May has sped along at an alarming pace, and we are entering the finale – Memorial Day Weekend. I don’t mean to be pedantic, but it grates me to hear people wish a “happy” Memorial Day. This is a day for remembering the people fallen in wars while serving in the Armed Forces, hardly a happy thought. I remember the first time I saw a military cemetery – at Leavenworth. Even as a younger, more resilient person, the sight of those uncountable gravestones brought me to tears.
Memorial Day was observed (not celebrated) on May 30 from 1868 (as Decoration Day) until 1970. Now it is the final Monday in May, creating the long weekend that has turned it into a party. But let’s still give at least a thought for brave people who gave their lives to help ensure we can enjoy this weekend. And spare a wish for the gallant Ukrainian soldiers and their allies, too. They face dreadful odds with courage.
Enough. On to birds… the crows are getting a little bit habituated to us. They still leave with raucous cries when they notice us, but they are less anxious, I think. Last year’s hideously molting cardinal seems to have returned, and May strikes me as early for molting. He really is a scary looking creature, but it’s just a phase.
Brown headed cowbirds are thriving here. Some people don’t like them, but I do. They evolved to follow the bison on prairies, pecking parasites off the buffalo while they grazed, and picking through manure, which helps it break down more quickly. Since we don’t use chemicals much, they perform the same duties here. There are often cowbirds around the horses, and sometimes atop them.
The bluebirds abandoned the house near the barn, leaving one lonely egg. After watching for three weeks, I cleaned out the house and left the nest and egg in the woods, where it was appreciated by someone. I think there they were put off by too much activity (and cats) between the house and the barn.
Walking back to the house from the barn this week, I chanced upon this little Brown Roughsnake, well camouflaged on the composite sidewalk and browned grass clippings.
Back to birds… today I had occasion to visit Rebecca at her house. I saw her happy chickens roaming the yard, and met some babies that are still confined, too young to go out. The light is weird, because they have heat lamps. Rebecca’s magnificent Marans chickens do produce the best eggs. The chicks are Marans, too, I believe.
The horses are back in work, more or less. I will elaborate soon.
Well, Wednesday was a treat. Harry’s friend from childhood came for a visit. She lives in San Francisco now, and was in St. Louis visiting high school pals. Gay is perhaps the most interesting woman in the world. I haven’t time to go into her life story, but she has been an EMT and she spends a month in Belize every year working with monkeys at Wildtracks. She also has a cat named Smudge, who sounds very like Roscoe in personality.
Weedy had injured his left hind leg running after varmints Wednesday morning with the old girls. He had been hopping around on three legs all day, so Harry needed a fun distraction from worry, and Gay provided that.
We stayed up very late (for us) until after 10. I was finishing up in the kitchen and Harry asked me to consult on a “medical matter” – was this a tick bite on his leg? I didn’t think so, but it was certainly something, maybe a spider bite? I turned out his pants, just being thorough, not really expecting anything, and there was a spider! I caught it with a tissue (careful not to destroy evidence) and put it into a jar for identification. Yikes! Maybe it was a brown recluse…
I rousted Gay from her bedroom for a consult. She was, after all, an EMT. She wasn’t sure if it was a brown recluse. They don’t have them in California. We googled it and scared ourselves, but followed some instructions, mixed with some common sense, and the bite had subsided by morning. Sadly, Gay is so popular she had to hasten back to St. Louis for more events. I tried to get a picture for posterity, and it was wonderful to glimpse the six year old friendship 74 years on.
As we all know, troubles come in threes. Thursday morning, Harry’s horse, Stone, came in three legged lame. He had sprung a shoe and had been standing on the clip all night, from the looks of it. I removed the shoe, wrapped the foot with Magic Cushion, and texted Fred, the horseshoer. He came by in the afternoon, but poor Stone came out of his stall still horribly lame, so Fred advised soaking in Epsom salts, using Epsom Salt poultice instead of Magic Cushion, and just to be safe, starting him on SMZs (antibiotics). It will be a long weekend indeed with soaking and foot wrapping, but he is already much better. Fred will return on Tuesday.
Weedy has been to the vet and is scheduled for surgery on June 7th. We are clinging to a slim hope that the orthopedic specialist will read the radiographs and decide he doesn’t need surgery. His clinical examination was not conclusive, but he is a very stoic dog. He is on pain meds and feeling more comfortable, occasionally using the left hind leg, but he has not made the progress Stone has enjoyed.
By the way, Carter has assured us the infamous spider is NOT a brown recluse, and I must admit I have released it into the woods, having grown attached to it while it sat in the jar on my desk.
We had a visit today from Jerry Vickery, who is the former curator of the Missouri Sports Hall Of Fame. He brought his grandson out for a visit. They were here for sculptures, but made a trip to the barn, too. The horses love meeting new people (treats are usually involved).
That’s a wrap on this week. Onward to the long weekend, with glorious May weather, cool nights and warm, but not oppressive, sunshine.
Be safe, be well, be grateful. Slava Ukraini! Peace.
Thanks Harry for your service!
Be well soon Weedy!
Slava Ukraini!
Peace
We say a prayer for Ukraine every night. My whole life has been involved with the military in one way or another, so Memorial Day is always filled with thoughts of the fallen. My uncle was on one of the few ships that made safe passage out of Pearl on December 7th. My father spent five years away from home from the Canal Zone to Saipan. My mother’s three brothers served in the navy during WWII, and all came home safely. A day to be thankful and reflective, for sure.
Oh, Janis, how lucky we are that our families are not included in the fallen! My father and his two brothers all survived service in WWII and all lived into the 21st century, past 80 years of age. They were not, though, unscathed by the experience of war.
I am hoping that June 7 will be a lucky day for you and for Weedy.
Totally agree about Memorial Day! It should be a day of reflection.
And about Crows! Back in Auburn, Washington they were gregarious, not afraid as they are here. The behaviour here is undoubtedly related to a cull that happens every year, strangely in a place called Auburn. Crows flock there by the thousands. There is a Native American cemetery there which they seem drawn to. I would love to go there to see the crows but I hate the thought of a cull.
Does your cardinal get all his feathers back, eventually? I have seen a few birds moulting and they do look bedraggled!
We have lots of cowbirds and I approve, of course. Starlings are devouring suet currently.
Have a peaceful weekend!
I add my memories to everyone’s contribs. We all are the last with firsthand memories of so many who have served and who passed on with their memories often supressed or at least kept to themselves. Thank you all so much!.
Anne, I think this is one of the blogs that should be included in your compilation that will some day become the “Anne Weber Diaries”, or some such title.
Meanwhile, I so enjoy getting a peek into the fascinating life you and Harry share. It’s like none other that I could imagine. Beautiful, awe-inspiring moments, and photographs. Your descriptive and wise commentary. I hearn so much!
Thank you!
Old friends, the best of friends, how beautiful Harry’s and Gay’s friendship has lasted since they were 6 years old! Joyous! Crows, yep smart little tool users, and builders. How exciting that humans now realize the extraordinary intelligence of our fellow beings on the earth. This earth that you so beautifully share with us, thank you, Anne! As to Memorial Day, may I add, after having walked through Tower Grove Park this midday, to me it was a walk where people gathered, families gathered, they said “Hello” to me and Etta, there was a feeling of belonging, of camaraderie, not just US nationalism, but folks engaging. Could they have been celebrating their ancestors that fought, some who lost their lives, but some who survived, could they have been celebrating our lives together, whethter we are family or friends, or fellow comrades or not?
Love Jerry’s t-shirt. It has been heaven for a little while. About to turn into the warmer place.