Brian Weems wood carving, Schatzie and Madchen

 Mr. Cedar Root,

Master of Focus and Silence 

stood by
holding up the mailbox

while our Maine Coone, Schatzie

was mauled by four, large stray dogs

early 9/12/14.

 We, including Buckshot,
when we buried Schatzie

overlooking the MS River

Sweet Grand Nephew Bryce

gave Madchen a new do.

©2014 Red Convertible Travel Series

A World of Woes

Labor Day. The Bravada died at 237,000 miles. We waited four hours for a wrecker. Usually AAA is great. This day we were west of Batesville. A wrecker company called from Tupelo. Where we were? They were at Pear Rd. Never heard of it. I let AAA know that hauler would be driving 200 miles. They found one closer. When they unloaded it, Buckshot jumped out of the car. The two young men jumped out of the hauler to help round him up. JB left my door open and quietly rode around the lot until Buckshot jumped in. He'll go anywhere with Dad.

The Bravada rests quietly in our backyard. But all has not been well in the neighborhood. Last Thursday night, a pack of four large dogs mangled our housecat. Schatzie.. He had his claws and was street smart, but he was no match for a pack of jaws. Our neighbors heard the ruckus and ran to the door. He shooed them away and found Schatzie unable to move. He quietly left him at our front door. Fri.morning Dad heard him. Something wasn't right. He always came to the side door. He couldn't move his back legs. There were three wounds on his sides. I laid on the floor with him and gently stroked him until we could get him to the vet.

Schatzie had a puncture wound where a dog had bitten him over his back. and two other wounds. Per Dr. Landess,"The dogs are packing." Other mangled cats were brought in recently. Schatzie would be paralyzed, He was the gentlest, quietest kitty for the eleven years we had him. I can't write this without tears. I held him when Doc put him to sleep.

Schatzie was a rescue kitty from the Omaha Humane Society in NE. When Krysia went to find another cat, Schatzie adopted her. He didn't ask for much. Science Diet soft chicken cat food was his favorite, and occasionally tuna. Give him a scratch, a brushing, and a quiet, secret place to nap, and he was happy. He often curled up on a kitchen chair.

Memorial Day 2012, Buckshot barked and growled. I got up and saw a black cat lying down at the curb. No big deal. Buckshot wasn't satisfied. I looked again. It was a panther with his sights on Schatzie. I opened the back door and Schatzie shot in. He rewarded Buckshot by leaving him a little catfood on his plate every day.

Madchen is our other Maine Coon Mix from the same Humane Society, too. Schatzie was black and tan. She is orange with a white ruff, about 20 lbs. and looks like a Norwegian Snow Cat. It was love at first sight for them. They snuggled together and groomed each other. I saw her put her paw across his back and lick out his ear. He squirmed, but she held him tight. Yes, she was the bossy one. Now she's the lonely one that sleeps close to me.

We buried Schatzie overlooking the Mississippi River, and left a sizeable rock to mark his grave.
I ache for him. Maybe we were supposed to sleep through it. We might have run out and been mangled, too. So much for life in Clarksdale, MS where we have more than drugged out gangs to worry about.

©2014 Red Convertible Travel Series

Winter in May

The air is charged with anxiety. May is not warming, it's more wet winter. Will it flood? When will it quit raining? Is the snow ever going to stop?

We're grateful we live about 20' higher than the creek to the north of our house. Behind the Levee is another matter. Camps are evacuated. Houses that were raised 17' after 2011 hope they are high enough. Excessive snow melt and rain flow into the MS River could produce flooding for months to come. Farmers aren't able to get into their fields. The mettle of us all is being tested. It's a knee-bender. I am reminded no problem is bigger than God. And being the all powerful, all knowing, everywhere at once Creator, it makes sense to me to align with it rather than do it my own.

I overheard two ladies talking about the "end times" being near. When I was a child, I heard on the radio that people were taking refuge in US mountain caves anticipating "the end".  It raised concerns in my young heart. How come we weren't told? What are we supposed to do? I took note of how many months until "it" was supposed to happen. It didn't. The earth didn't turn inside out. I wondered if the cave-hiders were surprised or embarrassed. That's not to say it couldn't happen some day. Nebraska has been a desert. Large animal bones similar to African species have been found in north central Nebraska. And Nebraska has been part of a large inland lake.

When I hiked the Grand Canyon, I studied nature's cupboard of resting fossils. Saltwater seashells, fresh water fish skeletons, flowers and petrified wood are evidence earth's axis shift.

Whatever does or doesn't happen, I find it beneficial to my peace of mind to ask the Lord to take care of everything and put me where He needs me. In the South they say "You better hope you're prayed up!" I don't know where the water line is on that, but only God knows which prayer tips the scale.

Wishing you warm, sunny days, an unemployed snow scoop, rivers confined to their banks, and farmland  easily growing this year's crops.

2013 Red Convertible Travel Series

EASTER 2011

The past few weeks my internet, computer and camera have been on the blink. Maybe it was Mercury Retrograde, maybe not. To see the pics with this story, go to my Facebook page: Maeann Jasa.

When the Methodists organized a church at Friars Point, MS in 1836 they had hopes of esatablishing an anchor for their community. Twice the church has been destroyed, once by Union troops during the Civil War and later by a tornado. At the 9 am service Pastor was quick to point out his own faults and remind us that Christ paid the price for us, our job is to believe and live/be like Him.

The Easter bunny had hidden bucketfuls of brilliantly colored eggs for little people to find. While they hunted, I snapped pics for you that are on facebook. In the block south of the church stands The 1850's MINIE BALL HOUSE that bears the mark of Union Navy shelling and was briefly the headquarts of Union General Napoleon Bonaparte. This was before the Levy separated the town from the MS River.

Speaking of the River, it's rising. The National Weather Service River Forecast Center publishes the River stages online. The Mississippi River is expected to crest at Helena, AR May 10th at 49.5' above flood stage. The Levy is about 70' high. Thank God for engineering, or we'd all need houseboats!

Muddy Waters, King of Chicago blues, lived his first 30 years on the Stoval Plantation. The family log house was moved to downtown Clarksdale for exhibit. The placque marks where it stood. Shut your eyes, feel his "blues", smell the greens cooking, hear the cotton wagon mules bray and wipe your sweaty brow.

In the midst of MS's history, this tree caught my eye. If you know what it is and what it's growing, please explain. Imagination can have a field day.

The last picture is of a Quapaw Indian Mound in the Indian Mound subdivision on Farrel Road.

Back home we turned on the hall ceiling fan that sounds like a jet engine and feels like it will suck the paint off the walls. But, the heavy air is moving. Peas, greens and cornbread for lunch.

Oh, no, muddy Madchen slipped in. OUT!!!!!

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series