Our treasured Terry Culver, died in June, and his memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, October 19. Friends were coming from out of town, and Louise invited a few of us to her house for dinner on Friday night. Louise has Halloween decorations up outside her elegant house, and those alone were worth the trip into town. It was bittersweet to be together without Terry, but he was certainly important to all of us – and he would certainly have enjoyed the Halloween decorations.
Saturday was another glorious Fall day. Although we desperately need rain, it was a beautiful day to bid Terry farewell. Harry kicked things off with a eulogy that made many of us weep. Then, Terry’s godson, Swope Clarke, talked about a side of Terry not as well known. He was an epic godfather. Swope finished by appropriately putting on a silly hat, which was classic Terry. The priest took over, and the full church was treated to magnificent singing that Terry would have loved. We all contemplated Terry’s life, and our good fortune to have known and loved him. Afterwards, on to a gathering at the country club where we shared memories with each other, bound by our mutual experiences with Terry, whose like we will not see again.
On Sunday, JT, a talented filmmaker, came to the studio to do a short film of Harry to use in a proposal for a sculpture project. To make a four minute film, he worked with Harry for four hours, and within two days the video was completed. JT is an artist in his own right.
While filming was happening in the studio, I decided to fix some fence. I was well into the project when I got a call from Jane. Calvin was not well. He had colic. I hurried over to medicate him. When I arrived, I thought I was too late, but he rolled up ventral, and after a little Banamine and more than a little while, he recovered. It was a long day with some ups and downs, but the little old pony is now fine. Fencing had to wait an extra day to finish.
Monday morning, we headed north to Bowling Green, Missouri, where we lived for 13 years, from 1990 – 2003. I still miss the community and our friends there. Harry was giving a talk at the high school, so I dropped him off and went to see Audra and Kathy Wyble. I don’t have time tonight to go into the whole story, but I met Audra at the Pike County fairgrounds when she was a very little girl with an Appaloosa pony named Jake. Kathy hauled Jake over to our farm, and Audra took jumping lessons. Before long, Audra was part of our family. She was as talented as she was beautiful, fearless and competent. We were very lucky to cross paths with her. In time, after we left Pike County, Audra switched to barrel racing and is very successful in that equestrian discipline. She became a life flight nurse, where she met Tom Demos, a helicopter pilot and now her husband, and Audra is now a P.A. at Pike County Hospital Urgent Care in Bowling Green, where she saves lives. Her mother, Kathy, is my age and grew up near me in St. Louis County, though we never knew each other. She is a quiet hero.
Fence repair is unending here. Jane was very kind to come and help me with the five sixteen foot boards needed to finish my interrupted project. The north pasture was back in use late Monday. I was too tired to take a picture!
Tuesday, I needed to replace a post in the paddock. Yikes! It was an ordeal. I managed to get the post out after it broke off when I removed the boards, but there were ants living inside the lower part of the post and they bit me a few times. Despite that, I felt so terrible about disrupting their colony that I put the post into the woods, where I hope they can pick up and continue their industrious activities.
There hasn’t been much time to ride, but all is well and beautiful around here.
Today, we voted. We were fortunate to get in without a wait, but when we left, there was a very long line of people. Outside, we saw this handsome guy waiting…
And so the autumn is galloping along and October’s end is already in sight.
Be safe, be well, be grateful for friends and this beautiful world. Slava Ukraini! Peace…
The next time you are this close pleas stop by to say hello. Would love to see you !
You have the most fascinating collection of friends. Surely a sign of a life well-lived!
Your friend Terry got a great send off, lovely. Shelby the foal and her dam are beautiful. And, I always love the flowers, learning as I go. Something weird is taking place with time, our human time is fleeting like never before. This speed makes it hard to take in the wonder of it all, your blog settles me for a moment, thanks!
I always enjoy seeing all your friends and the many animals that are attached. What a pretty creature Calvin is. I’m so glad he has recovered.
A wonderful trip to meet your friends. I love going on your trips. I am so glad the colic got better so soon. That drought you mentioned is causing my pair to go back and forth between the grazing still available in the long pasture and some dry , disappointing hay flakes. The weather forecasters on 2 are hoping for a quarter inch. I’m going to have to hay shop this morninng but the drought is really serious. I guess they could live on dry cubes, yes?
Condolences and comfort to you for the loss of your dear friend. Your stories and pictures are always a beautiful and refreshing break from chaotic world we journey through these days, thank you.
Slava Ukraini
God Save America
Peace
Thanks for the privilege of getting to share in the beauty of the life you live. I bet you’re gonna miss the general. Looks like he’s become part of the family. I love the dog at the voting station. However, he looks a little worried about the possible outcome of the election. I just don’t know how you get all the animals to pose for the great pictures you take of them. You are a genius with a camera.
So sorry we missed Terry’s good bye. Love to see you when free! So look forward to your posts!
A real variety of subjects this time. What fun to see those skeletons “posing”; Louise has a great sense of humor!
Good memory photos of Terry “whose like we will not see again”, so true. Harry’s moving eulogy captured him so well.
Speaking of photos, that last photo of the General shows your photographic artistry.
Oh Anne, what a magnificent blog!! Your pictures and comments are outstanding! What a lovely tribute to Terry, and your pictures of him are so awesome….in fact the whole gathering for him was magnificent and how he would have loved it all! Harry’s eulogy was so perfect.as Patti said, and it captured him so well…sigh…..can’t stand all this dying!!!
We loved seeing you all, as always, just never long enough!
Beautiful photos, esp of Terry
I remember Harry and Terry swimming in the lake. You swam too didn’t you? I DO wish that Runcie’s face was clean in that photo.😝This is the first time in years that I didn’t have a World Series party for Terry. The minis him being around.