THANKFUL!

i went to connecticut for thanksgiving.

yup.

back home to hamden, and back to all the things i'd literally just left a few days before.

i also brought crabtree, who behaved beautifully.

yup.

my terrible terrier may not have allowed me to sleep much the first night,

but he was the superlative car dog, 

and crashed out fast asleep the whole time in both directions,

and we went on a few foot-tours of the whole entire old neighborhood while we were at it.

since this was the first thanksgiving in my fourteen years that harvest and maple 

would both be at home instead of in the woodsly goodness, i went down to see them,

and my ma, and to enjoy the benefit of a radical vegan feast of gratitude and generosity 

with the folks who might enjoy it in the same ways i've always intended it to be enjoyed.

that's no joke.

i made less food than usual, which was smart, really.

my sister mary grace rolled through en route to wherever the heck she was headed, 

and she and i and our mother had a little sit down munch up

together, and it was very nice to have a time with just the three of us.

that's the sort of family togetherness that means so much more in the aftermath of loss,

and loneliness, and the three of us had a truly good time.

it was important.

and we ate well, homies.

that's for sure.

check the teleport:

yeah!!!

and that wasn't even all of it.... all the rootiest veggies an' that all came through, as well:

WORD!

homemade sourdough and red lentil seitan sausage stuffing, with leeks and carrots and celery?

expert.

skin-on masher-upper potatoes??!

rules is rules.

that vanilla-kissed cider and maple cranberry sauce, from-scratch!!!

delicious.

lemon-soy glazed brussels with pomegranate!!!

wordimus prime.

DUMPZ ON YOUR FACE!!

hahahah.

that's what's up, neighbors.

we'll get weird with some dumpies. we don't even care.

-

and that rainbow roasted root veggie medley?

with GPOP and vegan butter and pink salt and fresh cracked black pepper?

s'doooooooope.

i busted out the woodsly classics, for sure-

roasted butternut squash with died cranberries, maple syrup, cinnamon, black pepper, and pecans.

that always goes to eleven.

and do y'all know what was the biggest hit?

the breakout superstar exxxplosion of new hottness??

savory mashed baked sweet potatoes.

yuuuuup.

GPOP, olive oil, nootch, vegan butter, smoked paprika, black pepper, and brown sugar-

plus, caramelized shallots, homemade tempeh bacon crOmbles,

and brown sugar sprankles.

too much is the right amount,

and those bad boyz had ALL the flavors going mental throughout each bite.

i doo-doo that elite sh!t on thanksgiving,

and i make it look easy as heck, if i do say so.

i love food.

i love animals.

i don't confuse the two.

homemade tastes better.

savory, broth-basted home-baked bread and stuff, stuffin' style,

all slathered in exxxtra-thiqqqq graaaaaaaaaavy?

so F*ing awesome.

the gravy game was as expert as ever,

and all of it came together right on time.

we spanned our time to the very best of our ability.

we shared a meal, and our space, and our hearts in a way we have not in decades.

that's important.

a throwback thursday twenty something years in the making.

we missed our people.

we enjoyed each other.

grateful for the time we've been given is what we are,

and wasting it is what we are not.

it's all really happening,

and that's the whole point;

never quiet, never soft.....