My parents drove up from Chicago yesterday. Their young dog Daisy had an encounter with the horses that started playful, yet brought out the Herd Mother in Tara. That softened today with more familiarity. As usual, Jera is curious and good with strangers. It took Junebug a while longer to accept this little, furry, barking tail-wagging creature.

Today, Mom helped Jo with trimming hooves and other barn chores, while Dad & I pulled up old fence posts along the south end of LP’s east boundary . (Jo & Revati had taken down the barbwire last work weekend. Eventually, we’ll put in a new fence of safer material.) Some of the posts came right up with a few digs of the shovel and easy prying. Others took  30 minutes of digging, root chopping, heaving & hoeing, and sweating. We managed to get them all out before the rain started, and it’s satisfying to do good physical labor with one’s 73 year old father.

Roger, with some help from me, has finished the barn’s windows & doors. We started on the tack room Wednesday and will probably finish Friday. Another project approaching completion.

The garden thrives with almost daily rainfall.