Hudsons and Turkey Day

I look out this morning and it's snowing - 1st snow of the season. Brings back memories of when I was 12, 13 - seems back then we had snow most every Thanksgiving. My dad would be standing at the kitchen sink, helping Ma getting things ready for our Thanksgiving dinner and he'd watch the snow coming down for a while, then utter those famous words - "Tracking Snow!!" That meant, after dinner, around 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon the men would be gathering at some point to go hunting as the deer season (1-30 Nov) wound down. How us young'uns waited each year, hoping this would be the year we'd be told "you're big enough - you're going today!!" In rural Maine, as in many rural areas, going with the men on the Thanksgiving deer hunt was a rite of passage. In rural areas from the 1930's until at least the early 1940's a deer hunt was more than just sport - it was a necessity to put food on the table. Even into the 50's the deer were, for many people, something between going hungry and having a good meal. The depression of the 30's hit deep in rural areas - tho my family was better off than many, and for that we could be thankful. I think folks living in rural areas were, in many ways, better prepared for those dark days - we were more self sufficient than "city" folk. We planted crops for food, could find meat on the hoof in the woods, women knew how to preserve foods for the winter months. We didn't have nearly as much then as today - but we made do.

I havn't "been out", as we say, for many years now. Last time I went out I went with my dad, as usual. We had been out for a few hours and were sitting in my truck having coffee and thawing out as it was cold that morning. My dad, who had been a woodsman for all his life, sighed and said "That's it - I'm done. Not going out any more." I couldn't understand what he was saying - until he told me that his eye sight wasn't good enough, even with a scope on his rifle. Couldn't see well enough to see what he was shooting at so he wasn't going hunting any more. Smart man - I haven't been out either. Not the same without my dad. I miss him so much.



Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. May you all have the very best of the coming Holiday Season.



Hudsonly,

Alex B

I was born and raised in So. Cal and I can't even fathom it snowing on a Thanksgiving. What a nice change that would be. I loved hunting with my Dad too. What a great man he was...I am always thankful for my loving parents. Although there isn't any snow, today it will get up to around 70 degrees without a cloud in the sky and I will be taking my two boys (7 and 10) out in a Boston Whaler and play with the Harbor seals. Tomorrow and the rest of the weekend is my older son's Soccer tournament. For me nothing better than watching your kid tearing up the grass and BS ing with the other parents. While none of them have Hudsons, a couple guys are car guys and always asking me about my cars. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to you folks! Niels

Thanks everyone for sharing. There's some great sentiment in this thread. Although we've got some Thanksgiving stories we could yarn, we don't have any Thanksgiving/Hudson stories as this is our first holiday season with Doc. BUT, my boy is a year-and-a-half (born 4/4/04) and I'm sure (I hope) he'll have some great stories that involve the two together. Check back with him in about 20 years, or so, will 'ya? The Hudson memories he'll have in the future is currently our present.



Russell