Looking Back: November 2015

The month of November began as it always does, with Granddad's birthday.

He celebrated 96 with balloons and company,

and complete disbelief that he was that old.

And he enjoyed the company and the celebration,

but the candy really got his attention!

Then there was the traditional Guy Fawkes bonfire,

with spectacular sparks flying high over our heads.

In fact, November is a month of traditional celebrations, isn't it?

We celebrated the Beaujolais Nouveau with a wine party,

a taste of the brash new wine and a glass of good old wine.

It's good to have traditions.

HoosierKitty added a new one to Thanksgiving: cranberry cordial.

It was a lovely addition to the usual feast,

which we enjoyed all the more for the Indy Duo who shared it with us.

There was even more storytelling, with PC at the IU Art Museum.

and snow, actual cold wet snow, made a very brief appearance.

But mostly November was bright and clear,

so busy and so full of parties and events and work

that I made little record of it beyond a few photos.

Thanksgiving

Company's here! It's a Holiday!

Let's get fancy.

We'll have nimble young fingers creatively fold napkins.

Each place setting will be a work of art.

We'll toast the holiday that brings the family together.

We'll delight in the surprise appearance of the Indy Duo.

Granddad will enjoy special visits,

and lots of conversation.

The cook and the host will have a fantastic time.

And we will all be ready for a wonderful winter holiday season!

Wrapping up November

Despite Granddad's difficulties, we proceeded with Thanksgiving. Got to keep Tradition going,right?

 

 I was able to combine staying up Wednesday night to listen for Granddad with assembling casseroles, all the while feeling as if I were one of the cooks in The Night Kitchen.  The Man Who Cooks assisted with the Thursday day preparation, and by dinnertime we had a feast ready.
HoosierKitty brought fantastically rich creamed potatoes and not one, but three pies.  (And that should answer the question of "What's for breakfast?" for the whole coming week.)
Mimi showed up with a pot and a sack of cranberries and good intentions but luckily I had already cooked cranberries and so we didn't need to do a last minute sauce.
Granddad actually got out of bed and cleaned his plate.

It was a select group, gathered to be thankful for each other and to drink a toast to all of you far away folks.

On Friday, instead of heading out to the stores we navigated our way out to two wildlife preserves.

At Stillwater Marsh we tried out my new bird scope and admired the quiet woods.

The marsh was frozen fast so there wasn't much bird activity.

We decided to go on to Bean Blossom Bottoms.  (Isn't that a great name?)

We set off down the boardwalk and found this wetlands full of birds.

Red-headed woodpeckers and bluebirds kept us company as we hiked.

  

We soaked up enough sunshine, fresh air, and quiet to sustain us for a while.

Decided to make this Friday-after-Thanksgiving outing a new Tradition, so if you join us next year for the Thanksgiving weekend, expect to spent some time outdoors!

You wanted to know about our Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving...

begins with list after list detailing an elaborate scheme to deliver a feast at the appointed time.

The process begins a week before, each day with its own objectives: shopping at this store one day, at that store the next; cooking the sauces two days in advance; assembling the casseroles one day ahead; and then finally on the Day itself the elaborate dance between chopping board and stove and oven.

I consider how useful extra arms would be.

I wonder what I've forgotten.

The Man Who Cooks steps in to slice and dice and carry.  We actually manage to pull it off!  People arrive as we stir the gravy and time the braised winter vegetables.  Pies and puddings arrive. 

 HoosierKitty and the Indy Duo and Mimi fill the house with conversation and laughter.



(Does that shirt he's trying to cover up look familiar?  Check out the pictures from last Thanksgiving.)

HoosierKitty makes sure that Granddad (and the Boston Gentleman) have their bite of tender turkey.

(There's Wild Turkey in the Kentucky Yam dish so we all can say we had "turkey")

This year I didn't take a picture of the table.  I didn't take a picture of the bowls of food.  

Believe me, it looked very similar to all the other pictures from other years of tables and dishes.

There was a lot of eating. 

Some people took a nap.

 Some went outside to enjoy the fine weather.

. 

 The afternoon went by in a blur,

 until even the Perpetual Motion Dog was worn out.

 We had, however, not exhausted the planned activities!

Next came the beginning of Christmas with drawing of names for our present exchange.

Does that sound simple?  Not at all!

There were considerations to discuss and rules to be agreed upon.

There were options to explore: computer? hat?

  Although The Computer Guy had fine on-line resources, we settled on the traditional hat.

 We each drew a name (and a month, which I'll explain later)

 HoosierKitty drew for everyone who wasn't there.

The tiny twists of paper were tucked into cards to be mailed off today.

And we finished off the entertainment with a rousing round of tie sorting.

Pumpkin and Pecan

Gathering in the kitchen on a feast day...

what are the Indy Duo contemplating?

Yum..a duo of pies. Seen here in their brief "before" state.

Before their baker, HoosierKitty, carves them up and adds a dollop of whipped cream.

Before they are eaten all up.

As is traditional.

There's a lot to be said for tradition.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thinking of all of you and wishing you were all around my table!

Thanks to the Cook!

Well, this was the Thanksgiving that almost wasn't. Temporary Librarian just wasn't up for fixing a feast. Or for much of anything else. But the Bold Bloomingtonaut bravely stepped in. She would do it!
She called in some able assistance for a day of frantic preparation.

Then cheerfully set to stirring and chopping and mixing and seasoning and all those good cookery things.

There was a little last minute help,

much appreciated.

The family assembled, bringing even more dishes to add to the table, and everyone pitched in to get it all ready.

Granddad even got out of his bed and came to the table.
He tried to sample a little tiny bit of everything.

We were thankful to all be together.

And to have plates full of good food.

And we decided everything was delicious.

Even better than usual!
The Bloomingtonaut had pulled it off!

She even added a warm pear tart to the traditional pumplin pie desert.

It was a wonderful ending to the meal.
Thanks to everyone for pitching in this year and making Thanksgiving happen.

And especially, thanks to the Cook.
You can do it again next year!