Thursday, November 27, 2008

Giving Thanks

High: 37° F
Low: 26° F
Conditions: increased clearing throughout the day

Growing up, Thanksgiving was one of my least favorite holidays. We had school until the end of the day on Wednesday, then woke up on Thursday morning to a flurry of dinner plans. My mom would encourage my brother and me to watch the Macy’s Day Parade, but neither one of us really saw the appeal of epic-sized balloons shaped into outmoded cartoon characters. Each year, we’d half heartedly hope that a float would escape its human handlers and wreck havoc on the Manhattan skyline. No such luck.

To make matters worse, I’m no fan of turkey (it, I’ve always said, tastes way too much like turkey) or eating big meals mid-day or watching football games with overfed family members and a glass of eggnog.

So, to my adolescent mind, this holiday has always been a bust. It didn’t matter that my mother’s side of the family claims descendency from one of the original pilgrims (and Thanksgiving planners) or that various members of the family had labored over casseroles and carving: I was delighted when the day was over and we could get back to normal meal schedules and tv programming.

As an adult, I’m learning to feel differently—but it’s a gradual process.

I’m never going to love this holiday, but I can appreciate its ritualized symbolism. And, at the risk of cliché, I whole heartedly understand the significance of giving thanks.

This morning, Ari and I awoke to the first snowfall of the season. It wasn’t much, but we were grateful nevertheless. I love the starkness it affords the landscape: the way everything becomes clear and quiet with even a light dusting-- like these apples, now overwintering for the benefit of woodland creatures.


Ari, on the other hand, likes the way it preserves scent and step. Any time of year, she can read the landscape with a precision I can only imagine. That only intensifies with a cover of snow, which makes it all the easier to divine where her friends have been and what they’ve been doing.
The snow will undoubtedly melt by mid-day today, but we’re happy to see it nevertheless. It’s a sign that the holiday season is upon us, and we’re grateful for that too.


Later today, we’ll sit down to a meal of lobster stew. I’ll bake some bread, and we’ll probably make a spinach salad, too. It may not be television’s version of the perfect Thanksgiving dinner, but its traditions stretch back much farther than t.v. And it’s a version of the holiday we can call our own.

To all of our friends in the blogging world, we want to thank you for your friendship. We’ve learned so much about relationships through your wit and insight. And so, wherever you are, we wish you a:

25 comments:

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Awwwww!

That's just too khool!!

How about sharing some of that yummy khanned stuff?!?

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: Thanks fur being such a khool khanine pal!

Eve said...

That canned turkey dinner looks YUMMY!!! Ha Ha Ha! We're going for it Kathryn....I only do one big meal once a year (pretty much) and this is it! It smells great in here already! Send some of that Lobstah stew this way will ya!!! I bet it will be great! Enjoy your warm home with all the critters and each other...Happy Thanksgiving!

Marigold said...

Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for you! (and,of course, all Peanuts).

Southbaygirl said...

Kathryn and Ari, Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you have a very enjoyable day!!!!

Velcro and Penny

YourFireAnt said...

Back atcha! and slurps and snorts from Niles, my Th'giving date. [He's a 4-yr old Sussex spanial, shaggy as hell]

FA

The Daily Echo said...

Hey! We're having our traditional can of Merrick too! Maybe your Mom should try some of that with her her feast. She might like it. Happy Thanksgiving.
ECHO
P.S. SNOW!!!!

Lorenza said...

Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving Day!
Your menu sounds delicious!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Princess, Tank and Isaac: The Newfs of Hazard said...

Lobster sounds wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving!

Steve, Kat, & Wilbur said...

I'd be thankful for some snow too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kat (and Steve)

sugarcreekstuff said...

On the way to the bus stop, our pup is always smelling the scent of the little critters that were playing during the night, when we have a fresh dusting of snow, we get to see for ourselves what critters caught his attention.

Happy Thanskgiving to you, and who wouldn't be thankful for Lobster!

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving! (a day late) I know you had a great one. That Thanksgiving dinner in a can looks yummy!

The snow looks and sounds like fun!

Barklove,
Rusty

Country Girl said...

Spoiled doggy I see. Happy belated Thanksgiving to you!

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

Not liking turkey is ok. Lobster stew does sound pretty appealing. Glad you had a wonderful day your way...


Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Naturegirl said...

Kathryn I like to think that Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and I can see that you appreciate your blessings..why that blue eyed doll is certainly a joyfull blessing!((more snow)) here...BRRRRRR!

Danni said...

I, too, have never much cared for Thanksgiving, though for me it was all about the family drama always seems to unfold this time of year. If I could, I'd just skip right over November entirely. :-)
*Love* the TD dinner in a can!

Brandi Mills said...

We had a good Thanksgiving too. I even got some turkey!

Anonymous said...

thanksgiving in a can. that's what I need!

D'Azul Siberian said...

Looks like Ari got the traditional dinner there, albeit in a can. We think Thanksgiving is all about finding some things to be thankful for, not the menu.

D'Azul, Where Siberians Rule

JB's Big and Small Worlds said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Funny, but my mom has never been much of a fan of Thanksgiving food either. Each year when she was a kid at home she would eat the spoonful of each thing because she was made to, and also ate her one cranberry! Just one! Mom is not a big fan of the food.
--JB

Amici said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope your day was perfect! The lobster sounds so good. What a great tradition.

Kapp pack said...

Furry well put!

Kisses, Sky boy

YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel Samantha said...

Happy belated Thanksgiving to you and Ari.

Kess And Her Mama said...

It's best when we make our own tradition! At the end of the day, being thankful is something we should celebrate everyday. What a great shot of the message on the car!

Kathie Brown said...

I happen to love this holiday because so far it hasn't been commercialzied. For me it's all about getting together with family and giving thanks. I love to cook and put on a big spread for my family. I guess I try to love them with food! Your lobster is probably closer to what the pilgrims ate anyway. Gus would go for that. Looks like you found your own way to celebrate and isn't that what this country is all about? Happy Thanksgiving! What's that white sutff on your windshield by the way? I think some was spotted up on Mt. Lemmon last week! It's in the high 70's here today!

Maverick the Pirate said...

Harrrrrr Ari
Are you still in the turkey coma Harrrrr. Happy late thanks giving Harrrrr.
Cap'n Maverick the Pirate