At Home in Mitford

Puny accidentally reveals to Father Time that she’s dating Joe Joe Guthrie, the town’s young police officer. 

Father Tim gets a call from his recent convert, Pete Jamison, who is struggling with his new faith because of the hypocrisy he sees among the congregation. Father Tim encourages him to redirect his attention toward God rather than other Christians.

When school lets out for the summer, Father Tim scrambles to find activities for Dooley. He buys Dooley a rabbit and soon receives offers for summer work for the boy from Miss Sadie, Cynthia, and Marge and Hal Owen. Dooley goes to spend a few weeks at Meadowgate, the Owens’ farm.

Feeling lonely in the empty rectory, Father Tim invites Cynthia on a picnic in the adjacent Baxter Park. During their meal, Cynthia reiterates her invitation to “go steady.” He responds with questions and uncertainty, expressing fear that a relationship might interfere with his work, but the extended exchange ends without a final commitment. Later that night, a helicopter lands in the park. Father Tim and Cynthia watch as Hoppy helps rush Olivia aboard; she’s being flown to receive a heart transplant. In the emotional aftermath, Father Tim embraces Cynthia.

“Homeless” Hobbes finds Father Tim at the Grill and tells him that he has seen Barnabas. The dog is being held at a remote house near the creek that appears to be a front for a drug operation. Police Chief Rodney Underwood investigates but finds the house deserted. The license plate on a car there, however, matches the one on the vehicle that took Barnabas. During a later surveillance attempt, officer Joe Joe Guthrie is shot and wounded. The criminals escape before a police raid, and the police fail to rescue Barnabas. 

Fulfilling a promise to Miss Sadie, Father Tim explores the attic of Willard Porter’s abandoned house. On a high beam, he finds the name “Winterpast” and a reference to the Song of Solomon carved into the wood. He shares the discovery with Miss Sadie, explaining that it refers to the verse, “For lo, the winter is past” (421), which symbolized Willard’s hope for their future. 

Later, new bells are finally installed in the tower of Lord’s Chapel. As they ring out, Cynthia calls to wish Father Tim a happy birthday, an occasion he had completely forgotten. Hoppy calls later on to report that Olivia’s heart transplant was a success.

Father Tim and Cynthia drive to see his friend and superior, Bishop Stuart Cullen. Father Tim confesses that he feels spiritually exhausted and that he has been neglecting the management of his diabetes. Alarmed by Father Tim’s condition and his inability to rest on his own, Bishop Cullen uses his episcopal authority to command him to take a two-month sabbatical. Accepting the order, Father Tim immediately calls his cousin Walter and confirms that he will join him on a long-discussed trip to Ireland. To cover his duties during his absence, Father Tim asks the Baptist preacher Absalom Greer to fill the pulpit at Lord’s Chapel. Absalom agrees to the unorthodox arrangement. 

Shortly after, Rodney reports that Holding law enforcement arrested the drug suspects at a roadblock, but Barnabas wasn’t found with them.

In a final show of support, the congregation surprises Father Tim with a gift of their collective Frequent Flyer points to pay for his journey. Emma also announces that she’s moving to the Baptist church after marrying Harold, but she will continue to work for Lord’s Chapel.

While Father Tim helps Cynthia dig a new flower bed in her yard, Barnabas suddenly appears. Hobbes arrives shortly after, explaining that the dog appeared at his shack that morning and that he brought him back to town. When offered the $2,500 reward, Hobbes refuses the money for himself. Instead, he asks that it be used to start a fund, which they name The Creek Bank, to help the needy people living near his home. News of his generosity inspires others to donate, significantly increasing the fund.

Meanwhile, Father Tim’s health deteriorates. He experiences shaking hands, blurred vision, intense thirst, and swollen ankles. He makes an appointment with Hoppy, who runs a series of tests. Later, he takes Cynthia on a picnic in the country, where they’re briefly menaced by a bull. There, he addresses her request to “go steady,” telling her that he needs more time and would like to think about it while he’s in Ireland. Cynthia agrees to wait for his answer, and he affirms his deep affection for her.

At home, Father Tim succumbs to a powerful craving and eats a large slice of Esther Bolick’s rich orange marmalade cake. He then goes back for another piece. Afterward, he becomes severely disoriented while trying to dress for a party with Cynthia. He collapses into bed fully clothed and enters a coma. Cynthia finds him unresponsive, and he’s rushed to the hospital.

Father Tim is diagnosed with a nonketotic hyperglycemic coma, a severe diabetic crisis. During his recovery, he learns that he will be insulin dependent for the rest of his life. While unconscious, he has a vivid vision of being a butterfly and hearing the words, “Go in new life with Christ” (457). 

As Father Tim prepares for his sabbatical, Puny packs his suitcase. Father Tim says his goodbyes to friends at the Grill and to Dooley at Meadowgate farm. Emma drives him to the airport in Holding. On the small plane, he looks down at the familiar landscape and recalls his vision, feeling a deep sense of release and renewal as he thinks, “Go, and be as the butterfly” (482).