Fly Like an Eagle

We had a lot of damage that needed to be cleaned up this morning from yesterday's storms.

Mark took the chain saw out to start clearing the downed trees on the driveway. I worked on cleaning up all the broken glass from the patio table. Our tramp was blown down but Ruth's tramp was blown clear into the next field. We heard later some of the wind gusts hit 80 miles an hour. We only got about 3 inches of rain. The feed buckets were more than half full and had to be dumped before the horses could have breakfast.
The first vaulting practice of the summer season started today. This meant Ribbon's filly now named Zara by her new owner got lessons too. She was schooled in tying. She was taught to release pressure by coming forward and she got it. Vaulting is so impressive. The canter work for these vaulters feels as if they are flying like an eagle.

Zara was well behaved and is going to be the star of the show at their next performance in August.

Once vaulting practice is over the Funday Monday starts. Today they all migrated over to Rachel's beach. 

 Anna arrived with Braelyn and Taegan, Rachel has what the girls said is a "real live cat". Talia allows them to carry her around. Braelyn was ecstatic. Her very favorite animal is a cat.

 Mom took Miss Molly to the groomer this morning and she brought her over to join the crowd at Rachel's to show off her summer clip job.

 Joan's daughter Faith caught this little sunny in the net and let Braelyn have it. I'm sure she loved it to death. She had to keep taking it out of the bucket to 'pet it.' I think fish must be her second favorite animal. This girl needs a pet!

While we were enjoying the sunshine lounging around on the beach a bald eagle flew right over the lake.

I was wishing for the zoom lens about then but took these anyway. He wasn't the only bird flying over. This big blue heron was heading over towards our pond.

 This red tailed hawk was being chased by some smaller birds.

I heard a truck arrive and took off with the golf cart over to the farm to meet the truck driver hauling in sand for the round pen. Emily has arrived back from her trail riding camp out at Panther Creek and the truck and trailer needed to be moved before the driver could back in.

Emily said that Hadassah did wonderful this weekend. She didn't put a foot wrong. She stayed on the picket line, kept up with the other horses, didn't spook at anything and didn't buck. Hopefully I can get some pictures of Emily riding her before we take her back out to Middle Grove.

Luna was teased this afternoon and showed well. Emily handled Evan while I handled Luna and the cover was successful. 

Three more bales were picked up today. There are 9 left in the barn to go. This process is much slower than I'd anticipated. Karin wants the arena cleaned out by Wednesday.

Mark grilled hamburgers for supper then headed out to weed whack the pond pasture and around the fences here.