Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I started talking about some of the neighbors that had owned the local farms and houses on our ridge. As this conversation progressed, an elderly couple that we were quite fond of came up, but we could not remember the gentleman's name. 

As we continued our conversation, mom stated that the gentleman's name was definitely Charlie. I was adamant that it was not, however, and she was just as adamant that it was. We continued this debate for a couple of minutes and finally decided it was time to place a bet. I was sure that the gentleman's name was Sam, so we put a whopping $20.00 bet on who was right.  

This couple's daughter is still a large part of our lives, so we called her and, unfortunately, got the answering machine. Bah, humbug! I wanted to win my $20.00 right away. I tend to like instant gratification the majority of the time, but this was not going to be the case.

While waiting to settle our bet, Mom and I continued sharing our stories of the wonderful times we had while I was a kid on the farm in our very rural area. Neighbors have always been a big part of our lives. It was not uncommon for mom and me to head over to our neighbors for a cup of coffee and donuts several times a week. This FlagRUs mailbox coverreminds me so much of always being welcome at our neighbors and friends.

Mom was always involved in what our church called "Ladies Aid," and every Thursday, all the ladies would fix an extravagant meal and all the men would come out of the fields and the families would sit down and eat, share stories, and have wonderful fellowship together.  

Some of my greatest memories came from going to this as a kid. If it was summer, it usually depended on the weather as to how long we got to stay.  Dad always insisted that we stop working to have lunch, but then insisted we head right back out into the fields. On a rainy day, we would be allowed to stay and play with our friends as mom helped clean up and dad visited with the other locals.

Life seemed so much simpler then, actually taking the time to have a cup of coffee with a neighbor who was actually at home. Now all of our neighbors work away from the home.  We only have four working farms out on the ridge that are up and running when I was a kid. Very few family farms remain, and if they do, either the husband or wife work away from the farm.

As mom and I decided we were not going to get our answer that night, we went to bed, being so thankful for all of the wonderful people in our lives, present and past. We are going to be celebrating Thanksgiving in the next month, and I am truly thankful for all of the wonderful neighbors I have had.  Even though I cannot remember all of their names!

FlagRUs offers some of the most beautiful designs, whether in a welcome mat, flag or mailbox cover. Take a look at this beautiful fall flag; it is a must have for your collection!

As I was working the next day, the phone rang, and yes, it was our friend calling to answer the question. As I posed the question to her, she laughed and said, my dad's name was Charles, but he went by the nickname "Ham."  Oh, my. At least it rhymed with Sam.

As I called my mom to share the news that she had indeed won the bet, she giggled and asked, "Anything else you want to bet on?" Not today, Mom. I can't afford another loss that big!

Happy Trail Farms wishes you a fall full of joy, happiness, and maybe a little "chicken" too!