Happy Turkey Day

I love Thanksgiving. It is however one of the holidays that makes me realize how much different it is living down South than up in New England where I was raised.

(W. Virginia plaid and gingham tree quilt)

First, there is the weather. I ran out to the bakery this morning and most of the other customers were wearing shorts. The day before Thanksgiving and it is 76 degrees out! I can remember in High School in Massachusetts playing my French horn in Thanksgiving Day parades and worrying my lips were going to stick to my mouthpiece...it was that cold...

Then there is the food. My husband is a southerner (born in Virginia.) I don't think I ever had a sweet potato until I graduated from College and joined the army. Oddly I now love sweet potatoes so I don't object to his insisting we have them at Thanksgiving even though he will not eat them. (I also make a large pot of black-eyed peas on New Years...but that is another holiday!)

And who north of the Mason-Dixon line ever thought of deep frying a turkey! This is part of the testosterone driven barbaque mystique of southern men...they may wear pink with no problem but they still still proudly cook like the cavemen. Now don't be thinking I don't like deep fried turkey...my neighbor has some "secret" ingredient that he rubs inside the bird before it goes into the big pot of peanut oil and it makes the entire neighborhood smell just too good to believe. (Luckily he does the entire set up several times in the fall and for one homemade pecan pie will fry up a turkey breast for me.... )

But Thanksgiving is still the same in one regard - it is a time to stop and reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!