This is a 'sorta' time of the year

Howdy, I just blew in from the north! Well, maybe I am stretching that a bit, but it is blowing from the northwest and I felt pretty cool atop my trusty steed, Snip. Now Snip is as woolly as a teddy bear and he is basically "over fed and under rode" as my dear old Pappy would say, so he was feisty and happy to be out and doing.

I needed to ride fence lines to determine the safety of the parameters before it gets too cold. I rode this morning around the leased land and around most of the bank's land -- you know the land I am still paying for -- this afternoon. I am thankful for good fences and young offspring to fix what aren't tight, and I sure don't mind pointing out the breaks.

I came through town on my way home from the north place and made it to the coffee emporium shortly before the round table dismissed this morning. The fellers were sorta quiet and reserved today, pending the eruption that is coming over the presidential move to Emperor. I could feel the electricity in the air as the thoughts churned and tempers were fired up for flaring! The volcano eruption in our island state will seem small when all of America finally comes together and blows!

A feller stopped by late in the week to ask about buying some land. He said he was looking for about 200 to 300 acres to run cattle on and was hoping to get something bought before the end of the year. I understand his need to get some money spent or pay a bucket full of taxes but I sure don't know of land for sale. I suppose some would be for a price, but that isn't practical for us common folks.

I remember buying this rock pile and adding as we could and, even if the price was not what it would be now, it was hard to keep body and soul together. We had spread ourselves pretty thin and worked many hours a day to make the payment, and thankfully we were able to pay off the home place pretty quick. We added land and paid on it as fast as we could and now we are paying on some parcels to keep taxes a little lower. I don't know what is best, but we do want to leave a little dirt for the offspring and Greats.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, this is a "sorta" time of the year. We sorta expect cool days with some sunshine, or we sorta think it will snow soon. We sorta expect the wind to blow from the north but we also know it could sorta be a southwest wind full of gulf moisture. I sorta like the shorter days because I come in earlier, but I sorta miss that evening light for finishing up chores.

I hope you sorta enjoyed the turkey day and ate all you could hold. I know my family counted their blessings over and over, and here's hoping you did, too. Get ready for more holiday fun, I hear jingle bells ringing!

Bill is the pen name of the Gravette author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 12/03/2014