with Patsy Nobles Jones
“We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love.”
Our community expresses sympathy to the families of Joy Clifford Gilliam (8-9-29 to 10-15-19), a dear lady and niece of Effie Rhodes Nobles – Unity (I had planned to visit her again soon after Sheila Cox said she was not well – another failure on my part); Cletus Lee Wade (1-1-15 to 10-16-19) who was a fixture at Reagan Café. He was full of fun and so much history. I regret not writing his story. In three months he would have been celebrating 105 years on this earth. How blessed his family was with his presence – Sardis Cemetery; Jimmy Franklin Pickett (9-12-49 to 10-18-19) served in US Navy – Cabo Cemetery; Andy Joe Brown (1-15-71 to 10-17-19), son of Bill and Charlene who greet so warmly at Shackelford – private graveside services – Memory Gardens; and Mary Laverne Maness Blair (10-16-28 to 10-18-19), daughter of Emmett Blanchard (Mary Ester Brasher) Maness (my grandmother’s brother) died in Jackson, Mich. Laverne’s husband, “Gary,” had died April 15, 2019, so much stress was felt by Laverne’s five children. Maness Family had just lost Emmett’s great-grandson, Matthew Neely (10-10-19), thus loving contact was made by phone to Michigan. Surviving siblings are Katherine Dean, Alice Terry Stovall, Barbara Johnson and Janice Boone.
Prayer requested for Sheila Cox. She’s the granddaughter of Oscar and Effie Rhodes Nobles.
Tenderly remember Joan Ruth Rhodes (10-23-17); Joy Yates Maness (10-23-17); and “Mamaw” Beulah Nobles (10-25-93).
Seventy-three kisses and hugs to the man of my dreams, Don Jones (10-24) – he is a good hubby and Poppie. Happy Birthday!
Jacks Creek Fire Department invites you for a stew sale. The men will be cooking early and will have it ready at 11 a.m. Saturday.
October is declared “Elephant Awareness” month in Tennessee. Hohenwald is the nation’s largest natural-habitat refuge (2,700 acres founded in 1995) for elephants retired from performances and exhibition. My adopted daughter, Shirley, age 71, is thriving there as the matriarch with much patience for each new family herd member. Google www.elephants.com. You can see all elephants on “ele-cams” on their web-site.
People are becoming aware of cruelty to circus animals. Many zoos do not have ample walking room, so “foot rot” is a serious issue. In the wild some walk 15-20 miles; others walk 30 or more while foraging for food, playing in water and taking mud baths. Some can walk up to 1,200 miles a day. We don’t attend circuses to show our support for animals “made” to perform tricks for entertainment. Read to learn. Consider asking the library to order the most educational book on elephants, “Last Chain on Billie: How One Extraordinary Elephant Escaped the Big Top,” by Carol Bradley. I bought the book for my collection. It is an eye-opener! Billie was beaten by four men for 15 minutes with their weapon of choice. One man chose a baseball bat to use on her head repeatedly. Read her story – it will change your thinking!
This author met another elephant, Fluffy, early and trained her to “roller skate.” Have you seen elephants skating in the wild? It is not natural. Carol realized this and raised $25,000 to buy her and renamed her Tarra. Her safe home is Hohenwald. Tarra was stolen from her Momma and herd family in 1974. She was six-months old and shipped in a wooden crate by cargo plane to California. Tarra was put on exhibition at a tire store. Thankfully, Carol rescued Tarra, and she became the first resident at Hohenwald Elephant Sanctuary.
There Tarra had a near-constant canine companion for eight years. Bella lived 11 years at Tarra’s side. Sadly, Bella died, but other elephants became near and dear to her. She would trumpet, and they would come immediately. All elephants have different personalities like humans. Tarra trumpets and spins as transport trailer arrives with new family. Tarra carries a stick in her mouth as she travels. She loves watermelons. Shirley loves bananas. Billie loves bananas and jelly beans; Mary Randolph and I do, too. Ha-ha
Oct. 12, 2019 – California became the third state to prohibit circuses from using wild or exotic animals. The law was signed by Governor Galvin Newsom. In 2018, New Jersey and Hawaii enforced a ban on circuses using these animals, too. New York, Massachusetts and Illinois legislation currently is being studied. Elephants are keeping their trunks crossed!
I emphasize kindness to children, elderly and animals. We are their only voice. All the beatings (hidden bruises and accidental broken bones) are possible signs. Teachers, observe kids. Soiled or wrinkled clothing, unsocial behavior and unclean and uncombed hair say a lot for children or elderly. Even animals like to be washed and combed, too. They can feel the love as humans do. We can help all three because we care. Help our City Dog Pound, City Dog Park and Loving Paws Rescue. Every dollar helps. God bless.
“We’ll say bye for now, and we love you.” – Harry Brown
