“The View From Coffee Clutch.”

Howdy Friends! 

“The View From Coffee Clutch.” Often I write of the goings on during my favorite time of day, our Coffee Clutch, and now that I have this new-fangled phone that’ll capture the moments like tin-types of old ... from time to time I’ll share a few sights. Thought I’d start with the view looking out from my chair settled next to Kessy, Saturday and Sadie lying by my side. The kitties have begun to rejoin us for Coffee Clutch, but they keep a safe distance, still wary of newcomer Sadie—This morning they huddled behind me in the hay mow which adjoins Kessy’s bedroom watching Sadie with not-yet-trusting eyes ... You’ll notice under the trees the bird feeding station where cardinals, chickadees, titmice and a host of other feathered friends drop in for a visit many mornings. It is also the station I scatter a bit of cracked corn for the chickens. There, above the trees, is where I gaze as I thank God each morning for a beautiful day. Sending you wishes for a most beautiful day! 

~ Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

"Sadie Adopts Us"

Howdy Friends!

Starved, worried and confused Sadie slipped cautiously through the trees near our barn. Kessy spied her first, then the chickens and cats scattered. The dangerously, skinny black dog looked at me and I saw fear in her eyes, but also saw want of, and offer to, love. At first she made a move to run away, but I think she was just too tired. She offered a feeble tail wag. I knelt by Kessy and talked to the frightened pup and suddenly she bounced to me. She fell on her back begging for a tummy rub, which I offered for as long as she needed.

Sadie gobbles her mid-morning snack on her glider

She and Saturday followed me to the tack room where she gobbled down two servings of Saturday’s dog food. I sat with her as she gulped her first meal in who knew how long. She was heavily laden with flies, ticks and scabs. So next stop, our bath tub and two successive baths. Boy howdy did I lather her up! She listened pretty darn well, only struggled a little. It was during the baths that I realized how sharp was this little gal. A slight exaggeration, but it seemed, if I thought it, she tried to do it.

Ravishin' Robbie & Sadie's first meeting

Ravishin’ Robbie came home a few hours later and was in total agreement that little Sadie, as she named her, needed to be part of our critter clan. Worn and tired, standing a frail 20 inches tall, and weighing only 28 pounds young Sadie had been running on her own for some time, and the wear showed in her body, and eyes. I’ll never understand how folks can drive to the woods and just discard a bundle of love like so much unwanted trash. But they do. Every cat, and every dog we’ve ever had have been strays who have found us ... Unrecognized by others as gifts from God.

 Sadie arrived last Thursday and in addition to several baths (Saturday got one too) we fed her every few hours and gave her tons of lovin’—and she reciprocated. We allowed her in the house much of the day, but she slept on the porch glider Thursday night. Friday morning the changes in Sadie were not only noticeable, but downright unbelievable! She joined Saturday, Kessy and me for Coffee Clutch ... The kitties though did not. Our chickens have taken Sadie under their wings and treat her like part of their flock.

After breakfast on Friday I planned on a ride, but what about Sadie? I didn’t want her to use all the energy, but Saturday always goes along. Before I rode out I checked on Sadie and found her sleeping on the glider. Saturday was with her, so I snuck out alone.

We were about 10 minutes out when I noticed Kessy turning her ears back. I’m not able to look back over my shoulder anymore so when I want to look behind I ask Kessy to turn around and when we did, there on the trail behind us was Saturday ... and Sadie! I kept the ride on Friday short, for Sadie. She loved the adventure!

Sadie enjoyed numerous evenly spaced good meals, and lounged on her porch glider most of the rest of the day Friday, then joined us for TV time in the evening. We were gone a bit during the day and we risked leaving her in the house with Saturday. All went well! She is quite the well mannered young lady, we guess her age at about 5 months. We did leave her out on the porch overnight though, not sure of the night time potty habits.

Saturday Robbie and I were gone the best part of the day, I had a book signing, so Sadie and Saturday were on their own. In the evening we had them join us for TV time—and even had Sadie spend the night inside. Remarkably at 6AM she woke us asking to go out! Seems the potty details are as natural to her as they were with Saturday when he found us 6 years ago.

Sunday as I took Kessy through her pre-ride exercises and saddled up, Sadie sat with Saturday and watched every move. When I rode out they both fell in line and jogged along. Sadie performed as if she’d been a trial riding pal for years already, always keeping a safe distance, not straying, and stopping whenever Kessy did. Of course I understand Saturday is a most perfect example of a trail riding dog, and a fine mentor on all things dog, horse and human. We rode an hour on Sunday. Sadie again slept indoors Sunday night; she has been awarded her certificate of excellence in house manners.

Sadie & Saturday on the trail with Kessy & me ... Yesterday Sadie decided she also likes to run alongside Kessy, sometimes under my stirrup!

Yesterday, Monday, we rode out again, into a light rain. Sadie has mastered the pre-ride activities and now along with Saturday, monitors Kessy’s and my preparation with eager anticipation. Yesterday we rode an hour and a half—and that bouncing, skinny black bundle of fun, silliness and sweetness simply amazed me. She has in three ride become a trail riding buddy, perfect in every way.

A bit different from Saturday though, who almost always trots just at Kessy’s heels, Sadie does that but adds buckets of energy to her adventures on the trail. She’ll trot behind with Saturday, then on a whim break away and run lightning fast loops around us, sometimes disappearing from sight only to explode from the brush next to us, in front of us, or behind us. Kessy never shows any sign of being startled, her only reaction is an ear turned to Sadie. I came to two realizations on yesterday’s ride, my bird watching from the saddle will most certainly be affected ... and I doubt I’ll ever ride up on a bear again!

I noticed Sadie, like Kessy and Saturday are so in tune to me I pretty much need only think what I wanted and she’ll do it as we ride. It’s as if we’d been partners for years. I wondered yesterday was there perhaps a bit of Sweetness and Jigs’ spirits (my two long gone trail riding pals) in Sadie, running with her, offering advice. She reminds me so of them. We had a most perfect ride yesterday and none of us minded the rain!

The kitties have just begun to accept Sadie, some more than others. Coffee Clutch today was wonderful, Sadie moseys about a bit, but also lays content with Saturday, Kessy and me. The kitties watch from a safe distance, Bullet even joined us today briefly.

I weighed Sadie this morning, she’s up to 31 pounds. In a few weeks when she has really bounced back we’ll have her spayed, get her rabies shot etc. She is a sweet, sweet girl and I’m sorry for the bad she had to experience, but she’s home now.

We thank you God for this gift of abundant love!

Sadie and me grabbin' a winks ...

Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

"Abandon Kitty Update"

Howdy Friends!

Abandon kitty update – As I've shared before about 2 weeks ago some non caring individual dumped four half grown kitties at our house. Sweet little, big eyed, scared, babies. Three of the four we could catch and love on and we put them in the horse trailer intending to take them to the shelter for adoption. The fourth, who Ravishin' Robbie named, Bullet, was only ever seen streaking away from the cat food dish on the porch. All the shelters here proved to be full. However we were simply not in a position to keep four cats.

Lil Bit, Daniel Striped Tiger and Fluffernutter hangin' out in the tack room (We haven't yet caught a picture of Bullet)

Earlier this year Both our loving kitties, Tigger and Miss Kitty crossed the rainbow bridge, and after many years of their love, silliness and companionship, we surely miss them. Kessy and Saturday do too. We had made the decision at that time we would not have any more cats, we need to watch our pennies. Really.

We could not bear to keep them in the trailer after the second day, so we set up a feeding station in the tack room, and they loved it from the first moment. Well except for Bullet. He still shoots through the porch and seems to eat on the run. I think she/he is faster than the superhero Flash! The others, Daniel Striped Tiger, Fluffernutter, and Lil Bit, love the tack room, barn, Saturday and Kessy, and her 2 acre wood.

Daniel Striped Tiger pretty much hangs out in the tack room. Lil Bit and Fluffernutter roam the barn and stay close to Kessy. Lil Bit is soundly smitten with Kessy, was from the second day. We think Tigger showed her the way, Tigger loved Kessy. They all purr so loudly it sounds like a distant train! Lil Bit won't miss a Coffee Clutch, Fluffernutter enjoys Coffee Clutch too, but wonders around a little more, following the chickens.

The Appomattox shelter informed us they have a program for free spay and neuter, $10 rabies and distemper shots – so we signed them up!  Today we took Daniel Striped Tiger – and Bullet, who we trapped with salmon for bait, to the clinic. In two weeks we can take Fluffernutter and Lil Bit ... And folks we learned from the clinic, cats can become pregnant at four months of age. Sadly these are. We also learned most areas have free or greatly reduced spay neuter clinics for feral cats, and they nip their ears for identification so they never need be trapped again. Bullet will sport a nipped ear.

Lil Bit loves sitting on Kessy's back.

Our dear friend Chris has donated a month's worth of kitten food. The tack room, Kessy's barn and playground are all a bustle with the pitter patter of tiny feet. It looks like the Coffee Clutch is gaining new members. The only ones here not real convinced this was a good idea are the chickens; Robbie says they'll get over it.

Gitty Up, Dutch Henry

"Coffee Clutch is back!"

Howdy Friends! – Coffee Clutch is back! – Today is the first day Coffee Clutch is officially back since my heart attack, surgery and recovery! And the Hummingbirds knew it and welcomed me with much fanfare, buzzing and squeaking all around the feeder just outside Kessy's bedroom. It felt so good to once again settle in my old chair next to the finest mare I've ever known, sip a little steaming Folgers (decafe) in my brand spankin' new Coffee Clutch mug sent me by our friend Darlene Hohensee (Thanks Darlene) and listen to her munch away. My new mug has a picture of our Coffee Clutch and my name!

First Official Coffee Clutch Day Back - With my new Coffee Clutch Mug -

Oh sure I've been out in the barn spending time with Kessy, brushing her and following Ravishin' Robbie as she does all the chores, for weeks already, even sat with Kessy in the barn and woods. But morning Coffee Clutch is a special time I've missed so dearly. Our barn is tucked in the woods bringing birds so close as they dine with the chickens at the cracked corn scatterings. Cardinals, Towhees, Chickadees, Titmice, and other seed eating birds swoop in to hop about and eat, and the chickens never mind their company. Most mornings the wild birds stay longer than the chickens!

This morning was a very active bird morning from hummers buzzing their feeder, to everyone at the cracked corn and treetops filled with Robins trilling, a Scarlet Tanager, and in the distance even a Wood Thrush joined in while a Bluebird sat high in a tulip tree letting go his sweet notes to float down to me.

Since walking every day is part of my morning routine now, and forever they tell me, I had to make an adjustment to my routine. Gotta get up earlier! Sometime just before six I roll from under the covers, head out and walk first lick. It's good right now to beat the heat and bugs at that time anyway. Our grassy trail through the woods is just over a half mile, which I now walk in 25 minutes. The bird watching is top notch there too, and I'd probably walk it faster if I didn't stop so often to search the treetops and underbrush.

Ravishin' Robbie, Saturday and I walk our "Recovery Trail" together then go to the barn. I'm helping a bit with the chores now, the easy light stuff like Kessy's soaked Timothy cubes (Kessy's on an all forage diet) and the chicken scratch. Walking and chores finished, I settle in my chair next to Kessy, and pour a cup (I'm only doing one cup now instead of a pot), and enjoy the start of another beautiful morning. It's so wonderful to be back where I belong!

God Bless, Thank you all for your prayers, love, cards, letters, and support! … Have a beautiful day, and life ~

Gitty Up, 

Dutch Henry

"We'll Sort This Out – Pt 4"

Howdy Folks,

 

I wrote a short story, for our Coffee Clutch friends, "We'll Sort This Out" about a boy fleeing a bad home situation set back in homestead times – You can find that story (HERE) – Off and on I've gotten requests to continue the story. Then I wrote Part 2 (HERE).  And Part 3 (HERE) Because of requests to keep the story going and I've decided to turn it into a serial like stories in old time magazines – I hope you enjoy Part 4. – We left Frank and the boy as they were just about to ride up on his homestead.

Kessy, Saturday & me writing a story

 We'll Sort This Out – Pt4

"My name's Mark." The boy hurried Blackie to catch up to Frank.

"What's that?" Frank slowed his horse and twisted in the saddle.

"My name's Mark. And he ain't our father."

Frank stopped his horse and reached over to take Blackie's reins. Mark felt his eyes trying to pull answers from him. "He's not your father? … Who is he? Maybe you'd better fill me in a bit more before we get there. Just over that knob is the house."

The boy knew where he was. He'd hidden behind this very hill many times to avoid the man's fury. He and his sister had huddled here often. They knew every tree, every rock and crevice on the slope. He'd been hoping they would find her here this morning. His worried young eyes had already scoured all their hiding places. It had been their plan, if they ever got separated, they would meet here. That had been their plan, until a day ago when the man had discovered them, and beat them both, again.

"No he's … nobody … " Tears streaked the boys face, his tiny body trembled. He looked deep into Frank's eyes. "He just took us. My sister and me, we were living with our momma." He broke a small smile. "We had a farm, like yours." Tears started again. "Then he just came, pretended to be our friend. After a few days, he beat our momma, and he just took us."

Frank swung from his horse, wrapped his arms around the boy, hugged him hard.

"We were here hiding here in our safe place, waiting for him to go away. I was gonna sneak to the house for supplies, then we were going to run away … but he found us. He knocked me down, then turned on my sister … She told me to run, Frank … She hollered for me to get away." Sobs broke his voice. "I ran to your barn … but I should never have left her."

Frank jerked his rifle from the scabbard, swung up on his horse, "You stay here!" Then started over the hill. At the crest, he stopped.

The boy rode to his side, his blank eyes surveyed what lay before them. A thick cloud of black smoke hung low over the ruble that had been the cabin. Their cow lay dead in the yard. The barn doors hung open. Without waiting for Frank he grabbed the horn and kicked Blackie to a run. He heard Frank order him to stop as he raced down the hill, but kicked Blackie on. Frank caught him, jerked the reins from his hands, then with his rifle at the ready, led them to the barn.

Together they searched the barn and found it empty. But in the mud just outside the doors were tell tale wheel ruts and tracks from a pair of horses. His sister's bonnet lay mashed in the mud.

They searched the tall grass in the fields around the barn. Mark knew all their hiding places. She was in none of them. No signs she had time to leave any messages either. Sometimes they'd left messages when hiding separately, a broken branch meant look for me in the barn, tiny twisted grass bundles meant I'm hiding behind the big oak. Today there were no messages.

Nothing could be made of the smoldering cabin. The boy was glad Frank told him to hold the horses and wait while he searched the black, smoking wood a piles of smelly junk. His heart pounded, his breath came in gasps as stood dazed, waiting to be assured his sister was not … 

"He must have taken your sister with him. From the looks of all this he came back, set the place on fire and left right after he came looking for you."

The boy's eyes spoke for him. No sounds could come from his throat. His sister. She would be terrified now, without him there to protect her. Why did he run and leave her behind? Why didn't he tell Frank and Martha everything right away? How could he have slept a night safe in their cabin, leaving her with him?

"Yes we'll set out after him. We'll find them and get your sister. But first, we've got to get back, make sure Martha's okay." Frank's eyes washed with sudden worry. They set out with all the speed the horses had.

***********************

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry