Thanksgiving 2012

Our very first Thanksgiving! And we would like to thank North America generally for this holiday, one that Australia should steal. To celebrate the harvest is worthwhile for anyone who eats or in this case feasts and to make thanks for all of the blessings of the past year seems especially appropriate for us this year. 

Porcupine in tree - middle of tyhe pic - look for a black spot!

We were indeed fortunate and, as it turned out fatter, for the kind invitation from friend from work and table tennis combatant, Dom Razzo and his wife, Deborah to join them and their family for the feast. Dom lives some 8 kilometres south of town, deep in the woods, in a fantastic home with Canadian Lake and Mountain views with a couple of huge dogs. The dogs are for health and …. safety. The health part is that the dogs drag Dom and /or Deborah around the countryside in all weathers and their hearts must beat quickly to keep up. The safety side is that living where they live there are many critters around in the woods and they can and do visit. Sadly when Dom and dogs first encountered big Black Bear the dogs quickly headed for home leaving Dom alone to endure the fake charge from the bears. Just these past few days Dom and dogs had a visit from a Porcupine and the dogs’ mouths and muzzles were sprinkled with spines from the creature’s tail. 

The American Porcupine

Porcy

Now when we arrived on Saturday afternoon the porcupine was still enjoying the view and the safety of high branches of a nearby conifer. So we got a few pics and the kids were delighted to collect some spines from the animal. Hopefully for the porcupine’s sake and that of the dogs the porcy gets a chance to get well away soon.

Anyway the feast….. Turkey and Ham and all of the trimmings, salads from us, fresh bread plus a huge assembly of desserts weighed heavily on the kitchen benches – there not being enough room on the table. The tables, I should say, as in concert with their small four seat table, a huge bench had been hastily but Dom assured me safely, assembled to seat the sixteen assembled. And this dining table dominated [no pun intended] Dom’s Dining room. So the feast began accompanied by Beer and wine and thanks for family and friends and especially the cooks. 

Now I’m not a great dessert lover however let me say one word about Pumpkin Cheesecake – ‘Tremendous’. There are other words that could be used.