thanks. (part two)

somebody must've chummed the waters.
no foolin', ya'll,
shark gluttony.
no chewing allowed.
we ate a heapin' honkin' helpin' handy manly mountainous mouthful.
so much starchy staunch stomach stuffing stuff.
and the brassica family was well represented, too.
give it an hour,
and we'll be celebrating stanks-giving.
right out the business end, my juicy jive turkeys.
baby cabbages and garlic sauted kale?
boo-ya, mutha-lickas.
what do you know about skin-on garlic mashed potatoes?
besides that they are F*n' delicious?
duders,
i melted the butters, and scalded the soymilk,
and then almost doubled my usual quantities.
creamy?
you bet.
apple cider-spiked, citrus-sweetened homemade cranberry sauce!
after all,
what the F* is jar sauce?!?
and we had the ominous beige orb at the table,too.
tofurkey.
what can i say?
my kids aren't little vegans, after all.
...though it's not for lack of tryin' on my part.
but that means semi-recognizable snacks get munched up.
i put my own bastin' glaze on it, and let it get that sweet heat to it.
there were biscuits, too.
because c'mon,
when you make a half a gallon of gravy,
you need to have some stuff to sop it up with;
like cornbread-soysage dressing.
dressing?
yep.
dressing is what it's called when you don't shove it
up the sunshineless orifices of an avian carcass.
homestyle cornelius bread, and ground tempeh crumbles seasoned to simulate the stiff stuff.
jim made an apple cake.
we ate the sh!t outta that, too.
with sparkling apple cider.
y'know, to aid digestion an' that...
not that after a second half-pound helping of hot fire,
i needed any help with that.the ever-lovin' lovely mutha-'uckin' fam.

i'm grateful.

moreso than usual, even.

the folks feasting here at the Folk Life Fortress are an elite crew.

some of 'em have had almost all their whole lives' worth of thanksgivings here,

others tipped the timetable to five years running.

that's some sh!t.

the folks who aren't here are surely sorely missed as well.

full bellies,

full hearts.

this life we've got up here?

yeah.

when the secret universal plan makes moves, ya'll,

the woodsly goodness reaps the rewards.

the rain didn't stop us from blazing a barbarian barnburner, either.

the crackery repast didn't excuse us from our warrior duties, y'heard?

we give praise and thanks, ya'll;

never quiet, never soft.....