Sunday, August 28, 2011

First Squirrel Hunt of 2011

Saturday, August 27 was the first day of Squirrel season for the 2011/2012 hunting year.  I had a most wonderful time roaming the woods looking for squirrels.  Only saw one, but he saw me first, so no meat for the frying pan yet.  I did find that the squirrels are "cutting" on pine cones at this particular time of year.  There was ample evidence that they squirrels are in abundance, but my skills seem to have failed me yesterday.  Eyesight, agility, hearing, are all diminishing as I raced past 73 last month.  Ha.  But - there'll be another day, and I have lots of patience. 

It was also "Free-Hunting" Day in Tennessee.  Any resident could hunt squirrels that day with or without a license.  I don't know that this brought many hunters into the field.  If our game and fish commission are really interested in a way to entice more hunters afield, they should consider lowering the price of the annual license and also lightening up on the required hunter safety class requirements.  Note, I did not say "do away with" hunter safety, but I do believe it could be made easier and more affordable. 
Can Anyone identify this plant for me?

Here's a slightly better shot.
The berries are about the size of marbles.  I did not taste them, because Ginny of "Let Your Light Shine" had posted about the Castor Bean plant and I thought they could be poison.

Do you recognize this plant?  Poison Ivy?
Yes, that's my rifle underneath, which I had laid on the ground.

Yes!  That's a Wild Turkey Feather!

Time for Lunch!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Barney Creek

Last week a great and good friend that Frances and I met in Nairobi, Kenya came to spend time with my wife.  She is one of those kind of friends that feels a lot like family.  Since the girls wanted to shop, clean house (including painting one room) and cooking, I thought it best to get myself out of the way - so I headed for the mountains!  Ha.  The Cabin is my escape.  There is not much to do here, so I spend a good bit of time reading the good book (the Bible) and wandering through the mountains.  Occasionally I will help out with a church project or church "work day".  In a manner of speaking - this was not a work day but a day to play.  Day before yesterday, I went to Barney Creek to the site of the beginning of the Church of God with International Headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee.  Today (August 19, 2011) we celebrate 125 years since the church was begun here in the mountains.  Now there are churches in more than 170 countries of the world.  To stand at this site and reflect on the humble beginnings of this group and realizing what great strides have been taken in those years is awesome.  Only 8 people with a determination to take the Bible as their only rule for faith and discipline banded together on August 19, 1886 and formed "The Christian Union" in the Grist Mill of Elder R.G. Spurling.  That was 125 years ago.  The church moved from here to the home of W.F. Bryant near Murphy, NC - and then on to Cleveland, TN.  Today there will be numerous vehicles in a caravan who will visit this site to pray and give thanks to God for the outpouring of the Spirit of the Holy on this small group of believers.  This site is only about 8 miles from me when I'm here at the Cabin.

Pastor Paul Fritts and Me
Paul Fritts is the pastor of the Tellico Plains, TN Church of God, where I teach a young adult Sunday School class.  He had asked me to come and help him make the Barney Creek site easier for visitors to access.  William Wright brought his Bobcat.  I met them at Hardees for lunch, then on to Coker Creek to the site on Barney Creek for a day of play.
This wooden sign covers his initials carved by R.G. Spurling
and the date when he built his home and Grist Mill

Your's truly, getting ready to play

William Wright, a third generation COG member
and Pastor Paul Fritts of the Tellico Plains Church

Here is a picture of an old fashioned Altar Call during
Revival at the Tellico Plains Church

Pastor Fritts rests on the stage after much praying

This is one of the youth choirs of the Tellico Plains Church
and the Future Of The Church of God
I pastored this church from March 1, 1961-February 1966 when my wife and two babies headed off to the missions field in Georgetown, Guyana, South America.  I was there when the current sanctuary was built and dedicated in November 1965.