Twas the Night before Thanksgiving

This was a school day for me, but my children were home from school. The little boys were thrilled that their babysitters, my 15 year old Haiku and her friend, had some pre-Thanksgiving fun and games in mind. When I returned home with a few bags of all the things I forgot when I grocery shopped several days ago, my house was sweetly decorated for the holiday. There are pilgrim hats on various things around the house, smiling turkeys on my lightswitches and cupboard doors, and little pilgrims and Native Americans on my window glass.

Tonight, I am jotting down my meal plan. I keep things simple, but want to plan what to make early and set in the refrigerator and what to make at the last minute. I don't watch sports on television generally speaking, as my hubby does, but just love a day where I can set aside school and work responsiblities and be in the kitchen almost the entire day. Five year old Tanka decided that he and I should have a "coloring with crayons" marathon as a Thanksgiving tradition, so that is on my agenda too.

We have just one single friend coming up from another area of the state to join us for the meal, and a few days visiting after that. I dont' know his arrival time, so I plan to be flexible with the meal time. Late in the evening, I hope to find a really good old-fashioned Christmas movie on television: pjs, a snuggly quilt, someone to snuggle with... and I'll be truly satisfied.

Below is a tiny bit of a Native American Thanksgiving prayer that I enjoyed reading. You will find the whole thing here.

"We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds.

We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe.

They help to bring the change of seasons.

From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength.

With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds."

~ A Haudenosaunee "Thanksgiving" Prayer

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photos by Aisling 1) one of Haiku's paper turkeys. 2) Sijo's turkeys, one with a hat on both ends! , on the window glass.

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