Why is Thanksgiving my favorite holiday?
It’s about gratitude, which makes for a salubrious attitude.
It’s about friends, it’s about connecting over great food.
It’s about great questions like the one Orlando asked at our feast: “What do you appreciate about your mother?”
And as usual at Soundcliff (our home), it’s about poetry, music, improvisation, and everyone contributing a course. The meal usually starts at 1 p.m. and flows until 10 p.m., including breaks for hikes, conversations, and fun sharing.
Because several folks have inquired about this year’s menu, here it is:
Cocktails: Hard and soft cider, carrot-ginger juice, Chai, Ginger Tea, Margaritas, white wine
Pu-Pus: Cheeses, Belle’s homemade chicken liver pate, smoked eggs, chips with salsa, artichoke & cabbage dips (by Tom and David)
Oysters: Raw on the half-shell & cooked with Indian palak, parmisan & cream (Malcolm)
Salad: Fresh greens (spicy mustard, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, brocolini, etc.) with triticale berry mix topped with crab cake (Malcolm & Stephen)
Bruschetta: French bread with cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil (Whitney)
Turkey: Roast brined garlic turkey (Gordon) with Sequoia’s cranberry relish and candied yams, garlic mashed potatoes, triticale salad, shaved brussels sprouts with almonds
Mead: fabulously fermented one-year-old mead (honey wine) by Tom
Dingle Sticky Toffee Pudding: an amazing cake with toffee and vanilla whipped cream (Chris)
And dessert all through the days: Michael Hathaway’s lime-coconut bars and cardamom lemon cookies.
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Among the readings:
WHAT IS MY HEART’S DESIRE?
A beautiful quiet place in Nature, self-sustaining,
Where loving people pass their time in inspiration,
Do what’s needed, living well, mastering skills
As we help each other heal this world,
Preparing still richer worlds for all who care to share:
Where The Magical breathes in every heart
And reflects through all our faces, eyes and limbs,
Where Love and Wisdom have been discovered to be innate,
Where there’s time for wit and fun,
Where work and play and reverence are one,
Where we appreciate ourselves as Divinity that’s manifesting,
Where we create – live out – explore
the full, full wonder of our destinies,
Where we – serenely or ecstatically –
Where we – yes – truly walk in beauty
All the days of our lives.
- Michael Hathaway
**
Around the table: Chris, Michael, Sequoia, Whitney, Gordon, Tom, David, Orlando, Malcolm
And of course, from James Broughton:
Sing Out for Eros
You on your seat there
sit up and sing out
Sing Out for Eros
Love is unbelievable
so it must be believed
Believe your own loving
your passion and folly
your incredible hopes
Praise the marvels of
joy tube and love pump
If you must feel tortured
respect your misery
and be happy about it
Only the nonsensical is
at east with the Absolute
Listen to your angels
ripening your secrets
Come to beautiful terms
with the god in your body
with the body of your god
Share flesh with others
Wake love Make love
Clasp hearts Exuberate
And never look back till
you are far out of sight
*
Blessings to all for a holiday season with plenty of time for rest, introspection, wit, fun, and joy.
