I am so thankful! Been thankful most of my life, but today I am so much more thankful. I have aged and grown more aware of why we have celebrated the day set aside for being perceptive and to acknowledge all of our blessings. I tried to mentally name and thank God for them. I know I missed a million, but I am more aware of that today!
Did you eat and then eat some more? We ate a turkey, ham, spuds, little green balls that tasted like cabbage and sweet potato casserole. Because my close relative worked so hard and long to bake the pies and cakes, I tried to eat some of all of them. I am thoughtful about things like that!
Things on the table I did not eat were: nice big bowls of salads, green beans, corn, slaw and sticks of carrots. I was unthankful for those things on a day of huge bounty. Sorta be like denying my manhood to take up space on my plate and in my stomach with such common fare. I hesitated to drink liquids due to taking up room I was going to use for important stuff!
All the grands spread out on the living room floor to play games, wrestle and cause trouble after dinner. The older ones were picking on the younger ones and vice-versa, but they were all just perfect to me and my close relative. The offsprings' close relatives did the cleanup, and our female offspring bossed the operation to the best of her ability! I was afraid to rock in my chair, thought the motion might be more than I could handle with so much inside my body!
I had the foresight to rise early and get the chores done promptly. I fed some extra because I was so thankful for the way I have made my living all these years. Snip and the paint pony enjoyed the bounty, as did the cows. I stayed and watched the cows eat the cubes and push each other around. Early morning is a time of wonder on a farm and I do enjoy it.
The sick pen is empty and even the old Lumpy cow is feeling good. Cattle do good in cool weather and enjoy the crispness of the fall air. I did, too, when I was a tad younger! Still do but not to frolic like the calves that are still 100 percent and growing.
The market has been settling, slipping along at a pretty good pace, and causing some concern for the fellers who bought those 250-300 weights at top price. Those boys might have to eat a big loss, but that is the way the life of a cattle trader plays out. You have to ride the low with the high.
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, Americans are the blessed of the world, but we could lose our standing in a heartbeat. Give thanks daily and trust His ways and judgment! Follow His advice and pray often! Sure, we have problems but, as I glance around, ours look very small in comparison.
Tomorrow's menu is Flaming Turkey Wings! Come by and eat with us! Please!
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 12/02/2015