Sunday, November 25, 2007

Thanksgiving 2007


I wanted to start off telling you about how thankful I am at this time of year but then I thought well, I'm thankful everyday so why should this be different.
Then my my mind went to days gone by out here on the farm. Thanksgiving truly means stopping to give thanks for the harvest. Since the mid 1950's when my mind begins serving up memories, harvests have been both bountiful, and lean. The harvest has been both completed and just halfway done. Sometimes we stopped just long enough for the feast and went back out to pick corn. Most times the harvest was complete and we celebrated. Some of the time my mind has gone to thoughts of how I might 'spin' this for my banker to ease the blow of a slipping Net Worth. Others found finances okay but worries abounded about other situations.
Thanksgiving always brings the emotions of melancholy and of being victorious. At least to me it does. Melancholy as Gods creation goes from vibrant growth to dropping it's leaves and either dying on the vine or going into a protective rest for winter. Shades of brown and grey begin to dominate the landscape. Victorious from battling the sometimes oppressive heat of summer along with the rest of the problems every growing season provides.
Thanksgiving usually means we can put all of this behind us and concentrate on family. Those who can, will come back to the farm. I think it must be like 'touching home' when we played 'hide and seek' as children. It's where we began. We feel safe if you can make it back home. For you it might be home in general or to the place where the family meets at Thanksgiving.
Even though I have Brothers and Sisters who have gone about persuing other vocations, they like to return. The roots on the Morrow Family Tree are attached out here on this Missouri River bottom farm. Those roots need nourished from time to time.

21 comments:

Rachel said...

Ah, indeed they do Cliff. There is no place like home and I wish I could go back to the places of my youth, but it's all changed so much and the houses are no longer there. It's wonderful that your brothers and sisters can come back to the homeplace again.

eyes_only4him said...

very nice, cliff, very nice..

Janell said...

I got all misty at the point where you said, It's like 'touching home' during hide & seek. You're right - and it made me sad that I don't have a home place to go back to anymore. You're very blessed.

Unknown said...

Good on ya, Cliff. Happy Thanksgiving.

nora leona said...

I also loved the touching home analogy.
I'm glad this was a year that you were done with Harvest. And I hope that you've had happy visits with the banker.

Jim said...

It is nice to come home. For some people there isn't a 'home' to go to anymore, but instead that person is 'home' to others.

I also recommend 'root stimulator.'
http://www.organicrootstimulator.com/loss/index.htm
..

Jamie Dawn said...

What a lovely post.
Has Marilyn read this yet???
I bet she had a tear in her eye when she did.
I like the "touching home/Hide & Seek" analogy.
It's perfect and so true.
Warm, loving homes are the foundation that all of us love to remember and love to return to.
I hope your holiday weekend was FANtastic!!

Ralph said...

Cliff
This is an exceptional post. Thanks.
Ralph

Paul Nichols said...

You're a good man, Cliff. Great post.

LZ Blogger said...

Cliff ~ Yes the ugliest season in the history of recent history of football is finally OVER and none too soon! At least it will make for an interesting coach search in the next few weeks. I am glad that your family had such a nice time on Thanksgiving. I hope you shut of the game at HALF-TIME?!! It has been a tough season for us Big Red Fans... It could be worse... dare I mention that school in South Bend? ~ Later buddy! ~ jb///

Jim said...

Thanks for the visit this morning, Cliff.

The church picture you like was taken in Laxey, Isle of Man. We had time to walk around there when we got down from the mountain.
I made the church smaller when you click on it now and put the runza below for the super size.
..

JunieRose2005 said...

Oh,my, Cliff!

This is just such a wonderful post!

I know all who are close to you will treasure this!

Junie

Jim said...

And I just now put a few more pictures showing what was at the top of that mountain on my PHOTO PLACE blog,
http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/
..

1 plus twins said...

very beautiful cliff!

as for the question you asked me cliff do you realize how large surprise arizona is cliff?? there is over 100 thousand people here. 13 k-8 schools and 3 high schools!! so if there are any walkers here? ha ha i am sure hundreds. do you know someone out here that has that last name? and is it surprise arizona they are in or sun city (the retirement area 55 and over!!) ha ha just kidding!

Peter said...

"Those roots need nourished from time to time."

And you're just the guy to nourish them Cliff.

Raggedy said...

I had to stop over....
LOL at your comment on my mother!
We can talk about weather and kids and ermmm....food yes food.
I put that quote up there at the top because I know she is still looking for me to change...
That is the difference between us. I don't look for her to change. I accept her. I wish that she would accept me for what I am. Respect me for my service to my country. Respect me for my decisions. I will always be an elephant. Sorry for the ramble.
Hugs

Miki said...

Cliff, it is nice to "touch home" I hope that someday my children do learn to do that too! I know my husband does every Thanksgiving, and so does his mom, she still lives in the home her mother and herself, grew up in. I have to remember that "touching home" with all of the memories good bad and inbetween. Nice post,my friend.

EV said...

Wow, Cliff. That was great - thanx!

1 plus twins said...

how ironic, i work at a body shop doing all the books and payroll, taxes etc. but do you know where in arizona they work in body shop or the name of the body shop? that would help me narrow it down to at least thousands!

Anonymous said...

Cliff, Great post. The farm really is mecca for the Morrow clan. As we left the farm the other day, Brenda pointed out the stairs next to the driveway in case I didn't see them. I told her I knew they were there. I smiled remembering climbing up those same stairs when I was just old enough to walk up 'em. Thanks to Google Earth, I visit the farm more than you know. Marty

Anonymous said...

Cliff,
I am always thinking about touching home from my view point. At my advanced age, home in a Minnesota with my family, is but a memory. Reading your post made me think about my own children and their holiday visits. They come home, I do believe, for that very nourishment of which you speak.