giving thanks

today was a good day. of course sleeping in always makes for a good morning, prepping a big thanksgiving meal is also a good start to the day.

we got up and went for a walk through the south park blocks. we stopped at the park avenue coffeehouse and chatted about our weekend plans, stopping and taking pictures of the brisk morning and the november roses.

when we got home we started in on our thanksgiving meal. on the menu: cornish game hens with cranberry-orange glaze, roasted garlic mashed potatoes(with a cranberry-orange reduction), a jelly fruit salad, and of course, pumpkin pie with real whipped cream. it was all so delicious.

its been a very relaxing day. its kind of strange to be so far from iowa and family and friends. mostly its weird to not be around those things that we would normally associate with thanksgiving. obviously family and friends, but the first dusting of snow, seeing people we haven’t seen for awhile, those little things that in the back of your mind you may not see them, but when you don’t you wonder where they’ve gone.

despite being so far from the familiar, being here with deeann and preparing our own meal and talking about what we are thankful for, there is a certain joy in that. it’s good. being here is good. it’s different and sometime quite weird, but its good.

i hope you all have much to be thankful for. i know i do. happy holidays to you all and i hope to hear from you soon.

Tags: beautiful, family, food, friends, portland