Winners

This morning: The first cherries of the season---much earlier than usual, and delicious---at the farmers' market, grown in a "cherry tunnel" at Cloud Mountain Farm. (See Extra photos)

Lunchtime: Having our grandchildren and their parents stop by for lunch, on their way to Vancouver, British Columbia, for their flight to London and on to a wonderful vacation in Amsterdam, Paris, and the Greek islands of Santorini and Paros.(The necklace I'm wearing is one that Z made for me a few years ago.) (See Extra photos)

Late afternoon: Watching American Pharoah's easy win of the Belmont Stakes, following his wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He will go down in Thoroughbred racing history as the 12th horse to win all three races, known as the Triple Crown of American racing.

Until today, Affirmed was the most recent Triple Crown winner, 37 years ago---and I was the new mother of my first child, born just a few weeks earlier. I can't remember if I watched the Belmont Stakes that year, through a haze of deep fatigue, but even in my busiest years of mothering and working, as well as the more leisurely recent years of retirement, I was always aware of the results of those three key races. (Yes, I was a horse-crazy child and teen...)

Today I watched it live on my computer---amazing!---and grabbed this screen shot through brimming tears, in awe for what this horse has accomplished and flooded with memories of watching past Triple Crown races, including Seattle Slew's win in 1977. (I was living in Seattle then, which made that win particularly wonderful.)

The New York Times, a bastion of fine reporting in the midst of dross elsewhere, had a splendid article about the Belmont Stakes, well worth the few minutes it takes to read it, and the first six photos are marvelous.

Quite a day!