Thanksgiving is Coming...

Halloween has come and gone which means it is now time to get ready for Thanksgiving (watch out, that means Christmas will be here before we know it.)

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving (besides the turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie- Oh My!) is my redware turkey platter. I love taking him out at this time every year. My daughter was unpacking some fall decorations a couple of weeks ago and found him wrapped up in paper and asked me if I wanted her to take him out to see him. I declined, deciding that I would rather "unveil" him from his protective paper wrapping at just the right time, and today was the day (gosh I am weird.) But anyway, here he is, in all of his turkey glory. Isn't he a beauty?

I think he is just a masterpiece. He was made by Eldreth Pottery, in neighboring Lancaster County, PA. Eldreth is always one of my first stops when I visit Lancaster County. I have many pieces now, some are out all year long, others are seasonal and for special occasions.

Below are some of my favorite Eldreth Pottery bowls, I think they are so beautiful. They reflect the Pennsylvania German style that I so admire. Something about their utilitarian beauty just seems to take me back to a simpler time.

This pumpkin platter comes out in September and stays out until the Christmas decorations go up, the day after Thanksgiving...
And just to make things more interesting around here, my daughter called home from college yesterday, sounding just terrible. She has had a cold and sore throat for a few weeks that she has not been able to shake. Yesterday she was to the point where she could not swallow, because her throat hurt so badly. I told her to have her roommate drive her to the ER, thinking they would just do a strep culture and send her home with an antibiotic. Shortly after they arrived, her roommate called to tell me that they had started an IV, which of course makes an absent mother a little uneasy. Turns out she probably has mono, and they did rehydrate her and send her home with pain medication and antibiotics. I talked to her this morning, offered to come pick her up and bring her home for a few days, but she says she is feeling better and will just stay there. This is when I feel guilty for not being there, but proud of her independence. I guess we are never too old to experience growing pains. The letting go is hard, but I love to watch as she spreads her wings to fly...