A lovely, overcast day for Bart’s final ride before the first week of showing commences tomorrow with schooling day. Jane and Derry rode earlier, but we both encountered dreadful skunk smells along the north perimeter fence more than a hundred yards up from the culvert. Sorry to report that Eddy and the house still smell pretty awful. This too shall pass, I hope soon!
Bart enjoys the trailsThe invasive Russian Olives at Marilyn’s have conquered the area, spreading with many berries
I went over to the National Equestrian Center (NEC) to bed Bart’s stall for tomorrow. It was fun to see many horse pals there. Since I left Facebook, I sort of live on another planet, so it was fun to catch up. Eddy went with me, but I had to warn people to watch out for the skunk stink!
When I returned, Harry and I tacked up Oisin and Stone to take advantage of a nice afternoon, with few horseflies .
Oisin was very enthusiastic today!Stone and HarryStone and Oisin think trail riding is thirsty work!
Eddy spent the afternoon outside, but he still smells fairly skunky. He was delighted when he came indoors. After treats, his toy basket was returned to the floor, having been lifted for tidying. He was exhausted after a big, stinky day.
Eddy on patrolTreat timeYummy!Toys!Dreaming
As for bird pictures today, I tried to get the tanager, but it hid behind the suet and then flew away. Soon the Summer Tanager will be flying south for the winter… Days are shortening.
Tanager tail
The perennial hibiscus is putting on a late summer show, as September arrives.
Stay safe, stay well. Enjoy every day. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
101 years ago, my father, James Brian Barry (known as Brian, or Dad, to seven of us) was born in Yorkshire. He only lived to celebrate 86 years, but he has not been forgotten. This year, fifteen years after his death, I have had several people express to me what an impact Dad’s teaching (Physics, mostly) had on their lives. He was a gifted, though untrained, teacher and we seven children were very lucky to have such a father. Harry considered Brian one of his best friends, and some people said I married a man very like my father. But really, there was no-one quite like him. Harry and I raised a glass to his memory today, and counted our blessings for having lived a life with him.
Brian – youngest of three sons (Pete, Brian & Mike)A young Brian, with a puppy whose name is forgottenBrian, who was at D-Day during World War II on HMS Orion (1944)Brian and Trudy, the woman he lovedSilly BrianBrian watches for the green flashBrian makes a toastDadAnne and Dad in front of Trudy’s famous azaleaBrain and Harry in Wells, Somerset 2010Brian turns 86 August 31, 2010Brian never lost his sense of humour
So, on we go, carrying memories that remain vivid and consolatory, and funny. Such luck!
Speaking of luck, today, as so often happens, we had both good and bad luck. I had a confirmed Monarch butterfly sighting (good luck). And Eddy had a skunk encounter in a culvert (bad luck!!). I was doing some fence repair, and heard a commotion in the culvert. I did not have a skunk view, but I certainly got a scent!! The house is now very stinky, although Eddy himself has been deskunked.
Monarch visits the new butterfly bush!Paddock fence repair inspired further repairs to the west, near the culvertEddy rolls after skunkingEmpty culvert ,when I returned to finish fixing fence after bathing Eddy
Jane and Derry are in fine form, helping to inspire Bart toward fitness for next week.
Jane and Derry lead the wayDerry looking in show shape herself!
The horses are always good photo subjects, as are birds and flowers and cats.
StoneOisinBartFor those who are not familiar – this is a horse fly – vicious bane of our summer ridesEarly morning finchesEnthusiastic perennial hibiscus bloomingVERY dusty back window makes the dust drawing even more interestingTom MorrisSkittle
Onward to September!
Trail in late light
Stay safe, stay well, stay grateful. Be curious and kind. Laugh often, in spite of everything. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
We have had pleasant weather here, but we are desperate for rain, and there is no hope in the forecast. The grass has stopped growing, which is just as well, since the mower is out of commission, and the wrong part arrived, so we face a third week without a mower. As problems go, this is a small one. It also means the horses are not getting fatter on abundant grass, which is a benefit. Monday was so cool, Oisin went out without a fly sheet! He is very sensitive to bugs, having a condition known as “sweet itch”. There is nothing sweet about itching!
OisinDew is the only moisture we have had for agesEarly morning sun on the western trees
Speaking of itching, Harry had a terrible case of oak mites this week. I had a minor case, which was my own fault for working in the woods. Poor Harry got attacked just walking to the ring, under the oak trees. Pictures do not do justice to those vile pests. The misery they cause is immense, but they are very difficult to see. Similar to chiggers, but a more fiery itch, and mites can be seen – with reading glasses and a flashlight!
Dust on the car’s back window affords an opportunity to distract Harry from scratching himself…
Artist on board
Bart was quite tired after his horse showing last weekend, and Oisin, too, thought a nap seemed a good idea.
The Pearl Brothers rest their jumping legs
I happened to see a deer in the pasture after breakfast – three deer, as it happened. One buck had quite impressive antlers, and an enviable jump!
A healthy young buckA fancy trot!Off he goes…Easily up and over the fence!
I passed my online Safe Sport qualification, which is necessary for rated shows, and I have reserved a stall for next week and the week after at the Pre Charity Show and the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show. I’m excited and quite nervous already. Jane helped me school Bart through a gymnastic on Wednesday. Unfortunately, she was going to swat a horse fly on Bart’s butt, and she tripped over a jump pole and fell on the dusty ring. Luckily, she was not hurt, but her phone camera got covered in dust, so the videos were hard to see, and the picture I took from the video is not very good…
Bart feels great!
On Tuesday, I visited Laura and her bassets, after retrieving my watch from the repair shop. I cannot survive without a wrist watch. Using the phone to tell time just does not work for me. I treasure the Swiss Army watch that I wear, given to me by Jane on my 50th birthday.
Bassets!Eddy was a bit overwhelmed!LauraLaura and her terrier, DreidlDreidl is very cuteBassets are cute, tooThis basset can laugh on command!Laura loves her houndsCattle in the field intrigued Eddy – fat, slow deer?!This steer needs a fly mask!
I heard a commotion in the barn as I was getting into my car to leave on Tuesday, and discovered Trigger was visiting. I locked him into the paddock and took him home later in the day, where I found he had broken the chain that held the gate.
Surprise visit from TriggerTrigger wishes he could be in the barn with the other horsesEscape method discovered
Bart escaped after riding only once this week, when I let my guard down. The grass is definitely greener on this side of the fence!
Bad Bart!
Yesterday, the horses (and Roscoe and Rosie) got vaccinations, so Bart is up to date on Flu / Rhino for showing. It is really happening. Our friends, Mary and John, were planning to come for a visit, but Mary woke up with a cold, and didn’t want to make us sick. We were sorry to miss them – they live in Florida – but that did afford time for more projects. It has been a very busy month, and I continue to fall further behind. The window washers were coming today, and I needed to clear trees and bushes out of the way.
BeforeAfter
The house and studio are bare – sculptures have been moving to the McCaughen & Burr Fine Arts gallery in Webster Grove in preparation for Harry’s show in October. Meanwhile, Fine Art Gallery in Chesterfield has officially closed, marking the end of an era in Harry’s artistic career.
Sculptures filling the carTwenty pieces of bronze artwork in this car load
And, as always, I have a few pictures around the place, taken when the camera is to hand.
Lobelia cardinalis – cardinal flower – grows in the creekbedWild cardinal flowerFungus thrives even in this dry spellTom MorrisA wolf spider webA little frogRoscoeEddy in afternoon lightHarry and WeedyHarryEddyFemale hummingbirdFemale hummingbird landing
Stay safe, stay well, stay busy, stay curious. Be grateful and kind. Treasure friends, and this beautiful world. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
Sadly, the “Old Ladies” triumvirate is temporarily reduced to only this old lady (and I ain’t much of a lady!). Despite reservations, and missing my pals on horseback, Jane and Susan, I returned to the show ring with Bart yesterday. Jane was on hand to assist, provide encouragement, and take pictures. I did only one very low class (called Intermediate Jumper), but it was a blast. Even Bart enjoyed it, I think, given his apparent enthusiasm.
Bart understands the importance of rest“Ear plugs? Something exciting is afoot! ” thinks Bart
I have been riding with an eye to possibly showing at the September rated shows, constantly looking for signs – should I finish on last year’s good note, or continue into my senescence? Well, on Thursday I had a call from Kris (renowned trainer), and he was unexpectedly going to be in town for the Happenstance Horse Show. That was a sign!
Kris stopped by here on Friday and gave me a little bit of a school – Bart and I jumped our first jumps of the year. He has not forgotten anything. I felt rusty, but any day riding with Kris is fun, and he thought it would be a good idea to jump around one small course on Saturday (or more, if needed).
Kris watches Bart jump our beloved plank Bart jumps a pice of the old porch railing
My ONLY goal was to jump the correct number of strides between the jumps. That meant going with pace, not our easiest task. Kris did his best to arrest my lifetime bad habit of pulling on the reins, and we galloped around double clear. Bart was fantastic, and jumped from some extravagant distances, but the mission was a success! On to the “real” shows. Now I must complete my Safe Sport training.
Ear plugs to dull distractionsReviewing the courseKris keeps me from getting too seriousBart gallops Bart jumpsSmall jumps, and an old rider, but Bart is impeccableSomewhere ahead of us is a jump – Bart engages his scope to get the seven!Kris is relieved we survived and got the numbers!It was fun!
Harry and Weedy came to watch and cheer us on. Everyone at the horse shows is always pleased to see them. Jane was a huge help, and she enabled me to bring Eddy, who loves horse shows. While we were tacking up, I left Eddy in the truck, so I turned the key to open the windows for him. Alas, I neglected to turn the key back off, so when we finished and loaded up, the truck battery was dead. That was a bit of bad luck, but I had jumper cables with me. Irene, in the office, notified Jaime, who arrived quickly to the rescue, with a thing called a “jump starter”. No cables needed! The bad luck turned to a good lesson, and a future Jump Starter in our kit.
This morning, it was positively chilly – quite delightful. Jane and I had a fun ride, and Bart told Derry all about how good he was yesterday. She was unimpressed. Jane and I were delighted to get two Monarch butterfly views on our ride. No pictures, unfortunately.
Poor Harry did not go riding this morning, because he was attacked by oak mites (aka oak itch mites) and had a terrible ordeal last night with removal and treatment of the evil, almost invisible creatures. They are the bane of late summer in Missouri. Since they do drop from the trees, Harry doesn’t fancy riding through the woods, at least not until the itching from this unfortunate episode subsides. No oak mite pictures were taken. They are too tiny!
Our “tick collection jar” was chewed by a varmint, and no longer holds water or ticksTomato hornworm enjoying its final meal before banishment
In the studio, thankfully, there are no oak mites (or ticks, or tomato hornworms). The Jackie Joyner Kersee maquette departed Friday morning for Kansas City, where the enlargement will be created. It is nice to have another big project underway. Meanwhile, preparations are being made for a comprehensive art show in October of Harry’s work at a St. Louis gallery. Details will be provided later. The organizers were here on Thursday. We are very gratified by their enthusiasm, and they are entertaining and fun people.
Jackie Joyner Kersee clay maquette
Art is all very well and good, but amphibians are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, as I often mention. We have seen fewer toads than last year, which makes me sad, but we have some lovely frogs now that the stream is up and running. They serenade loudly at night.
The stream and a lone hibiscus blossomEach hibiscus flower only blooms for a day, but the bloom is gorgeousFrog in a waterfallFrog in a poolA leopard frog in Eddy’s pool (water trough)A toad on the ring, under a jump pole
Avians we do have in good numbers, though they are molting, and the migratory birds will soon be traveling south. I never tire of taking pictures of feathered creatures.
A pair of blue jaysRed bellied woodpeckerSummer tanager eyes the suetTanager on the suetTanager descendsMolting blue jayCardinalFemale finchFemale cardinals and finchesA tufted titmouse on birdbath
Before the weather cooled on Thursday, I brought Bart in from a ride with lots of lather under his saddle pad. I decided to look into the properties of lather. It turns out that horses have a protein called latherin in their sweat (humans do not). Latherin allows the sweat to evaporate more efficiently, making hot horses more comfortable. I am not a huge fan of technology, but it does enable me to learn new things, even in my old age. The good news is that lather is actually a good sign in hot weather.
Bart awaits his bath to remove latherBart stays flexible as he scratches an itch
The dogs had their nails trimmed this past week, and Eddy posed for a picture with Halloween (in AUGUST??) decorations. Why do I not trim their nails, you might ask? Because I quicked Weedy a few years ago, and so have lost permission to perform dangerous procedures.
The hot, humid weather has magically transformed to pleasant, autumnal breezes and clear, bright blue skies. The best time of year is at hand!
Stay safe, stay well, be kind and grateful. Stay curious, and enjoy every day. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
It is certainly August, with hot, miserable Missouri summer weather. But already some leaves are falling and there is a different quality to the misery, knowing September is headed this way, carrying Autumn, so on we go.
Spicebush berries begin to ripenAfternoon clouds bring a little rain, but no cooler weather yetHostas from Jonee Nehus are bloomingSummer hydrangea at Culvers’ houseSnakeroot, an autumn blooming native plant (toxic to horses) appearing early in the woods
Tuesday was trash day, and Harlan was in fine form, as usual.
The dumpster emptiesHarlan, the magician of trash
Bart has been working despite the heat, just in case we decide to show in September. The other horses watch with sympathy as Bart heads out to work on fitness.
Exhausted BartOisin dreams of his World ChampionshipsStoneOisinBart looking fit
Harry has been busy in the studio preparing for a showing of his artwork in October. He has a new sculpture project underway, and in his spare time he continues to write his memoir. He has also done two dust portraits on the car window this month, a new métier. As Ionesco said, “Only the ephemeral is of lasting value”…
The artist at workCarter and his portrait with HarryAn uncanny likenessSteve’s portrait suffers from a cleaner window
We popped over to see Steve and Margaret briefly on Saturday morning, and were delighted to find their neighbor, and our dear friend, Laura, there, too. Laura had brought Steve and Margaret a pair of pullets after a recent raccoon massacre in the chicken house. The surviving rooster was lonely, and Laura brought these two young wives to him, all the way from the Ozarks. Road repairs near Culvers’ driveway are progressing, though pictures do not do justice to the project.
Lucky roosterPullets settling in to their new homeSteve and HarryMargaret and LauraMargaretRoad repairs at Culver driveway on Wolfrum RoadA future “lake” alongside the road
Jane and I visited Florence this week. She, too, very many years ago, lived on Wolfrum Road, with Laura, for a while. Laura and Florence threw me a “going away” party, when, in August of 1973, I departed for England. I returned much sooner than expected, disgraced after dropping out of nursing school. Another story waiting to be told…
Florence was a journalist and a brilliant writer. Now she lives a quiet life in the country with her horses and dogs.
FlorenceTwo of Florence’s three lovely dogs, Rita and BeamerFlorence and Jane feed watermelon to Blitz and Jackson
Two new (to me) butterflies caught the camera this week.
Western Giant SwallowtailNorthern Crescent Butterfly
Around here, during these hot “dog days”, we feel very fortunate to have Weedy and Eddy keeping us smiling through the sweat.
Eddy takes a break in the spare stallSunday nap timeEddyWeedyEddyWeedy
This evening, we are hoping the clouds will provide some rain overnight. The extreme heat should break in a couple of days, if the forecast is right.
Be safe, be well, be grateful for every day, even the hot ones. Slava Ukraini! Pray for a miracle… Peace.
On Sunday, Laura Kraut, age 59 (and a grandmother of two) WON the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin with Bisquetta, the only clear round of 38 horses. Here is coverage from The Chronicle of the Horse, though I am not sure if it will work as an embedded item…
News of Laura’s victory elicited many memories in this old lady. In 1971, at age 16, I went (alone!) to Ireland and attended the Dublin Horse Show. That summer is a story waiting to be recorded, but suffice it to say that the Dublin Horse Show is a very big deal.
In 1989, showing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we saw an upcoming young rider from the east, named Laura Kent. She was riding for Rodney Bross, and she was a real talent and an inspiration to watch.
Laura ended up marrying Bob Kraut, and they lived in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, a strange epicenter of jumping horses in a somewhat remote location in the midwest. She continued to be a phenomenal rider.
In 1990, in Tennessee, Laura Kraut intersected with Geoff Sutton and Simba Run. The Chronicle tells that story best, if this embedding works!
We watched that first ride with Laura and Simba Run, and followed their stratospheric partnership.
In the mid 90s, Laura was at St. Louis, when the St. Louis National was held at Queeny Park. She was always interested in horses that were for sale, and we brought our young horse, Jesuit (Jesse) over to the show grounds for her to try. She loved him. We were over the moon, and delivered him to Oconomowoc two weeks later. Alas, he failed her vet check, and returned to us. But that is part of yet another story…
It was a different time – do not ride without a helmet!I was too excited for timing at the jump (too early) – before digitalAnne with Jesse ready to travel north
Now, we had a “relationship” with Laura Kraut, and she rode our young horses in the International Jumper Derby. All the effort and the money was worth it, for pictures that hang on the wall to this day in our tack room. Laura’s life has moved on from midwestern United States to The Netherlands, and a new life partner in Nick Skelton, but she remains here in our memories and the tales we tell of one of our great good fortunes.
England Expects (Nelson) 4 Year Old Futurity – with Laura KrautEcclesiastes (Johnny) 5 Year Old Futurity – with Laura Kraut
In addition to being one of the best riders in the world, Laura is also one of the nicest, humble and kind people we have ever known. She truly loves the horses, and we are thrilled that she has added Dublin to her long list of accolades.
Be safe, be well, be kind, be like Laura. Wear your helmet. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
On Friday evening, we were invited to the Muny Opera with Margaret and Steve Culver for an incredible production of La Cage Aux Folles. We met at the Culvers’ house and traveled in to Forest Park together
Many years ago, I lived down the road from Steve and Margaret. The area has changed, but it is very familiar countryside full of memories – and deer. I took a picture of a group of resting deer along the roadway. The road is under serious repair, so there is no traffic at all, which is nice.
Resting deerRoadworkWoods containing many old memories
Being an outdoor venue, the Muny show starts at 8 PM, which is when we are normally close to bedtime. We did manage a nap to prepare for the late night, but it was 1 AM on Saturday before we got to bed. It was well worth the late night, though. The St. Louis Muny won a Tony this year as best Regional Theater in the country, and it was a spectacular show.
One of our favorite restaurants, when we moved back from Pike County twenty years ago, was Thai Gourmet. We became friends with Kan and her husband Bobby and their two children, Faye and Finn. To our dismay, they moved away about ten years ago, but we have remained friends. We were delighted that Bobby and Kan were in St. Louis to visit son Finn, and made time to come out for a visit on Saturday. Faye is now a doctor in Texas!
They arrived with a huge container of the delicious Thai food that we have missed for so long. They themselves are unchanged, except that Finn is a grown man working for Washington University! Margaret was able to join us, too, though Steve had to supervise workers doing a project at their house.
Thai Gourmet Reunion at Bronze Fox FarmBobby, Finn and KanIn the studioMargaret in the studioKan and Finn in the studioBobby in the studioFinn meets OisinKan and OisinBobby and StoneFinn and StoneMargaret and OisinMargaret and Harry in the barn
Today was Sweet Corn Sunday along the Katy Trail, a function of Magnificent Missouri organized by Don and Connie Burkhardt, who are two of the greatest treasures of this state. I had planned to bike, while Harry drove, but there was thunder rumbling, so the plan changed, and we drove together to Treloar, then on to Peers.
Sweet Corn sculpture in TreloarDan Burkhardt – with Bob Painter, who worked on the trains before rails became trailsConnie arrives at TreloarFree books for every family!Cindy Gladden,, a Warren County reporter covering the eventA participant, trying the sweet cornLive music by the Rowdy Wranglers next to the Katy TrailAn enthusiastic singer stands inFiddle playerHarmonica player
After enjoying Treloar for a while, we headed east to Peers, for more live music and a Storyteller.
Magnificent sight in Missouri farmland on the way to PeersDennis Coello, a REAL photographerHarry meets a friend at PeersLive music from Gloria and MichaelStoryteller Brian Fox EllisGloria and MichaelBig rainstorm on the wayChange of venue – inside the Peers store
It was a magical day, despite the weather, and we felt very fortunate, albeit exhausted by too much fun!
And, of course I have taken a few bird pictures. It was a big week for geese. A bold coyote visited while we were enjoying Thai lunch.
A cardinal challenges a blue jay!Geese in the roadMore geese in the waterGeese in the grass todayThree of a flock of 43 geese alongside the road this morningCoyote!
Life is busy, but never boring around here.
Be safe, be well, be grateful, be kind. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
Another blistering, humid day, but every day carries us toward Autumn and cooler, crisper days. For now, we are hanging on to a forecast of cooler weather Thursday.
Bart must get fit, hot or not, if there is even a thought of horse showing in September. Ironically, the prize list for the St. Louis National Charity Show came out today. Bart and I traipsed around for an hour in the heat. He was uninspired, but felt great after a rest day yesterday. We saw a turtle on the trail, which reversed us, rather than risk stepping on it. Always a good day when we see a perfect turtle!
A beautiful box turtleBart is very flexible, as he reaches around to scratch an itch after our rideBad Bart! makes an escape to grab some clover before his bathBart gives his opinion on getting fit in July
Speaking of reptiles, I saw a skink on the porch. Eddy chases lizards, so I haven’t seen many this year.
Eddy is wild, even in the hottest of weather. Weedy is much more sensible.
Eddy leapt onto the table when I came in for breakfast!Eddy on the bed – so handsome!Weedy
Just like his dog, Harry is wise and handsome.
A tufted titmouse cooled off on this hot afternoon. A blue jay was caught in flight before he landed and cooled off by panting.
Tufted titmouseSplish splashBlue jay in flightHot blue jay
Flowers and butterflies are thriving in the heat, though we are already needing some rain again.
Yellow liliesTiger swallowtail on zinniaHot Roscoe resting on cool concrete
A thunderhead teased us with possible rain, but moved on.
Be safe, be well, be kind. Drink plenty of water. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
Kris reminded me by text that we connected twelve years ago today.
Jane and I took our relatively new horses to Oklahoma City for a horse show in July 2013. Jane had purchased Derry from Canada, and she arrived that Spring. Oisin had come here in October 2012 as a green 5 year old.
We were sort of schooling each other, figuring we weren’t jumping all that high. I took Oisin into a low jumper class, and we were eliminated at the second jump. I was pretty sure I had ruined him.
I had seen Kris at the horse shows and had watched him school a student. I liked his style of teaching, so I approached him and asked if he would “catch school” me , since I had stopped out on my new pinto. Also, would he please help Jane, too?
Kris was a good sport as well as a good teacher, and he agreed to take on two middle aged (then) women he didn’t know. I was instructed to stay straight to the jumps. Jane was already doing things right.
Oisin has never stopped since that day! Kris has become much more than a trainer to me. I hope to ride with him again, but regardless, we will always be friends. Twelve years has gone by in a blink. I only have one picture from that auspicious adventure, but great memories.
6 year old Oisin (2013), the year before he came a World Champion
Be safe, be well, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Slava Ukraini! Peace…
The summer days melt into one another. We have had an uncommonly humid July, even by Missouri standards. When we moved here in the 1960s, the British consulate was paid tropical wages for the summer. We grew up without air conditioning, but we were surrounded by trees, which offered welcome shade, and as children, we were fed salt tablets, since we were not acclimated to such heat.
Now, I work in the heat and sweat profusely, salting my food freely to compensate. I really have developed hyperhydrosis (excessive sweating), in old age, which is far preferable to anhydrosis (failure to sweat), a terrifying condition that can occur in horses, and in humans.
So much for today’s health lesson, onward, which is to say, backward to the beginning of this busy week.
Erosion control took up considerable time and energy after a much appreciated heavy rain. It is hard work for an old lady, shoveling limestone screenings. Harlan works in all weather, and always takes time for a visit when I am around.
Harlan empties the dumpsterHaraln in the shade of the barn
The cats keep advising me to take it easy in this weather, so I did take a break to get some cat pictures.
Tom MorrisMarmaladeRosieCoraSkittleRoscoe
You know who is working harder than I am this week? Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird. They have brought 4 more bluebirds of happiness into the world and are feeding them plenty of bugs. It is hard work. Just look at poor, bedraggled Mrs. Bluebird!
New baby bluebirdsHardworking Mrs. BluebirdMr. Bluebird with a big bugMr. Bluebird goes in to feed firstMr. Bluebird departs in search of more bugsMrs. Bluebird
A fellow art teacher, Mary Beth, from Harry’s time at MICDS in 2004/2005 came for a visit. She brought a lovely pot of basil she had grown from seed and we had a delightful time with her. Some people grow bitter with misfortune. Mary Beth has had some difficult troubles (brain cancer being a big one) but she is optimistic and kind. We and the animals enjoyed the day.
Harry and Mary BethMary Beth and BartMary Beth and OisinMary Beth and StoneHarry shows a maquetteArtistsWeedy and Eddy enjoy visitors, but it’s hot!“Let us into the air conditioning, please!”
I had lunch this week with our friend Jane McClaren, who lives in St. Louis. Her partner, Barry, took some incredible pictures of hawks in their back yard. I think they are broad winged hawks. Jane was concerned for them in the heat, but when she took water out, they flew away. They appear to be a pair with a juvenile.
A hawk – photo by Barry NelsonHawk – photo by Barry NelsonHawk – photo by Barry NelsonResting hawk – photo by Barry NelsonA trio of hawks (a “cast” of hawks) – photo by Barry NelsonA hot hawk – photo by Barry Nelson
Wednesday evening, I saw Eddy with a Labrador. I assumed it was Roy, but it was not. He was an older and very hot dog, with two collars on, but no tags. We put him in the pen with water to keep him safe while we tried to find his owner. Without success around here, we resorted to calling the Warren County sheriff . Deputy Justin Wade came by and took a picture. At 9:00 PM, there was a knock on the front door, and the owners of Ruger, who, it turns out is 14 years old, arrived to pick him up. They had also thought to call the sheriff! Ruger had wandered off at 1 PM, so he had been gone for over four hours when he showed up here. A happy reunion and a good night’s sleep…
Eddy meets a new friendRuger
The rain and the heat have produced a bumper crop of chanterelles. Nathan came out and I helped him harvest two bags. Alas, I got a terrible case of oak mites! I thought they arrived in August, so this was a nasty surprise.
ACK!!! Oak mites (and I need to shave my legs)
Less horrifying is the beauty around us, and seeing much of it from Bart, as we get legged up, just in case…
Bart’s very shaggy maneA more presentable maneOne beautiful day lily hidden in the lilac hedgeA glorious yellow lilyA new, pink perennial hibiscus, planted at a difficult time, but beautifulOne little goldfinch
Yesterday, we drove to Columbia to attend a memorial for Deb Booker, a legendary horsewoman in Missouri. Her daughter, Sarah, is a fixture at horse shows all over the nation as a judge and announcer. We have known Sarah since she was a child. Now she is a grandmother of Deb’s great grandson, Tate, whose first birthday was recently celebrated by Mrs. Booker before she left us.
Known as Mrs. Booker to many of us, as Deb or just Booker to friends, she taught at Stephens College and at William Woods. My first encounter with her was in 1975, when she provided me a horse to ride for my U.S. Pony Club A Test. I failed, but I was grateful and in awe of Mrs. Booker from then on. I didn’t know her well, but I aspired to work as hard as she did and to be as tough and kind as she was.
There is a saying that “if you want to have a big funeral, die young”. Mrs. Booker proved that wrong. She lived and worked for 88 years and a big crowd turned up to say goodbye. Linda and Ted drove all the way from Michigan. There was a sharing of memories, in which the microphone was passed to many and various people whose lives were shaped in one way or another by Mrs. Booker. She was a horsewoman, a mother to three, a collector of rocks (!) and insulators (!!). She was interested in history, politically active and she was an irreplaceable, one of a kind character. She truly “lived until she died”.
Mrs. Booker had asked that in lieu of flowers people should register to vote and vote for their choice. Many memories shared were concerned with horses, but one woman stood up and said that Mrs. Booker taught her to be a Democrat. There were laughs and tears, and it was a special day and a good send off indeed.
Be safe, be well, cherish friends. Slava Ukraini! Peace.
Galloping Through 