Frost on the Pumpkin

Good morning everyone. Hope you folks all had a great Thanksgiving surrounded by family and good friends or if you wish spent more quietly without much fanfare. Both have their virtues. The “gift” of the holiday season is upon us and I think Thanksgiving is just a good warm up for the next few weeks. Seems like keeping the expectations in check is the real trick, one I have not yet mastered by any stretch. It is good to see the inlaws and outlaws alike around the holidays but what is it about having family around that triggers all the old stuff? The cold hard truth is that I have yet to gain the maturity to realize that the “old tapes” are just that, old tapes that I can chose or not. Easy enough to say, wicked hard to do.

So we managed Thanksgiving complete with turkey and homemade table (scrap lumber and sawhorses). We did the required stuffing of the bird and then stuffing of ourselves. Good eats! The guests have departed and we begin re-entry into the “normal” lives we lead. We also celebrated Nadie's 7th birthday on Thanksgiving Day. Now she is something to give many thanks for.

The full Beaver moon was Saturday night. The frost is hard on the pumpkin and beginning to settle into the earth. I have been spending chilly mornings in the woods looking for deer. Sitting in the darkness listening to the woods come alive as sunrise approaches is nothing short of amazing. Soon enough the solstice will be here and with it the return of the sun. In the meantime we shall enjoy the holiday season with all the hope it brings to us and delight it brings to the kids. I will hear the old tapes playing hard for the next month and with a lot of work and a little help make some new tapes for our kids to enjoy.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui...

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