Thanksgiving

We celebrated thanks giving day at home, our little family of four, dogs and a few fish within, cats, chickens, and lambs without.
Marshal celebrated with his babies by taking them out early, before the sun rose to line up for a Turkey Trot, a three mile run in the cool, overcast, damp but rain-free morning.  They ran strong, staying in the middle of the pack.  Lydia will admit that Dad helped her up a few hills, piggyback, which cost them some time.  Marshal probably ran his first run ever, paced just for fun!  He enjoyed it immensely and was proud of his kids, even though he and Gabe were fighting sore throat, head colds.  They felt well enough to tax their lungs though, overwhelmed with anticipation, and came home as energized as when they left.  They even humored Mom by asserting that the "super shakes" were the secret to their success.  I made sure they had had their 6 oz glass of whipped pudding before they left of kefir, avocado, coconut oil, eggs, fresh squeezed limes, and raw honey in the Vita-mix.  This morning Marshal is back to a full day of clinic.  Gabe and Lydia woke late with sore muscles and Gabe, a solid head cold.  I put the kids in a hot magnesium bath; they are dressed in cozy sweats and fleece; and rich turkey stock is simmering on the stove to boost their day.
This was my second Thanksgiving meal, GAPS style.  The way of eating has become as natural to my hand as the natural ingredients.  I had the special delight of meeting a local woman and her husband who opened up their farm and pumpkin patch to the public this fall, and I signed up for the possibility of one of her home-grown turkeys.  Mrs. Case called me up last week, and let me know she had a turkey with my name on it, if I wished, that would be ready for pick up on Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving.  So on Tuesday, Gabe, Lydia, and I picked up our 14 pound bird hanging from her back porch rafter.  It was my first fresh turkey, let alone home-grown, free range, free of GMOs and raised on garden produce.  I was so thrilled.  I came home with a couple bags of yellow and candy sweet onions, a banana squash, and a ziploc back of healthy turkey giblets to boot.  The day before Thanksgiving, I cooked up giblet stock with the neck, heart, and gizzard, celery, onion, sage leaves, and peppercorns.  I made a great liver paté from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook, minus the mushrooms.  I cooked up the turkey "stuffing" or dressing, following the Internal Bliss cookbook recipe that day as well.  (I'll disclose my secret; I simmer white wine into the sautéd onion and celery and herbs just like my mother taught me for her traditional bread stuffing.)  I didn't actually stuff the turkey.  Thanksgiving day, I reduced the rich turkey roasting pan drippings and stock into a gravy.  I put the GAPS stuffing into the roasting pan to reheat and stirred the minced giblets into it.  The flavors did not disappoint.  My Thanksgiving feast had all the nostalgic smells, flavors, and components that fulfilled the memories, the appetite, and the pleasure.

Local farm-raised 14 lb turkey - Beautiful to a... me.

Lydia's Americauna pullet, Chipper, laid her first egg, a lovely shade of green.  You might notice that our pullets have laid their first eggs on commemorative days.  Gabe and Lydia receive each one as a special gift from God.

All hands on deck.  My handsome, beautiful husband carving the bird.

Dressing, mashed cauliflower, and green beans staying hot.

Lydia's cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, fresh-squeezed orange juice, zest, and honey.

Pomegranate and persimmon salad with lemon and olive oil dressing.

Ready to say grace and express our thanks.  We are thankful for family.

Ending the evening, settled into the couch, cuddly and waiting for a family movie.

Actually the evening was complete with pumpkin pie!
Lydia wrote a poem as a result of a Family School (cooperative home-school families) project a week ago.

Deep red cranberry sauce bubbling on the stove and turkey roasting in the oven.

Family talking and dishes clinking everywhere we go.

Spices in the pumpkin pie like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Happy to be together and very, very hungry, but at the end you're stuffed.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all God gives us.