What a feast! Shelley cooked up a 22-pound turkey for the day, after soaking it in a brine solution, and turned out a delicious bird with all the fixin's!

Between the four of us we ate maybe only a pound of the bird (the rest remains for TurkeyCivFest on Saturday) because so many other good dishes grabbed our culinary appreciation as well: rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli, wine, real cranberries, cranberry/orange salad, and stuffing. And for dessert, homemade apple/cranberry and chocolate pecan pies!

I'm very thankful for all the good food and company, family and friends, health, wealth and happiness that we have.

And for living in one of the blue states.


After the eatin' we had the gamin' and drinkin' well into the late evening. Good times. I hope to repeat them again and again.




Bottlin' this year's mead.





Diablo oversees the shelling of pecans for my chocolate pecan pie.





My what a gorgeous big briny bird!





Thanksgiving Dinner!