Marmalade now comes to the barn to hurry me along in the morning, complaining about how hungry the cats in the shed are…
Marmalade
Tom Morris helped me with hay for the horses, getting underfoot and trying to trip me, then practicing for the Christmas pageant, hoping to play Baby Jesus in the manger…
Tom Morris
Tuesday is trash day, so it’s always a busy morning. Lately, our horses’ bedding has been dustier than usual, so we are trying a different brand of pine shavings. Bart was the first to get a fresh stall, which involves “stripping the stall”, removing all the old bedding. Then, 5 bales of new bedding are added. It’s a lot of work. Marianne did some of the barn work, but I felt it wasn’t fair to make her strip a stall, so she was off the hook on that job. As always, she is smiling. I worked in a mask, which, considering the dust aspect of stall stripping, served a dual purpose.
Today, we had a pair of red bellied woodpeckers, and a Hairy woodpecker, too.
Hairy woodpecker contemplates the suet 
Waiting for the red bellied guy to leave 
Female red bellied woodpecker
Twizzler gave me a photo op today, after being bashful yesterday. I’m still waiting for Skittle’s closeup.
The horses got plenty of exercise, playing around, before settling down to pick at the grass
The Pearl Brothers 
Sibling tussle 
A saintly herd
Roscoe watched birds in the office, making it difficult to get work done at my desk.
Harry worked hard in the studio, of course. He dreads my arrival with the camera, but is a good sport.
When Bart came in, he was delighted with his fresh sheets!
And finally, out in Montana, today was Nancy’s birthday. We have known each other for more than 40 years (46, but who’s counting?). Nancy rode at Spruce Meadows when it was just a cow pasture with jumps set by Pamela Carruthers. For those of my readers who are not jumper riders, Spruce Meadows in Calgary is now one of the most famous venues in our sport, and Pamela Carruthers one of the world’s greatest course designers. Here is Nancy a few years ago…
Nancy Stevens on Gold Dust at Spruce Meadows 1979
Stay safe, stay well, and be thankful, but stay home.
So many pearls and other gems, thank you. Your birds I love.
My favorite is your Marmalade report. It brings a smile to me because I remember the first winter with my Magic Marmalade McClaren, the cat I trapped and Laura Ward domesticated, every morning trudging across the street from the stable complex, standing on top of an abandoned picnic table at the empty house on the corner, waiting for him to come to me, finally reaching under the eves of the garage to extract and bring him home for breakfast. He would go there at night, then shy of the hubbub on campus, then hide there until I dragged him home. It was a temporary arrangement. He needed to be wild, but he wished for the comforts of domesticity. He got his wish.
Peace
Oh, how I love the story of Magic Marmalade McClaren! He was a very lucky cat to cross paths with you and Laura.
Wow! Your friend Nancy, that’s a look of determination, and her Gold Dust, awesome!! Spruce Meadows was first held in 1975, Nancy was a pioneer! Love the birds. I must inject, my mom loved birds and cats. Not the best mix. Growing up we had canaries flying around the house (sometimes one would sit on my mom’s shoulder while she did the bookwork for dad’s company). All the while the Siamese eyeing them, and once, alas, getting one. God, my mom was her own person, love her! Anyhoo, I love your blog Anne, Harry in the studio always tolerant, and working!! Have those two love birds marched off yet? (Harry’s latest project). Love the three horses lines up grazing with the grey in the middle. Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and Jane!!
I would have like your mother, I’m sure, Jane!
Those love birds in the studio are not yet finished. They will be here a while.
Happy Thanksgiving, dear American friends.
Stay safe,
Oops, I went too fast.. I must add how much I enjoy ALL your photos, all creatures great and small.
Harry looks like a million and I think your blog might teach me a few things about birds.
Thanks and keep well and happy you two.
Snowing in Montreal, it’s starting to look like…WINTER
YIKES!
Oh, Catherine – merci for the Thanksgiving wishes! It will be a quiet day this year! Stay warm up north there, and try to appreciate the beautiful snow. Winter will arrive here next week from the looks of it.