Thanksgiving

Wake up at 6.

This is too early! I stay put.

Ed, half asleep, mumbles -- the cake wont bake itself...

I'm up.

Thanksgiving.

Before I plunge into the turmoil of cooking, I must tend to those who need me now. The cheepers, for instance.





Then it begins. Thanksgiving, at the table.

Spice cake (warm!), fruit, bacon...






We are a family of holiday habit. It includes keeping an eye on Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.






Snowdrop surely loves it!






Did I mention how joyous she is today?






And wanting to help! (Filling the muffin tins...)






She shows off her new dance shoes. (Is she truly just two years old? The pose of a teenager...)






I need to keep on schedule. With so many things to prepare, if I slip, we all will fall!

I chop mushrooms for the gravy. Again Snowdrop wants to help. I give her the knife and she finishes the job. Perfectly.






(Pause for letting everyone's artistic skills take hold...)






Lunch: pureed squash soup and (I admit it, these were not made by me from scratch) spinach and cheese dumplings.






She tells us -- I love squash soup! Snowdrop doesn't just like her favorites. She is always passionately enamored with them!






Over lunch, Ed recounts a befuddling incident. He tells us that he saw no fewer than five kittens playing in the sunlit doorway of the barn.

Say what??? Where did they come from???
Did someone drop them there? It sounds bizarre, but is there any way they could have wandered here on their own? We haven't seen them up until now.  But is that conclusive? They are skittish. They hide at the sound of voices.

We're curious and immediately after lunch we all head for the barn. We see a dash and a scramble and then nothing. By the time we are inside the barn, there's not a kitty in sight.

No matter. Let's play! It's sunny and pretty mild out there!






Ed blows bubbles. Snowdrop chases them.











... then rests with her mommy.






We return to the barn, this time very slowly and very quietly. There they are! Do you see them?






A closeup of two (there are five in all)...





Well now, they're here. Anyone have any idea as to what comes next?

Snowdrop loses herself in sweeping. I don't blame her. We have a lot to think about.






I don't want cats in the farmhouse. But might they simply stay in the barn? But all five? How do we care for them? Ed reminds me that this is the first November where we haven't had a significant mouse problem here. Are they behind this?


I slice a half dozen apples, mix them with raspberries, a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon. I top them with an oat crumble and slip it all in the oven.






And now all the foods are starting to come together. Everyone is here, happy, hungry...






Out comes the turkey, The mushroom gravy gets a final stir, the scalloped potatoes have come back from Ed's sheep shed. The beans are ready, the chipotle corn is almost done.






Oh, but can I pull it all together? Carved bird and all?

Done!





Yes, this girl who rarely eats meat, devours the drumstick!






And finally, dessert. with whipped cream giggles...






We eat, we play, eventually the young family leaves.

Such a day!

I do hope your Thanksgiving was full of laughter and kindness. Stay strong, stay cheerful. And remember those you love. Always.