OPINION: The aroma of our business is always fresh, not always lovely!

I can move around pretty quietly, but my close relative is a light sleeper so I woke her. She snorted, rolled over and I left the room! I like to get up early and enjoy the waking of the world, drink a cup of hot coffee and just look.

This morning, I looked at the pasture east of the house and sighed. It is brown; I know that is normal, but I sure wish it were green. I am anxious for the winter equinox, that short day in December that will bring us around the corner and the daylight will stay another few minutes. At first, it is just a few, and then we ride on into spring and the darkness gets less each day.

The frost was not too thick this morning, but I was sure I did not want to be out on the porch to sit and sip.

I ate breakfast and, because of the time change, we were working about an hour early, so I checked cattle and hauled out a couple of sacks of feed to the steers. I just sat there and watched them push, shove and lick up the kernels. What a nice pleasing way to spend a few minutes, and I am thankful for that opportunity. It was still quiet, no motors running and not any traffic noise so I could hear the cattle. If you have never heard cattle eating feed, I am sorry. It is a soothing sound, one that nothing imitates. Maybe you have to be a beef producer to appreciate it.

The next thing to do was head to the coffee emporium for a heads up on the condition of the world. The parking spots were full; they must have all had that inner clock trouble and got up an hour early. I walked fast to get to the door and still got chilly. But the clinking of coffee cups and voices of men combined to warm me up.

Ray Schmidt was pretty sure we had an invasion in the county. He said he had seen a new house rise in the pasture along the road north of his place. He couldn't find out anything about the builders and it was obvious it was bothering him. He asked all of us if we knew, had seen anyone strange, or did a new face appear at church. Not a clue was given, and it is a little odd, but the acres of our area are sure enough filling up. We assured Ray the new people couldn't live here without us finding out information eventually, but he was concerned because he has some cattle confined and eventually they begin to smell like confined cattle.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the country is a wonderful place to live, but we use it to make a living and feed this country. The smog of city life isn't ours, but the aroma of our business is not always lovely -- it's always fresh but not always lovely! We welcome new neighbors but we also hope they welcome us in their new and exciting adventure of country living. This is a new-fangled thought in the last 50 years, but we are required to be aware these days. Just keep on smiling and offer a hand when you meet the stranger.

Venison is in the freezer and I am happy!

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

Editorial on 11/06/2019