Happy Thanksgiving to all

For much of the day our kitchen was warmed by the heat of the oven and the smells of holiday cooking filled our home. The pie is baked, the bagels are made, the cranberry relish and pumpkin cupcakes are done. I love celebrating on the eves of holidays. There's just something about the calm before the storm. Tomorrow we will get up and watch parades before we take off for a full day of running from home to home and devouring as much sweetness as we can, both in love and in food, but tonight we sat back and took it easy. After a full day of baking, and a couple of hours spent on Thanksgiving crafts and book reading, we celebrating Thanksgiving Eve by ordering pizza and eating it on the sitting room floor in front of a roaring fire.

Tomorrow is about a lot more than travel, though. Thanksgiving, after all, is about being thankful. Centuries ago it wouldn't have been known as Thanksgiving, but would have been simply a harvest celebration. Giving thanks for the food that sustains us has long been a tradition in many cultures, but over time quick trips to the grocery store have given us over to forgetfulness; that food has to come from somewhere, and I don't mean produce aisle at your local super store. Don't forget to be thankful for your cook, whoever that might be, and don't forget to be thankful for the farmer(s) who produced the food you will be eating. For our Thanksgiving contributions this year we bought and cooked with almost entirely Michigan products. It was fun to know a little more about the foods we were using, and to be able to say thanks with our purchase power.

We wish you all safe travels, full stomachs, and healthy, happy days with friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving from our bunch of turkeys to yours!