Thanksgiving

There are a LOT of things in life that we have no control over.

This year of 2014 seemed to have more of those things happen than any year before.

Issues occurred in the workshop a week and a half into the new year.

My cat had to have surgery, she had kittens and she was spayed shortly after.

Our 25 chickens decided to go on strike, only laying a couple eggs a day.

The construction project at work took months longer to complete.

Electrical problems at work took a while to fix and I spent a few nights there.

Had to brace cracked floor boards under the house.

And that’s not the half of it!

What does this all have to do with Thanksgiving you ask?

Life happens to everyone.  Without hardships and challenges how thankful would we really be?

Well I am thankful every day for a Loving Wife.

A wonderful family with great children and grandchildren.

So many true friends.

A good job that provides us with the things we need.

Our homestead that gives us too much to list.

My workshop that keeps me out of trouble.

The ability to create and repair things.

Oh yeah…Beer and Scotch!

This list is endless.  The more I think about it the longer it gets.

To me, Thanksgiving is not just my favorite holiday, it is a way of life!

Not a single day goes by that I don’t give thanks and truly appreciate things around me.  I hope your Thanksgiving lasts all year too.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

Show News Is Good News

Nov. 8^th & 9thwas the Elk Valley Crafters Association show in Fayetteville, TN.  It was a Christmas show with folks being brought in by trolley.  This was one stop on the trolley’s tour.

My lovely wife could not go to the show because she was hurting so bad.  A young lad named Michael helped me throughout the show.  There were so many nice folks that stopped by to check out the goods

 

Robert and Peggy came by a couple of times and bought a few things including that cool Manzanita wood neck knife that she’s wearing.

This gentleman brought a knife by and asked if I could shorten the handle because it was a bit too long.  I gladly took it from him and made the repairs over the next two weeks.  He drove all the way from Fayetteville to get the knife from me.

All in all this turned out to be a good show and can’t wait for the spring EVCA show!

The last show of the year will be at The Farm in Summertown, TN.  The dates are December 6 & 7, 2014.  Leslie set up at the show last year while I was in Wisconsin meeting my grandson Henry.  I look forward meeting all the new folks that attend.

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I spent a bit of time in the woods during the muzzle loader season without any luck.  Being outside, in the woods, heightens awareness, calms the spirit and eases all the stresses of life for me.  One observation made is, this happens to be a great year for squirrels.  There will be some squirrel hunting going on soon.

On opening day of the gun season I was lucky enough to harvest 2 beautiful deer.  They were both taken on the same trail to my pond and only 8 minutes apart.  Unlike the deer hunting shows on TV, there was no hooping & hollering.  I quietly thanked the deer for giving themselves to me.  I will process the meat and use as much of the animal as I can.