Galloping Through

Tag: Nature

  • 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…

  • Marvelous May- May 28

    This has been the most pleasant spell of cool weather in Missouri that I can remember. The news is too disturbing to tolerate, but here, in this little patch, the world is full of marvels. We are fortunate to have distractions from the outside troubles at every turn, which is not to say we do not care. We care, we do what we can, but we appreciate being grounded in the natural realm.

    Eddy has been consorting with a coyote! The regular visitor seems to mean no harm. Having lived with a coyote for about a year back in the 1970s, I am partial to them, and this one does remind me of my Joni Coyote, who returned to the wild as she grew up. She played with my Jack Russell terrier and other dogs constantly while a youngster.

    Eddy watches
    Coyote!
    Eddy goes to investigate
    Friend or foe?
    “Hello!”

    The horses have been enjoying the weather, coming in for breakfast later than usual. Bart must be led into the barn, because he will run for the lawn (greener grass on the other side of the fence) at any chance he gets. Oisin and Stone are more reliable (usually) and can wander in on their own.

    Bart wanders up to the paddock
    Oisin
    Stone
    Bart waits for a lead
    Oisin and Stone take themselves to their stalls
    Bart reaches under the fence for the proverbial greener grass

    I paid a visit to Jane for a chat and a cup of tea, which is always better at Jane’s house. Jane has many squirrels, since her dogs are elderly. Here, Eddy keeps the squirrels away in the woods. He would have loved to chase some of Jane’s rodents, but was not allowed. One of Jane’s squirrel visitors has Olympic long jump capability. I got a picture of it leaping to the birdseed feeder from the porch. Jane thinks that only one individual of the many squirrels visiting her house is capable of that leap. It was impressive!

    Polly is now quite deaf
    Hazel says hello to her “grandson”, Eddy
    Long jumping squirrel
    Airborne!
    Jane”s Bobby
    Bobby at the window (photo by Jane)

    Jane’s cat, Bobby, is a diabetic, and he is a credit to her care. He is healthy and happy and very personable. My benign neglect program of care suits elderly (16 years old), very deaf and very beloved Skittle. If I needed to give her insulin, life would become intolerable. As it is, even getting a picture of her is an accomplishment.

    Skittle

    Lynda and Brett have adopted a tiny little kitten who crossed their path while they were in Wisconsin recently. Keifr was a 1 pound, sickly runt and is a very lucky kitten indeed. They drove him seven and a half hours to Missouri and straight to a veterinarian on a Sunday afternoon. He has traveled from the brink of death to Lynda’s shoulder.

    Keifr (photo from Lynda)

    Roscoe remains the Maltese King of Cats around here, and he rests easily, knowing he will not be dethroned in this house.

    Roscoe

    Big excitement watching the bluebirds by the barn! Their eggs have hatched and the 5 nestlings are growing apace. I left them in peace until yesterday, and snapped a quick picture (8 days old). It is astonishing how quickly they grow, and I watched Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird today, hard at work feeding their babies. The internet tells me they could fledge at 16 to 22 days, most likely 18 to 19 days.

    Baby bluebirds
    Male bluebird with food for babies
    Dinner!
    Male bluebird leaves the house
    Off to get more food!
    Female bluebird with a bug
    Female bluebird flies to the house
    “Grub’s up, kids!”

    Other birds of interest are the Canada geese on nearby Barker’s lake. They have successfully raised five goslings, which Jane saw just after they left the nest. I have only yesterday managed a picture of the goose family, from a long distance, and they seem very happy. Cowbirds here follow the horses in lieu of bison. The horses accept them happily.

    Geese gamboling
    Stone and a cowbird
    Cowbird

    The plants are enjoying this clement weather, too.

    Smokebush outside the porch
    Native rough leaf dogwood at the edge of the woods
    Lilac tree by the barn
    Spiderwort (Tradescantia)in the woods

    And so it goes around here, as May meanders to June.

    Harry and Eddy relax
    Harry
    Weedy

    Stay well, stay safe, stay grateful. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

  • Crazy May – May 10

    This month seems very busy indeed, and I continue to fall further behind. We are having plenty of fun, and glorious, cool weather, unusual for Missouri, but I just cannot keep up.

    It has been a less than stellar photography phase. I think talents can fluctuate, and this week has been a trough. Friends have been out to visit, which has been great fun. Charlie and Katie came on Wednesday.

    A humorous moment in the studio

    On Thursday, Linda and Ted arrived as Fred was still at work in the barn.

    Fred hard at work
    Linda and Jane
    Oisin is relieved to have shoes again, after he lost one last week
    Oisin expresses his disdain for all our laughter
    Derry awaits a treat
    Fred and I searched for Stone’s lost shoe that had been on his stall
    After much searching, we found it!
    Fred with his favorite Pinto
    Jane enjoying the banter

    After we went out to lunch, we took a group picture before Linda and Ted departed. Never enough time to spend with faraway friends…

    Jane, Ted, Harry and Linda

    Friday brought a hectic morning, with a welcome delivery of hay and an equally welcome visit from the electrician to put right the internet outlet (as well as fixing a couple of temperamental lights). Nathan arrived to mow and trim the hedge, and Jane and Eddy and I made a trip over to the Prime Time Show at Happenstance. We were delighted to meet Susan’s new horse, Santa Fee, who is beautiful and talented. It is always fun to watch new partnerships develop.

    Susan on Santa Fee
    Santa Fee has a lovely expression
    Nathaniel
    Beautiful hedge

    The adage promises May flowers after April showers. The rain carried over into May, but now that it has stopped (at least for a couple of days) the flowers are coming on at a good clip.

    End of azalea blossoms
    Flame honeysuckle is a favorite of hummingbirds
    New creeping phlox seems happy here
    Orchid cactus from Jonee is blooming and pleased to be outside
    Peony, – one of my favorites
    Irises indoors in the sunshine
    Beautiful dandelion seed heads

    Coyotes are serenading loudly outside as I write. I see them more often than ever before. The other day, I saw a coyote pick up something in the south pasture and carry it off. Not sure what it was. The coyotes love to pick up the plastic jump cups from the ring and carry them out into the grass, so I have a policy of keeping the cups attached to the standards. The long lens on the camera shows me things I cannot see with my eyes from a distance, but this coyote find is a mystery. The coyote seems to be blowing its winter coat, but is fat and happy.

    Coyote carries something away.

    Insects and fungi are not as popular as birds and mammals, but they are also beautiful and interesting. I worry a lot about pollinators. We are definitely seeing fewer bees this year. I checked the fruit trees this week to see if pollination happened. The Asian Pear tree blossomed, but failed to set fruit this year.

    An orange tipped antenna leaf footed bug (that is really its name)
    An American carrion beetle (an unusual sighting)
    A honeybee
    A magical, little, delicate fungus
    Future apples
    Future plums
    Future cherries

    There have been bumblebees enjoying the borage, which always reminds me of the line in an Edna St. Vincent Millay poem “beautiful borage, forage for bees…”

    A bumblebee in borage

    Amphibians are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, so I highly value the one frog that survived winter and awaits the stream renovation. Unfortunately, Eddy loves to chase the poor frog, but it gets to enjoy life when Eddy is elsewhere.

    Eddy watches for the frog
    The frog enjoying some sunshine while Eddy is napping

    Today, we went to Brett and Lynda’s beautiful Augusta home for a delicious lunch, many laughs, and gardening inspiration. Lynda is as passionate about plants as I am about horses.

    A healthy ecosystem, as evidenced by a lizard (not exactly an amphibian, but it counts)
    Lynda
    Missouri primrose and many other plants
    Harry and Brett in the varmint proof garden
    Harry visits Ollie and Mo
    Lynda, Brett, Jane & Harry
    Ollie obediently staying on his bed (or “climb”)
    Mo has one foot on the bed, so he is “technically” obedient
    Her beauty is only exceeded by her naughtiness!
    Lynda’s red peony
    A longhorn steer sighted on our way home

    Roscoe has been helping me with gardening chores. Weedy has been working on making some Vitamin D in the sunshine.

    Roscoe
    Weedy

    And so, we are caught up. It was dark before I finished chores, another beautiful, cool night and a bright moon. Happy horses are on night turnout with coyotes singing like cowboys.

    Sunset
    Moonrise
    Happy herd

    David Attenborough turned 99 on May 8. One of my great treasures is a letter I received from him in February, 1985, when he would have been only 58. Time certainly gets away from us… I will close with some of David Attenborough’s words to me.

    “I do hope all goes well with you and that you manage to find what you are seeking…”

    Be safe, be well, be kind and stay strong. Write letters! Be grateful for David Attenborough and his kind in this world. Slava Ukraini! Peace…

  • No Time, No Internet – May 7

    It has been a busy week, and inconveniently, the WiFi stopped working. The Spectrum repairman arrived to find that the outlet into which the modem was plugged has failed. An extension cord from another outlet has solved that problem while we await the help of the electrician on Friday. Nothing can solve the shortage of time, though…

    We left the animals in the care of Emma last Thursday morning, and drove 6 hours to Culver, Indiana (on Eastern time, so we lost an hour). The General, as we knew him here, because of the difficulty of pronouncing his name – General Leigh R. Gignilliat (Jen – A – Let)- was being dedicated on Friday. We drove through rain showers all the way to Culver Academies and were welcomed into a charming and comfortable guest house adjoining the campus. There was rain on our arrival, but Friday morning brought an unexpected break in the wet weather.

    Harry at the Dicke Guest House
    The Logansport Gate

    Thursday evening, we met up with friends David and Joan and went to John and Carol’s delicious dinner party in a magnificent setting on Lake Maxinkuckee, the second largest natural lake in Indiana. On Friday, we enjoyed a beautiful day, with Spring in full bloom, whereas at home, Spring was waning, being far south of Culver.

    Harry lakeside on Friday morning
    A second Spring for us, with Culver far north of Wright City
    The lake
    Creeping phlox
    Blooming trees
    A road through the woods of Culver campus

    Friday afternoon brought the unveiling pf General Gignilliat, with his grandson (age 90) in attendance, along with the Board of Culver, a military band, and much ceremony.

    The General under wraps
    A ceremonial covering
    Culver band
    General Gignilliat
    Jamie and Debbie Fellowes, Harry, Anne and The General
    Harry, The General, David and Joan Culver
    General Gignilliat looks toward the Logansport Gate

    The drive home on Saturday was very unpleasant, with pouring rain (again) and traffic. Somehow, we survived, and regained the hour we had lost as we crossed back to Central Time. All was well at home, the animals happy and healthy, and as soon as we unpacked we tuned into the Kentucky Derby. It was wet in Louisville, too, but Sovereignty ran a good race and earned his blanket of roses. Jane, Harry and I always bet on the Derby, and this year we all lost our bets, but had fun.

    Sunday, our friend Gay arrived for a visit. She and Harry have been friends for 70 years, and I feel very lucky to know her. Yet another benefit to marrying Harry – interesting friends!

    Old friends
    Gay and Anne with Eddy
    Harry and Gay
    Anne and Gay
    Gay and the blooming fringe tree

    Gay is a great animal lover, so she fits right in here. Alas, she lives in San Francisco, so we only see her once a year.

    Birds came from all over to celebrate Gay’s visit. The pileated woodpecker was here, summer tanager and a pair of grosbeaks. Also a pair of blue birds, and plenty of goldfinches. But most exciting of all was an indigo bunting, a bird we have never had at the feeder before!

    Male rose breasted grosbeak
    Rose breasted grosbeak watches a downy woodpecker fly past
    Rod breasted grosbeak takes flight
    Female grosbeak in flight
    Male grosbeak as female departs
    Female grosbeak appears to shout at the rain
    An indigo bunting
    Indigo bunting
    Such bright blue in the sunshine!
    A beautiful nuthatch
    A gray catbird
    Summer tanager in the rain
    Goldfinches galore
    Goldfinches take flight
    Indigo bunting and a cardinal
    Colorful birds
    Future bluebirds

    The sky was glorious on Sunday night. Speaking of night, it’s late and I am exhausted, so I will close here for now…

    Red sky at night

    Stay safe, stay well, be kind, stay strong. Slava Ukraini! God Save America. Peace…

  • April Showers – April 29

    It continues to be a very wet Spring. The cool weather was replaced with a brief heatwave yesterday in the upper 80s (F) causing the azalea to start dropping blooms, which decorated the ground as though for a wedding.

    I spent some time clipping horses’ legs. Tick season is upon us, and clipped legs make ticks easier to find. The horses do look much more civilized.

    Oisin expresses his opinion of leg clipping
    Sleepy horses – now they are on night turnout
    Bart is very happy to be in during the day – he hates flies!

    The heat departed with thunder and rain. Birds are undeterred by the weather. I am very happy to see the grosbeaks and a summer tanager – warm weather visitors.

    Summer tanager
    “Is that a new camera?”
    “Here is my good side…”
    Tanager lifts off
    Tanagers love suet
    Male grosbeak in the rain
    Female grosbeak
    A wet and disgruntled blue jay
    Tanager contemplates the rain
    Bluebird in morning sun

    Harlan was here this morning, and we saw a coyote while we were chatting. Eddy watched from afar, but when the coyote departed, he went to investigate its scent trail. Eddy is mad keen for chasing, but he is a cautious dog, which is a comfort.

    Harlan
    Coyote
    Eddy ‘s sighthound lineage in evidence
    Eddy has a great nose, too

    I rescued my first turtle, this year, in the road yesterday. It was a small box turtle, and I didn’t dare take a picture for fear of traffic. At home, a frog is enjoying the wet weather, and for now there is no traffic. Stream repair is planned, though, and I plan to catch and remove the frog before work begins,

    Frog

    Here are a few blooms.

    Common wintercress (Winter rocket)
    Dandelions
    Swamp iris
    False indigo
    French lilac
    Locust tree bloom
    Hosta (not blooming, but beautiful)
    Wild dwarf larkspur
    Coral bells

    The orange boys might be getting too much to eat…

    Marmalade and Tom Morris

    Harry is staying lean, and Eddy keeps him laughing…

    Be safe, be well, laugh often. Be kind and stay strong. Slava Ukraini! God Save America. Peace.