It will soon be Thanksgiving Day. I am in a faraway place from my childhood images caused by the vivid lyrics of an old New England poem, ”Over the meadow and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go.”

I am more into the image of ‘where did 2022 go?’ Weren’t we just taking down Christmas trees and getting excited about crawfish and King Cakes? I just cannot understand this sudden speed of time.

 That is one reason why I, somewhat, prefer the ordinary days; they tend to move a bit slower, with less urgency. I suppose that must bore many of you, those who love to decorate and celebrate for each holiday. I was once that more spirited person, but not so much anymore; life continues to take us into new chapters, and now, I am here.

I do still like to decorate; just not with store bought things. I love the pile of citrus that will soon be on my kitchen counter after I harvest satsumas, Louisiana Sweets, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and blood oranges from my backyard. The varying shades of yellows and oranges look festive above my Blueberry colored cabinets along with a fat orange pumpkin that escaped the Halloween massacre and sits alone and pompously on a table nearby. And I love the stack of pinecones that will collect near the fireplace and serve as starters for a winter fire. The deep and medium browns against the red bricks of the hearth provide a rustic texture and seasonal aroma along with the green pine needles that will sit along the mantle and contribute to this Christmas “perfume”. I especially enjoy the shades of brown, green, and turquoise eggs that sit in a basket in my kitchen, and I appreciate this effort, albeit much less during these shortened days, from my Maran and Americana hens. I enjoy hanging a freshly completed painting on the mustard color wooded knobs of my pantry and living with it a while until I decide if it is finished or not. And I love the way the paper white narcissi bulbs I force will look sitting against the stark coldness that seeps through my kitchen window during Christmas and Hanukah.

 I describe all the above with a chuckle and a bit of “tongue in cheek”, but I do, essentially, believe it is the little things, the everyday moments that I enjoy the most; the small moments that, for now, measure my life.

Anyway, I also appreciate this written opportunity to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have too many blessings to count and not enough room at the Thanksgiving table to seat all the people you love. And I would like to add a wish that we all find a cold morning with hot coffee and a quiet moment to realize our blessings.

On a personal note, it seems I have the most wonderful blessing of all this Thanksgiving, for all my family will be together under one roof for a brief but delightful period of time.

I hope to spend much of it holding our newest family member, Santiago … it truly is the little things.

PAM SHENSKY is a wife and mom to five.