A New Life, New Town, & New Landscape Part II

     It’s been over three months now that we’ve been living in our new part of the world.  We are so grateful to be in such a lovely place.  Since we’ve been married the mountains have been calling to us.  We love the mountains not only for the dry, cool air and dramatic rolling hills, but also the pioneering spirit that resides there.  

     We spent our first year of marriage in Southern Mississippi near the Gulf of Mexico, and on our first year anniversary we moved to the Piedmont region of North Carolina.  For the past year and a half my husband and I have been in limbo, not knowing where we would put down roots.  We have been like nomads, living out of boxes, never really feeling a sense of permanency.
  

     Since my last post we’ve added a beautiful barn cat from an elderly couple that owns a farm.  Her previous owners named her “Michelle”, but we’re calling her “Kitty” for now.  She has a gorgeous, shiny black coat—the shiniest we’ve ever seen.   She is a sweet, smart cat who knows how to defend herself, which has been priceless in our neck of the woods. 

     There are foxes and several dogs that roam onto our property including a male bulldog next door that, when not pinned-up, spends his day marking his territory and looking for scraps.  He’s a good dog, but he has difficulty resisting peer pressure from friends (e.g., a coon dog, a hound dog, a boxer, and a German Shepard).  And, the first thing on their agenda is to terrorize our sweet Kitty.  But, Kitty quickly puts them in their place and sends them on their way!

     From day one, even as a kitten, Kitty has shown herself to be a valiant girl.  Whenever her tail-wagging foes arrive, she arches her back and shows her teeth with the hiss of a tiger.  It’s comforting to know that she can take care of herself out here in the country where, for animals, it’s a little bit like the Wild, Wild West!

     And, really, Kitty’s biggest nuisance—her most present threat—is, and may always be, her own tail.  I’ve tried to help her make friends with it, but so far, nothing has worked.  I’ve put her in front of a mirror, held her tail up, and tried to introduce it to her.  


     But, my efforts have been fruitless.  She still fights it with fury. 

     I walked outside this morning, and the dry, windy air reminded me of where we are now (in the foothills of the amazing Blue Ridge Mountains) and where we came from (the humid, flat coastal plains).  Sometimes it’s hard to believe how quickly our lives transformed.  My husband loves it so much up here.  He says that going to work every day in the mountains is like being on vacation.

     Tonight, at the closing of the Sabbath, I stopped to take in the view of the sun going down over the Brushy Mountains in the distance.  I was reminded of how hard we prayed to get here.  And, I realized that my prayers had been answered far beyond what I could have imagined.

     Finally, we're home.

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