Genuine funny things are good for a person

This is a nice location for a family and we have one! We played, visited and fed the bunch all weekend and it never fails to bless us, me and my close relative. We bought meat and fixings, and the offspring brought over a couple of grills and cooked. Spring deserves a celebration. The pew at church has gotten a little crowded, so we do one and a half now -- that in itself is a privilege and awesome.

Then reality sets in, and it is back to the details of running the farm. We wouldn't have to if we didn't want to wear clothes, live in a house and eat, but since we want all those things we do work. I have heard that some folks can do nothing and get that government check each month, but my Pappy did not teach me how to do that. And I had better not ever hear of any of my direct line doing it either!

The feedlot steers sold, and you know we are thankful for any little dab of profit. We got some and that will help with some of the needed improvements around the rock pile. I am not talking about anything grand, just a new gate here and there and maybe new tires on a rig or two. The hay truck is running on racing slicks!

I am impressed with the heifers we have kept back this year. They are pretty good looking cattle and we will cull them again soon. We can't keep all I would like because we will run out of land; rented land is scarce as snake hips and we are fairly loaded as it is. The time comes to pull some of the old cows, some who don't milk good, any that have not bred back, and make room for new blood. That is hard on me. I am pretty attached to and respect the old hides that make a living for us.

Sixty miles south of here is a place I would sure like to visit -- a big place, it maybe has two sections of land and a wonderful barn, working pens and horse barn with several stalls. The hired-hand quarters is what I'd call plain fancy, and the boss lives in a castle. It is for sale and I have a keen desire to look at it. I saw all this advertised in the free newspaper lying on the counter at the feed store. The ad mentioned running water, several ponds and a lake measured in acres. I have turned that over in my mind for two days now, and you know what I have decided?

Poor in finances but dang near rich anyway! I have always had running water in the kitchen and bathroom and a castle would make my close relative have too much cleaning to do. Some of her relations might want to take up residence in the spare bedrooms and we couldn't allow that! I have tasted debt way over my head, and it was not the deluxe way to live, so I will just let that thought pass through my mind, in one side and out the other. If we had a big place and lots of money, the offspring would want to go skiing all winter and let the hired hands do all the work. Then they would get lazy, and bad health would come upon them. Thank goodness we are poor!

I saw an article that stated that the Ben and Jerry ice cream folks are extra good to their milk cows. They feed the best grain and even, yes, this is what it said, massage the cows. I have been in the business a lot of years and I think and wonder how that is accomplished. Imagine it!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, genuine funny things are good for a person! I mean good, clean funny stuff. Laughter is talked about in the Bible as being good medicine and you can feel the boost you get from a belly laugh. I laugh at lots of things, and lots of times at myself. Sometimes, I am the laughed at thing; and, if I ain't bleeding, it is OK by me. So get some fun in your life, think of funny things and grin more often. It is good for you and those you are living around!

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