This year there were new traditions, with a few old ones thrown in.

Among other things we had pumpkin bread,

a most excellent salad,

and stuffed shells.

This all led to a plateful of food.

And last but not least, dessert!

Good thing for our waistlines that Thanksgiving comes but once a year.

Today I’m trying something new, something I borrowed from the blog Cimple, which regularly features a post called “A Week In Seven Pictures.” Seven pictures seemed like a lot, even though it really is just two more than five. But I like alliteration, and two less is, well, two less.

I don’t know how long I’ll stick with this—I’m not one for either routines or lists—but for now, here are my Five for Friday.

The winterberries, a species of holly, brighten Maine’s November landscape. They will soon brighten my winter arrangements.

Dry rocks, wet rocks. When will the ice come, I wonder?

Heart and leaves. Happy November!

The face behind the wire. Can anyone guess what this is? And, no, it really isn’t a mummy’s face.

The last of the leaves to be raked. We’ve raked about three quarters of the yard, and it’s always good when this chore is done. We hope to get them raked by Monday, at least, because Thanksgiving is fast approaching.

I know. I said I wasn’t going to post this week, and this will be a short one. But the recent election has made me so hopeful that I just needed to write a little blurb about it. In Maine, voters approved a Medicaid expansion, which will provide health care to low-income folks who cannot afford it on their own. And, as the New York Times put it, Trump and his ilk were whupped big time in states such as Virginia and New Jersey.

I know. The tide can turn again. But for this one day, I am going to allow myself a ray of hope.

And here’s a picture that captures the way I feel right now, bright and full of color.

After almost a full week without power, it came back last night at around 7:00 p.m. Oh, how happy we were. Unfortunately, we lost quite a bit of food, and the house is a mess. Slowly, we are putting things back in order, but to borrow from Bilbo Baggins, we feel like butter scraped thin on too much bread.

Because of the work of getting the house back together along with other commitments, I will be taking next week off from blogging.

However, to end on an upbeat note… yesterday, we had a table at a craft fair at the Harriet Beecher Stowe elementary School in Brunswick. We did very, very well. So well, in fact, that we nearly sold out of books. As one mother put it, Brunswick is a community of readers.

That’s what I love to hear, that is sure.

An exciting day for Clif and me. After going to the grocery store to stock up on soup and instant oatmeal, we went for a ride and spotted many downed trees  and wires.                “Wowsah, look at that one.”                                  “Ayuh,” my Yankee husband replied.                      Our big day ended with a stop at the town’s public water facet—thank you, Winthrop!         Here’s a picture of Clif getting one of life’s most precious resources.                                                

A quick post. We have been without power since early Monday morning. No fun but we are managing. Friends who have power or generators have been generous. Tomorrow we are going to Judy and Paul’s home for showers and a meal. Thank you, thank you! When the power comes back, I will write a longer post. But just wanted to let readers know we are safe and well with no damage to house, car, or person. I am writing and sending this via my phone, which is powered by our car.

A storm with lots of rain and heavy wind is blowing up the East Coast and should be in Maine by late night. Accordingly, Clif and I sprang into action today. In came all the patio furniture, all the garden ornaments, and various other items we don’t want zipping around the yard should the wind get really strong.

There is, of course, a good chance that we will lose our power, and because we have a well, no power means no water. Yesterday, I replaced the water in the four covered buckets we keep in the basement in the event of a power outage. In the little freezer upstairs are two jugs of frozen water to use in our cooler to keep milk and cheese from going bad. We have plenty of bread, peanut butter, eggs, and canned soup. We are as ready as we can be.

Here is a picture of our patio without the furniture. How lonely it looks! I am always so sad to see the empty patio in late fall. No more patio nights for us until next summer. Sigh.

Today just also happens to be the birthday of our eldest daughter Dee. Her sister, Shannon, joined Dee in New York for the weekend, and they are doing all sorts of fun things, including sampling tea at the excellent Harney and Sons, eating out, going to the Botanical Gardens, going to movies. Well, you get the picture. So much to do in New York City. (Readers might recall we had a birthday palooza in September and therefore fall birthdays have been duly celebrated.)

So happy birthday, Dee! Could it really be forty years ago that you came into this world and into our lives? By gum, yes it was, and what a joyous day for our family.

My weekly exercise in gratitude, or as some of my blogging friends put it, three things that made me smile this week.

This autumn has been freakishly warm—no chilly days and cold nights—and the leaves have not been as brilliant as they usually are this time of year. Nevertheless, fall is here, with its wonderful slant of light. While the days might not be crisp and invigorating, they are still cool enough for a morning bowl of oatmeal.

So, first: Oatmeal for breakfast with a generous serving of Maine blueberries, the sweetest of them all.

Second, the autumn leaves. Although less brilliant than they usually are, the leaves still bring a burst of beauty and color to the landscape and, as pictured below, our backyard.

Third, the look of autumn, which spills over everything, including the memorial bench in our backyard and the little cat I bought to honor my mother, who passed away nine years ago.

A final gratitude, a bonus, if you will: I am so thankful to live in an area that has four distinct seasons that each bring their own kind of beauty.

thi

Need I say more?