Today my mother, Trudy, would have been 92. She died in 2015. I think of her often with the current politics and “social upheaval”. Trudy was a brilliant woman and a fearless liberal. When her life took a turn she never expected, and she ended up in St. Louis in 1960, she worked for equal housing in this segregated city during the sixties. I was mortified at the time that she had a bumper sticker on our VW bus that read “Give A Damn”. Now, I am very proud of her efforts. If there is a heaven, she will be getting acquainted with John Lewis there.
My brother, Peter, sent this photograph from 1929, with Trudy, at one year old, on her grandfather’s lap, surrounded by three of her five brothers (two had not yet been born).
My great grandfather, pictured above, was a farrier, and today was farrier Fred’s much anticipated visit to fix poor Stone’s foot. Before he arrived, there was extended morning grazing.
Practicing synchronized grazing
As I brought the horses in for breakfast, Tom Morris was stopping to smell the catmint flowers.
Stone and I wandered over to Jane’s house when Fred arrived. I was horrified at the condition of Stone’s foot, but Fred was unperturbed. He did his usual masterful work.
Derry getting a hind shoe burnt on 
Stone ready for his treatment 
A mess of a left front foot 
Quite a difference! 
Mismatched clips, but a sound horse after a long shoeing procedure 
Fred and a tired but grateful Stone
Of course, Fred’s expertise is appreciated, but the best part of his visits is the laughter. There was plenty of that.
Jane 
Fred
While at Jane’s barn, I tried to get some pictures of her barn swallows. There are at least nine nests full of babies, and countless swallows throughout the barn. I cannot figure out why they prefer Jane’s barn. At our barn, there is only one pair of swallows, and so far I don’t think they have successfully raised any babies. I took over 50 pictures (I am not exaggerating), but they weren’t good enough. I include only two, one of bird calisthenics, which I always enjoy, and one of babies in a nest.
Swallow stretching 
Barn swallow babies
Harry worked in the studio, did his exercises, and we ventured out to the post office and store together, as yet another storm blew through. This one brought half an inch of rain atop the mere quarter inch that fell last night. Later, Harry helped me with barn chores. It astounds me how lucky we are that he is so completely recovered. I am very grateful for so much, but that most of all.
At the end of the day, the Pearl Brothers, Oisin and Bart, give each other an evening scratch before heading out to graze. While in Stone’s stall, the little toad gets set for a night of feasting on flies.
Stay safe, stay well, stay masked, and keep in touch (not literally, though!).
Impressive shoeing! Stone is in good hands all around! The picture of the three grazing is excellent. Another one to frame. I also love the close ups of Fred and Jane. Even more to frame! Yes, we are lucky while so many are suffering not just the virus, but all its implications from income loss and evictions to familial celebrations either put on hold or diminished. Yes, stay well, and stay safe, good friends, and all.
Maybe your cats are a deterrent for the swallows nesting prospects in your barn…
I have thought that, Laura, but Jane has cats in her barn, too, and my cats are very intimidated by the two swallows that nest here! They never try to hunt them, they avoid them!