What Goes Around Comes Around!

When we moved here and began clearing and working on the land, we didn't have much time to spare. It was a sprint to get shelter over our heads. The neighbors showed up one at a time to see what we were up to and began dropping off a few things we might need or could use to help make things faster or easier. Gifts of food or a tool were just dropped off without much fanfare. When we started to make jams or baked something in our tiny camper kitchen, we would drop off a few things and as the garden came on line we took surplus around and dropped it off.

I think some of the neighbors were fascinated by our adventure. Most understood it and could identify with it. If we were to dream up good neighbors, I am not sure we would have dreamt up neighbors this good.

What brings this to mind is the season and our menu. We raise chickens and goats but we have as yet to harvest any goats. Next fall will be the first. I went on a unbelievable trip to Alaska and came home with the incredible gift of a winter supply of Alaskan Salmon (eat your hearts out, I smile every time I think of it). If that is what our diet consisted of this year, it would have been pretty darn good. Well, last night, we had lamb chops from Gary who raises sheep. The night before, we had pork chops from Walters pigs. We we driving home this afternoon and met Billy at the end of the road. He said he had a Christmas present for us and followed us home, where he dropped of a deer roast, a bear loin and a plate full of goodies. Last spring he brought brook trout almost weekly and four or five times a year we get deer meat from Billy one of the neighbors that hunt a lot better than we do. The last two springs we received wild turkey breasts. Two of our neighbors allow us to pick blueberries in their fields. Virgil, Walter and Allen and Barbra have done so many things for us it is hard to bring them all to mind. The list goes on and on and on.

Living here is satisfying on so many levels and being surrounded by people that help and care about you is one of the best. Many, many times, one of the neighbors have seen a need we have and shown up later with something we would have had to buy or build and that is helpful at just the right moment. We try to do the same.

The point is, what goes around comes around good or bad. I like the good personally. Merry Christmas and thanks to all.