A day at the races.................................

Visited our youngest daughter at the University of Kentucky this past weekend.  Our visit coincided with the opening of the fall racing season at Keeneland.  Naturally we went.

The girls love the horses

Horse racing is quite the business.  This filly isn't slated to run
until next weekend.  In the meantime, she's just hanging out

I think I bet on this one in the fourth race

Up close and personal.  Warming the horses up pre-race at the Paddock

If you spot the speck at the far left hand side of the picture, that's what
my money looks like when I throw it away.   There is a reason they are
long shots.

Did a double-take when we walked past this sign.

Finding something beautiful..................

The campus at the University of Kentucky is truly beautiful  

How to turn $5 into $26...................

Doesn't look like much, but the nice man gave me $26 for it.

Of course, sometimes the winners get out-numbered by  the losers.  Still, a fun day was had by all.

Mostly useless scraps of paper

Now this is a library....................

Our daughter says she spends most of her time at the University of Kentucky studying at the William T. Young Library.  I believe her.

Construction of the library was completed in 1998.  It contains 350,000 square feet of space and cost , drum roll please, $58,000,000.  While no one has counted them lately, there should be more that 1,200,000 books on the shelves.

Quite the building in quite the setting.  You can read more here.

Ashland..................................

One can hardly visit Lexington, Kentucky and not stop by "Ashland," the home of "The Great Compromiser,"  Henry Clay.  Must not be part of the Federal park system.  It was open for business.

Henry Clay...........................

Among other things, you could call Henry Clay (1777-1852)  a career politician.  Virginia born, Clay moved to Lexington, Kentucky in 1797.  A successful lawyer, noted for his courthouse orations, he was first elected to represent Fayette County in the Kentucky General Assembly.  He served multiple terms as a U. S. Senator (appointed at that time by the State legislature), and multiple terms as a U.S. Congressman, being Speaker of the House on three separate occasions.  A three time presidential candidate, Clay also served as Secretary of State in the John Quincy Adams administration.  Which is a story for another day.  Clay's wiki is here.  A few quotes from Clay are here:

“Statistics are no substitute for judgement.” 

"Of all human powers operating on the affairs of mankind, none is greater than that of competition."

“But if we throw our ports wide open to the admission of foreign productions, free of all duty, what ports of any other foreign nation shall we find open to the free admission of our surplus produce?”

“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.”

“The time will come when Winter will ask you what you were doing all Summer.”

"If you wish to avoid foreign collision, you had better abandon the ocean."

“Let him who elevates himself above humanity . . . say, if he pleases, "I will never compromise"; but let no one who is not above the frailties of our common nature disdain compromise.”

Previously posted Clay quotes are here