A Reprieve from Angst

 Mr. Smith's sore feet occupied my worried brain through June and into July. He wasn't too bad until June 12, when a farrier came and trimmed his and Nightingale's hooves. The hooves looked much better but... the trim was apparently too short as both horses had sore feet... Nightingale for a week and Mr. Smith for much longer. He would not move at all, ate little, and was miserable. In spite of soft footing, icing, liniment on sore muscles from holding his weight off his front legs, Mr. Smith continued to be unwilling to put weight on his front feet. Relief finally came when EZ Boots RX arrived on July 5th. Johnny and I managed to get them on Mr. Smith's sore front hooves and presto! he could walk again. It is like a miracle. He appears completely sound on all surfaces. It's been years since he could walk on hard ground without mincing, thanks to his long-ago foundered front hooves. I love EZ Boots RX!

The timing was very close as I was scheduled to leave for Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival on July 6th with grandson Ian and his partner Kellin. Thanks to the EZ Boots, I was able to go and leave Johnny in charge of the animals. He had finally been able to cut hay, after the incessant rain stopped the last week of June. He baled most of it by the end of the month... when the baler quit working. We did get all the hay that was baled into the goat barn and that is plenty for us. However, the baler did not cooperate until the hay that was down got rained on. So that hay, when we are able to get it baled, will go for garden mulch. I could use lots of mulch as I've been mowing between rows rather than weeding!

And now... the adventures in photos... 

Friend Mary discovered this on our property and said it's a native peavine that is very uncommon. 

Also uncommon was this Western Pond Turtle...

Johnny discovered this turtle marching down our driveway. We took it to the creek.

We took a lot of photos of mysterious scats in our driveway and on our paths by the house, finally deciding they were from the gray foxes our neighbors in front of us had been seeing. One night I heard one "bark" behind the house. And one day Johnny saw one depositing a scat in front of our house.

Between farm adventures, I did my beached bird survey for COASST plus monitored Black Oystercatchers at Road's End and Cape Kiwanda plus monitored some eagle nests and a Peregrine Falcon nest for a group of researchers.

 

 

Meanwhile, back on the farm... our goats enjoyed the lush grass from all that rain

Indoors, orchids bloomed...

This one has bloomed off and on since October, when it was gifted to me.

These Swallowtails were drinking horse urine in our paddock to get the minerals they need. Sometimes there were dozens flitting about or lined up drinking.

At the south end of the goat barn, Cliff Swallows arrived and began repairing and rebuilding their nests from last year.

Johnny mowing the first field. I never got photos of raking or baling as life became too busy.

The amazing rose, Paul's Himalayan Musk, covered with flowers and climbing up the front yard poplar tree. It smells divine.

Roses bloomed in spite of all the weeds and lack of care.

After our whirlwind trip to Ashland from Wednesday July 5 to Friday July 7, we arrived home. Here Johnny, Kellin and Ian commune with the goats... before leaving on July 8.

My favorite photo of Kellin with Cindy Lou. Cindy Lou was named by Ian and her aunt Sarah 7 years ago because she had a white "C" on her forehead. It has sprawled and doesn't look much like a C anymore, but Cindy Lou she still is.