A Tennessee Farm and the Man Who Loved It ..tractors, trucks, kinfolks

The Strong Old Man Bought the Farm.

One of the barns and an out-building.  
Farm cats found the barns made a good home.

There is a dogwood tree planted in his memory. On the marker below the name and dates is this simple line:  “He Bought the Farm”.   For those who do not know, to buy the farm is like kicking the bucket, to bite the dust, to croak, to give up the ghost, to go to a better place and other colloquial expressions about death and dying. Each culture must have similar expressions.

I say this man bought the farm twice.  That is why the expression is on the memorial marker. His wife told me he would appreciate the message. He was a stern man at times, a real talker all the time, a thinking man and a man whom I dearly loved. My point of view of his personality was tempered differently than those of his several children.  He told me he was likely too hard on them, too much of a disciplinarian in their growing years.  He had softened in the later years when I knew him best.  We became good friends, years apart and many experiences apart yet good friends with a strong mutual respect for each other.

A bluebird house next to a storage shed, seen on a foggy morning

He wanted a small farm.  This would be a place to spend time working and thinking and taking in the peace of the land.  He bought that farm and spent much time using his extensive mechanical knowledge and skill to refurbish and fix-up.  There was always a garden too large to give proper care, hay fields to mow and a huge patch of blackberries ready for the picking in season.  With the blackberries came the occasional chigger bite but the berries were abundant and delicious.  There were also Mulberry trees, a strange tree for anyone who sees the fruit for the first time. Hanging from the tree are fruits that look like long blackberries, delicious, hard to get to on higher branches and proven to stain fingers a blood red.  Those berries appear hanging in the wrong place, on a tree instead of a bush.

An old Dodge truck, painted in John Deere colors

He spent his time redoing the farmhouse, fixing up here and there on out buildings, mowing the fields and watching wild turkeys and deer pass by. He loved the farm and it kept him going strong most of the time until he bought the farm the second time

You might want to imagine this as a simple country home or a place to go when you want to get away from the busy life. In imaginary places, you don’t have the daily chores or the weekend given to re-boarding the large porch around half the house, replacing worn electrical wires and repairing the well. In an imaginary country get away, you go and do what you want around the house and barns. You walk through the fields and into to woods, stirring up a few deer along the way or a fox, perhaps.  There is a good chance Brer Rabbit was in the blackberry patch.

Tree row in early morning fog:

A good time to see deer in the field nearby

In reality, this man went to the farm to get stuff done... he liked the work and fix’n up the old place. He got as much joy from that as anything else about his farm. He understood what makes a tractor work, how to tune the engine or fix a broken hitch and make the mower actually mow the fields.  In some years, he invited kids and their families out for fall cookouts and hayrides around the farm.

Smoked chicken for a July 4th feast, along with fried corn, corn on the cob, hot dogs, hamburgers and all the salad fix'ns and ice cream...typical for a get-together.  At this time, the old man was gone and the marker was at his dogwood tree.

As more years passed,  the hayride events stopped but he stayed active tinkering and fixing, always enjoying driving his tractor around the far field across the creek then back up around the barns. He liked to restore and improve the place and indeed he did that up to a week before his last day. I was out there and watched him drive the tractor up the field along the tree rows to the barn . 

Once in a while family and friends spend a day together at the farm.  There is still a garden an it is still almost too large to handle. He would likely have something to say about that.  He always did have something to say, up to the day he bought the farm the second time. 

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Thomas Haynes is a photographer working out of Clinton, Tennessee, a city just north of Knoxville. His photography is often of a fine arts direction but as in this post, his love of nature takes him again to the Clinch River Raptor Center, a rehabilitation and educational not-for-profit organization.. Visit Thomas and see more of his photography at  Facebook

 Contact Thomas to discuss photography you want done. 

Do Animals Have a Soul? Do pets and animals go to Heaven?

There is a discussion on the “Pet Friendly, Animal Lovers” group forum on LinkedIn asking this question: "Does everyone here believe that their pets have souls? I had a Minister once tell me they didn't….” You might need to log-in to read; I am not certain if log-in is needed. Here is a link.

http://www.linkedin.com/e/-tto3ye-gtbr2zn8-48/vaq/69132748/89012/53766376/view_disc/?hs=false&tok=3xizeOe9BF6kY1 

DEFINE SOUL
This is a tough one. The words in biblical passages of Judaism and Christianity are not clear in translation and same words are sometimes used in different context, from a spiritual entity to the essential "spirit of man", the living substance and the nature of living things. Yet, there is sufficient teaching of an afterlife for the spirits of mankind. The soul in that context is that part which transcends to afterlife which is the center focus of the question. So, the question is, "Do animals have a spirit which will be in an afterlife following earthly death?"

We are going to heaven but we want a home here first!

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Note to Atheists: Atheists reading this blog post, please sit back and hear out what might be babbling to you or move on. I have no problem with your reading this and hope you do; I simply cannot believe that God does not exist and  does not work in my life.

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I believe the God of my faith has great concern for His creation and has made provision of an afterlife for animals and what creatures suit his desires. I see the covenant to Noah after the great flood being given to the creatures, to the earth, not only to man. In some translations, as the covenant with “the rainbow memory jogger” is given, it is to the creatures first and then to mankind. And passages say the creation longs for a new existence beyond our cycle of birth and decay. The creation is clearly important to God and creatures actually must give some form of accounting of their actions according to their nature, something way beyond my ability to reason and state in any knowing manner beyond this sentence.

Fanciful Imagination of a Dove 

Flying a Spirit to Heaven

Gold in quartz gem, sterling silver and 18k gold

DO ANIMALS HAVE A SOUL FOR THE AFTERLIFE?

There is not a way to say no or yes. Those who demand the “People yes, animals no” answer have placed mankind in a rather arrogant position and have missed the place of the creation in the will of God. Those who demand YES are hopeful but proof is in believing, not in biblical evidences. We simply do not know the answer.

People have posted to the LinkedIn forum stating a belief in the souls of their pets and that those will be with them in heaven. The bible teaches than there will be no husband and wife relationships in heaven, the implication being we will not know who we were before in relation to other saved souls. The total inexplicable joy of heaven itself is so great there is no room or need for earthly thoughts. Will our pets be there? Again, I do not have an answer. Could be.. or it could be creatures are in a spiritual world made for them and not the heaven for saved human souls. We really have almost no answers to the questions of animals and souls.

This photo was taken in 2010 when a group of folks I know gave a substantial truck load of needed food and other items to a local animal shelter. The puppy was adopted that day.

 If you want to comment on this topic, please do. If you can in some way enlighten me, please do that, also.

Of course, my primary concern is for human souls, believing as a Christian that God does have a heaven afterlife for those who do His will.  Getting to heaven is not a check list completed, having membership in any particular brand-name church organization or simply believing He will save everyone.  Heaven is a biblical teaching and that same teaching source includes how God wants people to live and love to receive His graceful forgiveness and place in heaven.

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THE FOLLOWING IS A CURIOSITY INCLUDED BECAUSE OF THE “No Soul” TEACHING.  It is quite possible to have a faith based on God and Bible and believe we have no soul.

CHURCH OF NO SOULS

A few years ago I was handed a leaflet from a group of religious folk who filled my small front porch. I did not discuss with them but took the leaflet. The question on the cover went something like this: How Do You Know You Are in the Right Church? I found the answer inside. Ready for this one?

The leaflet stated boldly “If your church teaches you have a soul you are in the wrong church.” This literature quite forcefully stepped on the toes of about any religion recognized in the Jewish/Christian realm. No Christian denomination of which I am aware was left with toes intact. All were quite violently pounded by this “truth”. Telling believers the foundation of their personal self which will go to heaven by the judgment of God…the soul…does not exist is the opposite of good marketing methods. 

In fairness to those on the doorstep, they believe not in "going to heaven" but in  a paradise on earth occupied by their members living in transformed bodies. Apparently that transformation requires no soul.   It will take research to find out if animals are included in the "paradise on earth" belief, research I will leave to someone with more free time. I will not be in "paradise" because membership is exclusive to their sect. A specified number of their group will actually go to heaven while the rest remain in the newly formed paradise.

This information is included to that show at least one well known "bible based" religious organization believes humans have no soul and is content with that belief.  They believe in afterlife for their members but not in "hell" for the others. Instead of hell and punishment, the unsaved apparently go poof into oblivion.

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Surely, we must all remain open minded with hearts of love for others, spending more time in service for humankind and stewardship of this creation. I am less concerned on how God adapts the soul for eternal life than knowing He does make that promise to his children.

BIG CAT SANCTUARY STILL FACING LAWSUIT WAR WITH NEIGHBOR GROUP

TIGER HAVEN, big cat sanctuary is still under attack by neighbors. 

A visit some years ago showed the sanctuary to be clean and the big cats receiving good care and veterinary help as needed. The sanctuary is larger now but even then similar complaints were voiced in public venue from a group of residents in the area. Not in the current article (link below) are positive comments from other neighbors reported some few years ago. There may very well be motives more personal than the stated complaints, as earlier legal actions were alleged as “land war” concerned less with the cats than “outsiders” purchasing the land in the first place. Who but the people involved know the real truth?  Likely none of us do!  I have not approached Tiger Haven in an effort to gain photography access for posts such as this one.  See the Tiger Haven website for current operational and rescue information.

Neighbors Sue the Sanctuary

http://bigcatrescue.org/2011/tiger-haven-sued-for-10-million-by-neighbors/

Counter-suit by Tiger Haven

http://www.wate.com/story/15479533/tiger-haven-sues-roane-county-neighbors-over-harassment

Please go to the Tiger Haven website and see what it looks like in a peaceful view:

http://tigerhaven.org/page.asp?page=3&p=About%20Tiger%20Haven

Tiger Haven is simply defined as a sanctuary, a place for rescued large cats to live out the rest of their years in peace. Tiger Haven is private and not a zoo. It is not a breeding facility and in fact, males are provided vasectomies, a method allowing the cats to live more naturally without adding to the cat population. See the Tiger Haven website and be pleased with the rescues done there.  The work is tireless and does come at a price.  Contributions are always needed, including money, particular supplies and veterinary services.

The big cat population consists of many different species including lions, tigers, leopards and cats of rarer types rescued from unhealthy and often illegal ownership situations.

RESCUED AND ADOPTED CATS NEW LIFE HISTORIES

NEW PAGES WILL TELL OF CATS ADOPTED AND RESCUED. The cats came from shelters or "showed up" living on their own in neighborhoods having been dumped or after escape from cruelty.  These animals have lived in a good home for several years since rescue and each has a story to tell. 

Molly is a gray blue cat with very soft fur...adopted 3 years ago after being lost or thrown out.

 Click for a larger view.

Many people make good caretakers for pets. Unfortunately, many who take in pets, whether dogs, cats or other animals simply do not provide the care the animals need.  The animal may have a home but later die because proper  medical attention was not considered needed for an "animal" or the owners were not willing or able to pay for medical care. Females of both cats and dogs are often adopted then become pregnant because the owner cannot afford to spay the animal or simply refuses to pay for spaying.  The female may then be dumped, taken to the shelter or worse.  Babies are given away with little thought of the home awaiting them or are taken to shelters. In a worse case, babies are killed because they are not wanted and the mother is blamed for becoming pregnant.

WILL YOU BE A GOOD PET OWNER/CARETAKER?   Read the short stories of the cats in upcoming pages and ask if you would be as willing to provide for the animals.  Animals bred for pets do not survive well in the wild, regardless of the misconceptions of them being wild animals and capable in wild settings. A feral cat or dog will survive only a few short years and a domestic one dumped into the wild will die in a relatively short time of starvation, predation or disease.

I HOPE YOU ARE OR WILL BE A RESPONSIBLE PET CARETAKER. The situation is one of sharing and those who love domesticated animals will readily tell how much the animal provides in joy, comfort, companionship and simple fun. As this article is continued, short stories of particular rescued animals will be told, simple stories you may find very well worth reading. 

Look for new stories on the tabs in the header of this web page. 

 The stories will tell of funny things, strange events and health issues faced and taken on.  Happy stories are best and most of the upcoming stories will be happy ones.  I will tell of ghostly cats and a cat who was a genius in geometric designs. You will also read of hydration for cats with kidney failure and radio iodine treatment for cats with overactive thyroid glands.  You will also learn how the very, very biggest was the most gentle and quiet of all..with heart of love.

The stories will be published as pages, a method used in blogs to tell continuing and connected articles.  To publish as daily posts always puts the most recent story at the top. That is good for daily postings but for a continued article everything is backwards, last to first. So, to keep it in order, tabs will be in the page header for the cat stories so you may easily choose which to read.

I may solicit your story?  Do you want to tell readers about your rescued pet? Email that to me and I will get back with you about using it. I am still thinking how this might work out. If you want, I can edit and rewrite your story for you. Stories will need to be no longer than the post you are now reading. (My MS Word says this is about 600 words. Do not worry about the exact length but please try to stay close.)

Now, I am off to do other business and hope you will find the upcoming pages on rescued animals to be worth reading and passing on to others.        Sincerely,   Thomas Haynes..

PHOTO EXHIBIT "HOW TO" FOR BEGINNERS IS REMOVED.

I have saved it all including the photos and will provide the info to anyone needing it again in the future. For now, other projects await and the photo exhibit pages need to be revamped and updated prior to republishing.

You want what?  Email me or comment to this post to suggest an article.  I know something of digital photography work and processing. Suggest a photo if you want to do that. I know a lot about jewelry work but am burned out on that now. (In the sidebar  there is a link to a place I help with  jewelry questions...please use that link and not the blog for jewelry subjects.) I do know something of God and Christ in Christianity. 

My Christianity..a point of view for life developed over many years,  thinking I had a handle on the life God wants for me and learning I have much more to learn about what is really happening. I am learning better how to endure tougher times and try to see what that has to do with my growth as a person of God.  That personal trial and journey is on going and vital.  The tabbed pages on "God" are imagination used to paint a story of a search for God.  The method is flawed as thoughts flowed with a stream of consciousness to the keypad; yet, value is there in an "unedited" sort of way.  Those pages are not complete. That is one wall I face:  Trying to complete the "God" pages in a meaningful, telling manner.  It must be done in truth and not so hidden in surreal environments and imaginary places.

In the meantime, let's be off to fun, joy, happiness and...endurance.

Yellow Rose, Red Rose...Anniversary Treasure in an Off Year

Symbols of Memories...

Is it a song, a photograph, a smell or a place?  What stirs your memories to events wonderful and to events you would rather not remember?  I will speak only of good memories today and small treasures in life in the form of an actual thing and the memory it brings to surface in my thoughts.

While serendipitous events of everyday life may evoke pleasing thoughts of happenings long passed, many of us create small boxes of memory joggers for no reason other than holding our memories and for sharing with others. The dried roses in the photo are one small treasure in this home. At other places in the home are discretely displayed vases of dried roses.  Given to celebrate and remember our wedding anniversary,  each year was marked with an additional fresh yellow rose.  The number was up to over two dozen roses when the cut back happened.

Going into the new year of 2011 my employment was cut away. In a couple of months she lost her job, also.  This was a year for a vase of many roses delivered so she could enjoy the blossoms and opening buds during the work week. She might even receive a kind comment from a coworker.  All of that would bring joy to me.  But not this year...no  roses and no office for delivery.

Look at the vase in the photo.  On the left is one dried red rose and with it one yellow one.  This year, there is a yellow rose for the year and a red one to represent all the years before.  These roses have a home in the vase of roses from an earlier year. Next year should bring a new vase very, very full of yellow roses.  And, there is an office to receive the delivery.


I must pray thanksgiving to our God for the many years and now for her new employment.  By next year, I should be re-employed, one way or the other.  I also thank God for creating such beauty as roses.  These flowers do hold significant places in my memories, whether the yellow one of anniversary or the old Welsh roses from an earlier  post.


What you might have of good memories, what you might have of kindness in your heart relived...I pray those thoughts will come to bring you joy.

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