A Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. Before I begin another round of cooking and baking, I'm enjoying a few moments sitting at the dining room window looking out at miles of critter trails traversing the south pastures. The snow bunnies, fox, coyotes, and antelope paw through the foot of snow that blankets their grazing and hunting grounds leaving visual evidence of a hard night's work. Across Hasting's pasture, a snow bunny lies dead on the side of the road apparently struck by a passing vehicle. Overhead atop the utility pole sits a hungry and impatient bald eagle. Once the truck passes, the majestic bird swoops down sending the hawks, and assorted smaller birds scattering to wait their turn at the frozen meal. Food is hard to come by when the temperatures dip below zero for days on end. Most of the prey animals retreat to underground shelters hoping for a southwest wind called a Chinook that breathes warmth and restores life to the now stark and barren prairie. There will be no Chinook winds today, I'm afraid. We will remain frozen solid at least until the weekend.

Winter has come early opening the Arctic gate allowing a rush of snow and below zero temperatures to descend completely across Montana as well as most of the western states. Road closures south of here will keep families apart this holiday weekend. My nephew, Denzel, made it home yesterday from college in Missoula, taking advantage of a break in the blowing and drifting snow. His trip took him across the Continental Divide on dangerous hairpin turns winding up the Rockies on the west side, then down on the east side, through the foothills, and finally pulling into our driveway on the prairie. He drove almost 200 miles without a hitch until he pulled up to our house where he bottomed out 50 feet from the back door. He and his college buddy hopped out of the car deciding to leave it stuck in the two-foot drift, announcing joyously that they would walk the rest of the way. On the phone yesterday morning, as I cautioned him before leaving on his journey, he steadfastly maintained that he didn't need my words of wisdom because he had "faith" that he would "make it" without incident. I'm not sure if what he projects is an effect of youthful ignorance or something greater. Whatever it is, it serves him well. And so it is a Happy Thanksgiving.