It’s an old tradition around our table to mention at Thanksgiving those things that we are thankful for. It takes a while and everyone seems to come up with a different take on our blessings.
This is usually a great time of year to crow about the produce from the garden. That typical bounty didn’t happen after an unusually dry summer. Oddly, it worked out to about two meals per vegetable type this year and it took a whole row of potatoes for one big family meal.
The giant pumpkins were also a disaster. In times past, we’ve managed a photo with each child in a giant pumpkin as one of those Thanksgiving weekend traditions. The twins nestled side by side in a giant carved pumpkin on their first Thanksgiving for a cute photo. Chloe was able to nestle in her own pumpkin. Nicholas however, will be stuck standing in two “giant” pumpkins that grew no bigger than a pair of Dutch wooden shoes.
It should make a shot worth some discussion later on in life about the harvest of 2012.
Missing this year will be the bounty of maple leaves that usually have fallen to the ground around now. The kids are usually kept busy raking and re-raking piles to jump in and jump out. Generally it’s time for plenty of action shots of the sisters having fun. The older parents get, the more we tend to need kids around as reminders of the fun and good times in our youth.
Perhaps as a function of age, the fall colours seem brighter to us this year; fancy brush-swipes of red, orange, yellow and gold span many tree-lines between work and home. Further north the scenery will be even more expansive and impressive, but we are content with our surroundings in Wellington.
Shortly, silvery smoke from woodstoves will pierce the cool evening sky and warm the chills of fall.
No doubt there will be a trip to Erin Fall Fair this weekend as another tradition of Thanksgiving. A few rides will make the kids happy and tours of the livestock and other attractions will keep everyone else busy.
Depending on which day we go, the grand finale is a nice meal at our house or at grandma’s down the road.
As for thanks this year, it’s going to be about special friends, family and living in the best place on earth.
