Saving Grace. That’s what happened in North Dakota this week. I rarely post about my work on this blog. I work for the state of North Dakota, a public employee in our state Capitol. But it is American Thanksgiving week. You should meet a North Dakota turkey, who visited our Capitol this week and I had the opportunity capture the moment as an observer.
This is Grace. She was perched on the Governor’s conference room table. I am not in favor of naming food animals that we usually end up eating. This was an exception. Grace was pardoned this week by our North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple.
My public work is that I worked for an elected official, our agriculture commissioner. This is my personal blog, personal opinions but I am intensely proud of the work North Dakota does at a state level and had to share. I have the opportunity to serve with commodity groups like the North Dakota Turkey Federation. Four turkey farmers were on hand for the presentation.
Grace was pardoned but several frozen turkeys were given to a local homeless shelter and a local women’s shelter.
In world of plenty, in the state of North Dakota where we have budget surplus, more jobs than people, food raised from 32,000 farmers and ranchers, there is still great need. 1.2 million turkeys are raised by North Dakota turkey farmers. They are soft spoken, hard working farmers. They are the faces behind the birds we will feast on tomorrow.
I am proud to say that some of those in need in North Dakota will also be fed and full, thanks to turkey farmers.
And Grace will be napping.
Now I need a little grace for myself from you. I made a promise that I have failed to keep in November. I said I was going to blog every day. Then I started on a mental marathon. I will share more about it soon. But let’s just say, I am running on empty. All family are safe and healthy. I am just exhausted. I chose to stop blogging for a week to sleep when I could and just had reached the point where I had to do the next thing to keep going. The schedule was maxed out for me. We will call it a grace period from blogging. Life gets that way sometimes. But now I am home, taking a couple days of vacation and ready to enjoy family, food and some blogging in between some Christmas decorating this weekend. I have been sharing photos daily in the album 30 Days of North Dakota November on my Facebook page. Also you MUST see and read the blogs my friends Leah, Holly and Janice have been posting daily.
I am off to make lists, go grocery shopping and prepare food and the house for family coming to our home tomorrow. Recipes to follow but baked corn and bacon in on the menu. A 24 lb. turkey is thawing. I am going to make my first ever lamp chops as a second meat also. Most importantly I will be surrounding with plentiful food choices, in a home that can be filled with loved ones, laughter and I am sure a bit of arguing over late night board games.
I am thankful.
Nice! It’s a fun week to be a turkey farmer – or to work on behalf of turkey farmers. 🙂 Loved seeing the frozen “Northern Pride” turkey – such a great grower-owned cooperative out of Thief River Falls, MN that provides a market for both ND and MN turkey farmers! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Katie!
no need to apologize. you need to tend to yourself, too. 🙂
enjoy that family feasting!
You can do it! Let all that food and rest do the body good so you can continue to conquer. I do have one question though, where does Grace the pardoned turkey go?
http://www.crystalcattle.com
Wishing you, and your family, a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Grace is so adorable! Hope you had a great time with family and friends. We got to play some fun boardgames also. New one for me was LOGO and it was a hoot. Enjoy the holiday season!