Post Thanksgiving Post

Thanksgiving Day! Pretty impressive rime ice on Big Hump Mountain.

So, we woke up to these glorious snow clouds ... and they were ever present!

This is a bigger view of how impending those clouds look off of the porch on the side of the house. They caused a little bit of excitement on the Parkway with all the tourists, but at our house they were simply a source of entertainment whilst preparing for the Feast!

Here are Sabrina and I, cooking "our hearts content" with all sorts of delicious fun.

And before we knew it, the BIG FAT FLUFFY FLAKES begin to fall out of the sky ... at first very lazily, and then with a fervour! It was all very exciting ... for that 15 minutes or so.

But when you have a mission, onward ho! We had herbs combined with all the good smells of traditions past that absolutely made us giddy with nostalgia. It seemed very ancient, women concocting enticing aromas and pleasing all the different palettes. Very enchanting!

This guy was enduring the snow with complete dignity ... in the literal freezing cold ...

While we mighty chefs remained toasty warm and loyal to our tasks at hand.

and for another 45 minutes or so, it looked like it had really become winter in Elk Park!

This CHAOS was on the side of the kitchen you can't see in the previous photos! Half prepared dishes, bags of scrumptious goodies, and all sorts of adornments on the table ...

and then ..... viola'! The very same table after the food began coming together. The menu was such fun to decide with all of us "foodies" being involved. There was the obligatory turkey and dressing, maple syrup coated ham, sweet potato casserole, garlicky mashed potatoes, steamed juicy green beans with lemon butter herb coating, an incredible parsnip bread pudding (Sabrina), a beautiful asparagus puff pastry dish (Janine) roasted baby beet salad with fresh greens, bleu cheese, roasted nuts drizzled with balsamic vinegar (Sabrina), clover yeast rolls, cranberry sauce (both gelled and berries - along with some divine chutney), gravy, butter, etc., etc. Obviously this photo was prior to everything getting on to the table, but it's hard to be resident photographer and chef/hostess at the same time!!

This was the reception table ... where Sabrina greeted each friend with a perfect glass of rose champagne with pomegranate seeds floating in the bubbles (beautiful concept, Sabrina! Such an elegant and wonderful welcome!) Didn't quite make it to the table with the camera in the pre-consumption stage - you'll have to use your imagination! (again)

This (also a typically exquisite Sabrina thought) represented the hors de oeuvres for the evening ... such wonderful cheeses and crackers to accent the taste were every bit as deserving a picture, I just didn't get there ... multi tasking hell! The brie had some lovely cranberry chutney topping that was superb! It was great fun ... I just never tasted it until after dinner! (It was rather busy about arrival time).

And Paul, showing our Champagne drinking guests an old dance video (how embarrassing, Paul!) as well as sharing our new t.v. We are a long way from finished with the house, but every little bit feels good!!! While Sabrina and I were in the kitchen, Paul was in here changing the face of the entire room. Well done, honey!!!! It's perfect!

Table is set and ready to receive our sweet friends and our little contribution to a Thanksgiving feast!!! We have SO MANY things to offer Thanksgiving over it is mind boggling. I just think it was wonderful to be able to spend it with our friends ....

Even the friends who couldn't personally share it and we just had to settle for their photographs. There are photos all around the deserts of friends who we are Thankful for and whom we have shared other thanksgiving feasts with ... and the family members photos are on the wine buffet (which the "photographer" neglected to document - sorry!) Also shown is an incredible apple/Gruyere cheese torte that Janine and Mark brought (OMG! It is to die for!). Unfortunately, the pumpkin, cheese cake double cream pie that Beth brought didn't make it in to the photo (another OMG - squared!) ... and then there is the trifle, which I do believe was still in the refrigerator at this point. The refrigerator that I am still saying thanks for to the Rosenfarbs for their generosity ... and the stove, without which we would NO WAY have had such a successful dining experience!

All in all, it was an absolutely LOVELY Thanksgiving evening if I do say so myself.

To our precious friends:

Beth - who drove all the way to Rock Hill, NC to cook Thanksgiving Dinner for a friend of hers who was convalescing, and then back to Elk Park so she could sit at the table for a few minutes and enjoy friendship blessings;

Sabrina, who drove all those miles and hours up from Atlanta to visit, to enjoy "the mountain thing", sisterhood, good food, giggles, story telling and time away from the city;

Janine and Mark, who both worked the tree "cut and choose" lot the entire day before going home, grabbing food, changing clothes and showing up with their beautiful smiles and enthusiastic spirits ~~~

We would just like to thank you, friends, for joining us and sharing friendship and some fun times.

We would like to also thank the friends and family members (who could not be here) for all the times we have joined together and feasted and laughed and loved.

And to my sweet Paul, without who I would prefer to have no Thanksgiving at all, I love you. Thanks for sharing the adventure with me honey.

Happy Holidays to one and all,

Paul & Cheri