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The Bergs and Heaphys did it again. We had another great North Fork Thanksgiving. Of course, they always tell me that they have a lot of help. I’m sure they do—Ray Brown does a ham, Joe Novak does two gallons of great gravy, Bonny Ogle does a turkey, Trish Walsh does several dozen deviled eggs and the list goes on and on. Everyone brings food but the purchase and delivery of turkeys and ham for cooking is done by the Bergs. When I stop by Sondreson Hall early on Thanksgiving, it is always Bergs and Heaphys who have started the fire and decorated the Hall. Many thanks to them for all of the above and more.

Two of us counted the number attending and since we both came up with 78, we are describing the meal as being enjoyed by nearly 80 people.

Everyone was welcomed by host Steve Berg and after a short memorial to John Frederick, the blessing was asked by Mark Heaphy and the line went through rapidly disposing of three turkeys, a 20-plus pound ham, bushels of potatoes, and dressing, gallons of gravy, untold quantities of side dishes and tons of assorted desserts. The only problem is that no one has the capacity to sample everything — but we all try.

Although we had a foot or so of snow 10 days ago, warming and rain have eliminated most of it in the lower elevations. What snow remains has frozen and softened multiple times and is so noisy a deaf deer can hear a hunter half a mile away. Looks like the road hunters will dominate the last weekend of hunting season. Hope they are careful as there are patches of ice as well as ruts in the shaded areas and potholes are breeding in the bare spots.

Best bet on the North Fork is to SLOW DOWN! A four wheel drive is no safer at high speed than a two wheel drive. I pulled one little 4 x 4 out of the ditch on Friday and saw three or four places where folks didn’t make a curve. Don’t know of anyone being hurt and I have not seen any sign of major vehicle damage. It is a pain if you have to wait two or more hours for help, and it is worse if you have to walk to the nearest house which might be hours away.

Since this is the end of the general hunting season, it is safe to guess that we will have less and less traffic and a quieter time until Christmas parties and the New Year’s Eve Party at Sondreson Hall hosted by the Kellys and Leighs.

Then a quiet hello to 2018 at the New Year’s Beach Party. Life is good.

What do you think?

Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.