The day started with an early ride to beat the heat. As I brought the horses in from their night of turnout, Oisin listened to Jane’s donkey, Sandy, hee hawing loudly to announce that it was time for the Winford Farm herd to come in for breakfast.
Jane and Derry were on top form as they arrived.
We had a good long talk about serious subjects, walking the horses for over half an hour. Then, we went to work and did some jumping. Bart was really good, but Jane and Derry definitely won the day. They were flawless. Jane decided to jump a line, which I did not want to do, but I was shamed into it, and Bart was perfect, so I even jumped a single higher vertical to finish. What fun!
Nathaniel and his wife, Allison came to mow in the afternoon. Originally, Allison was going to do weed eating while Nathaniel mowed, but it was way too hot. Instead, they brought an extra mower to get the mowing done in record time. I did the push mowing, which was a fairly hot and miserable job, but I could take frequent breaks, and did.
I also moved some screenings before it got too hot, and left the tractor by the pile of rock to do some more tomorrow. Tom Morris liked it as a new lookout spot.
Rosie prefers to stay in the tack room under the ceiling fan.
I have planted a few vegetables in our little raised bed at long last, discarding the rampant oregano. Despite the heat, many plants are thriving and blooming.
Oak Leaf Hydrangea 
Lilac Tree 
Tiny clematis 
Clematis flower 
Raised bed
Sad news in the barn this afternoon. The swallow babies have been falling from their very high nest. Two were dead, but one was alive, though doomed I think. There are two or three left up in the nest. I guess this is survival of the fittest, but every year there is such carnage with the swallow babies, I can hardly stand it! I put the live one into a sort of nest in a bowl and hope the parents will find it and feed it, but I doubt that will happen. At least it is comfortable. The nest is too high to get to with even our tallest ladder. And anyway, I have heard that it seldom works to put a swallow baby back into the nest – the others will push it back out, I was told.
Parent swallow on the weather vane 
Hungry baby swallow
Evening turnout into a muggy night. Missouri summer has arrived.
In the house, Harry was contacted by Jim Kanthak through Facebook. Harry made an inspired post to Facebook yesterday, and it was shared. Jim and his wife, Lolo Thimmel, were a husband and wife horse shoeing team. For many years, we hauled our horses to Fulton (William Woods University stables) for shoeing by Jim and Lo, who traveled there from Kansas City every week. They were great shoers and friends, but we haven’t seen them since 2012, and lost touch, as happens in life. What a treat to hear from Jim. They have retired from shoeing, while still sound, and now live in Costa Rica. What a fascinating life! I snapped a picture of Harry with a Pennwood Forge mug (Jim and Lo’s business years ago).
Roscoe was tired after a long, hot day, as was I.
And finally, it’s raining again in Montana, but here is another mule baby picture from yesterday.
Stay safe, stay well, stay cool.
Happy to hear and see all is well at BFF. I shared your picture with Jim, so fun. Still have my Pennwood Forge hat. Stay cool and enjoy the rides! Peace.
Oh, Linda – what a gift that you have enabled us to reconnect with Jim and Lo! Harry has had wonderful, long messages from Jim. It’s so nice to catch up on their “less traveled road”.