Thanks...

My plan for Thanksgiving Day was to see the sunrise and spend the day alone. While I had options of other places to be, I recognized that I needed some space for me.

The sunrise was at 7:02 and I was driving along higway 23 between Sheboygan and Fond du lac. The low bank of clouds shielded the sun and the sky was various shades of blue and grey.

About 32 years ago, I decided to become a vegetarian. I didn't give the decision much thought. It was honestly just impulse. I had been visiting my grandparents in Florida and I felt like I overdosed on meat. Ham, pot roast, bacon...just too much. When I got back to Madison I just thought I'd stop eating it for a while. I started to read about being a vegetarian and over the years I decided to stick with it because:

1) Life is sacred. I cannot take the life of another animal and I don't want anyone to do that on my behalf.

2) More food can be grown as plants than fed to animals to be used to food. To put it another way, a field of soybeans or other legumes can grow more protein than can be found in the animals raised on that acreage.

3) Health wise, vegetarians typically have a lower fat diet and less health concerns. I am not out to change the world and I am not militant about this. This decision works for me. I have no trouble if others choose to eat meat. We all need to live in accordance with our own set of morals & values. When my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian came around, I simply didn't eat turkey. There was still plenty of food to eat and enjoy. As the years progressed, I usually did one of two things for my Thanksgiving: I would fast, or I would eat only those items I gew in my garden.

This year, I decided to do both. I didn't eat during daylight today. I set my place for my evening meal to remind me that there are far too many people on our planet for whom not having food to eat is a daily occurence. I began to assemble my evening meal in the late afternoon and I ate after sunset at 4:19. I had a tomato based stew. In it I put some cherry tomatoes that I froze, some tomato sauce I canned, some green peppers and broccoli that I still had fresh in the fridge, onion, garlic, chives that I had dried, fresh oregano and dill from my yard, and some kale that I picked from my garden. I baked a butternut squash and topped it with the roasted seeds from inside. I made roasted peppers with garlic, and a vegetable medley of beets, carrots, squash, onion and garlic. I also had some fresh beets and carrots on my plate. To drink, I had some tomato juice that I had frozen.

My meal was tasty and naturally rather sweet. A little salt would have made it better but I didn't use any oil or spices I didn't grow. I appreciate that I am able to grow my own food. I am more appreciative that I don't have to do this for every meal. Quietly chewing my food, I was able to focus on the various flavors and marvel that these all came from the soil. I was away from my garden for much of the summer and I am thankful that I was able to produce as much as I did. I think I'll approach my garden a little differently next year, with my meal in mind. Although, there's a good chance my garden will get put in late and I'll be in Missouri! Perhaps next year I will share in a community meal. Time will tell.

I didn't have to worry about any political discussions or loud sports games on the television. I was able to read and reflect. I imagined the indigenous people in this local and all of the items they would have used to enhance their meal. I am thankful that I have choices and I'd like to connect more directly with the earth. I hope y'all had a chance to be thankful for many people or things today. Peace.