Window Charm and Charming Kids!

  It has been over four years since I have seen my grandkids so you can imagine just how elated I was when they arrived for the Thanksgiving holidays.  My oldest son, daughter-in-law and their kids came to spend five days with us which did, indeed, bring about the true meaning of the holiday spirit.  I only wish they could return for Christmas but I suppose that is too much to ask so I shall be happy about this visit!

  My handsome grandson is the typical little boy who would much rather be playing baseball, going fishing or playing some sort of video game than be bound by planned activities.  His MawMaw is only good at that fishing thing so most of his time was spent with PawPaw or his uncles.  They were more than happy to oblige his whims.  Most of my time with him was spent with early morning "snuggles" and his stories before the others got out of bed. That was a highlight since I got to know him as a seven year old and not a toddler.  He is full of ideas both serious and whimsical.  I am truly impressed with him and loved my "special" time.  My lovely granddaughter and I spent most of our time either cooking or crafting!  She has a love of creating which is right up my alley!  I turned her loose in the craftroom and told her that she could use any or all of the craft items found therein.  We spent hours happily among the beads, charms, canvases, paints and other supplies.

  I was truly amazed at some of her creations.  MawMaw kept her input to a minimum simply to watch her talents grow.  My assistance only came in the form of using the glue gun or other "not-kid-friendly" glues.  She did the rest.  After doing a painting, creating paper angel ornaments and a wearable headband, her thoughts went to the "jewels" she found in one box.  The box held everything from large rhinestones to light prisms.  Another box held broken jewelry that people donate to me.  She scavenged through the boxes and started putting pieces together until she created the loveliest "window charm".  Once she was finished, she presented the ornament to me as a gift.  My heart did a Grinch thing and grew three times its normal size!  

  This MawMaw cannot wait until the next visit.  I am sure the Grand Princess and I shall delve into more crafty things and even the Grand Prince asked to be taught a few things.  How cool is that?  Until then, I will hang onto memories and plan for the future.  Good times at the Little Bayou House...at least, for me.

Chasing Away The Mulligrubs

  As hard as the past couple of years have been on all of us, we still have a lot of reasons to be thankful.  I admit that things have been rough...they have been not to my liking here, either.  The isolation is taking its toll on my emotions and mental well-being.  While it is not easy, I tend to drown my dejection with work.  It is not hard to find chores to be done so it is a win/win situation.  I forget about the woes of the world and accomplish things that have been neglected.

  Today's first chore started at 4am.  There were 16lbs of shelled pecans that needed canning.  Normally, I would have just tossed the majority of the nuts in bags and in the freezer but both chest type freezers are filled to capacity with seafood.  Nope...ain't no nut worth tossing away a shrimp.  So, the pecans were canned and can sit on the shelf for the duration until they are needed.   After doing these, there are still 5lbs that will be used in baking between now and Christmas.

  After the canning was complete, I headed outside to start building a "temporary" greenhouse/winter garden area.  This will hold the night-blooming cereus plants and enough tomato and bell pepper plants to tide us over until spring.  By the time my work for the day was done, the doldrums had left for at least a little while.  No, it did not solve the many problems facing us but it did give my brain a break.  I am just thankful that I am able to get out and do something...anything...to keep the mulligrubs at bay.  (Wow!  I have not thought of mulligrubs since my grandmother passed.  She always used the term.  Ahh, Grandmother!  Another reason to be thankful...memories.)

Thankful For One Photograph

  Since Thanksgiving falls in November, this should be an entire month of thankfulness.  Well, to my way of thinking, the entire year should find us being thankful even for the smallest of gifts.  I am thankful.  The past couple of years have been trying, to put it mildly, but....I am thankful....always.

  This morning as I eased my way down the pier, I was in awe of the sky in front of me.  There was scant clouding which made for the perfect spot for the sun's rays to bounce around.  Wow!  This was gorgeous!  Then I remembered...my camera was not being overly happy, as of late.  The cantankerous thing was often not willing to take photographs.  Why I still insist on toting it is quite questionable...still, it was in hand.  I tried, it worked....for one photograph.  I have one photograph of the sunrise but, oh, wow!...what a beautiful picture.  I am thankful.  I am thankful.

It Has Become A Tradition

  For the past few years, I have tried to slip out of the kitchen long enough to get a photograph of the sunrise on Thanksgiving morning.  Sometimes it is hard to do since cooking for the "Big Day" involves a major undertaking.  I was smart this year, however!  I did something that I have never done before and it was one of those "smack my head" moments.  Duh!! Anything to make any mealtime easier is a happy thing but when it comes to large, all inclusive, family meals, a few moments saved here and there can be a lifesaver.  This brilliant idea was such a no brainer that I cannot believe I have never done it before!  

  I am one of those folks who has a myriad of crockpots or slow cookers.  Duh!  Use the crockpots!  Yep, with Mark wanting all traditional foods, Darling Daughter being a vegan, Son and Son-in-law being big meat-eaters and me being a pescatarian the meal preps were a bit overwhelming so I solved it all by pulling out the crockpots.  Mark's traditional green bean casserole, the sweet potato pone AND the ham were all cooked in the slow cookers!  Brilliance!  That freed up the oven for the turkey and dressing (a regular giblet type and a vegan cranberry sauce filled one).  Of course, the stove top came into play for the mashed potatoes, gravy (vegan and turkey), plain green beans (for those not able or willing to eat the casserole), plain cauliflower (again for those not willing to eat roasted cauliflower soup).  Elizabeth and Robbie brought the soup, a delicious salad and some of the best yeast rolls that I have ever eaten!  We finished this all off with 3 different desserts!  But! It was those crockpots that saved hours!  Everything was in place and ready to go before sunrise!  I am thankful for so many things but added to the list this year are two more things.  I am thankful for brilliant ideas and for the invention of crockpots!

  The Thanksgiving sunrise custom came into play several years ago when I had a houseful of people all wanting a huge meal.  Well, with that many folks, a gigantic turkey had to be roasted so I was up in the wee hours of the morn.  Once the bird was in the oven, there was nothing else to do but head to the pier to collect my thoughts before the hubbub of the day started. Once everyone else was awake, it would be ridiculous to even think of escaping to the pier.  While I was there, the sun peeped up over the pines and crept into the gazebo across the way.  It appeared as if the sun was housed by the large gazebo.  When I showed Darling Daughter the photo, she dubbed it "The House of the Rising Sun" after the well-known song.  That first photo was taken nine years ago and I am still scurrying down to the pier each Thanksgiving morn to get my "House of the Rising Sun" photo.  This morning did not disappoint.  

The Pecan Pie

  I live in the Deep South but it is a sad thing that I do not care for pecan pie.  I do not make pecan pie.  I do not eat pecan pie.  Oh, don't get me wrong, it is delicious....if you like sweet...really sweet...sickening sweet.  Pecan pies are sweet.  Each pie takes about a truckload of sugar mixed in with a few barrels of corn syrup.  Throw in a few tablespoons of butter, some salt and eggs then pour the mixture over two cups of pecans in a pie shell.  Oh, maybe add a bit more sugar just for good measure.  Yep, pecan pies are that sweet.  

  Last week, one of my "adopted" sons called me to ask a favor. "Could you make two pecan pies for me to take to our corporate Thanksgiving dinner?  I told everybody that you are the best baker in the whole state."  Well, although the statement is not even remotely true, what could I do?  When someone sweet-talks like that, it is hard to say no.  Bless his heart, he sure knows how to butter people up to get them to do whatever he needs.  So, I became a baker.  I made pecan pies...even though I had never made one before in my life.  He and his coworkers bragged on my attempts so I baked another last night for our Thanksgiving feast.  I figured if everyone else liked them, perhaps I had a misconception of the southern favorite.  

  The pie did not make it to the dinner table in one piece.  Mark sneaked a slice of the legendary southern treat while it was still warm from the oven!  "That is delicious!" he proclaimed.  Ok, ok...I will try a smidgen.  Yep, it was tasty.  Yep, I still found it far too sweet.  Still, I will make pecan pies in the future for those who desire to have their pecans covered in straight syrupy goop but I will continue to bake other treats for those of us who prefer to not have a massive sugar rush.  I have to admit, it does look impressive, though, and I can truly say I do, indeed, make pecan pies!

Simply Thankful

   As usual, many things battle for space in the brain as I meander about the hillside.  Here lately, my hikes have become slow strolls due to the health of the old dog. He moves slow so I move slow.  There is no need to hurry if it causes him not to enjoy his time outside.  We spend time together purely because we like each other but, as of late, he never wants me out of his sight.  So, instead of fast-paced hikes where I would leave him far behind, we stroll, take time to see things and often stop to rest.  He needs our time together as a reassurance that I will always be here for him.  I need our time together simply because he has been so faithful.  But, as I said, many things have the chance to pop in and out of the thoughts on these long, slow walks.

  This afternoon being as tomorrow is Thanksgiving, it occurred to me that I am thankful for the chance to move slow.  I am thankful for life being slower paced than in the past.  I am thankful that, as a kid, I was able to lie on my back in the cool grass and watch the clouds float by overhead.  I am thankful that the old dog, Mr. PJ has given me the opportunity to do it again.  I am thankful that he came to the Bayou to be a part of the family.  I am just thankful for life and what all is here.  

A Time to Think...

  Ok, so Halloween is so yesterday!  Yep, my favorite holiday has come and gone now I am ready to move forward to my next "favorite" holiday, Thanksgiving.  While this holiday has a tendency to slip by unnoticed by many who whisk away the Halloween decorations only to burst headlong into Christmas, I celebrate it.  While I may not transform the entire house as I do for the flanking holidays, I do, indeed, decorate for Thanksgiving.  Why not?  My style decorating is easy!  Way back in August, I will start putting out "fall" decorations.  Along about mid to late September, Halloween things start appearing throughout the Little Bayou House.  Then by the time October rolls around, everything is in place.  It has to be this way as more time is needed to prepare for the clue hunt than to decorate for Halloween.  But...the day after the holiday, everything remotely Halloween is removed and we are back to strictly fall.  Add a few pretty Thanksgiving knickknacks and within an hour, the house has gone from one holiday to the next!  

  One thing that does get a complete redo is the large china cabinet.  I have dishes for about every holiday so as one bunch is removed the others go right in place.  This morning as I was pulling black and orange plates and replacing them with my grandmother's turkey plates, it occurred to me that Thanksgiving would not be the same without the mishmash of items collected over the years.  Grandmother's turkey plates are a fine example of tradition.  The plates were actually a Christmas gift to my grandparents from my folks.  Times were lean and Mom was aghast that Pop spent a whole $5 on one gift!  He had gotten the plates and a huge platter from the hardware store!  The plates were used at every holiday meal after that Christmas.  I suppose you could say that it was money well spent for all the use that the dishes have seen.  Using the plates year after year makes me thankful that I had the childhood that I did.  We may have been dirt poor but, then again, we were rich beyond our wildest dreams.   Sitting next to the plates are the small candles that portray a pair of praying pilgrims and a huge cornucopia.  Those candles have been around forever as well.  They never have missed a Thanksgiving meal since I was a child.  Even though they are candles, no one in the family ever made the mistake of lighting them.  The candles were there to remind us that, like that cornucopia, our blessings were huge.  

  A lot of folks probably look at my place in disgust because I do have a tendency to collect oddities.  I like it this way.   I like the memories that these items evoke.  They are good memories.  While it would be nice if these things were cherished by my kids and would find a home with them later on, it does not bother me if they do not.  It is not a matter of what they like. This is what I like.  Personally, I feel comforted by surrounding myself with the"Ghosts of Christmas Past" or of Thanksgiving, Halloween or any other holiday past.  Right now, as the wind is howling out over the Bayou and the windows of the Little Bayou House are rattling, my heart is full of peace. I can ramble about the place and be whisked back to a time when folks showed more gratitude for what they had and for the blessings that were bestowed upon them.  There, I can visit the memories of Grandmother donning her hand stitched apron to snap a huge bowl of green beans,  of Mom using the old rolling pin with the broken handle to bake the best pumpkin and pecan pies ever tasted, of Granddad whittling a whistle for me out of a hickory branch and of Pop hauling another bushel of sweet potatoes off the back of his old truck.  I can bask in the memories of relatives and neighbors who came to share our bounty, of playing hide and seek in the old barn with dozens of cousins and of the smells of delicious, home-cooked foods and sounds of laughter, chattering and someone playing the old upright piano.  In my mind, if some item can jog a happy memory from a time long past, then so be it.  Memories can take us back to a time long forgotten but one that should be long remembered.  Yep, I will celebrate Thanksgiving and be appreciative of the treasures that surround me.

I am Thankful....

  I am thankful for loving kids who, even though they will be out of town on the actual day, cared enough to spend "Thanksgiving" with their dear old mom.  Yep, we celebrated Thanksgiving a few days early so I would not feel neglected.  What wonderful, caring, loving kids!  

  While our dinner could not actually be described as the traditional meal shared on this day, we had plenty to eat and enjoyed lots of visiting.  Yes, we did have a turkey...sort of...as I baked a turkey breast, but we also had samosas, stuffed squash, a vegetable medley, homemade biscuits and assorted other goodies.  I guess in a way, those samosas were the only thing that set the pace as a bit different other than the fact that ninety percent of our meal was vegan.  Both Darling Daughter and I have changed our diets to include less meat.  She became a vegan years ago and health issues have just recently forced me to rethink what I eat.  I have found that being a vegetarian (other than eating seafood) has vastly improved my well-being.  So, our meal reflected the cooks' choice of dishes.  Enough said.  We all dined until full but still saved room for dessert.  AND it was that dessert that was the talk of the afternoon!

  Elizabeth had made two pies for our feast. One was a vegan pumpkin pie. Its deep rich filling was perfectly seasoned and creamy rich.  She had used honey as the sweetener and used cornstarch instead of eggs to thicken the filling.  It was delicious!  The other pie was an apple/pear pie.  This..she proclaimed was the heaviest pie in the world with the "hugest" crust!  Not so in a bad way!  Yes, the pie was heavy because I think she used a good twenty apples in it and then decided to throw in a few dozen pears for good measure.  The crust had to be "huge" to contain all the goodness therein.  The pie was delicious! Both were and I am so glad she decided to leave leftovers with us! Yum!

  While our meal was most delightful in itself, it was more the whole family time thing that made the day perfect.   We missed Mark, my oldest son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren but those of us who gathered today felt truly blessed...none more than me.  Happy Thanksgiving...a few days early.

Simple Blessings

  Today being Thanksgiving, I did all the expected things that a mom has to do.  I got up roasted the turkey, finished preparing the side dishes and set the table.  Things were going smoothly as I had plenty of help.  Both Mark and Son were on hand for any chores that called for assistance. This made the day easy for me.  One of the things that was strictly my task was setting the table.  If it was up to the guys, the this part of a meal would consist of  "setting" their plateful of food on the table before eating it.  I prefer to have the table look nice at least for a few minutes before plates are piled with goodies and folks commence their munching.  It was this time that got me thinking.

  The tablescape was simple this time as we are simple folks.  There is no need for flashy decorations or fine linens.  A plaid throw, a couple of vases of dried marsh plants and three small Thanksgiving candles was all it took to portray the mood.  Mom's turkey plates, Aunt Betty's green glasses, my grandmother's pine needle vase (and my copy!) and my grandmother's candles made the place look festive without being overbearing.  Simple...like me...like life on the Bayou.  

  Simple blessings can sometimes far outweigh the most elaborate of gifts.  An early morning walk with Mark, (the best husband in the world), the time spent with Son as we baked yesterday,  the few minutes that I had to chat with my oldest son who is overseas, sharing a bit of conversation and a few ideas for herbal tea blends with my sweet daughter-in-law, giggles, stories and more giggles between Darling Daughter and myself as we unpacked Christmas decorations, hugs from my son-in-law...all count as simple, yet wonderful blessings.  Food to eat, a cozy, little house, fresh air to breathe, firewood for the old wood-stove, a winter garden and comfy clothes to wear...all taken for granted, yet true blessings.  We are granted so many blessings that we overlook in our hectic lives.  Simple....yet abundant.  Simple....yet perfect.  Simple blessings.

Some Traditions....You Just Cannot Break!

  The holidays carry with them many, many heartwarming traditions. Some have been in families for generations and nobody ever questions the logic behind the traditions, they are just merely repeated every year for "old time's sake".  Makes sense.  Maybe.  My holiday season starts way back in September.  It is then that I am preparing for the clue hunt we hold each October and for Halloween.  These are relatively new things in the way of traditions since neither were big deals back when I was a kid.  Thanksgiving, however, was always special in our household....it still is.  I always make the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal.  Mark would have it no other way.  A turkey is roasted and all of the trimmings are prepared.  The cooking actually has to start several days in advance since I would never be able to finish it all in time.  

  Today, the kitchen was a busy place.  Son and I were making pies for the big meal.  Pumpkin pies are always the required dessert for this feast and that, more than likely, came about merely as a way to use up all of those Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns.  I know that I never waste a pumpkin! Since pumpkin pies are also a favorite around here, we usually make four or five pies.  Those never go to waste either!  While we were making the pie dough and the pie filling, I asked Son if he preferred a blueberry or an apple pie as our single pie.  I know this seems a bit contrary to my previous statement and do not get me wrong here...we did make four pumpkin pies...three regular and one vegan..but there was that single pie that needed filling.  This brought up an interesting conversation between the two of us.  "Why do we always make one pie different?"  he queried. I pondered the question.  Well, I do because my mom, your grandmother, always did.  She did because her mother did.  One might reason that it was all planned.  Perhaps it was done just in case a neighbor dropped by on Thanksgiving day and it would make a nice gesture to offer something besides pumpkin pie. While this seems logical and quite the nice gesture, I think there is another deeper answer.  By this time, I was rolling out the last of the pie dough and he had filled all of the previous pie shells with the yummy filling.  "Ummm, I am out of filling." he stated. Yep!  That is exactly why there always seems to be an odd pie!  "Huh?" Well, when making pie dough and pie filling from scratch as we do, there is not a lot of way of judging just how much of either is needed.  Our pie plates are all different sizes, too, so invariably, we make too much dough. Instead of wasting the extra pie dough, Great-grandmother, grandma and I always had some sort of fruit on hand so we filled that extra pie shell with whatever was handy.  Hence, one odd pie was baked.  "Sounds good to me." he mumbled as he slid another pie into the oven.

  While this "odd pie" tradition turns out to be more of an act of being frugal, the true tradition is just spending the time together.  Yes, we were busy baking and cooking but, at the same time, we were chatting and enjoying each other's company.  This is something that the family has done for generations....traditional Thanksgiving Dinner preparation equals togetherness.  I have a lot of thankfulness in my heart.  Oh...and he chose apple!

The "Art" of Being Thankful

  The holiday known as Thanksgiving is all but forgotten in our lives. Sure, we all expect to overstuff ourselves with turkey and trimmings on the big day and we have a tendency to spout how grateful we are for material things but just how much do we really celebrate this day?  It is sort of just wedged in between two other days that are a bit more popular...Halloween and Christmas.  Halloween is exciting!  It is the up and rising holiday of the age. With costumes, decorations, trick or treating and parties galore, it keeps us occupied for a month.  Then, there is Christmas!  Trees, decorations, gifts, plays, carols, manger scenes and glad tidings to all...it is no wonder that we can hardly await the big day! The festivities start the day after Halloween and continue for nigh on two months.  In between the two, we wish to rest....not celebrate.  My thought on the matter is this.  Do we really even know how to be thankful? Are any of us really adept at the art of being thankful?  Probably not.

  This calls for some restructuring of our thoughts.  Thanksgiving is just as important as any other holiday sandwiched into the calendar of events but it is that art of being thankful that many of us have forgotten. Do we know how to appreciate whatever we have been given?  Mark's grandmother taught me something long ago.  She would wake in the morning giving thanks for another day, she would sing praises all day long and then give thanks again at night before retiring to bed.  Her day was spent being thankful.  Not that she had a lot...she did not.  She lived close to poverty level by her choice.  She had earned her way through life and was truly appreciative of what she had even though it was meager at times.  She had learned the art of thankfulness.  It seems that some folks are forever wanting more.  They need a bigger car, fancier house, nicer clothes, flashy jewelry and such to make them feel important.  Our society sees that as success.  This is so wrong. Happiness is success...the other is nothing more than "bling" used to cover our insecurities

  To be truly thankful, we each need to do a bit of soul-searching and realize that no matter what we have, it can disappear in a blink of an eye. None of us are promised a single day, a next meal or even another breath.  Life is fleeting...happiness is even more elusive.  To be truly happy, one must be at peace with oneself and see that no matter what life hands us, we should give thanks.  Our very existence is a gift and for THAT, my friends, we should be thankful.  So look inside of yourself and find that deep feeling of gratitude for life, for love, for daylight, for darkness and for everything in between...not just for one day or even for one month but for a lifetime.

Is it still Thanksgiving if no one comes?

  Thanksgiving, like all holidays, should be filled with folks, both family and friends, infused with chatter and laughter, and bustling with things to do.  It should be.  Today, the day before the big day, I spent alone. Sure there was plenty to keep me busy.  I HAD to get that turkey ready, it WAS necessary to bake pies and a bounty of other foods NEEDED to be prepared.  I did it.  Not that I particularly enjoyed it this year since I am not sure if anyone will be here or not.  It is hard to prepare a meal when you have no idea if guests will arrive or not.  I did it, though.  The turkey is patiently waiting in the frig to be popped into the oven at 4AM, the sweet potato pone is mixed and ready for the Dutch oven, dressing is made, that "all-important" green bean casserole is prepared and pies...those pies made from scratch...those pumpkin and apple pies...bake as I write this.  All of the trimmings of gravy, cranberry/citrus sauce and fresh baked roles shall be fixed in the morning along with the roasted cauliflower and salad.  Whew!  It seems like a lot.

  Yep, it does seem like a lot and to beat that, I had to make double. Double? You may be asking. Yep, double.  I made the same recipes that I have made for years but, also, an entire version as vegan just in case Darling Daughter is able to come tomorrow. Talk about your brainstorming, mind-numbing work that was!  I was good to go with the usual things like dressing and veggies but those pumpkin pies threw me for a loop! Sure, leaving out the milk was no problem.  I substituted coconut milk for the dairy and raw sugar took the place of regular sugar but I had to use a bit of ingenuity to be get the pie to "set" without eggs. I am hoping my concoction works.  If not, I may just have a nice bowl of pumpkin soup with a soggy crust.  Yum!

Tomorrow will come and it will be Thanksgiving.  Even if folks do not come to the Bayou, I will be thankful,  I will be thankful that I can set a bountiful table.  I will be thankful that I have fine family and friends.  I will be thankful that my hands can be busy,  I will be thankful that my husband saw that I was a bit down and treated me to dinner tonight!  I will even be thankful for vegan pumpkin pies.  I will be thankful.  God is good.  He blesses us with so many things that it is often hard to comprehend. Thanksgiving will come.  May each of you find heaps of blessings for which to be thankful.  From the Bayou, Happy Thanksgiving, Folks...Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Bayou!

The Little Bayou House smells delightful! The aromas spilling from the kitchen are enough to make the mouth water and I wonder just how in the world we will have the strength to wait until dinnertime! Here we always have a "traditional" Thanksgiving Day meal complete with an oven-roasted turkey. None of that deep-fried, smoked or any other prepared type turkey for us..it has to go in the oven! And the dressing..also known as stuffing...is the good ole Southern type dressing made with cornbread and giblets. There is one thing different about this year's meal..this is the first year that I have not made pies as dessert. My cousin, Michelle, is bringing home-baked pecan pies! I think I might just skip the rest of the meal and head straight for those pies!

Everyone at the Little Bayou House wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!

While spending the day in the kitchen, I reflected on just how blessed I am. God has definitely been good to this family. The Little Bayou House has always been filled with family. This year, I was a bit down since not all of my children would make it here due to work schedules. I thought that this was going to make for an "empty" holiday. Mark and I would only have one of our kids here and the house was definitely going to be "hollow" without the others. I was almost to the point of saying..meh..who needs all of this cooking? I should have known better...I cannot have an empty house! That would just not do! Now I am counting more blessings as Michelle, my uncle and my brother are all going to join us for our meal! God finds a way! I will definitely miss Mark, Joanna, Elizabeth and Robbie but I know that I will see them soon and we will make up for lost time!

I am thankful for sunrises on the Bayou!

I am thankful for a kind and loving God...for He knows what I need before I do. I am thankful for family and friends...they are what makes life enjoyable. I am thankful for the Little Bayou House...for without shelter the elements would soon take its toll. I am thankful for the Bayou and my critter friends..for the Bayou and these friends keep life interesting. I am thankful for harvest...for there is enough food on the shelves and in the freezers to feed an army! I am thankful for you...for you, my friends, give me inspiration. I hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Feeling foggy

This morning's visit to the pier was a total fog-out! The "pea-soup" type fog was literally almost a fine, misty rain that had I stayed long enough, would have soaked me to the bone! So I stayed just long enough to snap a couple of pictures of the grayness, a single coot and the spiderweb-garlanded marsh grass. Nothing spectacular could possibly be seen in this drippy cloud so I headed back to the house for a mug of coffee!

Heavy fog enveloped the pier for the past few mornings!

Once inside, I finished up a paint job that I had started yesterday. The trimwork in the dining room and kitchen now sport a new coat of barn-red paint. One thing led to another and the entire stair rail..both upstairs and down..were freshened with the same color! Now this part of the Little Bayou House looks quite festive! Still nothing spectacular occurred. At this point, it seemed as if the day would pass as quite the ordinary, run-of-the-mill type day. Then the phone rang....and my day improved immensely!

A lone American Coot came to visit this foggy morn.

My Uncle Alfred called me all the way from Missouri! With his wise words of advice, he always manages to bring a smile and a bit of comfort to my day. And today was no different! Today's piece of sage advice? ....If I was having all of the family over for Thanksgiving dinner, have them each bring a dish. This would save lots of work!" Now you know..I have to fully agree with what he says! I think this would be the most wonderful way to share a dinner on any day! Not only would it save the hostess a ton of work, but it would bring a sense of satisfaction to all those participating. And as an added plus, we would all get to try new types of foods! This whole idea of a "Potluck Thanksgiving" seems to date back to the original dinner if there was any such meal. It stands to reason that all those folks that got together to share the meal would have brought their "special" dish to put on the table and thus share their bounty. Well, Uncle Alfred...I think you are right! So all you folks coming to the Little Bayou House for Thanksgiving dinner...Bring a dish!

Fog beaded on spiderwebs in the marsh.

To Uncle Alfred, whose fatherly advice has pulled me through many years, and to all of my readers..I hope this Thanksgiving week is filled with many blessings. I know that I am thankful for each of you! And Uncle, thank you for brightening my day!

Little Thanksgiving candle set from Mom's place.

Counting My Blessings

It is early Thanksgiving Morn and all is peaceful and quiet. I am the only one stirring at the homeplace at this hour..simply because I am the one roasting the turkey. Rising at 4AM gave me plenty of time to pump a few mugs of coffee in me and journey to my favorite place, the pier, for a simple morning meditation. As Ezzy, the dog, and I sat staring out over the water, I tried counting a few of my many Blessings. It did not take me long to realize that even though like most people I have a few areas in my life that could have vast improvements, overall my Blessings far outweigh any gripes I may have. There were too many to count..I have a Good Lord that watches over me, a very loving family, a comfortable, snug home, more than enough food to satiate my hunger and even a old dog that would follow me to the ends of the Earth. The Blessings did not end there although that should be enough to please any soul. I could have effortlessly blurted out an few thousand more in the moments that I sat there. Instead, I pondered an idea.."What if I think long and hard and acknowledge some obscure blessing every day instead of one day a year?" Not the usual things that folks (like me) ramble off when asked at the dinner table to list a few blessings. Name a Blessing that is not of the obvious sort..name a Blessing every day and truly be thankful for the way this gift has affected my life. To be truly thankful for something surely must involve more than spieling off a dozen or so items that are so cliche that it sounds rote. This is not to say that we should not be thankful that we were given each of these gifts, but rather to learn to appreciate more unnoticed bounty that has been bestowed upon us. As I sat there, I pondered..thinking of the seemingly unending list..then it hit me..the first thing on my list should be just the ability to think. What a blessing it is to even be able to think! How many thoughts are processed through even my poor, feeble brain each and every day! Yes..to begin my list of daily thanksgiving I am unconditionally thankful that I have been granted the gift of thought.

I hope all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and can find something to be thankful for everyday even if it is totally obscure thing. May the Good Lord smile down upon you in the coming year and grant you all that you need to make you realize you have been blessed.