It’s hard to believe 2022 is drawing to a close. The year has brought many ups & downs but despite the challenges, there are so many reasons to be thankful. And so many Thanksgivings to look back on! My best Thanksgiving memories are of my granny’s house in Berea, Kentucky. Ever since I was born, we celebrated holidays there until her homegoing at nearly 100 in 2007. She was a wonderful southern cook, having been taught by a black woman in the kitchen of the mayor’s house where she worked as a young child in Virginia. She’d survived the Spanish flu epidemic which took the life of her teen brother & sisters in a poor family of 10. The mayor she worked for eventually sent her to Kentucky where she attended Berea College, worked as a weaver, married into a Kentucky family & settled down.

Granny cooked for days ahead of the holidays. Thanksgiving was both feast & feat! She lived in a Craftsman on a country road that had a back closet where she would soak her turkeys & store her hams in big crocks on the floor. On the back closet’s shelves were all the pies & cakes she would make for celebrations. Coconut Cake for my mom & aunt, German Chocolate Cake for me & my cousins, & fruit pies or cream pies with meringue for everyone, including brownies & fudge & sugar cookies. The back closet was always colder than the rest of the house, a foodie paradise. I’d give anything to go back to those Thanksgivings that never seemed like they’d come to an end. We even ate pie & cake for breakfast:) Granny never owned a dishwasher so I well remember all the dishes we washed by hand after those family gatherings.

I always make Granny’s cornbread dressing, her deviled eggs, & other dishes. I even wear aprons like she did. I still miss her buttery, yeast rolls and find it hard to recreate them. Thankfully, her warm, faithful, hospitable spirit lives on & I’m so thankful.

This year there will just be 2 at our Thanksgiving table, my husband & myself. A far cry from the family feasts of my childhood! But seasons change along with traditions & sometimes a quiet holiday is what’s called for. From our family to yours, in whatever season or stage you’re in, I hope your Thanksgiving overflows with goodness!

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Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Happy almost Thanksgiving! If I could I’d love to learn what’s on your holiday menu this year, both Thanksgiving & Christmas. Here at our house we bring out the best china and glassware and heirloom silverware and set the table in advance. Sometimes days in advance.

This year we’re feasting on a smoked turkey, cornbread stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese bites, sweet potatoes in puff pastry, cranberry sauce, green beans, deviled eggs, & dinner rolls. Iced Christmas cookies & a banana cream pie are for dessert at my son’s request as it’s also his birthday. Oh, & strawberry pretzel salad:) We then enjoy leftovers for days & days.

If you’ve read any of my novels you know that I love putting delicious details into each one. At a Zoom book club meeting this past week, more than one reader said she loved the food my characters enjoyed & then proceeded to quote from the novel! Truly, food is a gift from God we can enjoy not just in person but on the page. I’m so thankful we have a holiday devoted to giving thanks around a bountiful table.

Wishing you a peaceful, joyful holiday season!

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The other day I was in the car with my husband running errands around town. I’d left my phone at home but needed to reply to someone on social media so borrowed his phone to do that. When I accessed my Facebook account I saw nearly 100 Top Fans who’ve claimed that badge on my page, something that is usually hidden from me. I prefer to think of you as Top Friends instead of fans. And I was reminded anew just how grateful I am for the reading community, especially those who visit my social media sites and make time for my novels. You are treasured and I am deeply thankful!

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving and all things thankful, I’m hosting a giveaway full of fun gifts and gratitude starting this Wednesday, November 4th on my author Facebook page. The giveaway will remain open until Monday, November 9th. I hope you’ll join in! Just follow the link below…

Thankful for Readers Giveaway

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