thanksgiving 2016

Coming off a victory in the Alameda Point Studios Pie Contest for the second year in a row, I am attempting to duplicate the award winning entries for 2015 and 2016.

This is the kitchen scene in between the 2016 winner, apple/persimmon/dried apricot and the 2015 winner, pear/persimmon. I was lucky to find good persimmons, apples, and pears at the local Farmer's Market this Tuesday.

That's 2016 on the right and 2015 on the left. I think the only reason I got an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner tonight was the host and hostess don't bake. There is a promise of good turkey and wine to precede the consumption of pie.
The baking was started with Allen Toussaint singing "Yes We Can Can":

Now's the time for all good men
to get together with one another.
We got to iron out our problems
and iron out our quarrels
and try to live as brothers.
And try to find a piece of land
without stepping on one another.
And do respect the women of the world.
Remember you all have mothers.
We got to make this land a better land
than the world in which we live.
And we got to help each man be a better man
with the kindness that we give.
I know we can make it.
I know darn well we can work it out.
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we?
If we wanna get together we can work it out.

And we gotta take care of all the children,
the little children of the world.
'cause they're our strongest hope for the future,
The little bitty boys and girls

Make this land a better land
In the world in which we live
And help each man be a better man
With the kindness that you give
And I know we can make it (I know that we can)
I know darn well we can work it out
Yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, why can't we
If we wanna it yes we can can
I know we can make it work
I know we can make it if we try
Oh yes we can, I know we can can
Yes we can can, great, gosh almighty
Yes we can, I know we can can

the feast of St. Dungeness

 

We thanked them, they were good. A simple salad, french bread, a dry white wine, and two crabs. All consumed.

a bad dream?

Unfortunately not, I woke up to election results that are just unfathomable. As I entered the tube this morning, on my way to yoga, there were two people waving and two signs: "we have Alameda". I cried. Yes I'm living in my "mayberry" bubble of Alameda, cushioned by the bay area, cushioned by the state of California. I don't relate to half of my supposed country's voters. Leaving is not possible, too old, too late, two cats. I was greeted by grim faces as I entered the Yoga Room. Rachel said a Canadian friend texted her condolences that she lived in California surrounded by a country she could not understand. And would she be moving? Her response was heartfelt, no, this is my community, I can't leave it. After class we all decided we will  just have to do yoga everyday.

breathe deeply

And after coffee most of us were going home to our our gardens to pull weeds and be outside.