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I am trying very hard to keep up with my family traditions this year, even though, this will be the first year that my parents won't be with us in my whole life of 63 years.Sadly, they are now living in separate nursing facilities and a re both too fragile to travel... The kids live too far away to join us, so this year it may be just the two of us.... unless we decide to invite someone over.... Thanksgiving is one of our most favorite holidays.... reminiscent of huge family gatherings, .... we have watched the years go by and each year it seems the table is becoming very much more intimate..I still put my all into the decorating, however, and I do plan to fix the turkey and all the trimmings... then pack it up and take it to mom and dad so they can enjoy the savory tastes of the season!
Last year the table looked like this
and as I walked about our home I saw repeating autumnal hues in every room...
When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of this old favorite..
"Over the river and through the woods
Trot fast my dapple gray.
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound
On this Thanksgiving Day, Hey!
Over the river and through the woods
Now Grandmother's face I spy.
Hurrah for the fun,
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie."
My parents and I would sing it every year on our way to grandmother's we'd go.... up the very long 90 miles of mountain road it seemed to t ake forever... I couldnt wait to get there.... wondering which of the cousins and aunts and uncles would be there already..Grandpa was a dairy farmer in the 1950's and going to their home was like living in a Currier and Ives print...the house burned down over 25 years ago but this farm house reminds me a bit of the place
although my heart tells me Grandpa's home was larger much more lovely... with several boxwood bedecked steps leading up the wrap-around porch and it sat prominently on a knoll surrounded by piny woods all about..
It was flanked by the dairy barn and out buildings including the farm-hand's house, the woodshed, and the smoke house.
Perhaps the lane leading up to it drew me in... , but grandpa had clean a nd sturdy fence rows and ever so often you passed over the cattle guards that were so difficult to manuever on foot.
But the heart of the home was grandma's kitchen..
