Galloping Through

Tag: Dogs

  • Primetime Horse Show Final Day – Sept 7

    We had an early start today. I got up at 5 AM to bring Bart in for a 6:30 departure. The final day of the horse show had a 7 AM start time. The moon was bright and throwing shadows. I had to shield my eyes from the brightness as I searched the pastures for the horses.

    5 AM under a full moon

    The Tack Trunk provided a complimentary breakfast, which was delicious and gave me some strength. Pam and her son, John, came to cheer us on, as well as Wayne and Kathy, friends from the golfing world! I was grateful for so many supporters, but I was too excited to take pictures. I don’t need to mention, but I will, Harry and Weedy (and Jane), who are my greatest support always.

    Bart was full of energy and felt as powerful and enthusiastic as I have ever known. He was channelling his Thoroughbred mother, Juanita Belle, today. He jumped a double clear round in the Classic, and finished 2nd behind winner Marcie Rutledge and her mount, Gangster, who is very competitive. We were thrilled to be second to that pair! It was great to end on a good note, and we won $220, which certainly helped toward entry fees. Pictures are not great, pulled off the video, which Jane kindly shot, but believe me, Bart was exceptional today.

    Bartholomew Fair in action
    Bart blazing around the course

    We closed out in the office, with Mickey and Patrick, learning the name of the office cat – Nickel. He travels all over the country with Patrick and Mickey and Gremlin.

    The amazing Nickel
    Gremlin on Mickey’s desk
    Patrick, Nickel, Mickey and Jane

    We spent a bit of time nattering on our way out, and I enjoyed seeing Evelyn (Evvie) and her mother, Carmen, whose path we first crossed in 2022. Now she is quite an accomplished rider, and it was fun that she is riding here with Kris.

    Evelyn today
    Evvie in 2022, showing promise with balance and guts

    Home again, Jane and I went for a ride with Derry and Oisin. We jumped a couple of little jumps, which was fun. Harry wanted to ride with us, but Stone pulled his right front shoe last night. Luckily, Fred will come by tomorrow and reset him. The other horses will see Fred on Thursday.

    A sight we dread to see on a nice morning!
    Temporary protection
    Jane and Derry jump their first cross rail of 2025
    Derry remembers how to jump
    Powerline flowers, but no monarch butterflies today
    Oisin and I admire Jane’s ash tree

    The horses went out to another cool evening. Oisin wasn’t sure about it at first, hiding from flies in the shed, but he soon joined the herd.

    Stone and Bart
    Oisin
    Well, maybe there are a few flies!
    The Pearl Brothers
    Fairly happy herd (Oisin saw a fly!)

    Harry and Eddy and I enjoyed some time on the deck. It was a lovely day.

    Eddy tells Harry about his awful day last Monday, getting skunked in the mouth!
    Harry loves Eddy, and doesn’t mind that he repeats the same story every day this week

    Be safe, be well, be grateful. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

  • 101 Years Ago – August 31

    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 forgotten
    Brian, who was at D-Day during World War II on HMS Orion (1944)
    Brian and Trudy, the woman he loved
    Silly Brian
    Brian watches for the green flash
    Brian makes a toast
    Dad
    Anne and Dad in front of Trudy’s famous azalea
    Brain and Harry in Wells, Somerset 2010
    Brian turns 86 August 31, 2010
    Brian 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 culvert
    Eddy rolls after skunking
    Empty 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 way
    Derry looking in show shape herself!

    The horses are always good photo subjects, as are birds and flowers and cats.

    Stone
    Oisin
    Bart
    For those who are not familiar – this is a horse fly – vicious bane of our summer rides
    Early morning finches
    Enthusiastic perennial hibiscus blooming
    VERY dusty back window makes the dust drawing even more interesting
    Tom Morris
    Skittle

    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…

  • Active August – August 6

    July 31st brought a much anticipated break in the heat and humidity, along with Fred, who worked his usual magic on the horses’ feet. He also always provides laughter and news of the wider horse world, which is fun.

    With fresh shoes, we all took advantage of cooler weather to enjoy some pleasant August riding (a fairly rare treat in Missouri)… This activity makes our already busy days even more full, but no complaints about that, except I haven’t found time to blog.

    Harry on Stone
    Riding Oisin on the trails
    Harry and Stone follow Oisin
    The old ladies, Anne and Jane, on Bart and Derry
    Jane on Derry

    Bart got hind shoes, just in case he decides to show in September. The other horses are making do with front shoes only.

    Jane assists, as Fred fits Bart for hind shoes
    Fred and Harry
    Anne, Jane and Fred
    Derry looking shocked at talk of riding!

    Bart is getting legged up and staying flexible by scratching itches. Every evening, he and Oisin share scratches, though poor Oisin wears a fly sheet for his sweet itch (an actual allergic medical condition), so his scratches from Bart are not as effective. The poor fly sheet is beginning to look like it’s been through a war. Meanwhile, Bart is also perfecting his escape tactics and runs off every other day as I am untacking.

    Bart scratches an itch
    The Pearl Brothers share a scratch
    Itchy Bart
    Bart makes an escape, but stops to scratch
    Bart scratches while resting
    Bad Bart escapes down the sidewalk
    Bad Bart this morning!
    Oisin asleep

    Harry has been hard at work this summer, and was delighted to travel to downtown St. Louis when Vlad called to say the Vietnam Memorial for Jefferson County was ready for patina. Here are some pictures.

    The clay version in the studio last year
    Assembled bronze – Patina begins
    Finished patina
    Close up

    Harry is plagued by bugs, much more than I am, but the pleasant, cooler weather made outdoor relaxation possible. Alas, warmer weather has returned today, but it is August, after all…

    Harry and Eddy
    Here comes Weedy!
    Anne risking chiggers
    Eddy playing frisbee
    Good catch!

    The cats are not bothered by much.

    The orange boys – Marmalade and Tom Morris
    Roscoe says he IS bothered by the sight of orange cats
    Cora sleeps soundly
    Rosie and Skittle
    Orange cat in orange zinnias (Marmalade)

    The pleasant weather also brought this year’s first confirmed sighting of a Monarch butterfly. I only had a camera phone, so no good picture, but it IS a Monarch…

    Other sightings recently…

    A butterfly moth and phlox
    A dragonfly, one of my favorite creatures (but tricky to photograph)
    A barn swallow
    A Fritillary butterfly
    Wild morning glories in the lilac
    A house finch takes a drink

    The second clutch of bluebirds successfully fledged! The world now has four more bluebirds of happiness, which we certainly need these days.

    Almost ready! Already getting blue wings
    An empty nest
    Housecleaning!

    And that is all from here for now…

    Happy herd on a cool August evening

    Be safe, be well, be grateful. Treasure this magical planet and its creatures. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

  • Verdant June – June 18

    The rains continue, and June has never been so green and lush. It is difficult to keep up with the work around here, but it has been a beautiful month so far.

    Harry has turned a youthful 83, and has celebrated another Father’s Day, too. I continue to be astounded at my good luck to be with him every day. We had a quiet birthday celebration last week, with Jane and Brett and no pictures!

    Harry ‘s birthday morning, watched over by Trudy and guided by Pierre Laclede

    The horses have remained on the back burner, but they have no complaints about that! Bart needs his rest, whether he is working hard, or not.

    Bart
    Stone
    Oisin would like a treat!
    Bart works hard eating grass and getting fat
    Oisin
    Stone switches flies
    Stone
    Happy herd early morning

    There was great excitement as we headed out to the No Kings march on Saturday, when we saw a strangely colored squirrel. It had a black front. The pictures could look like shadow, but this squirrel actually had a black face and chest. I stopped and took its picture near the neighbors’ property, and have watched for it ever since, but no further sightings…

    A black fronted squirrel!
    Not a trick of the light!

    I did some mowing last week, and managed to break the mower, leaving it stuck on the other side of the creek. Nathan came to the rescue on Friday in pouring rain, and managed to get the drive belt back on (I had run over a stick that popped the belt off). Luckily, the belt was not broken. Unluckily, Nathan got soaking wet and had to work all day next door, while I was able to go to the house and change into dry clothes. He was incredibly nice about it. Also, luckily, the creek did not rise, despite rain, and we were able to get the mower back to the shed.

    Oh, no!!!!

    There have been many birds to photograph between chores…

    A hummingbird
    A tufted titmouse
    Tufted titmouse coming in for a landing
    Tufted titmouse in flight
    A blue jay
    Rose breasted grosbeak always wonders why I point that camera at him!
    A cardinal that seems to have met with some sort of accident (note the mouth)
    The cardinal seems quite recovered as he struts across the feed board
    A female house finch and a male goldfinch
    Blue jay
    Goldfinches in flight
    A pair of lovey doves
    House finches!
    Male house finch
    Many birds love suet! (Chickadee, downy woodpeckers and red bellied woodpecker)
    Red bellied woodpecker and red winged blackbird

    There was a fascinating moth in the barn. I think it is a Big Poplar Sphinx moth (Pachysphinx occidentalis), but I am no expert. Whatever it is, it’s gorgeous. Life forms on this planet are astonishing. We have been very fortunate to see so many creatures here.

    I had an unfortunate run in with angry bees, when I disturbed bumblebees that had nested in a dog bed in the spare stall. Yikes! I got stung yesterday, and when I made another attempt at moving the bed today, they got so enraged I had to leave the barn! Horses were already out. I feel quite intimidated, but they must move elsewhere. I will try again tomorrow…

    Meanwhile, I welcome the bees as pollinators in the garden, and flowers are thriving as this unusually wet Spring approaches summer.

    A bumblebee at work
    Bumblebee on butterfly weed
    Fritillary butterfly on butterfly weed
    Oak leaf hydrangeas
    Astilbe
    Fritillary on echinacea
    A daylily that has evaded the deer (the deer are getting more brazen, alas)

    Eddy has reduced the deer destruction, but has not managed to evict them completely. He and Weedy are constant joys in our life (along with cats and Jane, of course).

    The boys at bedtime
    Marmalade greets me every morning
    Weedy awaits a treat
    Weedy, Anne and Eddy (photo by Harry)
    Tom Morris and Marmalade nap in their favorite place in the truck bed
    Jane

    And greatest joy of all, Harry, who makes all of this possible…

    Harry delivers scraps for the varmints

    Be safe, be well, be grateful. Celebrate good luck, and endure misadventure. Pay attention to all the beauty around us. Slava Ukraini! God Save America. Peace…

  • Eddy Turns 3 – May 30

    Eddy came into our life in November, 2023 from the Franklin County Humane Society. Unlike many shelter dogs (and unlike Weedy), Eddy’s history is known. He was found, age 6 weeks, in Branson, Missouri in 2022 at a Walgreen’s. Puppies were being sold in the parking lot., Three males had not yet been purchased, and the sellers were tired, so a visiting firefighter from Franklin County (who happens to foster dogs from the shelter) took the pups and promised they would get homes.

    Puppies from Branson
    Daniel Tiger was Eddy’s first name
    Eddy

    For his first year, Eddy lived in Kirkwood, a nice suburb of St. Louis. But he was a “bolter” and was picked up by the APA on one of his escapes. Traced by his microchip, he was then returned to Franklin County and put up for adoption again. His next adopter took even less time to become discouraged by Eddy’s “bolting” and he was returned after a week.

    Then, we saw his picture. We were grieving the loss of Nettie and Cedar and we were smitten immediately.

    Eddy as we first saw him

    Shortly after Eddy came into our life here, we got Covid. No sooner did we recover and test negative, than Harry got pneumonia and atrial fibrillation and had to go into the hospital for five days. I went with him, and Jane stepped in to look after the dogs. Needless to say, Eddy came to adore Jane for coming to the rescue when he was lonely and new here. Weedy already loved Jane, of course.

    Jane and Eddy – January 2024
    Jane and Eddy – January 2025

    As promised, by Eddy’s foster savior, despite his difficulties “he is a really good dog”. The SpotOn collar, which establishes a boundary by satellite, we call the “Freedom Collar”. It enables Eddy to roam freely on about 8 acres. A bonus is that the deer are chased into the woods. Many plants are now growing happily instead of being eaten! So, we celebrate Eddy’s third birthday today, and are forever grateful to Franklin County and the hero firefighter who saved Eddy, gave him a great start, and was generous enough to let us have him.

    The birthday boy!
    Eddy’s portrait by Anne Molaskey

    Today was also made special by a visit from Tina, who has been in our life for 40 years. She has always made us laugh, and although she was here on official business for the Electric Company, we had a wonderful visit.

    Out of focus on purpose
    Tina
    Harry holds forth
    Tina receives a portrait done by her talented mother, Marcia, almost 40 years ago
    Tina and Harry and Eddy on the way to check a problem tree

    Skittle was out and about today.

    Meanwhile, Cora might be losing her hearing. She sleeps very soundly.

    The horses are fat and happy, but warmer weather will bring more flies soon.

    Stone and Bart graze in the rain
    Oisin opts for the shed
    Happy herd
    Oisin would like to come into the barn to escape bugs!

    A few bird pictures, of course…

    Turkeys in the south pasture.
    Big bird!
    Mr. Bluebird had a bath to cool off today, I was late with the camera and he was drying off.
    Hardworking bluebird of happiness
    Back to finding food for the nestlings!

    And finally, a chance shadow on the door of the office…

    A shadow thrown by the sculpture of Thrilling

    Be safe, be well, laugh often. Treasure friends and celebrate birthdays. Slava Ukraini! Peace…