Food, Shopping, Holly Jolly and Pie

30°f, about -1°C this morning, light snow cover which was soon gone.

Looking back at Thanksgiving at my son's home:

I think that for a single guy he did a great job. Even the table looked pretty.

My green beans are hiding under the ham! I could not eat all of this, but itvwaz all delicious. Derek did a cheese and meat tray beforehand, and the turkey, potatoes, and green beans. Haley made the ham and deviled eggs, Desiree made the broccoli casserole, and Jared made pasta salad. I contributed the apple cider, carrots, gravy, and 2 pies for dessert. It was a feast! We forgot to put out the pickles, cranberry sauce,  and rolls, but they weren't missed until after dinner.

We came home with enough leftovers for two days--one of the best things about Thanksgiving!

Spent the evening by the fire. It has been a gray, rainy day so tbe fire felt pretty nice.

Friday i went out to lunch with a friend visiting from Florida. I realized with surprise that this was the first time I have driven since I had my knee done. It wasn't that I couldn't drive, I just chose not to. I really don't enjoy it any more. After lunch I shopped, and I must admit it was glorious to be able to take my time all day, not having to hurry because Larry was waiting. I went to several stores, picking up Christmas gifts along with some things I needed...and it was in the third store that I realized it was Black Friday. I rarely shop on this day, but fortunately the stores I was in were not crowded. 

I got home and picked up Larry, and we were off to Charleston for one of our favorite holiday events, Holly Jolly Brawley.  It was opening night for this festival of trees and lights and boy was the place hopping. We parked in a parking garage that was free for this event, and when I got out of the car, there was Santa! Funnily enough, I instantly recognized his voice as that of our friend Bill, a man made for the role. 

Our first stop was Taylor Books (restroom!), an independent and very popular bookstore with an excellent cafe and even an underground theater. (It was much busier than it appears in the above photo---a large group had just left.)

While I was "resting" a young lady asked Larry if I was the storyteller. Turned out to be a writer friend I had not seen in at least 5 years, so we had a nice visit in the cafe, then Larry and I headed outside.

And oh, the lights! And the crowds! And the trees! It was pretty cold (about 26°f) but no one seemed to mind. There were large patio heaters here and there if one needed to warm up. 

We strolled along,  just enjoying the evening, when who should we meet but

Yep, grandson Jared,  who is home from LA. We had no idea he would be there, and he sure was surprised to see us. )I kinda stole a screenshot of his FB video). So back to Taylor Books we went to sit down with drinks for a nice long chat. What pleasure. Finally we headed home, worn out and happy. Brawley Walkway was much emptier by then, but there was this photographer taking down his equipment and we stopped a second to chat, only to find out he was the son of a friend, and I have actually been following his work on Facebook. West Virginia really is just one large small town, you know? This is Raphael Barker, who is making his name in the photography world.

He, of course, did not take this bad picture!

You can see more photos from the last 2 years of Holly Jolly Brawley here and here.

Sad to say, I suffered for that day. I had not thought much about my knee, but I hadn't rested or elevated it since morning, so I was icing and moaning most of the night. Still, it was worth it.

Yesterday was a ho-hum housecleaning day, getting the Christmas cards done, and yes, I rested too. Today we are back at it, this time making apple pie filling with some free apples we were given and had stored in the cellar. 

We ended up with 9 1/2 quarts, enough for a year of pies, but may make more since we have a lot of apples left. I used the recipe on this website.

And now I am resting again, and for the rest if the evening. Tomorrow will be another full day, booth work and physical therapy, so I am girding my loins for that. I do believe I will finish the Adam Dalgliesh series I have been watching the past couple weeks. And maybe have a cup of that Mexican hot chocolate I have been hoarding.

Have a good one, friends.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Covid Journal, Day 249: Getting Ready

50 and cloudy. It's been cloudy all week, a nice break from sun, sun, sun. Now the rain has started. It will be a wet afternoon.

Pies are in the oven, and the turkey is thawing out. This will be a strange Thanksgiving for us--no large groups of people, no big table loaded with food, no commotion and noise. Just the two of us and our son Derek this year, as everyone stays home as the government has requested.

And done.

So I'm making a pumpkin pie and an apple pie with latticed top. So odd, only two pies. Dinner will be simpler too. I splurged a little and bought asparagus, a rare treat this time of year. I'll make cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes maybe, and mashed potatoes because the guys love them. And that will pretty much be it. I think it will be fine.

Today Larry is cutting up deer, and I'm putting it up with the Food Saver as he brings it in. We have two to do, so the freezer will be well-stocked again. After the apple butter weekend, I spent Monday working at our Ravenswood booths, and Tuesday sorting out the things I'd brought home, cleaning and catching up laundry, then cooking dinner for my oldest son and his best friend. They've been hunting together, as they have every year since they were old enough to hunt. George lives on the opposite side of the state but he always comes home for the opening of deer season. I made them a beef stew, with homemade bread and apple pie. It was good to visit with them before George heads back over the mountains today to have Thanksgiving with his family. 

Truth to tell, I'm tired. Just really bone tired from a busy, busy week. So I am thankful for a scaled-down holiday this year. I remember another year, when sons were deployed overseas or living too far away to come home, and it was just Larry and me and our youngest son. We scheduled dinner out at a very tiny restaurant that could only seat about 4 couples. It was delicious, and a really special treat with excellent food well served. Maybe, when it's safe to go out again, we'll have another year when we can do that.

So how will your holiday be? Scaled back, or are you traveling? I was terribly tempted to drive to Florida to see our youngest, I miss him so much. But we are staying the course until the virus situation improves. More friends are ill, some are in ICU, and Covid is spreading fast in our rural county. So home it is, and probably the same for Christmas too.

Back to the kitchen--I do believe there's more venison to be bagged for the freezer.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Last year's Thanksgiving table

 As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts turn to the foods of the holiday: turkey and pumpkin top my list of must-haves for the feast.

And as usually happens, my mind also turns to folklore and superstition. Are there any folkloric do's and don'ts when it comes to the humble pumpkin? I went looking and this is what I found.

Eating pumpkins seeds will make you beautiful. Really? I've apparently missed this opportunity for years!

A cow that eats pumpkin seeds will go dry soon afterwards. Perhaps because pumpkins are a fall crop, which means fresh grass will soon be scarce, so cows milk production would naturally drop in the days before good hay and feed were easily available.

Eat pumpkins seeds to get rid of tapeworm (which might make you more healthy and more beautiful as a result?). You can have the same result, apparently, from drinking pumpkin seed tea. Another way to effect this cure is to eat nothing but pumpkin seeds and milk, and then to take a dose of castor oil. Which would probably be effective by itself! Pumpkin seed tea was also once used as a cure for bladder problems.

When saving your pumpkin seeds, be sure to save some from both male and female plants. And all these years I had no idea there was a difference!

Plant pumpkin seeds in May and they will all run away. Plant pumpkin seeds in June and the fruit will come soon.

These are all from the book by William Carroll (Carroll, William. Superstitions: 10,000 You Really Need, Coda Publications, 1998.) This book contains a warning to use these superstitions at your own risk, so you are forewarned!

In Jamaica, farmers believe that if a pregnant woman walks over their vines, the vines will bear more abundantly. Which makes me wonder if the local personal ads have listings like, "Wanted: Expectant mother to walk over my pumpkin vines. Will reward with pumpkins after harvest."

Most of us would never consider doing such a thing, but in some places people once believed that eating a pumpkin vine will make you foolish.  In Spain, people believed that pumpkins should only be planted on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter). In our planting zone, those vines would likely be frosted! But Spain's weather is much warmer than ours.

In Laos, it's believed that if you eat pumpkin or pumpkin seeds at a funeral, the deceased will get up and eat them with you. Yowzer! Definitely not a funereal food then.

In Kentucky, if you plant pumpkins when the signs are in the heart, the insects will eat them up.

On Guy Fawkes Day, it was once customary to carry two pumpkins carved with very ugly faces and with candles inside. One face represented the Devil, the other the Pope, and both were burned in a bonfire. (Encyclopaedia of Superstitions and the Occult Sciences)

From India: "Never cross or jump across the worshiped pumpkins or coconuts on the road." There is no reason given as to why not to do this, but don't do it, just in case.

Some people believe a grey pumpkin will protect from the evil eye, according to this story from India.

To prevent bed-wetting, feed a child pumpkin seeds parched with salt. This one is from New Orleans.

I am so relieved that there is nothing in this list about bad luck connected with pumpkin pie, as it is second only to apple pie in my book. For my pumpkin pie and pie crust recipe, and lots of other pumpkin recipes, go here to a post I wrote several years ago.

Have you ever heard any superstitions about pumpkins? If so, please share in the comments! I'd love to hear them.


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Thanks Giving: Reflection

The original Thanksgiving story seems more than a little ironic this year, given the situation at Standing Rock. The pilgrim story has always made me squirm a bit, actually. While there is probably plenty of blame to go around for what happened during the European settlement of America, this holiday is still valuable to all of us as a point of rest--a place to stop for a moment, reflect on the past year, and think about those people who are important in our lives, the places we've been privileged to go, the gift of a roof over our heads and food on our table. So many in this world that are not as fortunate, as the daily news reminds us.

We in the United States have concluded a bad year for our country with campaigns and elections that divided us in ways we never thought possible. And yet, we should rejoice that we have such a system, flawed though it may be, and that we can continue to speak our minds even when we are not in agreement with the party in power.

All of us, if we have any kind of life at all, have burdens to bear. We have disappointments, sorrows, great and trivial grievances. We seem to focus on the bad in our lives, forgetting to look up, see the beauty that surrounds us every day in the faces of others, the landscapes, and even within our own imaginations. We are like that brightly lit city in Colorado, not able to see the glory of the Milky Way because of the city lights. So for one night they turned off all the lights, and there it was, for all to see.

Sometimes we need to turn life off. Not as easy as flipping a switch or two for sure, but we can and must do it for our own health--turn off all the outside distractions and worries, and look inside our homes and ourselves for what is right and good in our world.

So here's to reflection, to peace, and quiet, to family and home. And here's to our country. Long may we all prosper.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Thanksgiving Memories

Remembering Thanksgiving days of the past today as we wait a few more days to celebrate. Our family chose Saturday as the best day to get the most people together, so our turkey is on hold. But here's a look back at past years; my photos start in 2007, when apparently I started saving them on the computer. I'll have to sort the hard copies one day to see if I have earlier ones--we didn't take nearly as many pictures when we had to take them in to be developed.

In 2007, the grandkids were a lot smaller! And they loved taking rides in the rickety trailer behind the tractor. As you can see, there was a little problem before they took off.

Clayton, pictured above, is now over 6 feet tall and in college. Kate (standing) is in her junior year of college and has been present at the birth of three babies born to her sister Jordan. Haley (right, long blonde hair) is also in college and in the Army National Guard. Hannah and Grace (seated in front of the photo) are seniors in high school this year, and Allison (left by the flat tire) is in her first year of college. Cassidy (in dark green between Kate and Haley) is makign her way in the music world in Nashville). Not in the photo are James and Michaela--I know they were here but perhaps they chose (wisely!) not to risk a ride with Poppa Larry.

But here's James and Michaela in 2008, when our guests were a bit fewer--this year they are both teenagers, and taller than me.

In 2009 we had a crowd again, about 20-25 people, as I remember. Great fun! This year we'll have about the same on Saturday when we celebrate. This was the year Anastasia made her famous from-scratch baklava, a taste I still remember.

 The quiet before the storm in 2009...

Me, Jon and his first grandchild, Cadyn. This was the last time we saw Jon, and I am so grateful for the time we had with him that weekend.

2010 saw us gathering together, trying to recover our family-ness after the loss of Jon in February. It was not easy; his memory was all around us (as it is every day, really) but still we had a good day being together.

2011 it was just Larry, me and Tommy, a smaller-than-usual group but still nice.

We miss our Tom, who is living in Florida now.

But in 2013 we went there to celebrate with him, and that was one of our best Thanksgivings ever!

Then last year the family gathered here again, and it was a very good time.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Thanksgiving, and On the Road Again

It was a beautiful Thanksgiving Day here, with lots of family, a little snow and plenty of laughter, stories and good food.

Today I am packing for a trip across the mountains to see my sisters and do our annual fruitcake bake. The snow is deep on the higher elevations but the roads, I hear, are clear. So over the river and through the woods I go!


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Thanksgiving Reverie

We were lucky with the weather this year. Warm, sunny, perfect for being outdoors and for leaving the windows and doors open to the fresh air. I started cooking early, making pumpkin and mincemeat pies, then getting the turkey in the oven, and then moving on to cranberry sauce, my sweet potatoes/apples/cranberries casserole, and the other vegetable dishes.

I spent all day Wednesday cleaning. My intention was to clean in the morning and cook in the afternoon, but once I started I kept finding more things that needed to be done. I was in de-cluttering mode. Now if you were to look at my house you might not notice my efforts because there's a lot of stuff here! But there were corners--the corner with my son's bodybuilding trophies still waiting to be mailed when he finally settles into a new place, the corner with too many banjos (Larry has three but only uses one) and too many fireplace tools, the corner with the folding extra chairs, the corner with canned food that hadn't been taken to the cellar, the tote full of canning jars also needing to be put away--corners full of stuff needing attention.

I sorted, boxed, bagged and trashed as I went. One big bag for Goodwill, several piles to be put in the cellar and shed, some furniture re-arranged, and lots of dusting done. My allergies are suffering for it but the house looks a lot better.

All that cleaning meant that cooking was put off to the day itself. And it went so smoothly, as if I'd planned it that way in the first place. I even had time to clean the silver and sit down on the porch for a couple cups of coffee. And I went out to the gardens to pick lettuce, celery, dill and green onions for a salad, and to gather a few remaining colorful branches for a table centerpiece.

Our company arrived around 3:30--my son Derek and his family along with his son's girlfriend. I love seeing my grandchildren grow up, even though I miss the days of so many youngsters running in and out of the house, noise, mess, laughter, babies all mingling in one joyful sound. I remember when air mattresses blanketed the entire house at night, when there were piles of suitcases and boots by the door, and when breakfast had to be served in shifts to accommodate everyone. Now most of the grandchildren are driving; some have jobs and some are in college. Conversations are more fun and they are certainly a lot of help in the kitchen!

After dinner Larry lit the firepit while the kids and I cleaned up in the kitchen. This is usually the men's job, but the kids jumped in and I knew where to put everything so it made sense for me to be in there--and the work flew. We were finished in no time. I use a LOT of dishes on Thanksgiving. I like to bring out the pretty bowls, plates, and serving dishes to make the table sparkle. That means a lot of washing up, and we took out the dishwashers several years ago because vintage pieces really suffer in a dishwasher and the cleaning solution scores the glass and ruins it. But it is worth the dishwashing to see the table looking so pretty, and to see the family's enjoyment of using the special dishes.

Evening was quiet, with just Larry and me. We sat by the firepit for a bit after our company left, then went inside to take the leaves out of the table and return it to its usual size. This table is the old banquet table that belonged to my parents, the table that my 12 siblings and I would gather around at mealtimes, where we sorted laundry and did our homework. It was in many ways the center of our home, and after my parents passed on it turned out that I was the only one who had space for it. It lives comfortably in our log room, and is our gathering place for family dinners as well as the place where I do my mailings, work jigsaw puzzles--in fact, use it pretty much as it was used in my childhood.

It occurred to me later in the day that this year's Thanksgiving Day was also the anniversary of the death of John F. Kennedy. I wondered how our country might have been different had he lived, how the course of history might have changed. Perhaps nothing would have been any different, but how sad that his life ended so tragically without completing his mission, and without seeing his little children grow up. In my list of things I am thankful for I included being grateful that this country had John F. Kennedy as its leader even for a brief time.

Also on my mind was my son Jon, who so enjoyed Thanksgiving and loved to come home for this holiday. He didn't come every year but when he did he was busy the entire time. The year before he passed away he was here. It was a beautiful day like yesterday, and the brothers all gathered to shoot at skeets--Aaron brought a manual skeet thing, and they all had a great time shooting the clay pigeons. Even the granddaughters tried it out. One of my favorite pictures of Jon was taken that day as he held his little granddaughter. Such memories, while painful, are also full of joy and I am very glad to have them.

I hope your Thanksgiving was one that will bring you sweet memories in the future.

Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Thanksgiving Blessings

Yesterday morning dawned foggy, drippy and cold. But still, it was beautiful. Or maybe because it was still, it was beautiful.

Inside, though, things weren't still at all. Pies were made, the turkey got roasted, and the hot water pipe broke.

Talk about excitement! I've never witnessed a broken hot water pipe before, but it's a steamy affair, I can tell you. We scrambled around trying to get the water off. The new valves on the new hot water heater didn't work--that would have been too easy, after all. So Larry shut off the main water valve, meaning we had no water in the house at all. That was okay, though--the cooking was almost done any way. He made a quick trip to Wal-Mart for glue and the turkey was just done when he got back. While I made gravy and got the table set, he fixed the break. We let the glue set while we ate, and we toasted Larry's successful repair.

I did not make mashed potatoes this year. Instead, I used Jessica's recipe for roasted vegetables. I tried it a few weeks ago and loved it; I thought it was a great change from the norm, and it lowered our carbs for the day too. I mixed cauliflower, turnips, potatoes, carrots, celery and onion, tossed the cut up veggies with rosemary oil, herbs and some seasoned salt, spread on a cookie sheet and roasted them in the oven. Delicious, especially with gravy.

 It was good to spend some quiet time with Tommy, too. He's in college so we don't see him as often as we like. (He's our bodybuilder son--but maybe you could already see that)

Me and my baby!

Today we finished dressing out the turkeys. We did 5 on Wednesday, and had 5 more to do. The turkeys did not do as well this year. We started with 20 but lost eight as chicks before realizing that hay was not a good choice for bedding. Two more died later on for reasons we have yet to learn. I think they must be like sheep. My son's friend used to have sheep and he said they often died of the mysterious disease called DSS. I think turkeys get DTS. There was no other explanation. Still 10 birds will keep us quite well for the coming year.

For the rest of this day: 

1. Start putting away my summer clothes. Late! But you know, it has been so warm I haven't felt any rush to get this chore done. Today it's been warm enough to have the door open. We may find snow coming on the heels of this warmth, but I like having roses peeking in my kitchen window on Thanksgiving.

2. Make some more rosemary oil for gifts. No shopping for me today; Black Friday has managed without me for years. This year all our gifts to family will be something we have made or grown. I've asked them to do the same. We have plenty of stuff, and so do they; we'll see how this goes. I worry a little about the grandkids who might be disappointed but as we continue to adjust to retirement income (or lack thereof!) there are some changes that just need to be made. And this is one I think will be a keeper. I just hope the grandkids understand and appreciate the reasons for the change.

If you shopped today, I hope you found bargains and had a great time. If you don't want to go out, check my eBay sales page. Maybe you'll see the perfect gift there :)

Thanksgiving

Giving thanks this day for the plenty in my life: plenty of family, friends, food and fun.

So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart.
 
Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving





Here are a few pumpkin recipes. Just in case you need inspiration!

PUMPKIN NUT COOKIES
1/2 cup butter 1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin 1/4 tsp ginger
2 cups flour 1 cup raisins
4 tsp baking powder 1 cup nuts

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix well. Add flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop onto greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 4 dozen.


PUMPKIN CAKE

2 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin or 16 oz canned pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine sugar, salad oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix well.
Combine dry ingredients; add to oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9' cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool. Frost with cream cheese icing.

PUMPKIN PIE
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (homemade or store-bought)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk (13 fl. Oz.)
1 9" unbaked pie shell (if using frozen pie shells, this recipe makes 2 pies. Bake as pie shell package directs)

Mix filling ingredients in the order given. Pour into pie shell. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

SUSANNA'S PUMPKIN NUT BREAD
2 eggs
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 /14 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans

Beat eggs with softened butter. Add pumpkin, sugar, and milk. Add next three ingredients and mix well. Add nuts.
Spread in well-greased loaf pan (9x5x3in). Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Bread may be frozen for later use.

Thanksgiving

The dinner is over, the dishes are washed and most of our company has gone home. I am glad to report that the various recipes I tried all came out well and that I am not overstuffed. I've learned over the years to eat only one plate, and not fill it too full because I will just be unhappy later. And...it leaves room for pie!

Tommy's girlfriend Anastasia was here and helped me get everything ready. We cleaned silver and selected serving dishes, sat on the porch and talked and drank coffee and then set the table together and cooked. Her pet rat Ila enjoyed small scraps of everything, a little mini-composter and is surprisingly entertaining. I never thought I would find a rat enjoyable, but Ila has proved to me that a rat can be a really neat pet.

Here are a couple photos from the beginning of our dinner:

Derek's children are growing up fast.

The beginning of our dinner. Derek took photos for me.

The menu changed a bit; I decided to make the same green beans I made last year with beans, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Anastasia made a cranberry-orange relish that was a tasty change from the usual cranberry sauce, and so easy to make. I tried an amazing recipe for sweet potatoes in orange and walnut glaze and I think it should qualify as a dessert--it was delicious, tangy and sweet and rich. I also found something new to do with corn, a spicy pepper and corn mix that complemented the beans and sweet potatoes very well. I stayed with the bacon and dill cornbread, and the mashed potatoes were red potatoes with the skins on. Add the turkey and gravy and a veggie tray and we had a feast.

Our wines were a white that is my all-time favorite, and a red that Derek brought back from Scotland. The white is a Seyval from Cabin Jones Run vineyard in West Virginia and I have only been able to find it at a little store in Glenville, WV. It's a very special treat when we can get it. The red was a 2004 Chateau de Roques Bordeaux that was a perfect accompaniment to the turkey. Lovely.

The day could not pass for me without constant thoughts of Jon. He and his family were here last year and he had such a good time. He shot a deer on Thanksgiving, the first time he'd been hunting in many, many years. he was touching base with his past and enjoying the memories of growing up with his brothers. He was also enjoying his little granddaughter and relishing his new role as grandfather. I remain grateful that he had that weekend at home, a time that he told me later was the best time he had ever had when he came home. His happiness as he talked to me over the phone was obvious, and another good memory I cherish of my son. When I think of that, I remind myself to hold each day close, to treasure all the memories and to be thankful that I have had so many good times with those I love.

Blessings to you all, and I hope that your holiday was filled with good food, good friends, and good memories.

Thanksgiving: Planning and Memories

Three years ago (and my first year of blogging, so first blog about Thanksgiving:

We celebrated at Derek's house, a few days late because he was flying home from Iraq and his flights were a little questionable.

Two years ago: Larry and I, Tommy, Aaron and his family gathered at our house to enjoy dinner in the log room.

Last year: about 24 people gathered around our table! It was a feast, the best Thanksgiving I can ever remember.

This year: It looks like a smaller crowd will gather in the log room, but the food will be plentiful I know good company and good conversation will flow with the cider (and maybe soemthing a little stronger).
I'm planning the menu now, thinking about what is in the cellar, what is in the freezer and what I might have forgotten. Here's the menu so far. For us, this is a celebration of our year of growing our gardens and turkeys, and storing the harvest:
Roast turkey  (thawing as I write) and gravy
mashed potatoes (in the cellar)
green beans with mushrooms and rosemary (garden and cellar, mushrooms from the store)
cranberry and orange relish (both from the store--wish we could grow them!)
yams, cranberries and apple casserole (from the cellar except for the cranberries)
corn (from the freezer--how to fix? looking for something different)
pickled beets (from the cellar)
pear and raisin compote (pears from the cellar, raisins from the store)
salad? will we need it? or just do a veggie tray for snacking?
pumpkin pie (pumpkin from the cellar, I think, although might have to use store-bought since I'm not sure what I have)
green tomato mincemeat pie, or maybe the little tarts everyone likes best (from the cellar)
corn sticks and cornbread wedges (Jackson's Mill cornmeal--yum!)
apple cider (from the cellar)
wine (from the store)

So, what's on your menu?

Thanksgiving at Granny's

The table was set and ready (my parents big table that now lives with me had all its leaves added to make it 12 feet long)...

the baklava was crisply golden and waiting...

The kitchen was a madhouse of people working and people playing can-you-catch-the-grape-tomato-in-your-mouth (guys!)...

cousins, dogs and cars gathered...

silly photos were taken...

the new great-grandbaby and her sweet mother came to see us...

and then it was time!

Getting 22 people seated around a table was quite a feat, and we didn't quite make it--a small table had to be set up for the three younger children, to their disgust, but they will soon be the big people and more small children will take their place. It was not easy to get a photo of the table, so this one will have to do...

and after dinner, music was played...

youngest son, his girlfriend and her pet rat had to leave (and yes, a pet rat is really very fun. Who knew?)...

Granny took some chill time...

the kids played hide-and-seek (and the big table was back to its five square feet again)...

and singing rounded out a beautiful day.

No rain, much laughter and talking, happy children, an amazed baby, and good, good food. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving. But you already knew that.