasty,
so of course I had to check it out.  I loved it!

From a distance I thought this was tree branches...

When Lightening Strikes...

My Saturday run turned into an obstacle course!  I dodged wet leaves, broken branches, downed trees, and a few frogs.  I went back later to capture the distruction of the 'Storm of the Summer - 2012'!    

Woody was here.

 

Louisville Part II - Churchill Downs

Since 1875, the Kentucky Derby has been held every year the first Saturday in May and deemed the "most exciting two minutes in sports."  And I always thought the most exciting minutes in sports was the Super Bowl commericals.  Who knew.  Anyway, the Derby is the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.  So grab your mint julep and your racing form and sit back and enjoy Churchill Downs!

Barbaro won the Derby in 2006, but later

shattered his leg at the Preakness.   Due to complications,

Barbaro was euthanized in January 2007.

Part of Barbaro's remains were placed below this statue. 

Inside Churchill Downs, but outside of the track.

One of two of the spires atop the grandstand.

Typically during the Derby there is up to 50,000 people

in these stands.  Obviously, not when we were there!

 

I like jockey's cause they're little, like me.  Pat Day is the
all-time leading rider at Churchill Downs.


A showcase of horse shoes.  Cause it is all about the shoes!

The chandeler inside the main gate of the Downs.




I love this guy!

Part of the back half of the track.

The middle of the track.