Esther has no trouble with the idea of; "Sleep until you are hungry, eat until you are sleepy." Anonymous
I was reading a book yesterday and the writer said that she had been, years ago, invited to the Royal palace for dinner. I always wondered how anyone could feel hungry in such a formal setting with such good (fitted) clothes on. I really appreciate beauty and elegance and would love the idea of being at one of those dinners, but in reality I know that I wouldn’t enjoy the meal nearly as much as one shared in a relaxed, comfortable home, with soft furniture and maybe a wood stove burning in the corner, animals around, possibly a cat on my lap, wearing pants with a stretch-band waist.
I feel grateful for the fabric spandex, and for stretchy waist bands and comfortable furniture, and for a couple of days a year when I feel free to eat without guilt. I also feel grateful for the effort made by people to get together, even when it is a lot of work, and celebrate whatever this day means to them; whether that be connection with family, or friends, or animals, or eating Turkey and watching football, or shopping for Christmas presents, working at a community dinner….whatever makes you happy, I hope you can do it today.
Please feel free to share with us your particular joys; the things that you love, the things that you are grateful for today. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone…my gratitude that you are a part of this community is beyond words.
Thank you, Mary! And thank you all you kind & thoughtful people who take time to share your feelings and ideals on White Feather Farm. I don’t post often but I am so grateful for your generosity of spirit. May you all have the comfiest of days!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too Mary, and to all who gather here. I laughed out loud at your “grateful for spandex” comment. It is at the top of my list too. I am grateful for many things and feel so very blessed in my life. I am sitting in my favorite chair, in my new home watching the sunrise…ahh, boxes and clutter all around, but today my husband and I dine at the home of good friends, family far away, but close in thought. My heart is full and oh so grateful! Love and blessings to all who gather at the White Feather Farm table.
Terri, those boxes can wait. Trust me – there are some in my garage that still haven’t been unpacked from my last move (um, fourteen years ago).
Ditto to sentiments in the above posts and I’m sure to all the ones to follow from members of the White Feather Farm Flock!
Most of all, I think I’m thankful for growing self-acceptance, and the possibilities for spiritual growth, thanks to Mary’s wise words.
Best wishes,
From Fran
Thankful for you and your blog, Mary (and your skin balm!). What a delightful picture of Esther, too – it put a smile on my face first thing this morning! Hugs!
Oh, how I love your thoughts about today. For me I so enjoy being with my dogs on this day and my hubby. We will feast on lots of snacks our cozy, newly painted kitchen and enjoy the football game. Likely a leisurely walk too since it is unusually warm here in WI.
Happy thanksgiving to you and all your critters.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mary, and all you White Feathered Friends. Glad we’re not turkeys! I’m still debating with myself about eating the bird today. Last year, my vegetarian daughter- in- law made the meal with her mother. It was the most gourmet meal I’ve ever had – and NO Bird on the table. Instead, they baked and filled a scooped out pumpkin with an all vegetarian stuffing that was delicious. The pumpkin was the centerpiece on the table, in the palce of honor, where the bird usually would be. They decorated the pumpkin with some natural substance. And Fran, my son’s new mother- in- law, made the most scrumptious vegetarian Lasagna with lots of cheese! We ate until we were sleepy!
Yum!
Grateful for my little furry family,my even smaller human family
, my friends, that I still have a JOB, plenty to eat and my beautiful old house and that I get to live in New Orleans. The gifts are too many to list here. Thank you God for all this, plus people like Mary who give us so much with the written word. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
Jen D, I’m thankful I got to attend college in New Orleans (back when we still had Newcomb at Tulane), which in turn allowed me to attend my one and only Super Bowl – when it was just a football game played at the college stadium. My friends picked me up at the airport after Christmas break and we bought scalped tickets for $10 and got in to Super Bowl IV. I think I preferred that experience to what it must be like now.
Hi Jill yes those were fine days indeed. Though our beloved Saints winning the Superbowl was hard to top. Who Dat!
First, let me just say that I worship at the altar of elastic waistbands. Some people make fun of them and those who wear them, but I say there was never a more comfortable way to approach a meal (or life, for that matter).
I will miss not seeing my family this year, as my mom is unable to make our annual trek to celebrate Thanksgiving with the rest of our family. No matter. The sun is out, the weather has just the right degree of chilliness to it, and mom and I are going to be together for a movie and a meal out. Happy that she’s here (at 94) to celebrate.
May all of our flock have a beautiful day. My heart gladdens just being part of this community.
Suzanne, you’re absolutely right – elastic waistbands are a great metaphor for life! Enjoy your day with your mother. It sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving.
I am also blessed to be part of this community of friends.Today I enjoy my son and daughter who are home from college. It is a gift to see what wonderful adults they are becoming, and of course my warm furry cats. I can see Esther is just such a comfort.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mary, and to all your family! Lots of hugs to all those darling critters of yours. Happy Turkey day to all you members of the White Feather Farm flock also! Gobble Gobble Yum!
I just love you, Mary. You are so dear. I am thankful for so many things. One, of course, is getting to see an email from you with so much kindness and goodness most days and beautiful comments from the WFF family. It’s a wonderful gift! Hope you and all the WFF family have a wonderful day.
I still have your beautiful photo of the wild turkeys you took and posted awhile ago as my cell phone wallpaper that reminds me to be thankful for all I have on a daily basis. It’s a nice frame of mind to be in as often as possible. Fortunately, my entire immediate family will be with me today for a wonderful feast and they are all healthy, happy and on their path to what they want in life, as far as I can tell. That is number one; I could go on and on. I am a very blessed woman.
Thanks from me too Mary, it’s wonderful to find a community of like minded people to share the joy and the peace of the season with everyone. I know we are all kindred spirits who love and and appreciate the good things in life, our animals, family and friends and food. Happy turkey day folks.
Esther has it right! Some days I would love to be a cat!! My husband and I will be joing our two daughters and their families later today. I’m thankful we all live in the same city and share in each others’ lives (in a healthy way. lol). Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. No gifts required, just spending time with family. I am truly blessed with having a wonderful husband, three great boys, and plenty of animal companions. It’s a day to reflect on all that’s been given to me, and I am forever grateful for that. As we sit down today to enjoy our delicious meal, we will give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
So nice to connect with you all on this day of Thanks and know where you will be and what you are up to! Mom and I will be going to the little old church in Lamoille to share dinner with those that have no family near. We ate pumpkin pie this morning while watching the Macy Parade from NY. I made two pies, one for us and one to share at church as well as a fruit salad to take. I hope you all have a wonderful day and I am thankful for every one of you.
Thanks, Mary, for that sweet picture of Esther, and your sweet thoughts. I am so very grateful for you and for countless blessings…including my soft, furry, black and white who has become such a lap kitty! Love & Blessings!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I spend it quietly with my husband and two cats. We hang out in our sleep pants watching the parade and then some football. I love making a turkey dinner with all the trimmings and the way the house smells all warm and cozy. It is a time that I enjoy reflecting on the year and am grateful for our many blessings. Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
I love polishing the silver, ironing the linens and setting the table first thing
so I can admire it all day. Growing up, I set the table for my mother. For some
weird reason, even at that age, I was into the design and aesthetics of things.
Becky
The family is all near and heading my way. An exchange student that we are hosting from Japan will see this holiday for the first time.( I told him we’ll eat until we explode—he loved that idea!) No one we know is overseas or in harms way. Our home is warm and well stocked with food and libations.
My blessings are many. I wish the same for all my feathered flock family,especially Mary who gathers us under her wings of wisdom and loving spirit every day. A happy and peaceful Thanksgiving to all.
grateful for: mary muncil and this family
gooood coffee and simple foods
a puzzle with moderate difficulty spread across the table
finners, my flannel cat
small reminders of sunnier days to come
and discovery of mary’s skin survival balm
to all of us and those we cherish, be well and thanks for the blog
I am grateful for new friends, most of whom I’ve never actually met, such as the “birds” in this flock. You are all wonderful. Thank you Mary for creating this extraordinary community. There’s so much love and support extended it practically radiates off the computer screen. Thank you to all of you.
I’m thankful for a lovely thanksgiving with good friends.
Happy Thanksgiving all you amazing flock members…
an extra big thanks to Mary…who I met via Jon Katz’s blog …
I felt a special closeness to my Mom and Mother-in-law
today, for ALL the delicious meals they prepared
through the years… even though they are no longer
physically with us- their spirit and love-remains… loud and clear…
an afternoon walk with our NYC son, being with our two
eighty-something Dads ….enjoying the sunlight as it danced on and
hugged the fall bouquet on our dining room table…these are a
few of my favorite things…this day…and oh, let’s not forget the pumpkin pie…
Mary, Thank you for inviting us to share at your ‘table.’ Yesterday I had to put my sweet cat Fiona down. I thanked her for the 17 years of joy she gave me. Although it’s a sad time I was fortunate to share Thanksgiving dinner today with 16 members of my large extended family (including 3 rugrats who are a delight.) . One of my sisters lives on a farm and that is where Fiona is resting with her littermate. I’m so grateful for love of family. God bless us one and all!
Ah Susan, my heart hurts for you in the loss of your Fiona. Obviously you gave her a wonderful life and she returned the love. My heartfelt thoughts are with you and others who loved her.
Thank you Suzanne,
Miss Fiona had a wild little spirit and is gamboling with her friends on the other side. She was a very sweet girl.
Susan
I’m thankful for our first thanksgiving in our cabin at the farm. My daughter and son with his family are here. I cooked all day yesterday with anticipation of a happy day. My cats and dogs had their turkey meals and were very happy. Now off to take a meal to the stray cat at McDonalds.
Thank you Mary for the site, it warms my soul.
Maybe some of you, like I, didn’t get a chance to get to the computer yesterday, so I am savoring (Friday) all the beautiful posts above, having just watched the Skidboot video. I feel like I am being blessed all over again this Thanksgiving Day After by all of you. How many commented on the blessings of this community you ‘hatched’ Mary, – having no idea how quickly the fledgling flock would grow in number, and more importantly, the sharing, caring, supporting, and sometimes grieving with (Susan G’s sweet Fiona!) Our hearts are with you Susan.
Love and appreciation for each and every one of you! Susan A
Thank you so much for your kindness, Susan.
I know that Fiona is playing and jumping high and fast again over the Rainbow Bridge.
Susan G
I know that this is a special year because I have so much to be grateful for. Sure our finances could be a lot better, but like most Americans I know we are in the same boat on that. But the blessings that God has brought me this year doesn’t have a price tag on it because it is truely priceless. It was just 9 1/2 months ago that my only son, my youngest child, Joshua was truely living on the street. We tried everything with him, but the drugs, the stealing, the lying, time in jail didn’t work. But I knew in my heart that God promised me that if I raised my child in Him that God would bring him back to me one day. So last year in Southern Calif. it was a very rainy year for us, and each day that it rained I knew he was out there alone. I would cry and pray a lot asking Jesus to save him, even if it meant taking him home with Him. So on one of these rainy nights, a knock at the door came and he was my youngest child (33years old) cold, wet, and sick. He asked if he could come in because he was so sick. So my husband and I said yes. He had 103 fever so I took him to the doctor the next day. The doctor asked Josh what he had been on and Josh told him speed, but he hadn’t had any for a while. The doctor told him that one more night on the street and he would have been dead, due to his high fever and illness. So Josh got a shot and some strong medicine and we let him stay for 4 days with us. He keep saying he was going to take himself to rehab as soon as he was well enough. Well, needless to say, my husband and I didn’t know if he really would. But he did and now he has been sober for 9 1/2 months, he is living in housing in Sked Road, and he is a full time students taking 14 units and getting straight A in all his classes. He likes living where he does because it keeps him honest. You see God not only gave me my son back but he gave my husband for the first time ever a great relationship with our son, and a son who grew up with learning problems, a healed brain. So yes, this has really been a blessed year for me. Sorry if I went on to much but I just wanted to share this wonderful miracle in my life, and to let everyone know God loves all of you just as much! Happy Holidays, Joan
Thank you for sharing this story, Joan. Miracles do happen and I am so happy that one came your way. You have been blessed…in many ways.
Oh my goodness Joan… I hardly know what to say except thank you so much for sharing your life, and Josh’s journey so far, with us here….I am deeply moved by it, and I know that everyone who reads it will be as well. I am so grateful that we can celebrate this miracle with you!
Dear Joan, I know Thanksgiving Day has to be the most special of miracle working holidays, because I keep checking back here ‘on the farm’ a day later to see if someone yesterday (like me!) just didn’t get around to being able to connect to her computer. I read your story and am so moved, and so glad you shared this story of hope, a mother’s love (and father’s!), patience, trust, and then, once again, the opportunity you had to extend open arms, or not, and you did! And bless your son, your constant love was, is, and will be his most grounding source of renewal and hope in his life, as yours is already in God’s love for you! Blessings all!
Oh Joan! It doesn’t get any better than this does it? What a wonderful gift…and for those who have yet to see their miracle, your story provides such hope. That rainy night did indeed bring you your rainbow. So happy for you and your family!
I add my gratitude and love to you Mary, and to all of the wonderful spirited souls who eagerly await your light each morning and then add more light of their own…
At our family gathering yesterday, as we all held hands around the table, and my sister said grace, I felt the loving energy flow from hand to hand, the comfort of family love in our hearts, and our collective dreams of an even brighter tomorrow. A big Thanksgiving hug to all!
Grateful for your words/thoughts and this community.
Grateful for my dogs, partner, faily & friends.
Grateful for the beautiful day & experiences I’ll have.
Grateful for Jon Katz’s blog.
Grateful for my life to live to the fullest!