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Wednesday, July 26, 2006

IT'S PONY PENNING TIME!
Most people have never heard of Virginia's Eastern Shore. In fact Shore residents, including myself, love checking maps to see if we are even included; more often than not maps of Virginia leave off our 75 mile long stretch of peninsula. But almost eveyone is familiar with Chincoteague Island(pronounced 'Shinkoteege'), the setting for the famous children's book and movie "Misty of Chincoteague". Chincoteague and it's neighboring island Assateague (yes, ASS...it's a native-American word) are inhabited by wild ponies (lots of interesting theories about how they got here) that each year are herded and auctioned off to ensure proper care and maintenance of the ponies. The proceeds raise money for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department. The Pony Penning occurs on the Wednesday of the Chincoteague Carnival (I told you the carnivals are essential to Eastern Shore summers), and involves a spectacular 10 mile swim from Assateague to Chincoteague during the slack tide.
The ponies are herded by "Saltwater Cowboys"; to be named one is a true honor. For more information about Pony Penning visit http://www.chincoteague.com/pony/ponies.html .
I have never attended Pony Penning. It's not that I don't want to; I'm dying to see this incredible, beautiful sight for myself. I have always either been working full-time or, now, I have small children to care for. The other problem is it's crowded. Chincoteague is "full to the gills" during this week every summer; my friend who lives there has regaled me with horror stories about Pony Penning crowds. She says the best way to witness the event is by boat. So unless someone invites me along on their boat trip, we'll save that for when we actually own a boat. Can't wait! Anyone interested in a Pony Penning visit next year...?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

WE SHOULD PLAN A TRIP @ SOME POINT! I WOULD LOVE TO GO AND SEE THE PONIES AND I AM CRAVING MR.WHIPPY!!!!! I THINK YOU NEED WRITE ABOUT MR. WHIPPY, HE'S SO CUTE!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Whippy? Mr. Whippy!?! Clare - I would have thought that a tasty-treat connoisseur like yourself would be a Creamery fan. Mr. Whippy is cute, I'll grant you that, but you can't beat those Creamery waffle cones.
Amy, when I first saw the photos of pony penning, I said to myself, I said, "Holy Shit! They went to pony penning?!?!!!" Glad to hear you haven't completely lost your sanity up there without me. :)
Can't wait to see you all next weekend!
janice

The Turmanators said...

Yes, the ice cream at the Creamery is vastly superior, but where else but Mr. Whippy can you buy a tee-shirt with a pic of a soft-serve dude with a vaguely dirty-sounding name? It's just campy enough to make it worth the trip (but only for the shirt; then you hustle down the road for some REAL ice cream).

Anonymous said...

I AGREE,IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE DANCING CONE WITH ARMS AND LEGS IT WOULD NOT BE SO APPEALING! I GO STRICTLY FOR THE WHIPPY LOOT!

Anonymous said...

I don't know - now I'm just picturing some creepy island guy with greasy, curly hair wearing a bad tank top and saying, "Hey, baby, want to meet Mr. Whippy?" while repeatedly raising and lowering his uni-brow.

Anonymous said...

You are right, I've always known about Chincoteague Island and the ponies, but it's been up to you to educate me about the Eastern Shore. I knew NOTHING about it or even that it existed before you started your blog. Now I feel like I've been there.

The Turmanators said...

Yeah, you basically HAVE been here...I think I've shown it all!

The Turmanators said...

By the way, Janice; note that you still haven't succumbed to "ya'll" despite all your talk about hot biscuits. That trip back to Minnesota is looming large!

Anonymous said...

Well, you know very well that I'm just the imposter in the room wherever I go, so while it might be "hotter'n a biscuit" here in North Carolina, once I get back home to Minnesota, "Oof da! Was a chilly one last night, ya know!"
Janice