The Ceremony of Celebrating

I can’t believe we are starting another week already! The weekend went quickly as it was spent in the good company of my family. 

With Pat’s sister visiting, we celebrated Thanksgiving early and therefore spent two and a half days grocery shopping, cooking, and preparing for the big meal that was consumed in a mere fraction of the time. 

All in all, I think that the preparation is both the part that we remember and the part that I enjoy the most. While the food is always delicious and certainly relished, it never seems quite as memorable as the conversations we delighted in while peeling apples or for that matter  – washing dishes post meal.

For this turkey dinner, I settled into carving up apples for a couple of apple crisps. My love for peeling, coring, and slicing apples stems from watching my Grandma take down a bushel in no time – wielding her knife like an extension of her hand. 

Everytime I cut up apples, I think of her skinning an apple with careful precision to avoid wasting any of its precious flesh. 

It’s these processes that seem to break any limits imposed by time or death. Through cooking together or setting a table, we are performing important ceremonies that involve more than who is physically present. Loved ones are in attendance in recipes, in stories shared, and in techniques applied – be it a way to season a turkey or method for loading a dishwasher. 

It felt powerful and somehow simple to gather together this past weekend, and it must be noted that gathering still feels radical in our “post”- pandemic times. Without a doubt there is so much to be thankful for!

Have a great week everyone!