Posted in November 2011 …

‘Tis the Season: Appreciating Each Season in the Moment

With October’s pumpkins faded, Thanksgiving almost one week past, and the festive holiday month of December beginning tomorrow, I  am in need of a reminder that it is still autumn.  Everywhere I look right now, I see commercial ads depicting winter wonderlands and happy folks bundled up in heavy winter weather gear. But I’m not … Continue reading →

A Simple Gift Idea for the Holidays

I don’t usually promote products, but I thought I’d share an inexpensive idea for a party favor or small gift.  Purchased for $1 at the *Store Which Shall Not Be Named, these 3 oz. scented jar candles are affordable and come in a variety of fragrances.  I have placed them on my Thanksgiving table as … Continue reading →

‘Tis The Season for Socialist Santa!

Depending on where you are from, you have probably, at some time, participated in the holiday gift-giving tradition of “Secret Santa”, “Kris Kringle”, or “Pollyanna”, either at work or with a group of friends.  It’s that system of randomly (and secretly) selecting the name of a person in the group for whom to give a … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving, Turkeys, and Teamwork

A Happy Little Turkey Thanksgiving Day is a major production at our house.  We usually have about 20 guests, so we borrow tables and chairs and rearrange our furniture to create enough space for everyone to sit in the dining room.  Moving furniture and setting up is a lot of work, but somehow we always … Continue reading →

Afternoon on a Hill

Afternoon on a Hill By Edna St. Vincent Millay I will be the gladdest thing Under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers And not pick one. I will look at cliffs and clouds With quiet eyes, Watch the wind bow down the grass, And the grass rise. And when lights begin to show … Continue reading →

My Turkey Day Top Ten

Thanksgiving in my house (maybe your house too, unless you’re coming to my house) is a major event. My Turkey Day Top Ten is a list of those things that keep the day running smoothly: 10. My Home  It’s not a huge house, but we somehow find a way to make room for 20-25 family … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving: Appreciating Emerson’s Message

Thanksgiving For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends. ~ By Ralph Waldo Emerson This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving poems.  In four short lines, Emerson covers the bases: if our basic needs are being … Continue reading →

There’s Nothing Quite Like Family

This week (November 13-19) is American Education Week.  At the school where I work, as in many schools across the country, parents are being invited to visit their children’s classrooms and to observe their children engaging in learning.  It is a time for a little excitement and a little anxiety; teachers, parents, and even students … Continue reading →

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

With Thanksgiving Day around the corner, the nurturer in me is thinking more about my family, and how I want to make them feel “at home” as we share this special day together.   While my husband will lovingly prepare the turkey, I will prepare the tables with decorations and favors; ways for us to show … Continue reading →