t2: how to have a feast

My mother-in-law is visiting this weekend for Thanksgiving, except that she didn't come until Friday, which means we had to have a second celebration. Necessarily. It was fun to play hostess and roast my first turkey. Okay, so she took care of the turkey, but I watched. I mean, I don't really eat meat usually, so I had no clue. I've never spent a whole day preparing for a meal like this before, so it was definitely a learning experience. I'm so glad we had some great friends to share it all with!

you will have to start with a full refrigerator

and wash multiple sinks-full of dishes

on a chilly day like today, you can always chill some things outside since the fridge is as stuffed as your belly is going to be

you might have to sneak away for a book break every now and then

the cats will be ready long before the turkey is served

but finally the spread will be out, friends will arrive, and you'll be having such a nice time you'll completely forget that you wanted to take more photographs of the evening.

thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. It's so much simpler than Christmas. Sure, there's a big dinner to prepare, but I think sharing good food with friends and family is one of the nicest things you can do. Now that we live in Chicago, we have spent Thanksgiving with some more distant relatives for the past 3 years. It's comforting to be with family, and to know that they are nearby should we ever need them, even if we are separated by a few branches on the family tree. I always bring a different side dish, and this year I was proudly named the vegetable queen. Fresh green beans the first year that definitely outshined your standard mushy casserole, kale salad last year that gave some people their first taste of that amazing vegetable, and Brussels sprouts this year.

It's good to have a simple holiday, allowing plenty of time to just sit and relax with family, and to reflect on all that we have to be grateful for. It feels a bit cliché to write about this, but we really don't take enough time for this in our normal hectic lives. I'm sure we would all be much happier and healthier if we did so. Just having 4 days away from the hospital is a major blessing! Already I've listened to good music with friends, gone to a yoga class, taken a few walks, cleaned the apartment, lounged around after the big meal, watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, slept for 11 hours last night (!), and it's only Friday.

While I was preparing the Brussels sprouts and Ian was washing dishes, we listened to the radio a bit and were intrigued by a question the reporter posed (rhetorically?) to the audience: What books are you thankful for? As we thought about it we realized that this is very different than asking what your favorite books are. Right now, I'm thankful for the Brothers Karamazov because I'm really enjoying it right now. Interestingly, one of the first books I thought of is called Anticancer, which talks about how diet, exercise, and stress affect our health in a very significant way. I think reading this book played a big role in sparking my interest in integrative & preventative medicine, which has influenced my life in a major way. I'm not sure what else, but I really like this question and plan to think on it a bit more.

How about you, what books are you thankful for?

first day of fall

Today is the autumn equinox. I enjoyed it with doughnuts and coffee at the farmer's market. A cool breeze announced the new season's arrival, but the sunshine helped to balance out my premature Christmas song reflex (in Houston, 46 F is a perfectly acceptable late December temperature).  Apples, butternut squash, and fava beans made their way into my bag and I can't wait to cook up some savory dishes. Along with autumnal flavors and cozy sweaters, I always find myself craving some good jazz music this time of year, especially Vince Guaraldi. I'm not sure why, it just always happens.

i am thankful for

hot coffee,

and warm hats.

crowded buses,

and nearly empty streets.

red balloons that make me think of Le ballon rouge.

turkeys of all kinds.

time  to  stand  still .

transfigured autumn

The year has reached its mighty ending

With golden wine and fruit of gardens.

Forests around keep wondrous peace

And are companions to the lonely.

Then says the farmer: it is good.

You evening bells prolonged and quiet

Still at the last give us good heart.

A flock of birds hails on its journey.

It is the season of mild love. 

Down the blue river in a boat

How image follows lovely image -

Then all goes down in rest and silence.

-Georg Trakl

tomato leaf soap

Well, there's no doubt about it. It is Autumn, and it is beautiful! I am still a bit apprehensive about my approaching first northern winter, but I think that 2 months of weather like this will definitely make up for it. I also made sure to take in as much sun as possible during our "Indian Summer". I never even knew what that meant until now.

In an attempt to hold onto this time of year as long as possible, I made tomato leaf soap. I happened to come across instructions here a while back and mentioned them to my neighbor, who had a garden. When she pulled everything up she saved some leaves for me. I took a few short-cuts and they seem to have worked just fine.

1. I used the entire 2-lb. block of glycerin (that I ordered from Amazon), melted it and added the leaves and stems in large chunks.

2. I didn't measure out the tomato leaves, nor did I add them in 2 steps. This is how much I used:

It got pretty bubbly, but that didn't seem to cause any problems.

3. I added a few drops each of tea tree oil and cinnamon oil, just because they were what I had on hand.

Here's a picture of the final product, including the bar that I wrapped up and gave to my neighbor, to thank her for giving me her leaves.