Thanks Giving

My list starts with Allison, Rick and Iain and my scores of other relatives - cousins and in-laws, men and women, little boys and girls - in many locations, and all of whom I really like!

I'm thankful that my home is warm - especially the kitchen, where an overabundance of favorite foods are cooking.

I am grateful every day for the many gestures of friendship - whether they be a quick wave, a shouted "Hello! How are you?" a spontaneous conversation in a store or parking lot and the phone calls and Emails from blog readers and others whom I've never even met - that make me feel ever so fortunate to live in this village;

............. for its quaint tidiness and for all the beautiful countryside: the rolling hills with cropland, pastures or forests.

Today is a day to be thankful for memories, too, and at my age they are many.

In many ways, "Thanksgiving" has changed: my family is more spread out and the humungeous dinner of years past will not be followed by a ten-mile hike in the woods, but the change is not really for the worse, because every year my list of things, even computers, digital cameras and "Kindles," and the people I'm thankful for gets longer - not necessarily because I have more, but perhaps because I have more appreciation for them!

This year my list is really, really long because all of you are on it!

Thank You!