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| Henry, asleep on the big bed on Thanksgiving morning. He's obviously in no rush to face the day! |
"If the only prayer you said in your lifetime was 'thank you', that would suffice." ~ Meister Eckhart
The San Francisco Bay area had seen rain for many days before Thanksgiving Day. I was hoping that the sun would make an appearance so I and my Thanksgiving visitor would be able to get outside and enjoy the beauty.
Luckily, on Thanksgiving Day, Kerry showed up - and so did the sun! It turned out to be a chilly, but sunshiny day... and so was the next day and the next day! Picture perfect!
Thanksgiving dinner this year consisted of all organic foods from Whole Foods, one of my most favorite places to shop for food. I ordered an organic young turkey and prepared it the traditional way - stuffed with fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and roasted in the oven until it turned a warm, golden brown.
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| A lovely, golden brown roasted turkey with fresh herbs was one of the highlights |
My sides consisted of a mashed combo of new potatoes and butternut squash; roasted yams with pecans; sauteed green beans with almonds; crusty french bread stuffing with herbs, apples and walnuts and fresh cranberry relish. Everything tasted flavorful and delicious. It was so nice to be able to share Thanksgiving dinner with a good friend. We gave thanks for our health, family, friends, work and the unconditional love of our dogs. We drank Grey Goose martinis and shared some wonderful California wines. It was a lovely Thanksgiving Day.
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| What a sweet treat! |
I didn't bake this year. Instead, I ordered an assortment of delectable pastries from the Whole Foods bakery: mini fruit tarts, little cheesecakes, chocolate mousse and eclairs, cream puffs and cannolis! Yum!
On Friday, we ate pulled pork sandwiches and garlic fries at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley for lunch. It was packed with people indulging in non-turkey treats. I love that restaurant and I am always happy to introduce its ambiance and splendid smokehouse specialties to my visiting guests.
We took advantage of the lovely weather and took the boys for a leisurely walk around Richard Bay Cove. The ducks were gathering in the pond off the wildlife preserve. They looked delighted as they perched on the rocks and swam with their friends and family in the protected waters.
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| Duck families gather for the holiday |
We spotted a lone, winter white egret, walking on the sand bar at low tide. Further out you can see the divine diversity of bird life in the bay. Seagulls, ducks, pelicans, egrets and sandpipers prance along the sandbars in harmony. I wish humans would learn to share the world as well as these birds do!
Kerry and the boys enjoyed their walk and the views of the San Francisco skyline and the wildlife on the water.
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| Kerry takes hold of the boys while they stop and pose for a photo |
So much to be thankful for during this special time of year.