THANKS AND GIVING

We Canadians know about giving thanks! How can you not when you live in such a country as this: freedom, abundance, beauty, peace. We have so much. 

I don't know one Canadian who does not like fall. The closest you may get to someone grumbling about this season is the fact that winter is fast on its heels. It is so incredibly gorgeous around here. And we have so much. Put the two together and you have a Canadian Thanksgiving. 

Let's start with the market! I went down on Saturday and it is brimming with colour and produce everywhere you look!

 I picked up fresh beans and little baby beets. We have so much abundance to be thankful for!

But part of this post is the giving part! So I was busy in the kitchen whipping up goodies to "give" towards our thanksgiving meals. 

Earlier in the week I had prepped sweet potato and pumpkin into a nice fine puree. So I made a pumpkin Thai soup  and gave most of it to my kids. I made and froze sweet potato and salmon cakes, ready on hand to fry up when need be. 

I also made a sweet potato pie with a quinoa maple crust for gluten free guests.

And strawberry tarts for our nongluten free guests!

Unexpectedly, I was able to go to Hanna Park in Trenton to see a bench my parents had installed in memory of my sister. 

As Lulu and I walked down the path under the gently falling leaves  I reminisced about all the bike rides, the cross country skiing, the sharing of secrets or just getting into mischief that I did with my sisters on these familiar grounds

Heidi's body was cremated and there is no gravestone marking her beginning and ending on this earth. It is very emotional for me to have this place here, acknowledging her existence finally after over 25 years. 

I'm so very grateful for the time we had together, to share life with each other, even though it was so short. People sometimes ask me why I'm so busy. Part of the reason is I feel obligated to live this life for two, my sister Heidi and for me. Life is precious and our time here can be so fragile and tenuous. Don't waste it!!

Finally, for the first time in 3 years, I got to spend Thanksgiving with both my children. Even better, the family is growing! I know have the best son-in-law ever, Dan, and soon I will scoot Carolyn, Adrian's fiance under my wing as well. 

I gave them life and now, they give it back to me, doubled up! 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!