Muck City....

 The morning sky was a preview of what was to come.

 No sooner did the pups and I head out to the barn, 

when it started to sprinkle.

The horses wanted to eat inside.

 After cleaning stalls a monsoon arrived.

 I ended up cutting open a plastic bag (shavings) to put over my head on

the way back to the house.

 Fortunately Little Wonder and Phoebe did not venture out of the barn

so they were not too wet. 

 At 12:15 I moved the horses to the smaller pasture and closed off the barn

and back pasture so Jerry could drive a truckload of hay up to the loft area.

 Gary and Jen had spent the morning putting up political signs

and got home just in time to help stack 110 bales.

 That's it!  I now have a years worth and it is beautiful.

 When I got back to the house I started on dinner.

 Chicken Salad.

 (I also turned the rest into stock)

 Company coming at 6:30.

Jean F. and his wife Maureen.

Jean was our guest as a student from France in the summer of 1985, and we refound each other through FB over a year ago.  They are now living in Pennsylvania and have been in the US for many years.

 I had chore duty and went out at 6 to feed the herd.

Rebel was chowing on grass

 and walked

 toward me

 as usual.

 The sun had arrived by then and the barn looked gorgeous.

 As soon as Rebel got in his stall he had a loud, low cough, kept putting his head down, and I had the feeling he was choking.  In the meantime our company arrived and I called Karen for some help.  She came right up and we massaged him then took him out for a walk in the pasture. He had gut sounds and I knew there was a change when he let out a very sweet snort. Then he wanted to nibble on grass and was interested in his dinner.  I had called the Vet and by the time she called back he seemed to be ok.  We took the hay net out of his stall and made him a batch of soaked hay cubes.  He will be hungry tomorrow morning.  At 9pm he seemed back to normal.....sweet boy.

I did not take photos of our appetizers.  Greek olives, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, cheese, and pepperoni served with crackers and a side of pickled beets.

The chicken salad was served on greens, topped with poppy seed dressing.

We also had Challah bread made by Carina.

 (I was slow on the draw taking photos....again)

 Hows this for a simple dessert?

Maureen could not have anything with gluten so I just served

peaches (from Watts Farm)

 with chocolate covered peanuts and almonds.

All these years have passed and there was a lot of catching up to do.  Someday we hope to meet their three children.  What a nice evening!

Night all.