stopping by woods on a snowy evening



Regis has been driving the transit a lot lately so I volunteered to take Gus for his daily walk. Young Regis, his two dogs, Ella, Gus, and I tramped out into the woods behind the Treaty Site about noon. I had forgotten about the thaw so we were trudging through slick mud and wet leaves most of the way. Gus was filthy and needed a complete bath by the time it was over. Then I needed a complete bath.

I went downtown to do my last errands before the holiday. I hesitated, it being Saturday and all but the St. Peter stores were not crowded. I went to the grocery store first, the place I like the least. Of course: no kale, no feta cheese, no wheat flakes. Next the coop where I picked up those things and my local, organic, grass fed heritage turkey. He looks kind of little to feed 12 adults and 2 kids so I'll have to bring up the subject of supplementing, never a favorite around here because I tend to supplement my way into 30 days of left-overs. By the time I got to Shopko on the other end of town, my butt was dragging.

I sat down when I got home to look over the supplies and the plan. My friend, Cheryl, called to invite us to dinner. What a sweet surprise!  She had Friesen's bacon cheddar biscuits and this amazing chili. So nice to sit in front of a real fire on a dark and chilly November evening and tell stories.

I woke up early...like 3 am...and I am trying to be quiet and still so Regis can sleep. I am on a mission today to get out the extra tables, the dishes, the silver, the glassware, and to start organizing my cooking.

Oh, no! I just checked out the Jennie-O turkey calculator and it says I should have a 19 pound turkey. Mine weighs just under 12. Oh, damn. Wait, wait. Martha Stewart says if you have lots of sides (I do.) then a 12 pound bird should be fine for 12 people. Pig wings, anyone?


Here I am at the HyVee with my three-page grocery list on a clipboard, thinking of fresh herbs and feeling sad because all of mine froze in our spell of early winter weather.

Maybe I'll go back to bed for a while. It's a little early for turkey fever.

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