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Happy Thanksgiving
Blog by: Lloyd Tackitt 11/23/2017 (Return to blogs)
I slept and dreamed dreams of family of old, years have flown since many of them have passed on. Something about Thanksgiving brought them to me, I awakened to the alarm reluctantly, not wanting to let go of them again.
The alarm was set to go off half an hour before sunrise. Things to do today that take hours to get done, so an early start.
Cold this morning, coldest morning we've had so far this year. 31 degrees and not so much as an Angel's breath's stirring a breeze. The fog from my breath stayed right where I left it. When the sun breached the tree line I could look behind where I had walked and see those steam puffs still in place, as though ghosts had walked there, truth is ghosts have walked there - there is history in this place.
The fire is started and I go in for half a cup of coffee to warm my hands up, then I spatchcock the turkey - I like the way they cook faster and more evenly when filleted out like that. I set a picnic ham next to the turkey, it's already cooked of course but in a while it will have that gorgeous smoke flavor that you just can not get any other way.
It's a quiet peaceful crisp morning with the crunch of leaves under every step. Blue smoke curls up from the smoker. The sun is above the trees and reflecting off the cold river water. Time to go in and wait now.
All of my children, All of my grandchildren, even my one remaining brother will be here today. All of them. There will be 18 of us to fill this small house. It will be noisy and crowded. I won't be able to walk to the kitchen without bumping against several of them. I'll pick up hugs along the way, every trip, all day I'll get hugs over and over. I'll give as good as I get too. Laughter will be a constant background sound this day. This is a laughing family.
What am I thankful for? I'm thankful for today, a Glorious day! For this gathering.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving today, I hope it is filled with wonderful people and laughter and warmth and good food.
Happy Thanksgiving from this crazy little family way down here in the woods on the Brazos River, deep in Texas!
Turkey and Ham
Thanksgiving Morning on the Brazos
Blog content © Lloyd Tackitt
About the Author
I live on the edge of the Brazos River. I walk out my front door and into the river and - boom - I am fishing just like that. For me the river is fascinating. The mile long stretch I fish is a microcosm of the river, I have it all in that one mile. Trying to figure out where the fish are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, what they are biting, if they are biting - this is what keeps me in the river casting flys. I fly fish almost exclusively. It isn’t that I am a fly fishing snob, it’s that fly fishing works – it’s effective - and it has added benefits. I carry all my tackle in a vest, no tackle box needs to be dragged along. The casting itself is fun, even when I don’t catch fish I’ve enjoyed the experience of casting. Fly rods enhance the experience of bringing fish in. I like the hands on the line feel instead of the feel of line spooling up on a reel and muted down through a gear and crank system. Fish fight better and feel better on a fly rod. Fly fishing just feels better to me than other methods.