Thanksgiving prep is in full swing.
I am sure those of you celebrating are making all sorts of wonderful things for the celebration.
I have spent a couple chilly evenings harvesting, as the night time temps dropped.
The bird baths froze solid.
And yet it will go back up to 80' tomorrow, go figure.
Either way I headed out in a heavy warm thingamabob and gloves.
So many babes to bring in.
Some to cook, some to save, some to marvel at.
And lots of dusting and organizing of pretty things.
Especially since the time to use them is when you will have guests.
That makes collecting treats all that much more fun.
Washing linens.
Dolling up the table.
Making sure you have enough sugar cubes for tea and after dinner sweets.
Stacking pink things.
I love pink, I really do.
All shades too.
So, I suppose it was appropriate to begin my harvest under pink skies.
And….
Dare I confess…
I did find myself knot throated and weepy…
Cutting them babes off the vine.
After 8 months of knowing them.
From seeds to babies to big giant, huger than ever, fairy tale pumpkins…
It's always bitter sweet to cut them off the vine.
Not to mention that these are my 4 times fairy tale grandchildren, or is it 5?
Totally organic, they grew that huge on their own, no help from any chemicals.
I just make sure to use seeds from my healthiest and biggest ones each year.
They make their mama proud, such great seed and specimens.
I know I know, I am certified.
But spending every day with pumpkin' babes and watching them grow, well…
I don't know about other people, but it does something to me.
My little wagon could only handle so many…
So the next day I took out the big toughie garden wagon with me to aid.
I can't get over the sizes.
I am gobsmacked really.
I love them so.
I scatter them here and there.
Inside, outside, around the arbor.
Then I make my way in to dust and clean and prepare for Thanksgiving day.
Cabinets in check…
Plates chosen.
More pumpkins at the front garden entrance…
Cutting out some of my own place cards…
And then getting ready for tomorrow.
I cook the 2 kinds of potaties the afternoon before Thanksgiving.
(potaties was a potato typo, but I kind of like it 🙂
Then I drain them and leave them on the stove top in their pots.
Tomorrow I just have to turn on the burners, add milk or chicken stock and butter, then mash.
It's a really snazzy time saving trick.
And nothing happens to the potatoes sitting on the stove overnight at all.
I do so look forward to Thanksgiving…
I enjoy hosting my own small dinner.
I take the day slow.
And savor each moment.
I don't fret or worry.
I have spent the last 3 years tailoring it to a nice good eat filled day of reflection.
And I love it so.
No stress.
I must add, it's made possible by Mister Lovee.
Who does all, every bit, of the shopping.
That takes out a huge step for me.
Although, I do enjoy a good chaotic travel infused holiday every now and then too.
What are your plans?
Stay safe and eat until you almost pop 🖤
I hope you have the most wonderful wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
So much love from 3 boys and a girl.
US!
Looove, V
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your lovely family!
I always enjoy reading your blog. It is a wonderfully colorful and joyous place that never fails to make me smile, to make me feel warm inside.
Thank you for your blog…
Those pumpkins! Oh My Stars 🙂 Love them-
Thank you for sharing 🙂 and your pup looking on in the on picture 🙂 Sweet boy 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving Vanessa~
Happy Thanksgiving, Vanessa and all! What a lovely set up you will have! I had to work at my day job until 5 today and then am finalizing some school work before my break begins, so little time to do much prep. I will definitely take pics tmrw and share with everyone at my blog!
I hope everyone enjoys their holiday!
Vanessa,
Here’s wishing you and yours a beautiful, fun, food gorging, thanks filled day!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Teresa,
sugar, spice and whatever’s nice
I love all those pumpkims! Aren’t they wonderful. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, Miss V, Lovee, Miles and Matty! I know you will have a wonderful day! My family is getting together on Saturday and I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving. So today and tomorrow will be prep and precooking.
love & blessings
~*~
ps…i am completely enamored with all your pumpkins (as usual!)…
Happy Thanksgiving. Your table is lovely. Have a yummy holiday.
I do not blame you for your proud pumpkin mama-ness. They’re beautiful! Unreal! Rustic and enchanting and like they came out of a storybook. I am interested in your potato trick. You promise nothing happens to the potatoes overnight? I’m sceptical 😛
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the boys! Haven’t commented in a while (busy) but always love checking in for my fix of magical wonders. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving my dear angel and family! I love you dearly.
xoxo
Deb
Your table and decorations are beautiful. I can easily see why you love your pumpkins so! They are magnificent!
You decorate so beautifully! And what a lovely harvest!
Happy Thanksgiving. Hope you had a wonderful day.
I love the pictures of your pumpkins.
We were here with some of my family. I’ve been cooking for days. Everyone brought a dish or two.
Now I have 3 11 and 12 year old cousins here, giggling the night away. 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to your family from hours. We had a wonderful day and today is so special…. It’s on to leftovers… Yea! that is my most favorite part, next to family.
Happy Thanksgiving – hope you and Mr. L, and Matty and Miles, and all your guests had a lovely day yesterday.
We had our big dinner with family friends who live about and hour and a half away (Drive out? Fine… Drive home? Snow… Love my Subaru.), and we all did exactly as you directed above: ate until we nearly popped. 🙂 We made less food this year, but I swear we ate more!
Your pumpkins are beautiful! I think you must be the Pumpkin Whisperer, or a Magical Garden Sprite (of the fairy variety, not the drink, of course!). 😀
Take good care and enjoy a little rest today, you and Mr. L, if you can.
Love, Jenn
It must be your Fairy Tale Pumpkins feel all of the love you have for them…that’s why they grow so huge! Our plants know we care for them so very much!
Well, I missed even going online yesterday for Thanksgiving, so I am a day late with my comment.
We had immediate family over for dinner yesterday, and I had prepared the turkey a day in advance. It simplifies things so very much. I also baked two pumpkin pies from scratch the day before too. This way, it was not a lot of stress for me, even with my grandkids, as their mom’s and dad’s were here (except for one of the dad’s as he WANTED to work with double pay on T-day!) There were a couple of frantic moments when my ten month old granddaughter came crawling very close to the very hot oven…sheesh! I said “NOOOO…!!!” and I was able to grab her away in time, as the oven door was open…where her mom and my hubby were, I was dumbstruck they weren’t watching her better. Gosh! Nana (me,) had enough on her platter without my granddaughter possibly getting her hands burned. But it all ended well. We think we have things all figured out in life, and then one tiny, teensy moment is all it takes, in the blink of an eye for something to happen. Goes to show we aren’t infallible after all.
But yes, I gave thanks for the many wonderful things that happened this year. It has been a good year. Knock on wood! Ha! Ha!
lots of love and hugs, peach and joy, for the rest of the holiday season!
Miss Magical Whimsy Teresa
Hee! Hee!
That was supposed to be ‘Peace’ and Joy, not peach…although peachy keen sounds cool too!
Ta! Ta!
Miss Teresa
Oh yes, those pumpkins!
They don’t look “real”…
They do look like Faerie Tale Pumpkins.
Love them…
A belated Happy Thanksgiving wish, to you,
Tessa~
Wow-wee! What big pumpkin babes you’ve got! So gorgeous. I just get lost in your delicious, fairy tale life. So enchanting and smile inducing. Oh what splendor one must feel to be on the guest list. I adore your dishes you’ve picked out. Giving thanks for little inspirations like you, V. <3
Hope you and the boys enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend your way.
I would love to find pair of those adorable turkey candlesticks!
It was a wonderful picture of how your pumpkins graced your gazebo to welcome in Thanksgiving and the end of fall.<3 Giving thanks for your Fanciful twist place! 😉
It feels a bit like Tim Burton’s movie around here, The Nightmare before Christmas. All lovely and cozy making ready for Christmas inside, and then walking through the portal to the back yard…BAM…Halloween pumpkins, funny looking gourds, and autumn in all it’s glory !
Just toooo hard to give up my pumpkin love…so I won’t 😉
Hoping you had the best Thanksgiving ever, and can I say enough about your magnificent pumpkins ?!!
Ah…Vanessa! If only I could tour your garden in person! Fantastic! I love your time saving tips for potaties too! 😉 I’ll have to try it! xoxo Jen