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Victorian Reflections by Hazel
Thinking of hosting a Western-themed event featuring Cowboy Poetry? Victorian-style period costumes are available from Victorian Reflections by Hazel to enhance the event experience!
Wendy and her husband Kevin proudly displaying their finest Victorian and Western threads (courtesy Victorian Reflections by Hazel) on the Coyote Springs Stage Lines coach ***If you would like more info about Victorian Reflections by Hazel - Redesigning Vintage Formals into Victorian Gowns - please contact Hazel Zepeda at: zzranch@sti.net
Cowboy Poet Friends
MARCH 29th- ANNUAL GOLD RUSH DINNER & DANCE We also attended the Annual Gold Rush Dinner & Dance at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds last Saturday evening. We dressed in our vintage clothing (gowns by Victorian Reflections by Hazel), and a good time was had by all!
WE'RE BACK FROM COLUMBIA, CA!
On March 14th we traveled up Hwy 49 to Columbia State Historic Park to attend the premiere of the “Golden Voices of the West” event. Columbia, once known as the “Gem of the Southern Mines”, is a living Gold Rush town featuring the largest collection of Gold Rush-era brick buildings in California.
The event kicked off at the Sonora Opera Hall with a Dave Stamey concert. Dave is a buckaroo cowboy, singer, and songwriter. His music tells of his real life experiences as a working cowboy. We stayed in Columbia at the historic City Hotel, Est. 1856. Our balcony room was furnished with beautiful antiques and looked out over Main Street. We felt as if we had taken a step back in time!
On Saturday we spent the morning walking through Columbia, taking in the sights and absorbing the local history. No motorized vehicles are allowed in town. We took a ride on the local stage coach, and were treated to seats up top with the driver, who shared more of Columbia's history with us. In the afternoon I attended a poetry writing workshop taught by my cowboy poet friend Pat Richardson. It was interesting and informative, and I came away inspired.
WENDY REPORTS FROM ELKO 2008 It was an exciting trip for us to Elko for the 24th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering! Instead of taking the train, this year we decided to drive. Our faithful dogs Flash and Foxy went along, and they were great company. We headed up Hwy. 80 to Reno with a snow storm right on our tail. It chased us all the way down the east side of the Sierras, and all the way to Elko the next day.
But the snow and cold weather didn't dampen any of the festivities at Elko. The camaraderie and down-home western hospitality kept everyone in great spirits! People make this pigrimage from all over the country to reconnect with old friends. It's like a huge familiy reunion. Over 4,000 people attended to hear some of the best cowboy poets in the nation. This year they celebrated the Sonoran cowboy or vaquero. We saw our old friend Pat Richardson, who has been a perennial invited guest to Elko for many years.
Pat Richardson & Wendy
We also got to see Baxter Black's special show. The tickets were distibuted lottery style, and we were two of the lucky winners! We laughed until our faces hurt. Another highlight was to see a local cowgirl from Catheys Valley perform. She comes from a fouth generation ranching family, and won several of the poetry contests that I sponsored for students in the schools. She demonstrated such talent that I invited her to be a performer at one of our gatherings. The Western Folklife Center in Elko heard about her, and invited her to perform this year. She just turned fourteen, and she did a fantastic job! It was wonderful to see her onstage with some big name poets.
Baxter Black, Pat Richardson & Wendy at Elko We also experienced our first Basque dining experience. Talk about comfort food...and plenty of it! We ended up staying an extra day because another snow storm was coming in, and we chased it back across the desert. We stayed in Carson City, then headed home over Hwy. 88 the next day. A good time was had by all, and we're looking forward to next year! - Wendy & Kevin
Wendy also just recently performed for the California Backcountry Horsemen Free Packers Unit at their annual Christmas Party on December 8th. Their spokesman afterward had this to say: “Wendy Brown-Barry was our entertainment. Wendy is definitely someone you want to meet. She is a local gal from Mariposa who has been performing Cowboy Poetry since 1996. Her poetry is inspired by her adventures in the back country, so it is something we can all relate to. Thank you, Wendy!”
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Click on the links below to visit these other great sites! |
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Bar-D Ranch Cowboy Poetry.com |
Mariposa County Arts Council |
Western Folklife Center - Elko National Poetry Gathering |
Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival |
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 Mariposa County Pioneer Wagon Train and Cannonball Poetry Gathering |
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 Yosemite National Park |
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 Photography of Linda Gast - Hummingbird Press.com |
Mariposa Mountain Riders 
