Letters from Ascension Hermitage and Sanctuary

  Stonewall Inn Rising, NYC - never forget!                                                                                    -photo credit: Grace Mahony Stonewall " . . .There was something in the air, freedom a long time overdue, and we're going to fight for it. It took different forms, but the bottom line was, we weren't going to go away. And we didn't." - Michael Fader [quotation in  Stonewall  by David Carter, p. 160] Celebrating for those who no longer have to hide and remembering those who lived before Stonewall.

This was a new spider to me - so in case you haven't seen one either, I took a picture. I imagine this spider eats insects - millions of those here. But their bites are painful, dangerous, and toxic to humans, so I'm not going back to check on him/her.  Actually, out of concern for my dogs and any little wrens that might consider this funnel a possible home, this spider is now gone!  

  The Nativity of John the Baptist is a Christian feast day.  It is observed annually on 24 June.  The Nativity of John the Baptist is a high-ranking liturgical feast, kept in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism.  The sole biblical account of the birth of John the Baptist comes from the Gospel of Luke.   Wikipedia  Probably not so much observed in the United States, but a good day to remember and pray for the Community of St. John Baptist in Mendham, NJ.                                Community of St. John Baptist

  Several years ago, our little black cat Pye reluctantly agreed to pose for a Halloween picture . . . last night she left us for the Rainbow Bridge. Pye was never an affectionate cat, but last night she let me hold her close - I think we listened to each other's hearts. The other cats loved her too, and last night several of them came to kiss her face one last time. Her twin sister Weej was very restless. The girls were always together, and I know Weej has lost not only her sister, but her best friend as well. I rescued Pye and Weej many years ago from a man who had threatened to throw them into the Manokin River in Princess Anne. I was in Princess Anne on a different errand - the timing was just a miracle! I reminded Pye to wait for the rest of us at the Bridge. We are definitely missing her today.

I am ordinarily not in favor of forwarding online articles; however, I believe that this information is true and relevant. Some of the same things may be true for dogs, but dogs are usually better about speaking for themselves - our cats need us to advocate for them! As T. S. Eliot famously said, "A CAT IS NOT A DOG."   How Some Cats Are Being Misdiagnosed and Overmedicated at the Vet: 10 Findings Sally was glad to have her photo taken, but other than that she has nothing to do with this article!

Thanks to Cindy's husband (who took a day off from his regular job) our storm damaged tree is looking better already!  

It was a very windy night! Fortunately, today is much cooler and calmer, so the clean-up can begin! Definitely one of the days when I'd like to be younger and stronger, but we'll see how it goes.  If it's not too hot tomorrow, Cindy will come to help - she has a battery-powered saw😉- and she's much taller and stronger and younger than I am!  

 As a native Texan, celebrating this holiday that has been on our calendar for more than a century! And today remembering my 4th great-grandfather, Consider Arms (1736-1792), who in April 1788, along with two other Massachusetts delegates refused to ratify the United States Constitution – at the time they provided several reasons why they could not approve the document, but the chief reason was slavery. They wrote, “This practice of enslaving mankind is in direct opposition to a fundamental maxim of truth, on which our state constitution is founded, viz. ‘All men are born free and equal.’ This is our motto. We have said it – we cannot go back.”  If only the authors of the Constitution had listened to them! Were all of my ancestors so enlightened about slavery? Indeed not - but I am grateful for the example of Consider Arms and hope I have even a grain of his honesty and courage.

Yesterday was spay day for kittens Wren and Risley - the girls have been together since they were tiny kittens and are very devoted to each other. So, it seemed best to have them spayed at the same time . . . both did well in surgery. But they were pretty angry by the time they came home! Perhaps it was the anesthesia or those dreaded cone collars or maybe even cat siblings just get on each other's nerves, but the girls hissed and growled at each other - a lot. They also seemed totally oblivious to the vet's direction that they should not jump. Separate crates solved the problems! This morning, they are back together . . . all at peace, although they are mostly ignoring each other. And they have proved that not everyone reacts to surgery in the same way. Wren is still the talkative one, but she is totally uninterested in food and just wants to take a nap. Risley, on the other paw, has eaten all of the breakfast, kicked litter out of the box, and managed to take her collar off s...

Remembering my father, Harvey Shepherd  and grandfathers, Harvey Shepherd and John Scott - and especially my great grandfather, Joseph Adams Harris, who died of a stroke on this day in 1890, a month before his 42nd birthday and just three months after his tenth child was born. [One child died in infancy, but good thing his wife, my great grandmother Dora who was only 35, was strong!] May they all rest in peace and rise in glory, and may their memories always be a blessing.

And with a few exceptions, that is the case every day! Thank God for Charles Schulz, too! Copied, with no permission, from this site:   The Blessing of a Dog

 Blessed Pentecost to all! From The Book of Common Prayer: O God, who on this day didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Savior, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

It's a gray and rainy day here, but the pink Asian lilies are beginning to bloom . . . many days of beauty ahead!  

 Although these wild orange daylilies are blooming in the nearby ditches, this is the first one in our yard - a bright sign of Summer to come! We hope your day is full of beauty as well. 

 Purple and white larkspur are blooming in the weedy wildflower patch - adding color and beauty - and attracting bees and butterflies, I hope! We hope you are having a beautiful, colorful day too!

If you're looking for a June challenge, here's just the thing: VINE Sanctuary sponsors a Pride Month Vegan Challenge. I'm a pretty good vegetarian, but in recent years, I've tried to be more vegan for June. For me, it's definitely for the animals, with a few health concerns added in as well. Every year we're invited to share information with friends - so, my friends, here you are: Eat the Rainbow   VINE is an  LGBTQ-led  refuge for farmed animals that works for social and environmental justice as well as for animal liberation. More than  500 animals  live at the sanctuary, including cows, chickens, ducks, goats, geese, sheep, alpacas, emus, guineafowl, and others. VINE Sanctuary was founded by my good friends pattrice and Miriam.