Benefactors, Masses, Jenny the Jeep, Chickens (sad) and great progress on the hermitage!

Thanks for directing Mass intentions my way, against all my protestations…

• Wednesday, 3 October, 2012, Holy Mass is offered for Monsignor J.S., at the request of T.B.
• Thursday, 4 October through 2 November, 2012, Holy Mass is offered for S. and R. at the request of F.K.

Thanks to recent benefactors, I was able to get a new battery for Jenny, as you know. Turns out, she also needs a new watchamacallit, into which all the wires go, and over which glop is poured (whatever the name of that is. The neighbor helped to install this. If any more donations come in, against all my, indeed, tantrum like protestations, perhaps I’ll be able to get a drivers seat for Jenny. The back has been broken off of it for over a year now I think… Jenny plays the mother hen once in a while.

The sad bit is that not even one of the eggs hatched. DON’T count your eggs before they are hatched! I’ll try again later, if I can finally get a heat lamp to put the eggs. My chickens are not at all good brooders, despite the size eggs they lay.

Anyway, I used Jenny to bring up 46 firebricks (to line the inside of the woodstove, to conserve on firewood!), 9 sheets of corrugated tin and four sheets of plywood, not to mention kindling, all in one trip up the mountain. She did well, not skipping a beat. This was after I carried a steel door (framed) up the mountain on my back, when Jenny was stilling ailing. This was all due to your donations, which I took advantage of, ripping out, finally, the unrolled polyurethane sheeting “door” and “wall” of the entrance of the hermitage. All this ate into what you all sent in, but, I think, it is worth it in preparation for winter. Here’s a shot of the new front entrance. Note the additional steps up which I also added. This was all done in one day, mind you…

You might be wondering why I got the plywood and tin. Here are some more pics of the rest of the Western Wall (the blue bit behind the plastic will be installed elsewhere in the hermitage, I think along the chapel wall, under the window), then a view from the South, East and North:

The “wire” you see in the picture from the South below is the old, now lightning struck and defunct Verizon antenna. I’ll have to do something about getting that new one…

Here’s the upper bit along the Eastern side. In the next week, I’m going to try to do something about the bit above the chapel at least…

Here’s part of the Northern wall. Not as bad as it looks. There is a bit of wood and a couple of windows behind all that, but most of it is open air behind the plastic…

And just in case you didn’t think there were still critters inside the hermitage just because I now have a door, here’s a shot of a hummingbird in flight inside (above the altar!). He got out safely… They’re rare up on the mountain, in the forest… A pleasant surprise.

Thank you, thank you again for supporting the hermitage. I just may be a bit warmer this winter. The first winter in the loft of the barn, and the second behind the plastic sheeting was hard on the computers and books. The door makes a great difference. Hopefully, I’ll be able to start getting settled. That will go a long way on the writing efforts. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Oh, I better say it once again. I can’t solicite donations in North Carolina, since that would be against the law, since I don’t yet have a federal 501(c)3, which is due to logistics not in my control. Perhaps I will be able to get that changed in future times. Sooner than later, I hope! If you are going to force donations on me, don’t write anything out to Holy Souls Hermitage, as that can’t be cashed. It has to be to GEORGE DAVID BYERS and sent to the mailing address, which is:

GEORGE DAVID BYERS
102 COLLEGE STATION DRIVE
SUITE 3 – PMB 233
BREVARD, NC 28712

If you are sending a package, and need a phone number on the form, use the number of the UPS Store (the above address). They will sign for me. Their number is: 828 883 4701.

I haven’t started to get any firewood for the Winter yet. Soon, soon! Jenny is kind of fixed, so that will help immensely.

May our dear Lord continue to bless you all

according to the perfect intercession of the Immaculate Conception.

I pray for you all daily.