7:53 pm

The sun is below the cemetery horizon now, and the birds are finally beginning to settle down. Earlier this afternoon, we had quite the crowd at the bird bath. A half-dozen bluebirds, a couple of finches, and the odd Carolina wren or two were all vying for a prime spot in the water. We watched them for a while (Purrl did too, maddened in her screen door limitations) as they dived and gamboled and swooped. When one was ousted from the bath, he would fly up to perch on the roof of the yardbarn and watch for a while, and then zip back down to oust someone else from the party. They went at it hard, and when they were done, I had to replenish the water in the bath. There was perhaps a quarter inch left, and it was murky and feather-clogged. I wanted to get a photo while our avian friends were at it, but it wasn't practical to do so without spoiling their party. I did, however, manage a snapshot of this bird. Lovely plumage, the Texas Sadie:



Church today was a blessing, in the literal sense of that too-often-misused word. Our church family circled the wagons around us in our time of emotional upheaval and made many incredibly generous offers and gestures of support. I kept thinking, "We're a rough little bunch, but what a collection of servants." The Lord's Supper was particularly freighted with emotion and meaning for me today, and I can say that I feel strengthened. In fact, this has been one of those days in which my spiritual joy has been so keen and clear, and in which the sense of Christ's nearness has been so palpable, that I could easily be mistaken for a charismatic. I feel like shouting. Maybe dancing.

Well, not dancing. No need to incite riots.

We truly rested for much of the day. Got a lot of reading done, as well. Late in the afternoon, we took a windows-rolled-down-and-hair-a-flappin' jaunt to the Scott County park in the mountain gap we drive every day (we've seen the sign many times but never explored it). A lovely little park with a golf course and picnic tables, etc. They even have a horseshoe pit (something I plan to install here at Possum Cough in the future, d.v.). The view of the mountains from the top of the park is very special.

When we returned home, MeeMaw stretched out with The Yellow Peril and took about 40 winks. I managed to stay fully awake until almost 7 pm, a fact of which I am immensely proud at this moment.

And now, at this eventide, it is time to go and call a frail, frightened little woman who is waiting for her son and daughter-in-law to rescue her from strangers. Pray for her tonight, if you would.