Cats

 Way back in 2016 or 2017, we lived in the Shackteau. This was a very old travel trailer from the 50's or early 60's.  Our gracious neighbors invited us to stay while we sold our house. We had rescued 3 cats and rehomed 2 of them. That left us with Mo. Mo was a window washer and a fun little punk of a cat (still is) and basically stayed outside. One night I went out to call him in for dinner. It was dark so I had my flashlight on. I called for Mo when I heard a different cat meow. I shined the light on a stranger cat. I stated " well, you're not Mo" He replied with another meow. Over the following days and weeks "Notmo" returned and got closer and closer and then decided that he would live with us. Notmo was feral and not your average cat! His face was huge! Almost as big as mine! His claws didn't  retract. They were fixed in the wild cat position! Notmo got to the point that he was determined to come in the Shackteau even when we had the doors locked for the night. He finnangled his way into the bathroom by ripping apart an exterior wall and tearing through the sink cabinet. Seriously wild cat style! Okay, he insisted on being our cat at this point. So, Notmo had an appointment with the vet to get fixed. His name changed to "Nutjob" Very fitting name! After getting fixed, he and Mo remained the odd couple friends that played together and fought each other during little spats. They were brothers in all aspects. They both moved with us to San Antonio, then to Caddo, Ok for a brief stay, and then to Wilson, Ok. Now, we love our time in the mountains, so we pack up the critters and make the 14 hour drive up to Colorado where we camp with cats, dogs, chickens and rabbits. The cats love it here and in just a few hours, are right at home in the mountains.  They are outside cats and have always flourished in the woods. They go on walks with us when we walk the dogs. Mo doesn't join us all of the time, but Nut is always up for a hike! He had a close bond with the dogs too. 

Now it's been 8 or 9 years with these 2 boy cats.  This past Tuesday we walked the dogs and as usual, and Nut joined us. Later that evening, Billy fed him and Mo. Then as mysteriously as he came into our lives, Nutjob seems to have walked off into the forrest and has disappeared.  That's the way some animals are. Maybe he was very old. We never knew his age. But we are missing him and his quirky ways. Our walks in the mountains will not be the same. Mo is missing him too. 

I hope that we will see him again, but in all honesty, we probably never will. 

So, thank you Nut, for all of the years, the travels together, the life we shared with our wild one! Until we meet again.

The countdown has begun

 In less than 2 weeks we will pack up our gear, load up the trailer full of animals and make the long drive to our destination of 10,000' elevation. 

What we have left to do:

 butcher 3 rabbit bucks

build 1 more big cage

wash the big comforters at the laundromat.  

I'll also be setting up a rain catchment and feed some cotton rope from the water to the peach tree, the hydrangea and the mint that  I just transplanted. 

Then we will forward the mail, set up our security cameras and pray that the trip goes well. 

I'll bring y'all along with us through pictures and videos. 

Simple life

 I remember as a kid always hearing my mom complain that we didn't get to live like so many others, big brick home and nice things.... she would always say that it wasn't  fair. It kind of hurt me to hear her say those things because my dad worked 12 hour days 6 or 7 days a week. It was hurtful to him I'm sure. Maybe that's why I've lived so simply all these years. I've never wanted to try and keep up with the Jones's. I am truly happy for my friends and family when they are able to get really nice things. It doesn't make me want to rush out and do the same. Now, I do appreciate a beautiful home, but that isn't a priority for me.  I love having my critters, growing a little garden and being able to be free from a mortgage. Being able to retire with literally no savings. Trusting that God will always provide our needs and also give us our desires too! Meanwhile, we are gearing up for our second half of the year in the mountains because we don't enjoy the heat here and neither do our critters.

God provided us with the ways and means to pack it all up and travel to the mountains. If I was here in a big expensive home, sure I'd have ac and maybe a pool, but there would be a huge mortgage and I would work until I die to pay for it. Give me this kind if peace 💕

I choose simplicity and freedom. 

Healings

 

Some don't believe in healing. Maybe they just don't want to get their hopes up. I fully believe! I've seen so many healings that there is no way that I can just chalk them off to "coincidence ". As a matter of fact, I don't believe in coincidence at all. Some believers only believe in some miracles.  I don't  know why that is, but it is. 

I say all of this to tell you about a bunny. We raise meat rabbits here. I had a bunch that I put in my old garden to grow out. They matured rather quickly,  and some young bucks started fighting. It was time to gather them up and cage them. I noted the sex of each rabbit as I caged them. Then there was this one black rabbit. He had an eviscerated hernia and a rather large blob of his intestines were hanging out. I caged him up by himself so I could  keep an eye on him to know if he had infection or if he was too messed up for human consumption.  I waited. Then the rains came for a couple of weeks. I got distracted more than a few times. I could see that this hernia was still hanging and dried matter covered it, but he still looked fine. Not ill or troubled in any way. I prayed for him to not suffer. I finally decided to check him out and put him in a better cage. As I did this, I was able to see that the eviseration was gone! Just a very small opening and it looks wonderful! So, I want y'all to research eviscerated hernias real quick. 

Yep, they don't heal. Not without surgical intervention. Mind you, this was a meat rabbit. We were not going to have him vetted. 

But God can do and will do the "impossible"! 

Matthew 6:26 says this

Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds.". 

So, just to remind us that He cares for even the rabbit that is slated for the dinner table. In doing so, He blesses us with seeing this healing and causes us to be that much more grateful, more trusting and more willing to share how much God wants to do for you

 

Go see your mama

 Things sometimes just work out. Sometimes it takes a life-changing event, or even 2 to bring things together. This was the case for my week. We were planning my sister's memorial when my sons friend lost her mom suddenly. I think that the combination of those 2 deaths pushed my son into realizing how precious family is and that we don't  know how much time we have on this Earth. So Casey decided that he needed to come up from around the Austin area to be with me for the memorial and just enjoy our visit. I couldn't have been happier to have his company! And when it came time for me to read my speech, I started out fine. But that last page I got choked up and couldn't  finish. Casey finished it for me. 🥲 We visited for 3 days and talked about old family memories. Very healing to have the adult children around when big things happen. We need the reconnecting.  I needed to be the mama and support my son and cook for him too. Kids, go visit your mama. Our days aren't promised! 

Ginnys memorial

 

Last month we said our final goodbye to our eldest sister. Today, we will hold a memorial in a most untraditional way. 

The family and many friends are in all 4 corners of the world and with no feasable way to gather in person, we will gather on line. I will say that our family is not all that traditional, we have finally for the most part blended together now. Coming from a mother that was very insecure and had difficulty showing affection after the kids were over 8 years old, and a father that drank hard and worked like a dog and had often displayed anger and rage, I'd  say that we came through alright. Not without the Grace of God though! Ginny had a good relationship with God and was saved back in the mid 70's. She battled mental illness and many physical ailments as well. But through it all, she kept the faith! She had such humor and a quick witt that the friends she made through the years will likely not forget her! I know that I'll always think of her when I see a peanuts cartoon, Dr Who show or hear songs from the early 60's like Bicycle built for 2, or Henry the 8th I am! 

I'll get a rush of emotions when I look through the many texts that we shared, and browse the pictures that thankfully we have! I'll  never eat another olive without thinking of her. Nor will I have a "juicy hamburger" and a vanilla ice cream without a flood of last days memories overwhelm my emotions and cause my eyes to leak. ~as they are right now. 

So, for now, we will continue on until the Lord calls us home. And then, my dear sister, we will be together again! We will laugh, sing and rejoice!

Blessings today

 I woke up early and went out back to check on the animals. The dogs stayed out all night and greeted me as I came into view. I spent a few minutes loving on them and turned my nose up at their stinky fur. Whew! Y'all need a bath!! They disagree and go off romping together in the back yard. Then I checked in on the rabbits. We have been raising meat rabbits for years and I just love them. Well, to my surprise,  one of my young mamas

had another litter (kindling) this morning and they were cold! She hadn't pulled much fur and had them on the mesh instead of the welping box. I quickly gathered them up. 12 this time! I brought them inside and placed them in a large plastic bag and set the bag into a bowl of nice warm water to quickly warm them up. While they were warming, I went out back and prepped the cage for them and then returned the now only 11 babies to the mama. 1 did not recover from getting so cold. Mama was happy to have them back in the pen and settled into her role. I finished feeding and watering the other rabbits and the chickens. Attempted to shoo away a stray kitten from the neighboring woods, but this kitty is determined to stay! Well, time was moving on and I still needed to get my coffee and dress for the day. Taxes are due, my drivers licence was up for renewal and the best part... my son was on his way up for a visit! The rest of the day was spent looking over the critters, catching up with my son and filing for an extension for the taxes. They can wait! Thank you Lord God for such gifts 🥰