The Light

A good armed stroll about the countryside but my shooting was pretty desultory; still, it was good to pull the trigger and hear the shotgun do its thing. The cows, Polled Herefords, seemed mostly oblivious.

After visiting with parishioners I got on the dirt road and headed for home. By the time I got to asphalt the sun was huge and seemed to fill everything with a fiery golden mist. So I put the LSP Technical on autopilot and took a picture, which doesn't do the thing justice but gives a glimmer.

I tell you, it was hard to see - very "Golden Void" and "Warrior on the Edge of Time." Certainly made up for sub par shooting.

I understand that The Sun has come out against the Labour Party. Go figure.

Space is Deep,

LSP

Well Done That Man!

After my final Mass of the day a parishioner gave me battered old brown briefcase. I said, "Thank you very much!" and took it home. Inside was a...

.38 Special and...

A box of ammo.

Result! As SBW used and might still say.

I love Texas, my Missions and their people.

Good shooting.

LSP

Vicarious Hunting, Part I

Many thanks to the Provincial Secretary of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) for this Elk bow hunting guest post; he was fortunate enough to get out to Southern Colorado for the experience and if I said I wasn't a little envious I'd be lying, which is a sin, so...

We left Texas at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. On the drive up P. and I partook of the Blessed Sacrament as there was no opportunity to attend Divine Service, but I had brought my pyx. We followed D. and D. as they were pulling a travel trailer. We arrived at Forbes Park, Colorado about 4:30 p.m. On arrival, we rendezvoused with B. and J. at the campsite, unpacked our gear, and got the tents pitched. Called it an early night – 10,00 feet above sea level takes some adjustment.

Monday we awoke to the yapping of young coyotes. It was a very eerie sound. After a hearty breakfast, we went up to the salt lick and hung our stands. The remainder of the day we rode around and continued to get acclimated to the altitude. I had not come prepared to hunt. I didn’t bring a bow, I brought a camera. I was prepared to watch and enjoy the action...

At full dark, we went down to the meadow in the truck to look for wildlife. We stopped at the meadow at the prairie dog town to enjoy the splendor of the starry sky. What a sight! From horizon to horizon, we were captivated by the glory of the heavens. We went on and at the next meadow we spotlighted a herd of cow elks numbering about 40 head. As we rounded the corner by the prairie dog town heading back, our headlights captured a magnificent 6x6 bull elk. He was obviously looking for the ladies in the next field over. He was tremendous!

Despite early promise the Elks didn't cross the sights of the bows - but deer did (Ed):

...On the down side of the mountain we stopped to investigate a wallow that I had looked at last year. Sure enough, we found much evidence of recent elk use. As we headed down the back side of the mountain we also came across more tracks of elk, deer, and even that of a possible mountain lion in the mud from the previous day's rain. When we arrived back at camp, three and a half hours after our departure, we discovered that J. had downed a ten point mule deer buck still in velvet. They had field-dressed the deer and packed up the meat by the time we returned. In fact, J. and B. had had to leave for the airport right after the had taken care of stowing the meat.... (to be continued)

That strikes me as a tremendously good time - though I have to admit that I would have wanted a bow as well as a camera, not that I really know how to shoot either.

God bless and good hunting.

LSP

Saint Lawsuit

Pelosian Skulduggery in Passedena

I know its strange, but the more pelosian The Episcopal Church becomes the fewer people it attracts and the less money it has. Has for what? For suing departing Dioceses and Parishes of course and make no mistake, that can be pretty costly. So to make ends meet TEC has enlisted the help of St. Ives, advocate and patron of the poor. Here's an excerpt from TEC's latest begging letter sent to law-firms in the hope of enlisting money to take Christians to court:

"The recent 76th (2009) General Convention allocated $3 million for legal assistance to Dioceses... A substantial amount has already been expended... in support of Diocesan property litigation.

In order to reduce the pressure on a budget already strained... the St. Ives Fund was established... We are asking for your support of the St. Ives Fund."

You can read the whole thing at Stand Firm along with an interesting link to the financial disaster that property litigation has brought to the Diocese of Colorado. But who knows, maybe St. Ives is going to turn it all around for his newfound LGBT, abortionist supporters? Somehow I doubt it.

LSP

Dies Irae

I came across a description of late seventeenth century Pennsylvania life on Woodsrunner's blog. Daniel Pastorius (founder of Germantown, Philadelphia) writes:

"They (American Indians) listen very willingly, and not without perceptible emotion, to discourse concerning the Creator of Heaven and earth and His divine Light, which enlightens all men who have come into the world and who are yet to be born, and concerning the wisdom and love of God, because of which he gave his only-begotten and most dearly-beloved Son to die for us. It is only to be regretted that we can not yet speak their language readily and therefore cannot set forth to them the thoughts and intent of our own hearts, namely, how great a power and salvation lies concealed in Christ Jesus. They are very quiet and thoughtful in our gatherings, so that I fully believe that in the future, at the great Day of Judgment, they will come forth with those of Tyre and Sidon and put to shame many thousands of false nominal and canting Christians."

I found that pretty humbling and something of a warning. You can read the whole thing here, if you like.

LSP

Churches I Like

I love the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem because I believe its the authentic site of Our Lord's Crucifixion and Burial; also because the Byzantine architecture of late antiquity soars - the dome pictured appears to float, which is no mean feat and right ethereal. You'll meet monks there, begging for money; give it to them, far better value than various other taxes.

I know it sounds 'sexist' but the women of the parish(s) don't want to pay these anymore and talk angrily about 'secession'. They're very fierce and radical.

Keep the Holy Places safe,

LSP

Horse & Snakeshot

Had a really enjoyable ride, which seemed to include cantering around tractor tires and three tall plastic bollards, or pillars, then sitting and posting trot followed by more cantering without the discipline of the 'bollards'. Huge fun and yet another positive movement forwards in The Plan of going at a furiously fast pace across country and jumping over obstacles. Not there yet but making steady progress.

After Horse it was time for Gun, so I went to the Stock Tank for some impromptu ranging about at 50 yards. Good shooting was interrupted by a snake that foolishly made its way across the tank. They're dangerous things so I shot it as it left the water on the target side of the tank; it flailed about for a moment then died.

Speaking of which, the once flailing Weathermen (Weather Underground) didn't die, as I'd thought for years. No, they continued to make their mark in Chicago, not that that has anything to do with the current administration and radical, bomb throwing Marxism.

Have a great Sunday and good shooting.

LSP

More Birds, Less M.O.D.

Someone else's dove

Walked the tree lines mid-morning in search of birds, flushed several, missed and was surprised when a second group of three or four of the airborne acrobats cunningly flew over me from behind. I was busy reloading and missed the shot, exciting though to get some wing shot action right out of the gate, as it were.

Continued to a small copse in the middle of a large neighbouring field, thinking, "Ah hah, that looks like the sort of small copse they'd like to loaf about in," and sure enough they did. Got off a couple of successful shots then moved down towards the tree line at the bottom of the field - no shortage of flyers but all out of range, so no joy. Then back to the truck to clean the birds and scout about for more - but there didn't seem to be much action and I headed for home. That seemed to stir them up by the score from their lairs at the side of the road, which I cunningly hadn't hunted. I'll know next time (tomorrow); tree lines, small copse, edge of the fields by the road.

On a completely different theme, check out Michael Yon's excellent reporting from Afghanistan, where he's been embedded with various units until the MOD pulled the plug. One thing that struck me, amongst many, was how under resourced the British troops seem to be. I'd say if you're going to fight a war, you should do so to win - otherwise don't fight at all. Just a thought.

God bless,

LSP

1st Church of Space Pelosi

Rare LSP Bullseye

After a hearty but probably unhealthy lunch of bacon and dove my mind veered towards religion and the civil war that's going on in North American Anglicanism. What's happening is that traditional dioceses and parishes are leaving TEC (The Episcopal Church) and TECis suing them for their property and assets.

That would be fine except that TEC doesn't have any laws in place (Canons) prohibiting dioceses from leaving, which isn't surprising because its a voluntary association - at diocesan level. A judge realised this yesterday in Texas and you can read his comments here, and detailed commentary here. But the question is, why would TEC appeal to their laws, or 'Canons', when they're silent on the subject?

Some think its because they've made the fundamental mistake of believing their own marketing, other experts posit a different reason. Its because they're 'pelosian' space aliens; you see, they just don't think as we do.

'Vicky' Gene Robinson, Space Creature

Well, time and the Courts will tell. I'm for the Diocese of Fort Worth and the other seccessionists; why should they be forced to be part of a Union run by creatures from another planet? Check out Black Widow's blog for a similar argument.

In similar vein, you'll notice that the People's Republic of Camden has banned Christianity. Lets hope that doesn't happen here in the U.S.; next thing you know they'll ban prayer in school and start issuing Moslem postage stamps. Just you wait and see.

Cheers,

LSP

Twilight Of The Birds

Sunset over the killing fields

or

Tragic metaphor for the Anglican Communion?

Managed to get out with a gun and have a go at the birds. There weren't many flyers and I missed rather more than I hit; still, got enough for a decent dove snack tomorrow. And all that's more than fine by me because I love shooting - hit or miss - and I love getting out in the country. I find there's a freedom in it. Anyway, hope to revisit the fowling grounds on Friday for more dove and maybe a rabbit or two; saw lots this evening but held off.

On another theme, my philosopher friend GWB alerted me to Wittgenstein's contempt of Mahler; who'd have thought it? Here's what he said:

“If it is true that Mahler’s music is worthless, as I believe to be the case, then the question is what I think he ought to have done with his talent. For quite obviously it took a set of very rare talents to produce this bad music.”

I don't have a dog in the fight, so to speak, because I don't listen to the despised Mahler, but I like the quote. Just think, you could swap out 'Mahler' and 'music' for 'The Archbishop of Canterbury' and 'theology', or 'Ragsdale' and 'ethics', or 'ACORN' and... etc.

Good shooting.

LSP

Episcopal Church Speaks Out!

Ragsdale says abortion is a blessing

Following the tragic murder of 63 year anti-abortion protestor, James Pouillon, the head of the prestigious Episcopal Divinity School, Rev. Ragsdale, declared him a 'saint'. "This is about the loss of a man who was a saint and a martyr," said Ragsdale before an Episcopal memorial service held in Pouillon's honor.

Just kidding! The Episcopal Church didn't say anything at all about Pouillon's murder but they did about Dr. Tiller, the well known abortionist who was killed earlier this summer. Here's an excerpt from the service celebrating his life (from Crunchy Con):

"Since the 1970s, Dr. Tiller has provided critical abortion and reproductive health care at great personal risk. In doing so, he has saved the lives and futures of countless women and girls across the country. His murder is a tragedy... for the women who need his care and for the entire community of health care providers and advocates, and for all of us who believe in a woman's right to dignity and self-determination. Please join us in honoring this great man who truly lived by his motto to "Trust Women."

And guess what, Ragsdale really does think Tiller a 'saint' and 'martyr'. You can read her comments here and here, if you're in the mood. But be warned, Ragsdale thinks abortion's a 'sacrament' - which one, the eighth?

Big doff of the biretta to The Fact Compiler for incentivising this post and to The Hermeneutic of Continuity.

Just so you know, more Christians are being martyred now than at any other time in history.

LSP

Churches I Like

I haven't celebrated Mass there for years but I love the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, in Norfolk. I believe the place has deep sanctity.

The Shrine was a great center of pilgrimmage during the Middle Ages until its destruction at the Reformation. The 16th Century Arundel Ballad laments the loss:

Oules do scrike where the sweetest himnes

Lately wear songe,

Toades and serpents hold their dennes

Where the palmers did throng.

Weep, weep O Walsingam,
Whose dayes are nightes,
Blessings turned to blasphemies,
Holy deedes to dispites.

Sinne is where our Ladye sate,
Heaven turned is to helle;
Sathan sitte where our Lord did swaye,
Walsingam, oh, farewell!

But the tragedy of Walsingam's despoilation was reversed when Fr. Hope-Patten refounded the Shrine in the 1920s-30s and it continues as a popular place of pilgrimmage and devotion today.

Go there if you can and take time out to enjoy the pubs, if they haven't been banned, but be warned - conversation waxes theological.

God bless & Good Shooting,

LSP

PS. For an interesting take on the Reformation, and the new breed of millionaire it produced, check out Mr. Belloc's "What was the Reformation?"

Free Vienna

Prophet's Standard captured by Polish Hussars

from Never Yet Melted

Today marks the lifting of the Siege of Vienna in 1683, when the Moslem war horde led by Kara Mustafa was routed by allied Christian forces, thus turning the tide of a thousand years of continuous Islammic aggression and conquest.

Those who believe that the jihadists rallied under the war Standard of the Prophet were a force for progress and peace will doubtless count today as a disaster waiting to be avenged. Some might feel that the whole business was simply an exercise in primitive brutality. Others again, like myself, will be thanking God that central Europe and perhaps the West itself, was spared the dhimmitude promised by the followers of the Prophet.

Te Deum.

LSP

Rain At Last

Dramatic thunder, lightening and sheets of rain, all of which seem appropriate given today's anniversary. Its good news too for the parched fields and thirsty doves - hopefully the latter will come out in abundance tomorrow. But in the meanwhile the parsonage seems to hiss with the sound of rain.

What a relaxing sound and quite unlike the news that millions of Englishpersons will soon be on some kind of 'nonce' database; whatever happened to "Britons never, ever, ever shall be slaves"? Let's hope that kind of thing doesn't happen here and equally to the point, is stopped there (See Pavlov's Cat, Old Holborn & Railway Eye amongst others).

Speaking of which, LL has an interesting post on freedom. This surely has to be more than 'autonomy of choice' - Augustine would say (I think) that it consists in the act of choosing the good... but I'd welcome any thoughts on the thing.

God bless,

LSP

Keep It Clean...

...or it won't work. Likewise, stay on the horse.

With those somber thoughts in mind, here's a sunset from the LSP truck to lift the spirits in our dark and barbarous times.

Many thanks to Albert at TROC for suggesting people say a prayer tomorrow for those who lost their lives at the WTC and to GNN for the harrowing images.

Requiescant in pacem.

LSP

Shoot the Dove!

My yobbish Mossbeg, GWB's posh Browning

Scouted about the treelines for dove with my philisophical friend, GWB. The birds were pretty scarce but we got a few.

Hapless Avian

I like the way they rocket out of the tree, which adds, for me, to the excitement of the shot. But its all good, not least the result.

Gerber Shears Ad

An excellent day out, with the 'acrobatic avians' ending up wrapped in bacon and grilled - tasty. Looking forward to Friday and another installment of gun and bird. Hopefully there'll be a few more flying about.

Good shooting,

LSP

Communist Alien Overlords

Red Chinese UFO

A recent spate of UFO sightings over China has left observers asking whether the oriental Communist Superstate is a key player in an extraterrestrial bid for world dominance. According to SINA news agency, unidentified flying objects have been seen over five locations, including the provincial capital of Jinan, on August 20. This was followed by a September sighting above Chengdu, a major city in Sichuan Province. In similar news, Miyuki Hatoyama, Japan's new First Lady, claims close relationship with space aliens, who abducted her to Venus aboard a triangular spaceship. Abductee Miyuki (left) with Japanese Premier As reported in the Toronto Star, Miyuki stated, "While my body was sleeping, I think my spirit flew on a triangular-shaped UFO to Venus... It was an extremely beautiful place and was very green." Evidence of close bonds with aliens, at the highest level of Japanese government, has led some pundits to question the possibility of a pan-sino, extraterrestrial pact. The consequences of such an alliance would be grave, not least to the continuing sovereignty of the United States. In a move that many see as a recognition of the world's shifting balance of power, the Communist Chinese flag will fly above the White House on September 20. A noted political analyst in the U.K. had this to say, "I for one welcome our Communist Alien overlords." Government officials were unavailable for comment. Lets hope and pray they don't take us over. LSP

Birds, Pistol, Alien

Drove out to my Treasurer's land today in search of doves; saw some, shot at one, missed and had an armed stroll about the countryside. Pleasant.

The neighbouring farms seemed to be getting lots of action, judging from the sound of multiple shotguns firing off, but things were quiet in my neck of the woods, so I changed tack and shot targets (hubcaps) with the .45. This increased the volume to an acceptable level and kept my side of things up - I felt. Sure enough, the neighbouring shotgun reports started to change to centrefire and I didn't feel so bad about missing the birds. Everyone was just out with their guns by the sound of things, and what's wrong with that? Nothing, in my book.

Great to get out in the field, off again on Monday and who knows, might get some birds.

On a different theme, just heard that the new Japanese Leader's wife believes she was abducted by aliens to Venus, which she found pleasantly green, and that there's some sort of plan to fly the Chinese flag on the Whitehouse. A strange confluence of aspects.

Cheers,

LSP

No Doves - Snakes

Wanted to go Dove hunting this morning but ended up going to a 'Church Women's' meeting instead, it extended to lunch and the Church Women fell to talking amongst themselves. The primary topic was snakes; I'll give you a precis:

"Well, I heard a mighty bang and figured the air conditioning was out again, but it was only Gene with his gun," nods and grins all 'round, "next mornin, there was a rattlesnake with his head clear blown off."

Again:

"This snake comes sliding out after my puppy and gits distracted, so he wraps himself 'round a water pipe, so we start throwing stuff at it to gittim to move, which he does and my husband shoots him right there. Biggest dam snake..."

After snake-talk we listenned to a poetry recital by John Pelham who writes 'cowboy poetry'. He got emotional talking about his Daddy, as did I, hearing him. Speaking of snakes, you might enjoy this "Don't Tread On Me Fuhrer video" - thanks to All Seeing Eye. Or you might not...

Doves Friday, God willing.

LSP