OPINION: Our usual ways of life have been changed

We are a thankful crew around here this afternoon. Thankful for a little sprinkle that settled the dust and the sunshine that followed to let us know it is not the frosty winter yet! My close relative built a new pot of coffee and we sat in the yard and enjoyed a cup and the country for a while. The birds are mostly feeding themselves so the yard was pretty quiet except for Old Dog snoring at my feet.

The cattle business is at a lull right now. The offspring have returned to pick up their duties and the grands are all busy with school and being social. I am trying to decide if we are gonna drill ryegrass and how much commercial fertilizer we have to add to the bill. The soil test told us we needed a million dollars worth, or somewhere close to that! We are in the process of buying that rented land and it is a long, drawn-out affair due to the heirs of the family being scattered across the country. I know it will be finished eventually but hanging in the air is always a little bit of a nerve getter.

The slow day let my mind wander back across the years and I guess the need to replace a window in our spare bedroom also stirred up the memory of home. We had a fine home for the time and place we lived. Pappy wanted things good for his family and so we had it pretty good according to the standards of the time.

We each had a private room about the size of a closet and that was pretty nice. My sister was sure proud of that and was fussing around her cubbyhole room decorating it almost constantly. I didn't care about that and was glad to have my place and a bed of my very own. Winter was usually pretty bitter at night because we were on the north end of the house and it got frosty in our little worlds. My sainted mother made quilts and my covers were so thick I had trouble turning over under them.

We had a big stove in the living room and when the north wind blew hard we could watch the flames bend south! Yes, it was natural gas, the company that was drilling around us laid the line and we were one of a few that got the pleasure of gas for cooking and heating. I suppose we were sorta well off, considering the times and the economy of the era.

The dust was constant, didn't seem to bother me much, but the cleaning of the home was constant and, believe me, the snow could come in the same way the dust did! Not often but, during a big hard blizzard, you could see it in the corners along the baseboards in our bedrooms. That is one thing memory is good for, spurs me to get to fixing that window!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, our usual ways of life have been changed, but we have become accustomed to the new. We are pliable and are able to bend and not break. We are a race of intelligent beings and learned to walk on two feet a good many years ago, so we are gonna make this and we will overcome the covid-19 in doing so! There is the power of prayer that must be included in all lives and, fellers, use it now! So many have died and still are succumbing, so we aren't through yet but we will be the victors in the end!

My long johns are still missing and someone knows where they are! I am getting a little aggravated!

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