And Jesus said to him, “Foxes
have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where
to lay his head.” Luke 9:58
Checking in again, my friend. My previous journal notes were from
April. I’m months behind, so I’ll try
and catch up. Before I do, I had a thought. This cabin living can be done on any
level. If you dedicate a “prayer closet”
in your home, you can make it comfortable.
Even with this cabin living, I’m keeping my supplies at a minimum. I procured a “bear barrel” from the local
resale. {Nothing can get in this
old-timey canner.} But I’m being careful
not to have too many distractions around me…food or otherwise, so I don’t lose
focus on the reason I’m there – to study the Word of God. However, nature always has a way of capturing
my attention, if not on the 10 acres I’m on, then on the other 30 acres that
the property entails. Here’s a small
sampling…
5/9/17
I’m filled with gratitude for 4 new bunnies at the main Wee
House. Grey/black/Blonde/Merle. Later named Frosty, - , Pumpkin, and Snickers. {Their “mama” is a big white Californian, and
their “papa” is a big orange/copper rabbit (born here) who is called “copper
bunny”. They are both loose on the
property, but live at the Wee House.}
The little black one was too daring/dancing/darling – and unfortunately
met her end before she could be named.
That hurts the heart…to see them get to such an age, only to have the
laws of nature come down upon them. I
believe it was a fox.
The little black bunny wasn’t our only loss. Our special rooster was taken out also, along
with my favorite pure-white hen who faithfully gave us a blueish-green egg.
This morning, as I stood and watched the white Mama rabbit
fill its mouth with twigs, grasses, and leaves, I had to smile. She was going to kindle soon – giving us
another batch of newborn bunnies – in the woodpile next to the Wee House. As I watched her, something caught the corner
of my eye along the berm of our property to the east. It was a huge healthy-looking fox…trotting
with a purpose, coming closer, weaving in and out of brush. He was headed for the area of the dog
yard. Hence…later that day, our
remaining 3 hens were moved to a safer enclosure. We also have 1 broody hen sitting on 5
eggs. We hope one of those 5 eggs
hatches out to become our new resident rooster.
This will keep a 4-generation line of roosters, starting with a
beautiful and kind, Java rooster, who was eventually snatched just feet from
the coop in broad daylight, by a coyote.
It causes a heavy - living so
close to nature. There are times when I
desire to cage them…to keep them safe.
But at what cost…? Short life of
freedom, or long life of bondage? It’s a
tough call.
5/10/17
End of the day. 5:00 p.m. at the cabin. The Hermit Thrush and Pileated Woodpecker vie
for air space. One melodic. One a banshee scream. But both beautiful to my ears. The crow also. I love the crows…and they know it.
The woods are alive with greenery, bugs and beauty (no
skeeters yet…) I nearly stepped on an
adult snake 2 days prior while cutting through the woods enroute to the cabin.
It has been cold, but sunny.
Today is warming up. I’ve been
sick, but now feeling a tad better, and hacking/coughing less. Hauled the last of 12 cord of firewood to my
new cabin home. And my new icebox (you
put a block of ice inside to keep food cold) was wrangled in the door. Cabin now feels like home.
5/27/17
Up very
early. Auction day in my community of
friends (Old Order Amish) for a family who is moving to a new “daughter
settlement”. I will be leaving soon for
the hour trip. Upon looking out the back
window of my 8x8 cabin, I do a “double take” as a big doe steps out and crosses
across the back. Wow…I didn’t even have
to leave the cabin to view her! Later, I
saw tracks circling the cabin. Lots of
deer activity at this time.
Earlier this morning, I curled my cold fingers around a cup
of steaming coffee as I stepped from the woods into the sunlit field to warm
myself in the morning sun. I scanned
about, looking for the deer that makes its presence daily. Sure enough…I hear a foot stomp the ground in
disgust. {I must be interrupting HIS
morning routine!} He topped it off with
several LOUD snorts to show his final word on the subject. Hmmm…I had already received a scolding from
the red squirrels in trees circling the cabin, as I exited. Now I hear the caw of the crow announcing
movement in the woods. To balance this
out, my ears are delighted with the sound of the Hermit thrushes singing their
heavenly/harmonic melody, and more. One
calls, another answers. And so it goes,
up and down the scale of notes.
Earlier, I found a young snake in the outhouse. Hmmm…where is HIS mama, and slithering
siblings? I shudder at the thought, as I
scooped him in a bucket and take him farther out into the woods to a new
home. As I leave for a busy day of
friendship/food and good conversation with my Amish friends, I marvel at the
“stimulai” I’ve already experienced this morning. My new Berean Bush Living is anything but
boring. And the night hours provide even
more curious investigations as I figure out my “visitor”.
I’ll check in soon, with continued journal posts, should the Lord tarry,
Sherry
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