I had another morning mission today, but not so early that I left in the dark, like yesterday. The horses went out at the normal time, and when I returned, Marianne was here doing barn work! We had decided that outside in the barn was no longer a risk for Covid. Plenty of time has elapsed since her Covid contact, and she did test negative. Marianne does not wear a mask, but I do, with anyone outside our “pod” – that being Harry, Jane and myself. The evidence is convincing, and I just don’t want any more trouble in this terrible year. But it’s nice to see a smile like that!
We have missed this cheerful face!
The horses were wild! They got plenty of self motivated exercise.
Bart blasts along 
Bart levitates – no feet on the ground 
Stone towers over Bart while Oisin ignores them 
Stone and Oisin
Jane came over and we went for a ride.
Stone hears Derry 
Hello, Jane! 
Jane and Derry win the grooming award!
I decided to lunge Stone over a couple of jumps. The first one, on grass, did not go well, because he slipped! But he was very good the next time, paying attention to the ground. He finished with a lovely jump on the ring.
Very willing 
Oops! 
Yikes!! 
Such a good jumper!
And note he has one ear on me, even as he looks where he is going.
Birds were in good form today. Goldfinches aplenty at this time of year. Also, this evening, there were many robins in the pasture. Some American Robins do migrate, but most of them stay in their territory year round. In the winter, they tend to form flocks, roosting in trees and eating berries. They disperse in the Spring, which makes people think they have “arrived” because they see them foraging on lawns, as their behavior changes for breeding and nesting season. I know I was always taught that a robin was a “sign of Spring”, and I guess, in a way, it can be described that way, but they are around all year.
Goldfinches 
Robins in the pasture this evening
Mistletoe camps under my desk for much of the day.
Harry worked hard in the studio, and the dogs awaited his exit.
Harry at work 
Weedy and Nettie at attention
Finally, here is the sign on the studio door. Today, an online article appeared about Harry. He was interviewed at length a few weeks ago. The publication is The Common Reader at Washington University in St. Louis. It’s a long piece, by John Griswold, and very good. You can check it out here, and feel free to share (I don’t do Facebook, but I am unafraid of shameless spouse promotion)…
Stay safe, stay well.
Looks like a lovely fall day at your house. We had sun mitigating the cold and I’m happy to settle for that. I didn’t know that all Robins don’t migrate. I sure don’t see any sign of them here in the winter, but I don’t spend a lot of time in the forest in the winter either. But when I see the first one hopping along outside of my window in the transitional time loosely described as spring here in Michigan, I know there is soon to be some light to come. I have read Griswold’s wonderful article several times already, and have shared it with my friends on FB. Love it!
Fabulous article in The Common Reader. Harry, you’re a true treasure!
Thanks for sharing that wonderful article!
That is a amazing picture of Bart. Poor Stone I’m glad he didn’t get hurt.
It looks much worse than it was, actually. Though he did get more sensible about the turn after that! I’m glad he wasn’t hurt, too!
Don’t you just love his lovely backbone bending over his tight knees? Great form. And so will on a lunge with no wings. Did you teach him to lunge over fences? He sure has faded to lighter gray. Frays are so inherentlty fancy. All judges take notice. <Let us know when he performs formally for an audience. I will be in it.
I did teach him to lunge over fences, Florence. He has a very funny mouth, so I thought I would take hands out of the mix. Stone is very intelligent. He has a double whorl on his forehead, which old timers suggest is a sign of intelligence. Makes me wonder if they were on to something!
Wonderful article, and we would never have seen it if not for you. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! Great article, Harry is so clear how it all works. Great compliment to you, Anne, what artist’s wife wouldn’t want to be recognized with a “great eye?” Extraordinary to be gifted with knowing you both!!
Stone’s bascule is spectacular. I want to see a Stone and Anne Show …live.
Griswold’s article is an uncommon read. His narration of Harry’s explanation of his process left me in awe of them both. But my favorite line is “I have the color sense of a toaster.”