Hereafter

Do you believe in the hereafter?

Why, yes I do. Every time I walk through a door I wonder, what am I here after? It's supposed to be funny. And having an odd sense of humor, to me it is funny. I definitely can relate.

Back forty-six years ago, on the first Saturday in November, we had several of our brethren come for opening day of pheasant hunting.

I was very far along in my pregnancy and in our tiny kitchen/eating room we were...close company. I prepared a large pot of chili, what I thought was a huge batch of dinner rolls, and I don't remember the dessert—probably chocolate cake but maybe not.

It was the beginning of a tradition. One year in our next home, which had a huge kitchen/dining area as well as a nice living room, we had a Thanksgiving/fall dinner as well.

For several years lately the pheasant population has been low, so we have opted for larger game instead of the pheasants.

Since the deer population here has been bordering on the pest side of the meter, the guys usually chase the golden buck.

Some years are profitable and some aren't. It helps stretch the meat supply, but it isn't fast, cheap or easy.

I had a mind burp and didn't get lunch started the day before like is my normal habit for the hunting season. I went with chili again for this year, so at five o'clock I was rinsing, sorting, and finally soaking my beans. I soaked them for about five hours. I prefer overnight.

While they were soaking I started dinner roll dough. I use that roll dough for cinnamon rolls as well. So I started it, let it rise for awhile then rolled the dough out in triangle piece. I covered it with brown sugar, cinnamon, and dotted it with butter.

Starting at the pointy end I roll it up, cut the pinwheels into individual cinnamon rolls, place them in rows in a greased cake pan. Bake in a preheated oven on 400 degrees for about twenty minutes.

I flip mine over on a jelly roll pan. I most often frost mine with a couple of cups of powdered sugar, vanilla flavoring, and water or cream. I mix that well and pour over all of the rolls.

The sunshine today is pleasant.

Back thirty years ago a farm magazine journalist called and wanted to interview me. I being somewhat naive thought it was about our truck farm business.

I was sick the week she was first coming, and thankfully I'd come to the realization it wasn't about our business. I decided to do the recipe on the cinnamon rolls and short bread.

That would have worked fine, except because I was sick the week before, I ended up with two engagements for the same day. I had a friend (from England) of some friends (local people) coming to talk to the kids about life in his home country.

Bruce's talk kind of ran over, and I was just putting my cinnamon rolls together when the journalist showed up.

"Oh," she said, "this is great! Always when I come people are pulling them out of the oven. This way I can show how they go together..."

We had a great time. Bruce (from England) and the journalist got a bit of a tour of the truck farm then we had Scotch shortbread, and cinnamon rolls, iced tea and hot English tea.

The kids kept asking Ms. Journalist if she'd like some tea, and she must have told them no three times, but either a cup or a glass kept appearing beside her saucer as if by magic.

We were all roaring with laughter since it was reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter's party.

Someone picked up a spoon and dinged it against a cup or glass, and said, 'Clean plates, everyone move down.'

And so, what did we come here after?

Ecclesiastes 3:12 "I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live. 13) And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 14) I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God hath done it, that men should fear before him. 15) That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away."