“All Creatures Great and Small” — the book series and its television incarnations — is a tremendous treat and an evocative reminder of growing up in the country in the mid-20th century. My wife and I have been enjoying the original English TV version on the Britbox streaming service. Nearing its end, we’ve been rationing ourselves to one a week.

It’s mostly thanks to my mom’s parents that I feel a connection to farm/ranch life. My folks didn’t keep livestock or poultry or grow vegetables. And by the time I was born in 1958, my grandparents were starting to slow down a little. Even so, I grew up in close proximity to calving, branding, hand-raising bum lambs, gathering fresh eggs, digging post holes, stringing barb wire, maintaining ditches and the hundred other chores that can keep several people occupied even on a small 40-acre farm like Grandpa and Grandma owned.

Irrigation was as close as Grandpa came to having a religion, while Grandma was a mostly benevolent ruler of a flock of chickens — not that her kindliness saved them from the chopping block when their laying days were over. After they met their grizzly ends — you haven’t experienced country life until you’ve witnessed a newly headless chicken make a last dash across the farmyard — Grandma honored their sacrifice by turning them into delicious stew. She was strong and wise, but unsentimental.

My mind is filled with warm memories of my grandparents. Their values and unassuming leadership inspire me and all their grandchildren. Today, Nov. 14, is their 100th anniversary and I just wanted to share this tiny bit of their story with you.

I always enjoy running family news, such as anniversaries, weddings and births in the Chinook Observer, and also treasure the tradition of obituaries. Among some in my industry, these items used to called “hatch, match and dispatch.” But all kidding aside, events such as these are the essence of family life and also have great significance for the wider community. Social media announcements have largely supplanted more traditional venues for getting this news out to friends and neighbors. But I encourage you to send items to me. I love running them.

On another subject, it will be a relief to most of us to have the latest election over, even though we’ll only get a brief respite before campaigning begins for 2024. Let’s be polite and remember we all have much more in common with one another than we ever will with most denizens of the other Washington.

As always, I deeply value your interest and support. The Chinook Observer is a community institution that relies on you.

PICTURED: My grandparents Lafe and Hilda Bell, and my two uncles, Bud and Tom.