Happy Thanksgiving

Much to be thankful for on this beautiful Thanksgiving Day.

The orange dahlias and begonias in the back a teaser for showier autumn foliage on its way. Right now the maple is only beginning to redden, only a few fallen laves on the stone.

I'm finalizing the dinner menu: Prime Rib, mushroom gravy, Yorkshire puddings, brussels sprouts with chestnuts. Choosing the wine: a 2007 Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano that has been waiting too many years on the shelf for a special occasion...

Alex and Penny will be joining us for dinner. In a few weeks they will be moving into their first house! I can't believe my son has bought a house in this crazy market. Of course I shared the story of how when we bought this house, it dropped 20% in value before we even moved in. Our town is overdue a market correction, but the two of them have wanted to buy for awhile and jumped in as the prices became a bit more affordable. I am both happy and apprehensive for them, but they are in for the long game.

Long game, indeed. Almost 30 years at this address, house poor for more than half of them, Rob and I taking turns at being unemployed throughout the 90's. Time and meals spent at home together, camping vacations, working hard, making do. If it all came easy, would we have enjoyed things as much?

Now in the autumn of our lives, a harvest of life's pleasures.