The ubiquitous of scenary here is little churches everywhere. They are mostly Baptist, Southern Baptist, but other affiliations of Baptist churches are represented. After Baptist churches, it seems like Methodist is in second place. Over near Roan Mountain most of those Baptist churches are Free Will Baptists, with a few primitive Baptists thrown in to vintage it up. That first month I visited here the number of churches dotting the landscape surprised me. I have written before about a little Baptist Church I pass several times a week and sometimes on Sunday mornings. The name used to be a bona fide churchy big word church that only someone who has attended church most of their life or at least VBS would know. It must not have worked for them because sometime late last year, the name changed along with a once a month sing a long added to the sign. A new start, a new beginning...only and sadly, the sign has changed, no more Wednesday or Sunday night services. Now granted, the most trucks, cause it was only trucks in the gravel parking lot has been four, but mostly three. And driving by after service, usually, there were three men standing outside the front door talking. The grassy area around the gravel hasn't been mowed in quite a while and I am wondering if the three gave up. I read a book several years ago whose title and author escapes me, but it was written by a man who put forth the question, what if one Sunday women stayed home from church? How would the church house react? This little church in dichotomy is most interesting.
This back porch has added such a dimension to nature. Since Punky brought her kittens down to the backyard because of all the rain, I am experiencing cat life up close and personal. None of the other cats brought their kittens down so soon. These are not weaned but Cali and Camo brought kittens to the back when they were six weeks old. Mike the Mower Man was here today and our neighbor was mowing the gravel road at the same time. Punky kept an ear to the sound and when she felt it was in her kittens best interest, she meowed but it was a meow...but she called for them in a low, purr, cat sound, nothing I've never heard. Not chirping like at the birds nor was a pure purr, and three out of the four obeyed her immediately. Of course there has to be the one who saunters toward mom but all it took was for Punky to stand up and that kitten came a running. After all the lawn noise Punky gathered up the troops but she was one short...so she went looking for that kitten. I have said several times I didn't think Punky was a very good mother, but I take that back after watching her this afternoon. Wow! She has them or had them, they move around so much, under the grill. Yes, the playroom of all the previous kittens. They love playing under and then later when they are able to jump to the top of it, sit there like kings and queens of the world.
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A new week, a new day. The reports of rain I believe are fading but maybe this afternoon we will get some. If not, it will be a early evening of watering all the flower beds. We had a glimmer of hope for rain yesterday but it went north of us. I got a few more plants put into flower pots in the anticipation but alas...nothing. We didn't have choir last night so yesterday after church was a great opportunity just to relax, nap and read... My only responsibility of the afternoon, getting the trash can down to the road.
On Saturday a good bunch of friends drove over to TN to go to The Farmer's Daughter for lunch. I took the Mustang because the Kroger at Johnson City was calling out my name afterwards. They carry the cat food that Buddy will eat right now. Ann D rode with me to the restaurant and we had a blast talking and singing to Earth, Wind and Fire....oh and maybe a little Gladys Knight thrown in for good measure. By passing the Academy which is a new habit for me, I went straight to Barnes and Noble...a life long love and addiction to books. The three magazines I've been looking for all happened to be there and I had coupons. It was a great day to shop for books and magazines. If I had time, I was thinking of driving over to Roan Mountain but the tireds were taking over and the best use of time would be to return home, rest a bit and then finish up studying for the Sunday School lesson. There was so much to cover and in retrospect, maybe I should have zeroed in on two or three main points but all the background info was so important to the major points. Then, our new pastor's wife, Kelly, came into our class yesterday. So, I was a little nervous and more scattered than usual. She seems to have a great sense of humor and to be lots of fun. I never got a dour look from her, so whew, that's good. And on a side note, I love God's Word! How many times have we all studied or heard about Samuel and Saul? Each time, something new pops out to ponder.
These kittens of Punky are so fun to watch. Seems like they have grown so much in a week. She still hasn't introduced them to food other than what she provides. Punky hides under a burning bush shrub and watches the four play. I haven't been successful in getting the four of them with faces facing toward the camera so the three gray and white kittens are difficult to tell apart. Two of them I know their faces but the third one is content to do its own thing much of the time. Anyway, name contemplation is on hold until I can tell them apart. And by casual observation, I think there are two males...so far in the count. Each little family group brings different dynamics to observe. The other kittens in the past, have always played in and around the big rocks in the backyard but these kittens, until they are all too big to do this, have found a little, shall we say, a cleft in a rock, that is where they escape to when danger seems imminent or just me on the porch. When they have stayed in there too long, Punky comes over, looks into the cleft and calls them outside. But it looks like they nap and maybe even sleep there at night. Mama Cat still shows but not as often. Ever since Strawyer has become the alpha male, he is a pest to the female cats...When Strawyer is approaching her...by the way his grandmother.... for, uh, let's see...attention, Mama Cat is not interested and gives him a couple swipes to the head. He was stalking her last night up on the gravel road and before she made the turn to wherever she lives, she came back to him and gave him a little "what for." We are going on two weeks without Mr Meany and for this I am thankful. He was a slick one, wooing in the innocent and then biting them or taking a few swipes. He was a stray because he wasn't afraid of people. I warned the construction crew about him.... Camo is hit and miss. We don't see her for days and then out of the blue she shows up.
Buddy loves the back porch and she has made it her own, of course that is not a surprise. She still wants out on the front porch in the mornings, probably because of how sunny it is, but the afternoons and evenings, back porch is preferred. I got the ladders out that we bought for flowerpots and so far I have done two. Still deciding if I'll put a shelf between them. Then, the small green ladder from Maggie Valley, might end up outside instead of on the porch. I'll just have to see how things go as we finish up the details of the porch.
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