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The Wisdom Of Barnyard Bruke: "ESCAPE CRITICISM-DO NOTHING, SAY NOTHING, BE NOTHING."

Greetings ta ever one in western Illinois and all readers of "The Quill."

I'm a wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, joyous family gatherings, and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Be not ashamed of your faith and with a thankful heart count your many blessings.

Corn was harvested with snow on the ground, this past week. I am continually amazed and thankful fer the "grit" and "determination" our farmers display. They stubbornly will not give up.

Snow is hard on bearings and other wear parts of a combine. Cold weather is hard on mankind and machinery alike.

This fall-into winter was a hard, slow, and expensive harvest. In spite of the many obstacles and hardships, it was difficult to not find a farmer with a smile and warm greet'n ta extend ta a neighbor and stranger alike.

May peace and love continue to warm your hearts.

All of that being said, I am reminded of my friend and neighbor Cornelius Farkward. A warm hearted chap he is, however, occasionally he gets too hung up on current events, somewhat depressed, and often critical. I keep telling him "if'n criticism had any real power to harm, the skunk would have been extinct a long time ago."

Fer many folk "honest criticism is hard ta take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger."

Ta escape criticism-do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. Or, looking at it another way, "a critic is a legless man who teaches running."

I've shared these thoughts with Cornelius many times and yet after helping his sons finish harvest and being fairly well caught up on his work -here comes Cornelius with a sharp glare in his eyes.

Come on in next ta the fire, I sez, and lets share some fellowship, in outa the weather.

Inta the living room-he follows me an sets his hide comfortably within hear'n distance, which is right close-see'n as how the majority of my hear'in was give up on cab-less tractors years ago.

How are ya do'in, I starts in. "Pretty good," he sez, "how bout yourself?" he asks.

Well, I sez, "Pretty" is something in all honesty I gave up on, long ago, and as far as be'in "good", I fall way short of that adjective, even though my life long goal has been to approach as much goodness as conditions allow. I spect the best I can say of myself, with all due respect, is I'm blessed and thankful fer my "lot", my neighbors, our community, my church, and my country.

He continues: "What da ya think about the socialist liberals impeach'in our President after we voted him in?"

I sez, "Comey says, impeachment is going to fracture the country even more:make people angier! I see it in your eyes-you're angry Cornelius!"

Cornelius sez, "We'll go'n ta have another election. Why should we even vote if'n they're throw'n who we votes fer out?"

I sez, "Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was reported as say'n: "I will do everything I can to end the Democrat led impeachment effort against President Donald Trump in the Senate!"

Furthermore Cornelius, a majority of likely voters (56%) sez "they will either vote against a congressional incumbent who supports the impeachment of President Donald Trump or they will ignore the issue entirely in the 2020 election", accord'in ta the latest Rasmussen Reports survey.

I'm not go'n there any further Cornelius. After all-it's Christmas! I can feel good about Representative Collin Peterson (D-Minn) who said, "This is dividing the country for no good reason, because he's not going to be thrown out of office. Why are we doing this?" Cornelius, he's the chair of the House Ag Committee and that was what he said when they asked him why he wasn't go'in ta vote in favor of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

"What da ya think about the fear that China may have hacked all of Hilary Clinton's emails when a gmail account was used to transfer all of Clinton's government emails to an unauthorized private email server? And she's think'n about run'in fer our President?

The only hack'in I knows about, I sez, is whack'in and hack'in ice to get my garage door open, the barn door in place for chores, and make'n firewood fer my woodburner.

"Well then," he sez, "What did ya think of them politicians mess'in with our estate tax a few years back?"

I ain't dead yet, I sez, and my estate won't help the federal budget much.

"What did ya think about the climate negotiations and our government promise'n billions of dollars ta nations who don't like us much?"

Well I sez, Presidednt Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate agreement and as fer billions, I never learned ta count that fer in my "one room school learn'in." Therefore its hard for me ta comment with any mean'in fer now. I am practic'in ta count that high, however.

"What about global warm'in, cap and trade, and ice berg melt'in," he retorts.

Seems to me, I states, it's a fair enough deal if'n it would melt this snow and let farmers finish harvest.

"Do ya think we're head'n fer a depression?" he asks.

Well no, I'm not, I sez, I'm fit as a fiddle and satisfied with my lot. As fer you, Cornelius, you're right on the edge of a nervous breakdown and depression that even Prozak won't help. But, on the other hand ya come from a long line of critics, and can probably handle it well enough.

As fer me, you're not going ta spoil this Christmas holiday with negative thoughts. Things aren't as bad as they first appear. Let's wait and see what develops. Copenhagen has proven there actually is a Santa Claus and he dresses in an Uncle Sam outfit.

By now, it was time fer both of us ta get at our chores. Him with enough head of steam ta keep him warm thru out his evening exercises and his Misses could mellow him out with one of her fine supper meals she prepares.

Keep yer heart pure and avoid critics and criticism!

Think positive. Be thankful. What would I do if'n I didn't have my good friend Cornelius ta charge my battery now and again.

These are the special times of Christmas. Plan ta attend'n the church of yer choice this week and:

Remember, where ever ya are, what ever ya be a do'n "BE A GOOD ONE!"

Keep on Smile'n

Catch ya later

Barnyard Bruke