Thankful This November

November 3, 2015 — excess, gratitude, holiday, thankfulness, waste

apples and pumpkin

The month of November is a gateway to winter and festivities. In Tucson we have had a very mild warm fall season with generous amounts of rain. It is predicted to be an El Nino winter which will bring additional rain to the dessert.  Our desert is green and lush right now and the weather has been superb for a string of lovely outdoor parties and events.  We look forward to a neighborhood pot luck gathering this weekend to savor the place and the people where we live.  This is the season to be jolly outside in Arizona.  It is perfect for bike riding grilling or hiking.

At this time of year we switch wardrobes and perhaps change our activities.  I began a tradition of cleaning and clearing for the holiday season last year.  The big purge of wardrobe items was by far the best gift I gave myself because it keeps on giving in the form of a happy closet. This year I have fewer things to discard, but am taking a look at using and appreciating absolutely everything I own.  There is no reason to store and care for stuff that no longer is useful.  I also need to be aware of all the memberships and subscriptions I have that need to be  rationalized.  I need to evaluate to be sure I am not over cluttering my membership reality.  Like clothing in the closet, if subscriptions are crammed in and too crowded they will not be noticed or appreciated.

This Thanksgiving I want to feel grateful for my extreme good fortune without creating too much waste.  I want to prepare highly gourmet cuisine for the whole month that thrills, satisfies, and does not end up in the compost bin.  I have improved my food prep skills to avoid waste but can still step up my game. I still need to cut down on portion size for the two of us.  I believe that pulling off a month of healthy tasty meals we both enjoy will be a better use of my talents than making one big meal with too many leftovers.  We like to go to Govinda’s vegetarian buffet for the Thanksgiving meal because it is good and you can usually have a photo shoot with a live turkey on the patio.  That sets me free to find ways to make the rest of the month delicious. If you have any seasonal recipes you want to share, please send them this way.  I will be cooking up a storm, just not an excess.  Stay grateful, gentle reader.

blood oranges

squash and tomatoes