Twelve Days of Christmas Part Six by Terri Reed

My darling Daniel,
I awoke this morning to the honk of the Canada Geese. I looked out the bedroom window to see the distinctive V formation of the birds migrating. Such a cold, bleak sky. The birds are leaving late this year. I suspect because everyone feeds them. Snow has already fallen, covering the ground in a blanket of white. I wonder if the geese I saw this morning were the same six geese we saw laying in their nest by the lake shore last spring. Do you member how beautiful and majestic they looked with their long black necks and white cheeks? And the babies! Oh, how cute they were. Just like I know our little Seth will be. He’ll look just like you, darling. I imagine him with your smiling blue eyes and strong jaw. I wonder if he’ll have your walnut brown hair or if we’ll have a red head like me. I’m sure anxious to meet this little guy. Every night I read to him before going to sleep. Last night we read from the Psalms. God’s word brings me comfort. I cling to His promises as I wait for the day you’ll return to me and our son. Oh my, Seth, just kicked. I think we have a soccer player in the making. Must be time for breakfast. Since the doctor wants me to gain a little more weight, I think I’ll make your favorite pancakes. I hope I can get the ingredients right. You always make them so perfectly. I hope you’re eating well there. I worry even though I know I shouldn’t. God’s watching over you. Hard to believe it will be Christmas eve in two days. I’ll be having dinner with your parents. I’m hoping you’ll call like you did for Thanksgiving. I so need to hear your voice. Please take care and know that you are loved and missed.
Forever yours,
Joy

His goose was cooked by Pat Davids

November is here and Thanksgiving is so close I can smell the turkey roasting. Except, this year I'll be in Cancun Mexico for a wedding instead of chowing down on my favorite pumpkin pie and whipped cream. I know, poor little me. Boo hoo.

Anyway, I thought I'd talk about one of my special Thanksgiving memories. After more than fifty years it's hard to pick one Thanksgiving memory out of so many wonderful ones, but I got a chuckle thinking about this one and thought I'd share it with you.

My brothers, all four of them, were hunters. Pheasant, duck, quail, goose. You name it. If it had a season they shot it. One day, just before Thanksgiving, my brother Mark came in with two big geese. Now geese in the wild aren't like the ones that live here in the city and beg for bread crumbs in the park. Bagging a goose takes skill and luck and Mark had TWO.

Thanksgiving was at our house that year and Mom decided to cook the geese instead of the usual turkey. I admit they smelled good as they roasted throughout the morning. When everyone was assembled at the table, my mother brought them in. My brother Mark watched with pride as his trophies came to the table. After cautioning everyone to watch out for buckshot, mom carved them up.

My grandpa, as the oldest, got the first piece. He took a bite and nearly pulled his dentures out. After mulling his mouthful for a while, he gulped and looked at Mark. "You didn't shoot these.""But I did," Mark insisted. By this time we were all trying to eat the tougher-than-boot-leather birds and not having much success.

"Nope," said Grandpa, pushing his meat to the side of the plate. "This one died of old age when your gunshot scared him to death."We all laughed but I did feel bad for Mark and my mom. Thank goodness there was plenty of side dishes to go around and plenty of pumpkin pie to fill us up. No one when away hungry, but goose was never on the menu at our house again.

I invite you to share a less than perfect Thanksgiving memory. I'm sure you've had one or two.