As we head north with the family on the interstate to North Georgia for Thanksgiving- it’s over the river and through the traffic jungle we go, in the blue Chevy Silverado.    Times do change, it’s nice to sit in the passenger seat and let our High School senior Marcus take the wheel. It’s not that easy though to relax and let your 17 old take your life in their hands at the wheel in the insane holiday traffic in the rain!  We all need to just relax and breath! For those of us who learned directions, read a map and follow signs, it’s a whole new world to ask someone under 30 who’s only used GPS to navigate the old fashioned way.  What happens if the phone stops working? 
​   

This is always my favorite time of the year, when the humidity lowers from 95% to  50% or below, the sky turns that gorgeous azure blue, the Southerly sun rays in the afternoon cast a golden hue reflecting off the lake and onto the live oak and pine trees in the distance.  We live a ways out in the countryside on a little piece of heaven in an “old Florida” setting. This is the time when we have our hay cut and can enjoy walks watching the two pointer brothers, Jack and Lee run wild over the terrain sniffing out gophers, raccoons, last night’s deer gathering or what they’re trained to smell, a covey of bob white quail.  The pointers are tremendous athletes, but with the brain of a two year old.  On a recent escape from the kennel, and on one of those rampage running binges far into the woods, Jack had been bitten in the face by either an Eastern Diamondback or a Moccasin, not sure which.  He was a sad picture to behold.  Two vials of antivenom later and a hefty veterinarian bill, he recovered after about a week. I’m thankful for good animal doctors….

Depending on the time of year, we have a resident covey hanging around near a convenient protective cover of thick and thorny blackberry bushes.  They unfortunately don’t last long since they’re at the bottom of the food chain and every predator, winged or otherwise is after their tasty morsels.  On a recent morning, I spooked up a very large bobcat, near where the quail covey rose, obviously looking for a nice breakfast treat.  As bobcats go, he’s very large, taller even than the two bird dogs at 70 lbs each.  During hurricane Irma, we watched amazed as a 500# black bear strolled nonchalantly across our lawn, his fur flying in the 90 MPH+ wind and lovin life!

We have so much to be thankful for, this year in particular.  I never thought I’d be 60 but it is the new 40 you know.  I guess we never think we’re old a whatever milestone age we attain but years ago, it was REALLY old.  We’re all thankful for our families, our freedom and those who protect that freedom at a very high price.  Becky and I are thankful for our two smart, hardworking teenagers.  After her first quarter as a freshman in high school, our daughter has straight A’s.  Marcus still has a 4.3 GPA as a senior in the IB program and is closing in on the final requirements to attain his Eagle Scout rank.  Our older daughter and her husband just purchased their first home in Georgia and we can’t wait to dote on 3 year old grandson Calvin during the holidays.   We’re grateful for a thriving stock market and a fundamentally sound economy. I’m also thankful for those vain things like my Georgia Bulldogs 10-1 record and soon to possibly, hopefully be – SEC champs! Doubt they’ll beat Bama but one can only hope.

Through the good times and tough times, we’re really blessed as a nation, despite being  painfully polarized politically more than ever.   May we beseech the Giver of all things to restore our land, heal our nation and turn to Him.  We trust that you all will have a blessed holiday season!