Thanksgiving Day 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and to your horses and other pets, too! I woke to a cold, 15 degree day, but one full of sun! The 17# turkey went in the oven a little late, as I slept in and got up an hour later than planned. I wake too many times during the night. And for some reason, early morning is finally a good time to go back into a deep sleep.


Tom and I heading outside to do chores. He wanted to fork hay back into the feeders, so the horses didn't trample it, poop in it, and wouldn't eat it. I wanted him to do dog chores (by himself so I wouldn't have to go out) and come in quicker. oh well, I went out to help.

We found Bubba, Bob and Dixie lot and the 2 draft horses together. The gate that separates them was off the hinge and open, ok, who rubbed it off the hinge? Everyone looked at me innocently. They all seemed fine, standing quietly, and no one had a bite or kick mark. Tom haltered Bubba and Dixie and Bob followed him away from the gate, while I shooed Moonshine back into the pen where she belongs. Babe was contently eating from her round bale.

While Tom forked hay, I fed dogs and cats. The cat’s water heater was plugged in, as well as Lady, my Springer’s, heater. Posie, the Aussie, and the 3 beagle’s waterers were slightly frozen, so we plugged them in. I fed the cat the turkey neck bone and liver and gizzard, which they growled over. I normally cook them for more broth, but without a large family here this year, I figured the turkey would have enough broth to make gravy, and have some extra to make noodles with in 2 days. You know, the never ending turkey leftovers.

While Tom was forking hay, I figured I might as well get the once a day graining done. The large lot is still just on mineral, but Bubba’s lot get a mixture of Strategy and Senior feed with the mineral, and a bale of alfalfa hay morning and night. Duke, my stud, is now getting Strategy and mineral. We wire tied a feeder to the fence so he can’t dump it! He loves to bang his feeders around, kicking at them with his front feet until the feed is on the ground. He is a stud with stud behaviors!

I went for the hose. I had it inside a heated room so even though I drain it, twice, it is so much more pliable warm than as frozen plastic. I filled one of the lot’s water tanks, and all the others will be full enough until tomorrow afternoon. I was happy to see that all of the water heaters, that got plugged in for the first time last night, had kept all the water thawed! I drained the hose, twice, and left it lay. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon will be slightly warmer than this morning, and the hose will be fine laying outside for a day.

Now, I'm watching the parades. I've always loved doing that. The paper is hereto look through. Even though I don't do the Black Friday shopping, I still like to look at the ads and specials. We may stop at Orscheln’s Farm Store for salt tomorrow. Lol and buy a winter Carhart for our youngest son. Shhhh, Christmas present!


Tom and I will be eating that 17# turkey by ourselves. LOL We are having Thanksgiving tomorrow with Jacob, Amber and Caden, but today will just be us. I asked him if we really need to have potatoes since we are having stuffing and gravy, and green bean casserole. You know…so much starch that will only stick to our ribs. He was fine with just stuffing. We’ll have mashed potatoes tomorrow though. But we won’t have our pickle tray that my youngest son always made. He is visiting his girlfriend in Texas! Long drive from Nebraska! Drive safe, buddy. And we aren’t having our homemade noodles, since my mom and dad aren’t visiting this year. I would have cooked egg noodles in some broth if Sara, Jake and Makenzie were home, as I know Sara loves those homemade noodles.


And we are bringing back a family tradition that we started years ago when the kids were younger. We don't have family in NE, so after turkey meal, we will go to the movies. I wanted to see Secretariat and it's not playing here! Bummer! That didn't stay in the theater long! Maybe I'll get the movie from Santa! Tom gave me a choice of 3 movies, and I think we’ll see the Russell Crowe movie - I like him as an actor.


Today is a day to enjoy quietly with my husband and be thankful of the life that we have together. I am thankful for his love, and almost 30 years of marriage. I am thankful for my family, and the grandbabies, and the new grandbaby to come in April. I am thankful for the fairly good health of Tom’s 90 year old mother and my 83 year old parents.

I am thankful to have the horses that I have in my life. I am thankful for the direction that horses are taken me. I am thankful for Centered Riding and the peace that comes with that. For without that peace, I’m not sure how happy this year would have been for me without Finny.


I am thankful for the desires that I have inside me to help people with horses. I have an overwhelming desire to share what I know, even if it is limited in some areas. I want people to develop the bond with horses that we are capable of. I need to show and teach all that horses can be to us. And I need to get back to doing more, not just riding like I’ve done this past year. I am thankful that my spirit has awaken and I’m starting to follow a path that is opening up in front of me. I am thankful for the love of horses.

Most important of all, be thankful for all, as God has a special plan for all of us. Follow his direction, be happy and content with what life gives you, and follow your dream. I believe that God puts that dream within us for a reason. Follow your heart, knowing that he is guiding your feet.

Thanks for following my blog. I am thankful that you are here, reading, commenting, and understanding me.

That's what we are going to do today. Chores, blog and watch parades, eat turkey, movie, chores, and relax with a movie and glass of wine. Hy Vee grocery store had some wine on sale, and I am going to try a type that I have never had before, a Moscato.

What are your plans for the day? What are you most thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and “Embrace the Journey”.