THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving morning and my fire is blazing merrily away.  I'm drinking a Gypsy Chai with black pepper, cinnamon, cardoman, orange peel, ginger, and a number of other tasty ingrediants.  It is a tea that makes me feel cosy, homey, and grateful for a number of things.  My animals are enjoying the warmth and their company is an unending source of joy, humor and unconditional love.    I have a wedding candle burning with it's lush floral scents and on the wood stove a piece of pine sap is just starting to melt and send out it's aroma.

I'm not gathering with friends and family today as I'm ill but I'm still grateful for them.  I have the best son I could ever dream of having.  His partner is a joy to me and I love to talk to her.  They make me happy just by being happy together.  The rest of my family are all unique individuals and life would have been poorer without them. 

I have long friendships with people I can never hope to live up to in generosity, kindness and understanding but I try.  My friendships have been one of the great joys of my life and one of the things I am most thankful for now or at any other season.  

At any time I can look out my windows and have to catch my breath from the beauty I see there.  The air I breath still smells good to me and there are still springs on the mountain I can drink from without fear.  

I am still in good enough shape to find my way up the side of a mountain every so often,  I can still wild craft my herbs and find mushrooms to eat.  I can walk my dog beside rivers and see bear, coyote, deer and elk.  

So, though I won't have the big dinner and gathering today, you can see I have many things to be thankful for.  Perhaps the top of the list has been gaining the patience and wisdom to know this is only one missed holiday and that next year will brings it's own joys and celebrations.

Happy Thanksgiving!