A Day of Thanks

What a glorious day. Thanksgiving! Four long days stretch ahead of me of not having to follow the alarm, sleeping in, and not having to report to work.



I was truly thankful today. The sun was shining brightly and the air was warm enough to spend some time outside. I mulched three bags of leaves and tossed them over the backyard fence, creating a sort of bank account of carbon and bedding for later.

I was able to plant the garlic. It's a bit later than I had wanted, but the ground was not frozen and I have high hopes it will do well. As I dug each clove into the soil, I dreamt of how amazing it will be in the spring to see the hopeful green garlic sprouts poking through the bedding of mulched leaves and straw. The early green of garlic is an incredible show of perseverance and joy after a long and frozen winter--this past year I missed it terribly. I didn't want to go another year without garlic, so having the time and the weather to plant it was a huge blessing today. This coming spring/early summer, not only will the early garden green bring me joy, but also the scapes will be a delicious addition to our meals. I will be able to make my famous 'garlic bomb', which disappears within minutes of coming out of the oven.

I made a quick drive to school and planted garlic in my tiny garden bed there, too.

I was able to cook a simple meal of turkey stew and bread for my family--a way for me to show my love for all my guys-- and my oldest son's girlfriend, too!

I was able to write in my journal for an uninterrupted 2 hours. Journal writing is truly the best cleansing technique I know of, and I was needing it.

As the day comes to an end, I am filled with joy. The day was simple. There was no huge feast laid out on our table, but in the spirit of a new search for minimalism, I don't think today could have been more perfect.

I hope your Thanksgiving was all it should be. Simple, full of love, and happy.