FLAMING TURKEY WINGS
by James von Feldt
Yes, I know, it’s after Thanksgiving. I’ve been fighting to get rid of five pounds and now I think I’m up 10 but afraid to get on the scale. Struggling to tighten my belt, and Christmas is coming up quickly. I’ll never get back to my weight at this rate.
We’ve had a couple of frosts and a threat of snow but nothing came of it. In fact, it warmed up a bit right after the last cold front moved through.
Winter preparations are almost done and what’s left can be done later.
Some late corn is still being combined.
Town Hall is rocking with controversy as to how to spruce up our town for Christmas. The decoration committee couldn’t agree on anything for Thanksgiving so they jumped to Christmas. Earleen, the chairperson, suggested that we erect a huge snowman in front of the Pavilion, close to the street where everybody can see it when they drive by. She says it could be made out of Styrofoam and a few other items. She also suggests that they place a sign that says “Welcome Home” right by it.
Loren-Dean Knight checked with Robert Bile in Bloomfield and confirmed that he has the Christmas Display that used to be set up about this time in front of the county courthouse. Course they aren’t using them anymore since the big fight over religious themes. Someone threatened to sue them so they quit using them. Bob’s got them all stored in his garage and said we can have them.
I think it’s a shame they aren’t used. Our local artists spread canvas on eight-foot frames and hinged them together in a “V” so they wouldn’t fall down. There are twelve units. They painted a scene that is common for the Christmas season on each one like the one with a star and camels. Others are more general in theme. Our local artists are talented and well known. The units are beautiful works of art.
Mike Peterson is backing the idea of hanging dangling lights on the gutters all around the Pavilion. He thinks we could also add a “Merry Christmas” sign on the roof. Spotlights could be used to show it up at night, he said.
Over at the county school, the kids are working on their parts for the annual Christmas play. John Mason, the new music teacher has put together a small string ensemble to accompany spoken parts in the play. The kids say it sounds great as they speak their parts. The band will play and the choirs will sing the standard Christmas songs. Everybody in the county shows up for the performance in the gymnasium. Coffee, apple cider, and cookies will be served by the kids afterward. It’s always a great community get-together.
Over north of town, the Hocutt ladies, you know, Imogine and Sara, - the ladies that live in the Nimitz house – the oldest house in town, well, I’ve heard they’ve almost sold out of this years’ supply of Holiday Recipe. Their recipe is famous hereabout. You can use it for almost anything from toothache to accent on your ice cream. Dixie uses it to make brandied peaches for dessert to follow our Christmas dinner.
The old ladies are spinster sisters that have been brewing the stuff in the old barn behind the house for as long as anybody can remember. Their brother Raymond gave them the secret recipe years and years ago. He passed it on to them before he died. They package it in quart jars with a beautiful Christmas label. Sheriff Davis says it's good for worming your horses too.
Isaac and his boys are working furiously at finishing the new production building south of town where the old Troy grain elevator used to be. The concrete work and framing is done. The metal goes on next then they can work on the inside out of the weather. He’s been making a newfangled cultivator for organic farmers. The ones he has made so far were done in his machine shop. He says he needs a bigger space. Seems like the orders are coming in and he has to get serious now about building some ahead. That spells new jobs and that sure is a welcome thought in these parts.
The Town players, our local community choir, are practicing the Messiah. That performance will be held in the Bloomfield Movie Theatre on January first. Ottumwa’s community college orchestra will perform again this year. Soloists are all local and they are very good. You have to get tickets way in advance because they sell out early. The proceeds are given to the Lord’s Cupboard at the Christian Church.
Vickie, at the Gas & Grill, told me that the day after Thanksgiving was the usual busy, busy day. Groups came in to meet, gossip, and plan their trips to Ottumwa for Christmas shopping. Some were on their way to the Dutchman in Cantrell. The Zimmerman’s own and run the Dutchman. Clare started it in one of the old buildings. Now it’s in every building on the block.
The Mennonite family has run the store for years now. You can expect to see young Mennonites, dressed as they always do, running here and there helping customers. It’s an old-time store that has everything: cloth for making clothes, hats for the Mennonites and Amish, barn boots and shoes, books, large sacks of flour, toys, harmonicas, groceries – you name it they’ve got it. You have to see it to appreciate it. The building is old but inside it’s modern – even air-conditioned in the summer. People drive in to see it from a long way away. The locals from two counties shop there, so you will probably see horses and wagons as well as cars and trucks in the parking lot.
The county newspaper I got this morning had an unusual story with pictures and a lot of details about a break-in that cleaned out a whole house. Apparently, someone knew that Gary and Geraldine Weaver over by Drakesville, are “snow-birds” and that they left for Texas in their camper, right after Thanksgiving Day. The story says that a big truck left tracks in the front yard. The burglars took everything they could fit in the truck and hauled it away leaving the doors open; living room, kitchen, bedroom, workshop – everything is gone. The Jedediah Miller family was riding by in their carriage and saw the front door open. They knew something was wrong. They are Amish and don’t have phones so they stopped at the Harbor’s and told them about it. Dennis called the law. Sheriff Davis and his deputies are asking for help; that is if anyone saw a suspicious truck or know anything about it.
Did you know dogs can snore? Mandy, my great Pyrenes dog is snoring away in her dog house. And Maggie the cat is sleeping in a box on the back porch.
All this is tiring after another meal of turkey leftovers. Guess it’s time for a nap.
So, that’s it for now
From where the corn grows tall and the pigs fly.
All my love
Grampa Jim