Letters from Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary

Dear Friends, We know you have many worthy causes, but we hope you will remember Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary on this Giving Tuesday. Thank you for caring. Love and all good kitty thoughts, Owen

Kelly the duck is having a great day - waves of cool rain, muddy puddles, what could be better?! All of the chickens went back into the coop, so Kelly, Gabby, and Penn had the yard entirely to themselves. When the rain stopped for a few minutes, Cora, Dora, Mitzi, and Martha flew out to see what was going on. And  Ory  looked to the sky in the hope of seeing the sun . . . alas, no such luck today!

Oh yes, we had Thanksgiving Day treats and a long after dinner nap ! Now we're ready to shop and get ready for Advent and Christmas. Sister Mary was going shopping today, but she says it's too cold . . . so she's painting a section of the floor instead. Part of the floor is green and part is blue - she's working on the blue part now. I'm happy about the floor because dogs can see green and blue - and the cats can too. . . well, at least the cats can see the blue part, I don't think they can see green. The floor used to be brown - looked like gray to me - so this new color floor is much nicer. It's a big project though because our furniture can't levitate, so Sister Mary has to keep moving things. And of course, we aren't allowed to walk on the wet paint (or pee on it either!) I said she could just paint around everything, but she said, "No, Georgie, we can't do that!" Whatever you're doing today - shopping or painting or whateve...

Dear Readers, I hope you will remember Maisie in your thoughts and prayers. Maisie came to Sanctuary House because she was not a good hunting dog! Maisie preferred to run and play, and she was very affectionate with people. Eventually, she was adopted though Penny Angel's Beagle Rescue to be the companion dog of a young girl who fell in love with her. Today we learned that Maisie has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Maisie's family is taking very good care of her, but this is a serious cancer for dogs and the prognosis is not good. Please remember Maisie and her girl. Thank you!

George, Buddy, and Will settled in for a nap on this very chilly morning. Flynn, the cat, told them to go right ahead, but he'd rather stay in his hammock! Thea chose a chair as her ideal napping spot. And I wonder why everyone was so eager to get up at 5 a.m. if they were just going to spend the morning napping and dreaming of warm summer days!

Friends rescued Trudy who had fallen from the truck taking her to slaughter . . . she is a totally sweet little chicken who makes clucking and purring sounds.  She is only about 8 weeks old, although breeding and steroids have made her grow too big too fast (chickens are usually slaughtered at 6 weeks or so). When they are rescued, average life span for these unfortunate chickens is a few weeks or with luck possibly a year or two. Trudy is learning to scratch under the leaves to look for bugs, and enjoys stretching her wings. She had never been outside before, but has now experienced sunshine and misty rain and breeze. We hope Trudy will be with us for a long, healthy life. Sisters  Dora  and  Cora  join all of the Sanctuary House chickens and ducks in inviting you to consider the ethical, enrivonmental, humanitarian, and health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle!

"Time to vote," Annie Oakley says . . . "Oh Annie, voting is for people, Buddy says, "I'll just stay home with my Kong toy complete with peanut butter!"

Do you and your dog go for a walk every day? Now you can support Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary by getting the Wooftrax app for your phone, and when you  Walk for a Dog , you'll be supporting us - it's that easy! Here's a quick  flyer  with more details. . . . even Bubbles is ready for a walk!

A definite high point in our lives is the arrival of the FedEx delivery man - not only does he bring boxes from  Chewy , but also he has a pocketful of dog treats! See, the dogs say, you can meet saints just about anywhere - in lanes or at tea or in a FedEx truck! And as a word for the day from me, the most well-known verses by William W. How [there are additional verses, but these are the ones in the Episcopal Hymnal 1982 ]: For all the saints, who from their labors rest, Who thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia, alleluia! Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. Alleluia, alleluia! O may thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, alleluia! O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, th...