Letters from Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary

Iris or irises? Both plurals are correct! Either way, these are the first two in our garden this Spring. We hope you are having a beautiful Spring day, too!

Our three little ducklings - juveniles now - as of this morning, have moved outside with the chickens and other ducks. Smart ducks that they are, they headed right for the "swimming pool" - breakfast can wait! It's bright and sunny here today, and even the slowest trees - pecan and black walnut - are leafing out. A wren is busy raising a nest of hatchlings not far from the door. We hope you, too, are having a beautiful day!

Possum climbed almost to the ceiling . . . to help dust the top of the cabinet, no doubt! Chickens are smarter than we think  - sharing this link from Rikki's Refuge website . . . and yes, we will be putting at least two of our smart chickens, Trudy and Verna, to work - they will choose the winning raffle tickets at the end of May. Entries for the Great Sock Raffle, with its grand prize of $100 Dunkin' Donuts gift card are now being accepted - all entries are due by May 30. Check the most recent issue of News & Notes for details. And on this Maundy Thursday, something else to ponder, from William Blake's poem Holy Thursday : " . . . cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door."

Did you know that this is the day in 1828 that Noah Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language  was published? It included the word opossum ! "Yes, I knew that," Possum said, "cats have memories that go far beyond our physical lives on Earth." And today is Palm Sunday in the Western Christian Church (next week in the Eastern Orthodox Church) - want to read a great  sermon  for the day? Here you go! Have a blessed Holy Week - this coming week or next.

Happy 103rd Birthday to Beverly Cleary!!! In celebration of her birthday, it's Drop Everything and Read Day . . . yep, Gus says, that works for us!

RustyRoo got up early (as usual!) to call to the sun! Yanah was up early, too, and said she could think of some items for the Wednesday Wish List: canned cat food $$ for hay and grass seed paper towels Milk Bone or Alpo Variety Snap treats for doggies Kaytee hummingbird nectar . . . and, of course, anything on our  Wish List ! Have a great day . . . looks like the sun is up here - very successful rooster crowing!

The three horse girls, Rosie, Willow, and Imagine came to the gate for a little grass treat before breakfast. Willow and Rosie took a minute to inspect a section of the old fence . . . yes, a lot of it needs to be replaced and the girls are planning a fantastic fundraiser to help with the cost. Keep reading and look for all of the details in the next issue of News and Notes . In the meantime, have a great day!

Our sweet kitty, Adelaide, left us this morning on her way to the Rainbow Bridge. Adelaide came to Sanctuary House many years ago with her sister, Sydney. They were sickly kittens, barely alive, but they were determined little girls. Neither grew much (Adelaide fully-grown weighed only 5 or 6 pounds). Sadly, Sydney died before her second birthday, and Adelaide lost an eye to infection. Adelaide loved sitting in the window, watching birds and leaves and anything else that fluttered. Indoors she was quiet and affectionate, and she loved the other cats. Tiny though she was, she thoroughly enjoyed canned cat food - last night when she turned away from her dinner, I knew she was moving closer toward the next world. This morning when I found her she had died stretched out on a pillow, surrounded by her best kitty friends, Sally Ann, Pansy Louise, and Evans. Farewell, little Adelaide, go find Sydney - we'll see you later at the Bridge.

 Spring is full of treasures, albeit many of them hidden in the grass or hedge. . . a tiny violet, a bunch of grape hyacinths, a spray of  forsythia . The horses, thankful for the sunny weather, enjoyed hay in the field. Rosie and Sonny discussed their plans for the day over breakfast. We hope you are having a bright, treasure-filled day, too!