Today I'm thankful for....PIE!!!

There are a LOT of things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving day, too numerous to even begin to list. So I'll focus on one...PIE!

Here are the Top Ten things for which I am thankful (with regard to pie):
1. I am thankful for the garden space and the ability to grow my own pumpkins.
2. I am thankful for parents who were leaving for the winter and "gave" me a whole box of apples. (I refuse to say I stole them, the box honestly would never have fit in their vehicle.)
3. I am thankful for a mother-in-law who shared her "apple pie in a jar" recipe.
4. I am thankful for a husband who has graciously eaten all of my pie making attempts in the past, even the one that started on fire!
5. I am thankful for my sister who shared the buttermilk pie crust recipe that has made me into a good pie maker.
6. I am thankful for a mother who is the epitome of pie making and the very reason I could never bring myself to buy a pie crust from the grocery store. Rather than send her to an early grave if she ever found out it was a store-bought pie crust, I forced myself to conquer the pie.
7. I am thankful for a daughter who may not help me make pie, but was right there cheering me on and sorting through the spices.
8. I am thankful for a husband who did not sample any of the Thanksgiving pies. He showed such restraint! (Perhaps the distraction of a pan of chocolate revel bars was enough.)
9. I am thankful for wonderful friends who will share in these pies later today. We may not be family in the blood sense, but we're family in Christ.
10. I am thankful for a oven to bake my pies in (even if it is a 1970's era, harvest gold model), a house to cover my oven (even if it does need new siding and windows), a farm that grows our food (even if there are some weeds and John's junk cars) and especially a God who has provided our family with it all. Praise be to God, indeed!

A November Update

WOW! It's been over a month since I've last blogged. Simple neglect is my only excuse. The weather has been absolutely wonderful! I must confess that the early October snowfall had me worried about another winter like last year, it started early and stayed late. But it all melted within a day and we have enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures since. I'd like to be able to stay that I've gotten a ton of work done in the gardens, but I cannot. I've spent a lot of the time with my kiddos, outside and in. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing that I left "undone", but there are a few tasks that could be done either this fall or in the spring.

Seed catalogs have started arriving in my mailbox, three just yesterday! I'll be spending time pouring over them with a cup of homemade hot chocolate in one hand and my trusty pen in the other, making notes and plans for next season. We've had a lot of interest in memberships for next year which is great as we are looking to double our membership to 15 for 2010. I'll be sending out the new (and improved) brochures this week just in time for Thanksgiving.

John and I have been so blessed in the past year! With the arrival of our son and a successful (and educational) first CSA season. Yes, we certainly have much to be thankful for this year. We are celebrating Thanksgiving with a number of friends who are without family this day. I'm providing many things from our garden: squash, green beans, pumpkin, apples (from a neighbor), beets, pickles, carrots. I'll also be baking some bread....definitely a local meal!

Enjoy this time and be thankful!