Thanksgiving Followed Immediately by Christmas Decorating

 I dread butchering days. But unless and until our family decides to all be vegan, they happen. I say vegan because egg laying hens and ducks get old or sick, and I won't be wasting that meat. I could have gone to the store and bought a turkey, raised by unknown hands and circumstances, but I choose certainty. I've known this duck for 3 years. He's had a life of freely wandering 6 acres, plenty of sunshine, and has multiplied himself by twenty. I captured him, prayed over him, and for myself, to do my part well and appreciate his sacrifice. He had no scary ride to a facility, just twenty steps in my arms and a razor sharp knife. I am grateful to raise my own flocks and herds, to give them a good life, and most especially for every bit of meat and the sacrifice it represents.  I also butchered 9 khaki campbell ducks that afternoon, 4 year olds which were no longer laying.  I respectfully prayed for and thanked each of them. It is a somber thing, taking lives one by one, but it does allow me to really be present and appreciate each one appropriately.  

I had a lot of wonderful helpers getting things ready for Thanksgiving.  Brother S set the table. Brother M made the winter apple pie (apple, pear, fig pie), including the crust.
Our duck turned out delicious. Better than steak, I think. I used this recipe. 

Hubby made his family's traditional monkey bread.

I made orange ginger spice gravy with the duck juices. 

We feasted. Despite taking it easy this year we still used quite a few ingredients from our garden: duck, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, rhubarb, elderberries, and herbs. 

I made "healthy" pecan pie - just maple syrup and eggs for the custard instead of refined sugar. 

I also created a new spin on our rhubarb pie by adding a cup of elderberries and a cup of sour cherry jam that hadn't jelled properly instead of the sugar. 

First thing Friday morning we headed out to our local tree farm to pick out a tree. We were there right when they opened this year, but there were a lot of people already there! 

We spent an hour perusing the options and enjoying being outside in the fields. 

Of course, we chose a tree in the farthest field and downhill from where we started. 

We counted the rings to see how old our tree is. About 10 years old. 

We are pretty good at this Christmas decorating thing.  Both the older kids know the traditions, and all I did was put the lights on the tree.  They brought up all the boxes from downstairs, hung the stockings, decorated the banisters, and set out the nativity.  They were anxiously waiting for me to finish wrapping the tree in its thousands of lights.