A Season of Gratitude

It is that time of year again where we gather together with friends and family to count our blessing and consume lots of turkey. And mashed potatoes. And gravy--lots of gravy. I find that it is very important to get the gravy to mashed potato ratio just right; there has been many a Thanksgiving feast that I've had to revisit the mashed potato bowl and the gravy boat---at the Sume house it's actually more of a battleship sized gravy boat---to get the ratios to come out evenly. And, as I often say, anything worth eating probably could be improved with more gravy. But I digress.

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering, of gratitude and reflection. It is taking the time to stop and number my many blessings, to remember just how much I have to be thankful for: close family, dear friends, reunions and re-connections. I have my health, and a job I love, an opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. I have silly pets, one of which has brought a leaf in the house and is now busily poking it behind one of the sofa cushions. At least I hope it's a leaf. That would be another thing to be thankful for.

Lemon Meringue Pie ala Cameron

I am thankful for the handing down of family traditions. My son Cameron has learned to make his Grandmother's famous lemon meringue pie and will make it for all of us again this year. Grandma's lemon meringue pie is one of the few things in this life that isn't enhanced by the addition of gravy. Yes. It is that good.

Cameron's pie: the early years. Grandma helped.

Another time honored tradition is the Thankful Wall. Every year we post a long piece of paper on the wall and everyone in attendance lists at least one thing they are thankful for. It's fun to look back over the years and see what things we were thankful for in the past. Football and pie seem to be perennial favorites.

So as you gather the people you love around you, and begin to count your blessings let me wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. And lots of gravy to go with it.