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…

As we have hit a rough patch in the uneven journey to recovery, I am going to share some horse pictures (and a couple of birds) from earlier this month. We had some rain (and already need more). Fred came to put front shoes on the horses, after a winter roughed off and barefoot.

The north pasture was so wet, the horses were like Camargue horses in a marsh… The joys of Spring inspired a romp.

There was a race up the hill. Seeing horses spontaneously race each other proves that they are not forced to race. Unfortunately, there are sometimes catastrophic accidents, and there are some despicable people attracted to racing, so horse racing is facing some challenges as a sport. But here, in that wet pasture, there was only fun.

Once they reached the paddocks, there was some dramatic play fighting.

Afterwards, Bart had a nice long drink, and looked askance at the camera. Peace returned to the happy herd.

The first word I said was “hoss”, according to my mother. I have always loved horses, and have been incredibly lucky to spend my life around these magical creatures. And I met and married Harry, thanks to horses. We have had many pass through our lives, and this small herd will be the last in the procession. What a thrill and a privilege this ride has been! There have been many heartbreaks, too, of course, but the joy balances the tears.

Fred’s return was fun, as always. The horses are much more comfortable with front shoes, as fly season and stomping approaches. Harry came out to the barn to visit with Fred, who is always full of fun, alongside his skillful work.

And here are a few birds, of course.

And another beautiful sunset…

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

It’s been a whirlwind in our life around here. Like a diary of days, I will give a sort of linear report on the past week.

Easter was quiet, with electricity restored, but a continuing slow smoldering of the downed tree caused some concern. Our friend, Tina, who works for the Electric company, read the previous blog and texted me to see if it was the very tree that I had reported last year. It was, indeed, and Tina was out here Monday morning to investigate. The company outsources tree removals, and the company had charged Cuivre River Electric for the removal of that tree, so they assumed it was done!

Causing Tina to come out was truly a silver lining to the Easter weekend electrical outage. She has been a part of our life since before we were married. Hard to believe she is now a grandmother!

Unfortunately, Harry had been in atrial fibrillation since last week. Increased medication and tweaking of the pacemaker failed to convert him, so an electrocardioversion was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. That made for a stressful week, especially when the electrophysiologist’s office called to say that they were overbooked and planned to reschedule for a later date. I had a minor meltdown about that, and they kindly kept him on the schedule.

On Wednesday, we had a recheck with Dr. McLaughlin, the surgeon, who was astonished at Harry’s recovery. The x rays showed plenty of bone growth now holding the hip around the pins. They also x rayed Harry’s left shoulder, which was described as having “end stage arthritis” – bone on bone. Because of the pending cardioversion, we are scheduled to go back next Wednesday to address the shoulder with a joint injection.

Thursday and Friday were a bit rough. It took two shocks to restore sinus rhythm, and basically two days to recover. We will send a transmission tomorrow, and hope that normal sinus rhythm will maintain.

Vlad came and picked up a maquette for enlargement on Friday, but I forgot to take pictures. Harry was back at work in the studio, despite his arrhythmic heart. It is always fun to see Vlad, and he arrived with delicious treats from our favorite French bakery. Health food!

In other news around here, Weedy decided to revert to an old naughty habit of dumpster diving! That bad boy got stuck in the dumpster, and I had to climb in to lift him out.

Harlan came on Tuesday, as always, to empty the dumpster (Weedy was in the house). Eddy loves Harlan, who takes a short break, and we chat, when there is time.

Animals and Nature are a consolation for news of the world, and any troubles we encounter. There is much to be grateful for around here, though I haven’t had a lot of time for pictures.

Yesterday, I went over to Happenstance Horse Show briefly to watch Susan’s young mare, Vera. It was even more fun to see Susan and Justine than it was to see the horse show!

Afterwards, I helped Jane put up some fence boards. She has done an astonishing amount of fencing this Spring, including having a new fenced area for the dogs, inspired by Polly’s scary disappearance. Sadly, of course, Polly did not live to see the new pen, but Hazel is benefitting from it, and it is really nice.

And in spite of all, I did get back in the saddle this week – I rode Bart – his first ride at age 20 – and he felt great. Jane was too busy with fencing to join us. I’m hoping there will be more regular riding soon…

While I was untacking, there was a tufted titmouse that got stuck in the barn. I had hoped to have Nathan open the bale doors, since I am afraid of heights. We put bale doors in, not for hay bales, but for bird escape, since they don’t like to fly down to go out the door.

Well, I steeled myself and did the job. I’m very proud that I can still manage this dreaded task as an old lady.

That’s enough for now. We have had some beautiful skies, so I will close with this one…

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

Somehow, March got away from me, and here we are in the “cruelest month”. It’s actually quite pleasant, though mudlicious, so far. At last, the weather has me at my desk with a little bit of time to start catching up. My life has been one step forward, two steps back, lately. But Harry’s trajectory toward recovery has smoothed out and he continues to excel, which is all I really care about.

This Spring has been a difficult one for Jane. Her beloved cat, Bobby, who was diabetic, but managing well on two insulin injections daily for several years, passed away suddenly. He was not a big cat, but he had a very big and delightful personality, and is missed.

Then, as troubles do come in clusters, little Polly, who had dementia and was deaf and blind, also died, aged 16. Jane got Polly from Fred, the horseshoer, who rescued her 15 years ago from an abusive group of Amish children. She had a long and happy life with Jane.

No matter how many animals have passed through our lives, we never get tough enough. Our hearts break again and again.

Jane received some comfort from Eddy, who always chooses joy over sadness.

Even as I was typing, new trouble today! A tree fell on the electric line. Jane called to let me know, and much time was wasted looking at the fallen, smoking tree (which was supposed to have been taken down many months ago), watching flames develop, talking to the repairmen, and taking some pictures. Now we are without electricity, and waiting for it to return.

Well, that was the latest excitement, but all is well. The horses are enjoying Spring grass, the cats are relishing Spring sunshine, and the dogs are doing their myriad jobs.

Fence repair is in my future. Jane and Nathan have already done a lot of that at Jane’s house.

And that is all for now. Another day of blogging interrupted, but I will post this and try to pick up the threads tomorrow…

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

I am hopeless at time management, allocating my time improperly and unrealistically. Hence, the blog has fallen off a bit. Speaking of time, this post will be a longish one…

Harry has recovered rapidly over the past couple of weeks, and has been discharged from Physical Therapy. No more visits from Devan, who pushed Harry to independence remarkably quickly.

I have found some time for bird pictures, of course…

The cats are all well, despite a bitter cold spell that we have just endured. The temperature on Sunday dropped almost 50 degrees, with howling winds and threats of tornadoes. Cats stayed in the warm tack room during two bitter nights. Spring weather returns today.

On Sunday, I had to relent and bring the horses into the barn. It was uncommonly awful weather, and the boys were very grateful. The winds were so wild that the shed didn’t provide much shelter from the rain. Bart and Oisin rolled to dry off immediately, Stone was only interested in munching hay.

Back outside in the morning, Stone was still interested in hay, even as he secured the award for filthiest horse in Missouri.

There hasn’t been much excitement in the past two weeks, with the exception of a frightening episode when Jane’s Polly wandered off. Polly is deaf and mostly blind, and quite confused. Luckily, as I searched westward, Jane went east and found her. The demented senior had made her way to the gravel road, and some kind neighbors recognized her and helped Jane corral her to bring her home. Now, Polly is on a leash when outside until a pen project is completed (by early April, they say).

Meanwhile, our dogs are OK… Eddy is quite obsessed by coyotes. There are many around, as we can hear them at night singing in the woods. Eddy loves it when they come into the pastures.

Spring flowers have arrived, but the cold snap has done some damage, I fear. Looked like Jane’s magnolia had started to bloom and was badly frozen. Here, the daffodils took quite a hit. It will be interesting to see if they rebound. The forsythia blooms at the edge of the woods seem to have survived.

Marilyn rode through on Trigger, with Roy, before the weather turned bitter. I had a camera handy.

I have not ridden since the troubles started on September 15 – six months now – perhaps my longest hiatus in 60 years. I did climb on Oisin in December, just to feel a horse under me. The possibility of riding again is beginning to kindle a spark within…

We had an unexpected Saint Patrick’s Day visit from Joe, laden, as always with goodies. Harry and I had forgotten to wear green, but Joe made up for us!

We have had some beautiful skies during my two weeks absence from blogging…

Be safe, be well, be resolute, and kind. Find solace in this spectacular world, and be grateful. Hope for a miracle, hope for peace. Slava Ukraini! Peace, please, everywhere. Stay strong…