The Smoke Billows

                                                        It's that time of year

                                                        time to chug the fire

                                                        big billows of smoke

                                                        rising up near and far

                                                        Late in the evening

                                                        the sun is sinking low

                                                        every house in the distance

                                                        has a wood heater glow

                                                        Smoke covers the valley

                                                        a sure fire sign

                                                        when darkness takes over

                                                        the temps will decline

                                                        Frost is on the ground

                                                        waiting to greet the day

                                                        time to chug the fire

                                                        the smoke billows away

                                                        A big stack of wood

                                                        some kindling for show

                                                        the wood box is full

                                                        the wood heater is aglow

                                                        Susie Swanson, 2012

Even though we don't use wood for heat now, I can still look out over the valley at sundown and see the smoke rising from the wood heaters that some of my neighbors have.. It still brings back alot of memories of long ago when the whole valley would smoke up and everyone was chugging the fire or building a fire to knock off the chill.. There's not much smoke anymore as people have went to other forms of heat but I wouldn't mind in some ways having a fireplace or wood heater again.. We have an electric fireplace plus a furnace but I loved sitting by that old wood heater in the winter and listening to daddy and mama tell those old stories of long ago. Daddy could tell scary stories that would make the hair stand up on our neck. Mama always complained about the smoke and how it would black up her curtains and wall.. I remember us having to take down the curtains and clean the walls in the spring.. Spring cleaning was a hard task but we never stopped until every thing looked new.. I do the spring cleaning but it's not as bad as it used to be for sure. We washed and dried all the bedding and hung the clotheslines full.. On pretty sunshine days we'd drag the mattress out and let them sun  and the pillows too.. There's nothing that smells any more fresh than sheets that's been hung out to dry or mattress's and pillows that have been out in the sun all day. Those were the good old days for sure.

With the Thanksgiving week coming up  I will be taking a break from blogging with so much to get done.. I want to take this time to wish each one of you a Happy Thanksgiving and as we all gather together let's not forget to pray for the ones less fortunate and the troops that can't be with their families. They make it all possible for us to gather together and be with our families.. I have so many blessings to be thankful for I couldn't name all of them in a million years and I know you feel the same.. May God Bless Each One Of You..Susie