Does time seem to sorta freeze up and run like sorghum in January? Does it take some time -- I don't rightly know how much -- to get the little wheels inside the mechanism moving for that increment size trip to the next minute mark? Does the pocket watch run naturally due to being next to a warm body? Mine does not, and I know when I have been out in the cold longer than four minutes no matter what it says!
I am trying not to whine, but the thing is crawling up my spine and I am afraid I am going to! Whining is for children and some, not all, women! I know it is sissy to want to go home after a short time, but I would sure like to and even wish I had a potbellied stove to huddle against!
Some of my Indian friends came by today looking for a place to hunt squirrels. They wanted to have a big get together and they needed some squirrel and dumplings to go along with fry bread and some other stuff. They had little kids with them and I asked if they wanted to leave the kids at the house to stay out of the cold. That was a surprise to them. They said it was just cool and the kids loved to hunt. Even little children are tougher than me!
My close relative has a pot of venison chili in the slow cooker and it sure smells good. I did not provide the meat, a neighbor who hunts in Colorado brought us some burger for winter chili. I was a hunter until the winters got too cold and time froze up. We will have a pan of cornbread to go with the chili and green onions from my winter onion patch. I know I saw something covered with a tea towel on the cabinet, so I'm figuring pie for dessert.
One of the church members has been gone on vacation and I could hardly stand to hear about it on Sunday. He was puffed up and blowing about the wonderful time he had in the tropical ports of call, rolled up his sleeves so we could drool over the suntan and described the food in such colorful speech that we could almost smell it! I am surprised the roof didn't fall in on us with so much envy that the air turned green. It all seemed to me to be a tad rude due to my suffering in the cold.
Bulls are out working for fall calves. Keep your eyes peeled for foot and leg problems. I am sure you had your bulls tested so you know they are going to do their work with results in a nice bunch of calves. Didn't you? Don't forget to keep your fences fixed and tight because a bawling bull on one side and a bawling bull on the other side sometimes decide to do a little fisticuffs!
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, I won't get any sympathy if I whine, and you probably won't either. I guess we will just have to bite the bullet and take it like a man -- a cold man whose lips are frozen to his teeth and eyelids are frozen open. I am so thankful for hay trucks instead of hay wagons and team of mules!
Hope you all have two pair of long johns!
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 02/03/2016