first time feast

I know, it's not people. It's totally carnivorous food. I couldn't resist - it was my first crown roast, my first big festive thing-I've-never-tried before that wasn't a cake or dessert, and it was gorgeous and awesome. We ate Christmas Eve dinner at my sister Jeanna's house, it was a small family celebration (some local family were out of town and our out-of-town guests had yet to arrive) and it was lovely. Crown pork roast with a wild mushroom stuffing and a glazed pear and kumquat garnish a la the holiday issue of Martha Stewart magazine. Now, that is something I never saw coming, me getting excited about Martha. Who knew?

a lovely holiday of Thanks and more

Augustus, sand and sky

giving thanks, Florida style
extended family for Thanksgiving

Augustus and Uncle Neil in motion

Magdalena, an orange and sunlight

Magdalena helping Ethan clear a fence line

Thanksgiving was a glorious family celebration this year. Neil and Tammy came in from the panhandle and Tim, Dave's brother, came in from Texas. We are thankful for so much, so many blessings, so much love, so much abundance. I was at the commissary, shopping the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and I asked someone working in the refrigerator behind the dairy section if there was more cream. While she went to look it struck me, if this is the worst inconvenience I have, waiting for somebody to find heavy whipping cream, then all is well. I thought, I've never waited in a bread line, never lived through food rationing, never lived in fear of shrapnel. I've also never had these particular thoughts before on Thanksgiving, I guess it's a sign of the times. But that one little pause, waiting, with about five other folks, gave me the opportunity to be even more thankful than I was. I ended up grateful that, when there was no more cream, all I had to do was stop by Publix on the way home. Easy.