Farewell Ida and Nora

Both Ida and Nora left us this morning for the Rainbow Bridge . . . they would probably never have considered going anywhere else together! Ida really did not like cats, and Nora was a shy girl, often playing in boxes and usually following her sister Mavis. Ida was about 14 years old - most of those years lived at Ascension Hermitage & Sanctuary - and had fairly severe epilepsy. We always struggled to keep her medication balanced. In her younger days, she could be quite demanding: she was one of the beagles who thought we should be up and working toward breakfast by 4:30 or 5 at the latest! Ida didn't so much bark as howl . . . the house is noticeably quieter now. In the last weeks, Ida up-ended the day - she no longer wanted to eat breakfast but was ravenously hungry at night, usually sometime between 9 pm and 3 am! Ida was never affectionate until very near the end of her life - she always called me when she wanted food or water and then seemed very content to let me pet her as well.

Nora had also lived at Sanctuary House for many years - she and her sister came as tiny kittens when their mother was killed, but were almost instantly adopted by Anya who had kittens of her own. As a young kitten, Nora lost one eye to infection, but that didn't seem to bother her. Nora liked to run and jump and shred cardboard! We suspect that Nora had cancer - she loved to eat, especially canned cat food, but in the past week or ten days lost weight dramatically. Instead of playing chase and hide-and-seek in the boxes, she began sleeping more and more. Last night I gave her a can of Friskies fish pate, a particular favorite - she ate a little and then lay down right beside the dish as her cat friends ate the rest. This morning she was gone.

I hope Ida and Nora have found each other at the bridge, and that it's true that we'll all be more inclined to like each other there - maybe they'll even be friends while they wait for the rest of us!

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Wren update and Goodbye to Anastasia

I am very glad to report that three, or maybe four, wren nestlings are doing well! Both parents feed the babies, and they are extremely busy these days. The wrens are not at all happy when multiple beagles run past their flower pot nest, so we are trying to keep doggie outdoor playtime to a minimum. Fortunately, since the weather is quite hot, the beagles are content to be in the air conditioned house On a sad note today, our kitty Anastasia left us for the Rainbow Bridge - not a great surprise since she was about 18 years old, but she ate supper last night, and I didn't expect to find her gone this morning. Over the years, Anastasia had served as foster mom to several kittens, especially Pye and Weej, two black kittens whom we saved from being thrown into the Manokin River. Farewell Anastasia - we'll see you again at the Bridge! And for a puzzle, Noelle on the edge of the cabinet where she likes to nap!

Wren

Without a doubt, one of my favorite birds is the wren . . . I hope momma wren who discovered this plant hanging just outside the Sanctuary House door knows what she is doing. Maybe she thinks that the comings and goings of the very vocal beagles will keep predators away. She just started this little nest yesterday. . . want to see what's inside the nest? Just click on the nest puzzle! nest puzzle God watches over the sparrows, so I know He also watches over the wrens . . . but yes, I'll try to keep an eye on her too in the rain and wind, and when the beagles play!

Baby chicks and diamonds in the tree

Our Board member Aimee Lauer brought four little chicks this morning - they were rescued from Craig's List. As far as we can tell, two Easter Eggers and two Legbars. This weekend is a strange mixture of weather - rain, wind, and sometimes moments of sun. The sunlight in the tree this morning made the wet leaves and branches look as though they were decorated with diamonds. We are hoping and praying that Hurricane Florence will miraculously weaken, although current maps show East Coast landfall and predictions are that the storm may be a category 4. Stay tuned . . .

Letters from Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary

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