Volume 9 , Issue 47

Growing Up In Oklahoma & Texas

"Hi Linda, I send along another story from My Ramblins. It relates to a Thanksgiving of my past. I dont know the proper words to describe this story. It is a funny story, but also shows the hard times we were having in just getting by. We've all had those at one time or the other. Hope you and your readers enjoy this tale. I love to share them with all." -- Kenneth U.

1958 '59 Thanksgiving and the Canvasback Duck
My wife and and I are living in Skellytown, Texas. We had rented a little 3 room shotgun house for $35.00 a month. With three young children in the home, things were kinda lean.

It was the Thanksgiving weekend coming up and we didn't have enough money to buy a turkey. Not even a chicken.

I was bound and determined that we were going to have our Thanksgiving at our house that year.

Ever since we had ben married, we had gone over to her folks place for holidays. All of her Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, (she had 52 first cousins living in the area) would come and everyone would bring plenty of food.

Anyway I told my wife we were going to have Thanksgiving at home. I told her I was going duck hunting and would bring one home for dinner.

There were a lot of natural lakes in the area and I had permission to hunt on a Rancher's land.

Got out my old 20 gauge, found a few shells and took off to the lakes. I was in luck. The first lake I walked up to was covered with ducks. Not wanting to take a chance on missing, I layed down and took aim across the water. With one shot, I got one duck. The lakes were not deep and I waded out to pick up my "game". It was a pretty good sized bird. I found out later that it was a Canvasback.

I headed for the house proud to think that I was bringing home dinner! When I got home, I cleaned the bird and told my wife to find a good recipe for duck and dressing. She either called her Mother, or found one somewhere for the next day. I told her that I had heard you were supposed bake a duck real slow so that it would be tender.

Well she put the duck and dressing on the nite before, turned the oven down low and let it cook all nite. It smelled heavenly.

I could hardly wait till dinner time.

I will say this here and now. Those birds were mis-named. They should have ben called Leatherbacks instead of Canvasback. That had to have ben undoubtedly the toughest bird I have ever attempted to eat! You could not cut it with a knife. I found out later, that I should have skinned the duck.

We had an enjoyable Thanksgiving of dressing, cranberry sauce, and deviled eggs. But no duck! At least we had Thanksgiving in our home."
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