To start, I have some upcoming family matters to attend to this weekend, so I will NOT be blogging Friday and Saturday. I will be back online on Sunday.
This was a miserable day. The birds were hungry. It was cold, and by mid morning, wet.
Finches 
More finches 
And even more finches 
Finches in flight 
Finches depart 
Red bellied woodpecker
Woodpeckers use their very strong tails for balance
Red bellied woodpecker leaving
The horses galloped out to the grass, with water splashing. They didn’t care.
Jane and I went down to check on the footing at the ring. It was pretty good, and we needed to ride our horses, so we agreed on 11 AM. I took Jane home in the mule, and got some pictures at beautiful Winford Farm. Jane’s eyes are slowly improving.
Jane gets a phone call 
Polly guards the stunning front yard 
Jane and Derry 
Gus chases me home
Alas, at 11 AM it was raining. We rescheduled for 2:30. Meanwhile, Connie came out to work on the pond project, draining the water, while the rain worked to refill it. I forgot to take a picture of her, as there was much discussion. We are now committed to a fairly major redesign – we are going to have a “pondless waterfall”. This will be completed by the end of May. The project was initially going to be done in February! This is the first year in two decades that Connie has been weathered out for the entire month of February. Anyway, now that we have a time frame, we are just going to wait it out. There will be no maintenance and no algae. Unfortunately, the fish, who have been hanging out in two large aerated tubs since early March, will be leaving Saturday with Connie, to be released into a large pond. The frogs will be staying. There will be a small pool, with water lilies – and frogs.
The dismantling of the water feature
In the barn, Tom Morris got too familiar with Rosie, and she rebuffed his advances.
I failed to get a picture of the tick I found (on my body). Normally, I wouldn’t be all that happy about such an occurrence, but there is a two year tick study being done in Missouri, starting this month! I removed the tick, put it (alive) as instructed, into a plastic bag with a damp paper towel, filled out the submission form (complete with longitude and latitude) and sent it off to Kirksville. My first experience as a “citizen scientist” in a study! I expect to be making regular submissions, unfortunately, as the woods are enticing and full of ticks.
The woods
We were able to ride during a break in the almost all day rain. The ring was quite wet, but we managed and, in the end we felt pretty lucky that we timed our ride right at last. We also managed to rig up a gate for Calvin’s stall at Jane’s house, after his stall door hinge broke and the door fell off! Jane laughs at our repair, considering the complications we managed to create in a simple project.
Finally, the front porch, and the viburnum whose specific name I have forgotten. It is a very ordinary looking bush, but for a week or two in the Spring, it produces the most fragrant blooms, and it entrances for that fortnight. And in the house this evening, Harry and Weedy provide joy with laughs and quiet contentment.
Until Sunday – stay safe, stay well. Peace.
Miss you already.
Oh my, sounds like a busy day, so much going on, and the changes, but, you got to ride! So happy to hear about Jane’s eyes improving. And, the first I’ve seen of her handsome dog, Polly. Well, I guess “handsome” was not the perfect compliment. Does Polly have Akita in her? Looks like it. I love the picture of Jane and Derry, there’s something about those two.