Saturday – March 22

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The wind is on pause, and today was a perfect Spring day.

Good morning, Oisin!
Eddy enjoys a “cat food scatter”, a tradition started by Cedar
Marmalade is sleepy in the sunshine
Eddy on morning lookout
Eddy and Cora

I worked a while in the woods, attacking invasive species, taking out 15 Callery pears and uncountable bush honeysuckles. There is a native honeysuckle with a delightful perfume, and it is not invasive. Bush (or Amur) honeysuckle is the plant I hate, that is taking over the midwest, and it blooms, but is not aromatic.

A native amelanchier blooms in the woods
The first Spring Beauty wildflower
Favorite daffodils

Bart was picked for a ride, and preparation created quite a mess in the barn. All of the horses are shedding and will soon be slick and beautiful.

Shedding
The wind wreaked havoc on the ring jumps
Let’s do some hill work!
Bart notices the cleared power line
Dramatic clearing

Brett was riding Crumlin in a dressage clinic nearby, so we went over to watch at Blue Moon Stables. Lotta had planned to ride, but she suffered a broken arm in a freak accident, leading a horse. She has had surgery and must be careful for six weeks while it heals, but she was there to watch. It was good to see horse friends after the long winter. And good to see Crumlin, one of my favorite horses.

Brett and Crumlin
Canter work
Clinician Silke
Crumlin was very good!
Silke
Harry and Lynda
The Rocking Horse group – Lynda, Lotta, Brett and Chelsea
Lotta’s Batman enjoyed the clinic, too
Jill – a friend for many years, former Master of Foxhounds at Bridlespur

Home again, Harry fixed a delicious late lunch while I went back to the woods, rather obsessed with destroying the invaders. Along came Marilyn on Trigger, with Roy, always good for a fun chat.

Trigger
Marilyn and Trigger

I saw a goldfinch with finch eye disease yesterday, unfortunately. So, no more tube feeders for a while. I have switched to a tray.

Red winged blackbird approves of the new presentation
A tufted titmouse and an unfortunate goldfinch with finch eye disease

The world is beautiful, in spite of executive chaos, and finch eye disease. In the woods, there are hundreds of daffodils from decades of bulbs, and today I found a hyacinth that I planted 22 years ago! The scent of hyacinths conjures my much loved English grandmother, Bunty. It was a serendipity in the midst of my honeysuckle battle.

Be safe, be well, be kind. Remember loved ones gone before us, and be grateful for another Spring. Slava Ukraini! God save America. Peace..

8 thoughts on “Saturday – March 22”

  2. Carolyn

    I love the scent of hyacinths. Back in Washington the first sign of Spring was when trillium bloomed on the hill. I miss it here. Lovely to see all those beautiful horses.

  4. Louise Salmon

    Brett looks to be in great form! I’ve got to look up Finch eye, and your hyacinth was perfect. I planted some in my front pots yesterday.

  6. Shari

    Thank you for clarifying the attributes of your native honeysuckle I was confused by your vendetta against the invaders. Love the photos. Especially from the back of Bart. He looks very engaged the trek. Hyacinth is lovely. Mine are only just starting to pop out of the ground.

  7. Janis

    Try to pull up the roots of the invasive honeysuckle. Otherwise you will have a dozen shoots off the root.

  8. Gayle Lampe

    Thank you, now I know why “my” honeysuckle has no smell at all. I thought it was my nose getting old and inefficient!!

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