SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST THINGS

ARE THE BEST...DECEMBER 10 2012 ....

A word, a smile, a gesture.  Worth more than money can buy.

As you all know regular deer season ended Saturday.  Our farm was quite busy.  The youngest hunter was in her mid-teens   The oldest was 84.  And all the ages in-between.

They came and went for two weeks.  There were times we had 4 or 5 ATV's in our shop/shed.  5 or 6 pickups in the driveway.  Even a trailer or two.  There were dirty utensils in my dishwasher every night.  This was their home away from home for two weeks.  Some nights they  went to their real homes.  Other nights they crashed in our downstairs family room, sleeping on the futon, the recliner, the cot, and their sleeping bags.  They watched TV, took their showers, had a ball.

They have contributed a lot - a no longer being used refrigerator now in the shop.  Also a micro wave, a coffee maker, chairs, even a heater to keep the temp comfortable when it is cold outside.  They all gather in the shop for their for lunch.  Everyone brings something - crock pots full of stuff.  some nights after cleaning up they all go to the highlands for supper.  They are having a ball..

 They use our smaller shed for hanging their deer. Bob cats got in there one year and did a number on one of the deer. They cut and wrap and freeze the meat to be eaten during the winter.  You probably wonder - doesn't this bother me?

No.  For one thing I never know they are around unless I happen to be down stairs when someone comes in to wash up or use the rest room.  They never fail to be polite.  I try to stay out of their way.

Saturday night, after dark.  They had cleaned up all the trash that accumulated during the season to dispose of it. ATV's were loaded in to pick ups or trailers.  Another season was ending.

I was at the computer.  I heard footsteps coming up from the family room.  There were the hunters.  They wanted to see Bossman's new kitchen.  They also wanted to thank me - of all people, me - for 'putting' up with them, making them feel welcome, giving them a comfortable place to call home away from home.

I was told that there were not that many folks around that would share what we had with them, they could never thank Bossman or me enough for our hospitality.  And then a kiss on the cheek and a hug, they went on their way, to tell their stories of the ones that got away, of the ones that didn't get away, and the great two weeks they had had.  

I did nothing but put their dirty utensils in the dishwasher.  But they made me feel like a queen.  A kiss, a hug, a kind word.  Worth more than a million dollars.

I count my blessings every day.  I hope you do the same and God Bless.