Thanksgiving: A Season of gratitude

Today I am thankful for the service of a man that our community lost on Veteran’s Day. It was an appropriate day for Val Fuller to be called home, but it marked the end of a lifetime of giving that needs to be noted. Val was not an ostentatious giver, there were no big news articles, no awards, no flowery speeches…at least not here on earth. In fact, unless you were the recipient of his generosity you would never know. He and Linda at Fuller’s Family restaurant gave in many ways: Jobs for those who needed work, presents for those whose parents could not afford them, food for those who would not be able to buy a meal, money for those who needed a hand up and most importantly family for those who were alone. It was not by chance that their customers felt at home when they walked in the door and our community is poorer with his passing.

I am thankful that for the most part the crops are in, what there was of them, but I am disheartened by a river bed that remains dry. Now that all the irrigation has ended, a real danger in the loss of wildlife exists as never before. Every living being needs water to survive and many of our small birds including the pheasants and quail either can’t or don’t travel far in search of food and water. It will be hard winter for them all if something doesn’t break loose pretty soon. It will be hard winter for our cattlemen also with pastures that are bare and many fields that normally support grazing after harvest containing nothing to graze on.

I am thankful that I live in Nebraska. Yes, I like to travel some winters, but Nebraska is my home. I am disheartened by the fact that we produce ethanol and food using our resources to support populations in states that consider us backwards and worthy only of “flying over” or pit stops on I-80. Not that I want them to move here, just show some appreciation for the lifestyle we live to support their lifestyle.

I am thankful for the dairy farmers even though I am not a big milk drinker, I couldn’t cook without it. If statistics are to be believed, it takes around 5 gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk. Compare that to 920 gallons of water to produce one gallon of almond milk and you begin to understand the difference between reality and hype.

I am thankful for my Yeti. That may seem strange, but for me, refill is the name of the game. Consider this, again if statistics are to be believed, it takes 1.4 gallons of water to produce one typical empty throw-away plastic soda bottle many of which end up in our waterways, oceans and road ditches. I hark from the days of returnable bottles, wax coated paper milk cartons, and meat wrapped in butcher paper. Give the grandkids a refillable cup for Christmas this year, it’ll save them money too!

I am thankful for God, country and family. Quoting Don Baker: Enough said. My family and I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

SWNGS Christmas Open House will be Saturday December 11th starting a 1 pm at our library, 322 Norris Ave. (The Temple Building), Rooms 2-7 on the second floor. We welcome the public to join us.