Well, we all know recovery is not a straight line, but yesterday evening the recovery trajectory hit a big bump, so to speak. I was preparing to work on my blog in the office, while Harry was in the bathroom getting ready to run a bath. I heard a terrible crash, and rushed to find Harry on the floor, having hit his head hard. There was plenty of blood, and it was not a good situation, since Harry had just taken his blood thinner a few minutes earlier. There are constant warnings about the dangers of brain bleeds with blood thinners. I wasn’t worried about the blood on the floor, but I was terrified about bleeding inside his skull.

So, did I call 911? No – I called Jane, of course. She was here in a flash. Harry was conscious, and he felt I could get him to the hospital quicker than an ambulance, so we managed to help him up from the scene of the crime. Once he was on his feet, it was determined that nothing was broken, and he was able to walk to the car. We abandoned Jane to look after everything, as usual, and I drove as fast as I dared to Progress West, where they had saved Harry in January.

We arrived to find an emergency waiting room like a scene from The Pitt. Harry was seen promptly and evaluated by the triage nurse, who bandaged his head to control bleeding while we waited. His vitals were good, so he was not critical, as many less lucky people were. A head CT was done, and we waited and waited. Harry remained alert, and as time passed, my anxiety abated. Eventually, we saw a doctor – a woman, whose first name was Robbie (just like The Pitt!). She was competent and compassionate – the CT showed no skull fracture or bleeding in the brain. She glued some of Harry’s injuries, releasing us to return home by 2:30 AM, very grateful for our good luck following on the heels of a bit of bad luck.

By the time we got home, the glue repairs had failed, so old fashioned band aids were employed, and they were adequate. Jane had, of course, cleaned up the pool of blood on the floor, and all was well. I will not post bloody pictures, in case people are bothered… I will save them for the Gross Book that I have been compiling for decades.

Well, enough of that subject! We have had a few visitors over the past three days. First, and most exciting, a big common snapping turtle wandered through! Yikes! Luckily, we were able to lock Eddy up before he saw it. Then, we got it into a bucket and relocated it. It is quite a privilege to see an ancient creature like this up close, leeches and all, but I would prefer it stay in the creeks or ponds. I understand they move from one place to another, and they are not aggressive, but they are frighteningly defensive, and it would be disastrous to be snapped!

We also had human visitors yesterday. I do think Harry was pretty exhausted, which might have contributed to his misstep. After a studio visit, Harry’s trainer came and they had a strenuous PT session. We will be more mindful of overexertion after that hard lesson on the bathroom floor!

Today, Cooper paid us a visit. He lives just across from our mailbox with his owner, Matt. We love seeing him stop by.

Today, at the gas station I met a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer named Hudson. He had a natural tail, not docked like most, which was nice. The owner said he preferred having a tail because it makes Hudson easier to see in long grass. Harry’s sculpture of a German Shorthaired Pointer does have a docked tail, but it is an actual portrait of a dog named Speck.

Of course, there are the daily bird visits, and evening varmint visits. It’s a busy place here. Jane and I are finding time to ride, though, and we jumped the log of the tree that took down the electric line and caught fire in April. A fun sequel to that misadventure… old ladies jumping like kids!

The cats and dogs are well.

And Oisin presented a beautiful early morning picture, before wandering in to breakfast without being led. Do not try this at home, kids!

That is the news from here, where we are grateful for many blessings, particularly Harry’s intact brain, and battered, but still serviceable, body!

Be safe, stay upright! Be lucky, be grateful, and be kind. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

A “holiday weekend” usually means little in our life. Memorial Day is a somber tradition, reminding me of how fortunate my family has been, with many sons who served and all returned from the wars of the twentieth century.

One of Harry’s earliest public sculptures was a Memorial for Pike County, Missouri, outside the courthouse in Bowling Green. It is still one of my favorites.

Harry is confirmed now in walking without a cane, and he has also returned to the driver’s seat in the car. I enjoyed being a passenger and seeing the sights.

It was a beautiful day on Sunday, and I had a fun ride on Bart, which included a turtle view.

After lunch, Harry and Jane and I went to hear our friends Gloria and Michael performing at Blumenhof Winery. It was great music in a beautiful location, and good for our souls.

Unfortunately, the day ended on a sad note, when a friend’s dog needed to go to the vet. Jane, as always, stepped in to help with a difficult situation. I don’t know why it seems that these complications always arise on holidays. Jane maintains her status as a guardian angel.

We recovered by getting on our horses yesterday and riding.

Daughter Anne brought lunch out for Memorial Day. Last time Anne was here, Harry left in an ambulance, so there was a little bit of PTSD, but that was eclipsed by Harry’s incredible improvement. He is much better now than he was before he broke his hip, so we celebrated. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures!

Today, we finally caught up on the final doctor appointment of the many that had to be rescheduled in January. Harry’s eyes received a good report, and all is well.

The horses provided some nice pictures as they cantered up for breakfast this morning.

The catalpa trees are in bloom. I managed to get a picture of a bumblebee at the blossom here, and a picture of Jane by. her much bigger tree.

I got a picture of an Eastern Kingbird (a flycatcher) at the neighbor’s house today. Here, Baldy the cardinal stopped by when I had the camera handy, and I also saw the pair of barn swallows in the barn

The first day lily bloomed today – somehow, the deer missed this one! They have been very naughty, eating many flowers before they can bloom. The deer have realized Eddy spends the night in the house, and they take advantage of his absence. There are plenty of flowers that are “deer proof”, so I need to cultivate more of those.

We had a visit from a raccoon last night. Luckily, Eddy didn’t notice!

And so, the days gallop by. While the light lasts longer, I never seem to catch up. Still, we are thankful for our good fortune, for Harry’s improvement, for friends, and for this beautiful world.

Be safe, be well, be grateful and be kind. Stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

This has been an uncommonly cool May, which has been nice for riding. Jane and I are back in the saddle and jumping for joy. Today, we jumped our first oxers of 2026 (an oxer is a spread jump).

Meanwhile, Harry is back to work in the studio, and has dispensed with his cane.

Yesterday, I rode and jumped Stone, who was very good. When I returned to the barn, Bart was asleep in his stall, as usual. It occurred to me, that I might make a coffee table book of photos called The Art Of Rest, by Bart. So, inspired, I left Stone in the barn aisle and went around to snap a nice picture…

When I returned to the barn aisle, Stone had shaken his bridle and bonnet off! This is the third time this year that I have had bridles shaken off! The previous two happened when I was on the horses’ backs! I guess I need to keep my throat latches tighter.

Yesterday was a fence repair day, an ongoing, endless project.

I saw two lovely reptiles today. A Box Turtle and a Smooth Earthsnake.

On the kitchen door, there was a Tulip Poplar Beauty Moth. We love our tulip poplar tree by the studio, and I expect the moth does, too.

I have an app on my phone called Seek, by iNaturalist. I can take a picture of any living thing, and it will identify it. There are benefits to technology, though I doubt that they outweigh the damages tech is wreaking on younger people.

More pictures of Bart relishing his rest, and the other horses just waiting for treats…

Eddy continues to bring joy. Every morning, he escorts me in return from the barn to the house…

But he is a naughty boy, when it comes to gloves. If there are gloves within reach, he will abscond with one. Every day, I have to retrieve a glove, but it is impossible to be angry with a dog that has so much fun!

Today, a red winged blackbird enjoyed the bird bath…

Roscoe was picturesque alongside Blessed Saint Philippine Duchesne.

The lilac tree has enjoyed the cool, rainy weather, and we have delighted in its clouds of blossoms with attendant bees and a heavenly perfume.

And every evening, we love to see the happy herd…

Be safe, be well, be grateful and be kind. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

Shoeing Day arrives every six weeks or so. We always look forward to Fred’s visits. He is a gifted artist at shoeing, which is one of the most important elements of horse management. And he is very funny, which may not matter to the horses, but it certainly entertains us. Fred has been shoeing our horses for 16 years now, and he gets much credit for the soundness of our herd of elderly horses. Derry is 23, Bart is 20, Oisin is 19, and Stone is 18.

The weather was perfect, cool enough that the flies were not out. Harry came from the house without a cane to visit Fred. He is walking normally now. Today was the first time he has put the cane aside for the whole day. He is very happy to be able to use both hands at will.

Here are our three horses’ finished feet.

And here are Derry’s front feet before and after. She got her first shoes of the year today, whereas our horses were reset.

The horses are all good to shoe, and I think they enjoy the day of camaraderie and laughter in the barn.

Cora enjoyed the commotion. She misses seeing Harlan on Tuesdays.

Tom Morris thought about hitching a ride out with Fred.

Instead, he settled down with his best friend for a rest.

After lunch, Jane and I took Bart and Derry out to test Fred’s work, and we even jumped! First jumping of 2026. More to come…

Be safe, be well, be grateful and be kind. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

We enjoyed a few days of clear, dry weather here, but rain has returned with a vengeance. I never seem to have enough time, whether clear or raining, to do all I should do. Same old story.

Jane and I are thwarted in our riding ambitions after several nice days.

On Saturday, Harry and I attended a celebration of life for a dear friend, Jerry Garrett. He had been a docent at Bellefontaine Cemetery, so friends gathered there to share stories of Jerry, who really was a unique and interesting man. We were to gather under the Osage Orange tree, brought by Lewis and Clark, cuttings of which were sent to Thomas Jefferson, and grow in Virginia to this day. Alas, the rain drove us into the Hotchkiss Chapel, which was lovely, and appropriate for the many reminiscences shared of a man we were all lucky to know.

Then, on Sunday, a gathering in Chesterfield at Don Wiegand’s studio was delightful, completing a busy weekend.

The sun came out briefly yesterday evening, and I went out to see how wet everything was.

Bart had some cowbirds in attendance. The birds used to follow the bison herds, but now they make do with the company of domesticated grazers.

Speaking of cowbirds, here are some more bird pictures…

Today, we had a difficult morning, traveling to Washington (Missouri) for bloodwork, and the orders were lost. After phone calls and emails, we finally succeeded on our mission, and returned home much later than expected. To our surprise, there was a beautiful book about sculptor Carl Milles in the mailbox that had arrived from friends in Sweden, posted in December. The package looked like it had endured some adventures, but it will be treasured now, after its long journey of nearly five months!

One last item… I have, for more than twenty years, protected a plant that I thought was a native milkweed. I have the PlantNet app, and when I bought some “native milkweed” recently at the nursery, it was quite different from the plant I thought was milkweed. I used the app to identify it, and to my dismay, it is Indian Hemp, not milkweed! Furthermore, it is very toxic to horses, dogs and cats. So, aided by rain softened ground, I dug up an entire wheelbarrow of Indian Hemp, thanking my lucky stars that there has been no poisoning. Here it is… beware!

And that is all the news from here, for now.

Be safe, be well, be kind and be grateful. Stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

After a chilly and wet start, May has shifted to cloudless blue skies and warmer days, with cool nights. I became inspired to get back to riding, and when Jane saw how much fun I was having, she joined me. The old ladies are back in the saddle! Yesterday, we turned the horses out, and I had my camera handy to get pictures of Oisin and Stone, rolling after their baths. They were all happy to get into the south pasture, but then Bart heard a fly, and ran for the shed. He is not tough about bugs, but he sure is beautiful.

Harry took a picture of me Sunday on Stone.

Harry was called on as photographer again on Monday, as Jane joined in.

Derry is back to work now, but no worthwhile picture. I did wander over to Jane’s house last week, and Derry was quite picturesque.

Eddy knows the rules, but he doesn’t always follow them. One rule here is “no toys outside!”. Today, he took his favorite toy (a present from Jane) out the door at top speed. Such joy cannot be disciplined!

And speaking of disobedient animals, Bart has not forgotten how to escape when I fail to pay attention. After his bath, he vamoosed out for some delicious grass.

Yesterday, Eddy picked up a box turtle in the woods. I was horrified, and now I worry that he has driven turtles away from the house area. There have been very few turtle sightings, and I fear Eddy may be to blame. This particular turtle was beautiful, and it departed southward across the creek after I tied Eddy to a tree. It’s unusual to see a box turtle in the water, but it was soon across and up the bank, making an escape to a different patch of forest.

I happened upon a scarlet cap mushroom while in the woods with Eddy – a startling, bright little fungus. And at the edge of the woods, a coreopsis growing on one of the dogs’ graves…

Harlan stopped by for a visit yesterday after work. He checked out the new dumpster, and then we had a fun visit in the house. We were all glad to see him!

Today, Harry had a shoulder injection, which we hope will give him some relief from his “end stage arthritis”. Dr. McLaughlin, the surgeon who saved Harry’s life in January, has excellent technique with joint injection, too.

I was very late getting to the house this evening, and Harry came out to the barn for a visit. I took a picture of him with the lilac tree and the barn weathervane above him at the end of the day.

Earlier, the lilac tree was beautiful against the blue sky, serenaded by the humming of bees.

And finally, a blue bird of happiness…

Be well, be safe, be kind and stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

Jane and Eddy and I returned to Happenstance this morning to watch Vera again. Ellen Baehr is Susan’s trainer, who is giving Vera a good foundation, and it has been wonderful to watch her ride and teach. I have known Ellen all her life, watching her become a talented horsewoman and a brave and unique person. The day was filled with laughter and fun.

Well, I returned home to fix a very sad excuse for lunch, and then, inspired by Justine, I decided to get back in the saddle, and I rode all three horses. They were all well behaved, and a delight indeed!

Last week, between rains, I had used the tractor to move screenings. Eddy wanted to have a ride!

That green sweater I was wearing, had a big hole in the arm. I removed it when it got warm, and left it on the bench in the barn. The cats are delighted. They love cashmere!

Harry has been working in the studio, but is somewhat sidelined again by a bad back.

Weedy kept Harry company when Eddy and I were at the horse show. We both wish we could fix Harry’s back!

On our way to Happenstance, we saw vultures eating a dead skunk. I was able to stop the car and take a picture. I love turkey vultures! They clean up the worst messes, and they are beautiful in the air. They are the birds of the day today, with just a couple of others…

So, as the world seems to devolve, we are fortunate to live amongst other species and close to Nature. Wishing everyone solace in difficult times…

Be safe, be well, be kind and stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

Time (well, lack of…) continues to confound me. There are never enough hours to do all the things I mean, and need, to do. Seems I left off at the end of April with the blog. And it feels like it has rained almost non stop since then, until today, which was warm and sunny. Jane and Eddy and I went over to Happenstance to watch Susan’s lovely gray mare, Vera, show. As always, it was fun to catch up with friends.

Before April closed out, my brother, Mark, came for a visit, bearing Vietnamese food from the city. He and his wife, Cynthia, moved to St. Louis from Chicago last year, but they are city dwellers, so we do not see them much. And, of course, circumstances have kept us confined here since Harry’s fall in January. Life is just beginning to return to normal.

To close out April, we had a visit from dear friends, Linda and Ted Parkhurst, as they traveled through this part of the world, where Linda was giving a three day riding clinic. En route, they stopped in Santa Fe, where Linda painted a beautiful mural on a friend’s wall.

It has been a splendid Spring for birds. We have had multiple indigo buntings and rose breasted grosbeaks. Here will follow too many pictures. I will endeavor to return tomorrow with more news of life at Bronze Fox Farm and environs…

Buebirds bathing…

And as rain returns, the frog chorus is sending me to sleep. More tomorrow.

Be safe, be well, be kind, stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

It’s almost overwhelming, with so much happening as Spring wakes up. Harry is stronger day by day now, while time seems to accelerate. I cannot keep up, but I remain grateful for being surrounded by beauty and fascinating life forms (Harry included in that category).

We have many coyotes around this year, and their nighttime serenades can be rather unsettling. We do worry about the cats, but so far, no problems.

We traveled into St. Louis for Harry’s annual checkup this morning. He received a good report, despite all that has happened in the past six months. The weather was rainy and cool, so the dogs were delighted that they could come along. Alas, today was the last day for Harlan to empty the dumpster, but we left before he arrived. We are changing disposal companies this week.

Many Spring flowers were ruined by the very cold snap in March. Almost no dogwood blooms, which was a disappointment. But on Conway Road, Peter sent a picture of our mother’s azalea, which had a banner year.

Friends and birds abound.

As April draws to a close, we are counting many blessings…

My brother, Jamie, died five years ago. On April 1st, an auspicious day for a joker like Jamie, his first grandchildren were born to Jamie’s daughter, Maddi. They are the first twins in at least three generations – Wyatt and Ruth. Our niece, Rachael, their aunt, sent this picture.

Spring is full of possibility… and lots of work.

Be safe, be well, be kind, be grateful and stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

A rainy day has allowed me some time at my computer. Alas, the rainy day has turned to severe storms. So far, all is well here. The horses will stay in the barn until the bad weather passes through, and then they can slop around tonight. At this time of year, they are out at night and in during the day because the flies bother them much more than cold weather.

Stone does nap, but I have missed the picture of him doing so. Rarely do all three sleep at the same time.

It has been a busy two weeks since I last posted, so this may be a marathon, though nothing of much interest has happened.

Harry has had a few glitches in his health since I last reported. He tore an adhesion in his left leg (the repaired leg), his heart fell back out of rhythm, requiring a visit to the electrophysiologist, only to discover, to our relief, that it had converted to normal sinus rhythm on our way there! Then, he was bitten by a tick last week, and his hand swelled alarmingly, so he needed doxycycline urgently, which was an effective remedy. The swelling was gone within three days. Never a dull moment when it comes to health here! I never thought I would be glad of my time at The Bristol Royal Infirmary, but my brief term as Nurse Barry is serving me well now.

The plants and trees are bursting with vigor, grass is growing, and mowing is a regular chore now, until the inevitable drought. Nathaniel is a big help with mowing – and with felling trees before they fall over the road.

The stream, which was restarted after the cold winter, failed to run. After much consternation, it is finally fixed, and is a joy, especially for Eddy. He was so sad when the stream stopped working, I had to provide him a tank for cooling off. He made good use of the tub until the stream was back in action last week.

Last week was peak migration for birds, and we are always excited at the return of migratory friends. I have not managed a picture of the hummingbird, but he is here, enjoying the scarlet honeysuckle. A few bird pictures…

I also treasure amphibians (sign of a healthy ecosystem). We had a rain, which filled the tub at the top of the stream about halfway. This was while the stream was not working. I began to fill the tub all the way up, and noticed a couple of frogs. I took a picture while the tub was filling, and when I looked at the picture, realized the were toads, not frogs! I immediately pulled them out. There were three, and they were exhausted from swimming for hours. Luckily, they recovered. I should have left a branch in the tub, for escape, but it had been dry for days.

Well, I could go on, but I will spare you, and aim to return tomorrow with more.

Be safe, be well, be kind, and stay strong. Slava Ukraini! Peace…