The morning was beautiful, though I must admit the ornamental grasses are way out of hand.
Grazing horses 
Perennial hibiscus
Jane and I had a nice morning ride, with just a little bit of jumping. Jane’s video (my picture) has much better light than my video (Jane’s picture) – I pulled the pictures off video clips. Might be that my phone is inferior. It certainly misbehaved today!
Derry & Jane 
Bart & Anne
With my camera, I got a couple of shots…
Deadly fungi! 
Mexican sunflowers and Bart
Nathaniel and Rebecca both worked today. We needed to do some high chainsawing, so Nathaniel brought his chainsaw on a stick, a very useful tool, but one requiring more arm strength than I have. Nathaniel trimmed and Rebecca and I cleared. Alas, the fence suffered from a tree falling on it, but Nathaniel and Allison will be here on Monday to fix that. The horses love the south field, anyway.
Rebecca noticed some cardinal flower down in the creek – in a new location. Those magical crimson flowers are always a treat, so we climbed down into the creek to see them up close.
Nathaniel at work 
Cardinal flower
Life on a farm is never ending projects, for which we are not complaining. If we get poison ivy (which I will not) or ticks or chiggers, there may be some bitching, though (from me). Luckily, Nathaniel and Rebecca are always cheerful, such fun, even on a hot afternoon.
Nathaniel mowed the pasture, while Rebecca did push mowing. It was a productive day. Harry worked in the studio, which most importantly supports the rest of life around here.
Rebecca hard at work incognito 
Harry with his new project
Harry went off to join friends for a drink, while Rebecca and I broke for cool drinks on the porch. We watched a hummingbird enjoying a drink at the lantana, and I had my camera handy.
Wings forward 
Wings back
We also saw, to my delight, FOUR monarch caterpillars on the butterfly weed milkweed. There were also aphids on one plant, but they are reportedly more of a nuisance than a danger.
A monarch caterpillar
At the end of the day, Rebecca just couldn’t stop working. She swept the path! The place has never looked better.
Finally, here is a picture from last night’s brilliant sky, reflected in the mud room window. An abstract painting.
Stay safe, stay well.
ooo – I need a chainsaw on a stick!! my barn owner doesn’t like it when I stand on the gator to trim trees 🙂 Have a super weekend – looking forward to hearing all about it!
A chainsaw on a stick is e very handy tool, but it’s best when wielded by a person with arm strength. Jane has one that she can swap onto her weedeater, which is really handy, and not as heavy as Nathaniel’s (though also not as long a stick). Stihl makes the weedeater / chainsaw combo. Definitely safer than standing on a gator! At least you are not chainsawing on a ladder! That’s the worst.
I learn so much from this blog:
1. Chainsaw on a stick: useful tool.
2. What a cardinal flower looks like: amazing.
3. What deadly fungi to avoid( previously my introduction to this topic was an episode from Midsomer Murders, not a reliable source)
4. That a hummingbird’s wings forward Is a cool shot!
5. That Harry can make a statue that looks like Harry has just told the statue a really funny story.
Wow, Go Harry Go! Love the hummers and Bart with the Mexican sunflowers. Rebecca has a beautiful smile. What a blessing to have people like Rebecca and Nathaniel in your lives. Peace.
I love the photo of the reflection of the sky in your window, beautiful! You are quite the photographer and blogger. Beauty is all around.