Giving Thanks, Part One

Between the two of us, Matt and I have more family than you can shake a stick at (what does that even mean?) and holidays are, as a consequence, pretty stick-shakingly full of love and laughter.  And food.  Always food.

I love this time of year, with first snowfalls and Christmas around the bend.  Thanksgiving has always been a big joyous feast in our house, complete with cornucopia centerpieces, heaping plates of turkey, pints of fresh whipped cream over multiple pies, after-dinner games of Apples to Apples.  Sharing my family's celebration with Matt, having our close friends Kim and David with us in Omaha, and joining Matt's family on Katie and Greg's farm two days later for a second feast ... We had some terrific reasons to give thanks.

And for someone eating whole foods, there was a great, great deal for which to be grateful... I could tell you all about it, but if a picture is worth a thousand words, how much are a THOUSAND pictures worth?

A million.

Warning: gratuitous naked turkey flesh ahead!

Ohhhh, Thanksgiving.  Let me count the ways I love you: happy turkeys from the farm, sourdough stuffing seasoned with sage from the garden, simmered gravy from the innards and fresh-cut turkey neck, home-baked apple and pumpkin pie with home-rolled crust ...

We always say grace before dining, and the version from my mother's side of the family goes like this:

Father, we thank thee for this food.  Bless it to our use, and give us grateful hearts.

Amen!