A cool and quiet awakening in my bedroom at Marge's. The early morning backyard was peaceful, dim and lovely. And best of all the temp was down considerably due to a thick cloud cover.

One of the pond Koi that lived through winter's super snow.

The giant-leafed tree makes extraordinary shade, but is the culprit scattering the enormous pods that defy normal grass cutting machinery.

Evidence that Marge's house and yard once were part of farm life.

Driving early back to the farm I found that John was already working on his weekend list out at the barn. Together, he and Wendy, moved on to painting after her goat/milking chores were completed.

Run-in shed painting.

Jazzy and Ella are in the foreground. Nice seeing them now utilizing the entire far pasture field. For weeks they and Austin paced the gate wanting back in the near pasture. The near pasture is lying fallow to reduce the worm population they'd developed.

My walk was cool even though it was mid-day. The chickens were taking a rest from their exertions in the grasses of the barn lot.

Spiders' webs were easy to see with the early morning misty rain that highlighted them.

A ladybug-like insect sat atop one of the pasture posts.

At the end of my walk, the dogs wait at the barn lot gate to escort me back to the house. Toby meets me near the barn. Today he was ultra itchy.

I gave him a good, long brushing up on the porch, and he settled on the table next to the chair where I was reading.

Aidan and I had a drawing session this evening while we were at the kitchen table. Pleasant as could be. Keoni called while we were drawing to wish Aidan well on his trip to Heifitz next week. Keoni will be playing in the Kennedy Center Summer Institute live-streaming orchestra performance tomorrow night and (I think) Tuesday night.

Aidan played one of his cello pieces before we got started on the drawing. This is a portion. I love hearing him develop more and more ability and nuance. Actually, I just plain love hearing the beautiful music he is making.





I miss Keoni in our mix here but am glad for his music world developing, too.

Aidan and I are afraid we are missing the raspberries this year--his and my trips start next week. The berries are beginning to ripen right now. I saw a cardinal busy eating barely ripe ones today. He was very shy though so I missed the photo of him.