Let us give thanks
Let us give thanks for the bounty of people.
For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are.
Let us give thanks
For generous friends with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms;
For feisty friends as tart as apples;
For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them;
For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;
For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn, and the others, as plain as potatoes and as good for you.
Let us give thanks
For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussel sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and serious friends, as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;
For friends as unpretentious as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter.
Let us give thanks
For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening time, and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;
For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;
And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, and who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter.
-Author Unknown
How grateful I am for my cornucopia of dear friends.
Happy Thanksgiving-
Jess
Winter squash is one of my favorite foods. I eat so much of it during the autumn and winter seasons that the palms of my hands actually turn orange (just an interesting indication that I am getting plenty of beta carotene from my intake of orange and green veggies).
Given my love for winter squash, including its wonderful health benefits, it is no surprise that I look forward to enjoying it as part of a Thanksgiving feast.
The first Thanksgiving way back in 1621 celebrated the bounty of the 17th century Plymouth, Massachusetts’s landscape. The menu was, by definition, seasonal and local. Squash was one of the foods thought to be on that original Thanksgiving table. Interestingly, cranberry sauce, white potatoes, ham, and pie crust were decidedly missing from that first Thanksgiving feast – sugar was scarce and potatoes, pigs, and wheat hadn’t yet made their way across the big pond. Read more
Thanksgiving Day is upon us. One of my favorite holidays of the year. It is not about the feast; it is about the bounty. Or more importantly, it is about the drawing of awareness to our bounty, our good fortune, our many blessings. It’s easy to get caught up in menu planning, shopping, cooking, eating a lot, and the general excesses of the holiday feast – which is also very fun. But when these become the focus of the holiday, we miss the essence of the day – gratitude and thankfulness, and, in turn, lose the healing power of the holiday. For in gratitude there is healing. When we express gratitude we experience a lifting of our spirit, an improvement in our feelings, a lightening of our load, and a stronger connection with those people and things for which we are grateful. Read more
I have the luxury of working from home, enjoying a flexible schedule, taking off for yoga mid-morning if I so choose. Nice, I know. Yet nearly 60% of American workers have jobs that require them to sit in a cubicle for 8+ hours a day, staring into a computer screen 12 to 18 inches away. Even with a lunch “hour” and other required breaks, many workers remain seated at their stations, even bringing their lunches back to their cubicles. Ergonomic chairs or work stations, notwithstanding, these folks are still sedentary, alternately engaged in constantly moving a computer mouse back and forth and typing on a keyboard. Read more
Mark your calendars! I am officially dubbing Wednesday as Open Phone Day. There’s lots of confusing and conflicting nutrition/exercise/wellness information floating about the ether-net. If you have a nutrition-related question or issue, pick up the phone and let’s talk. Interesting discussion is certain to ensue, and perhaps, you may even get an answer or two.
I’m here Wednesdays from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm PST. So give me a call: 425.957.9669.
Calls are free and I will be taking them on a first come, first serve basis. If you get voice mail or a busy signal, please don’t leave a message (I won’t be able to answer Open Phone Wednesday messages), but do try again! And, please review my disclaimer.
I look forward to talking with you!
Jess
