Grateful for the Mystery and Christmas Trees

Our friends out in Castle Valley let us buy one of their turkeys they raised this year and we went out the Saturday before Thanksgiving to "prepare" the birds for consumption. Two of the Toms below were prepared. It is never fun to kill an animal, but very satisfying to be part of the process, to know where the food on the table comes from, to know it was treated humanely and was put to good use. The turkey tasted great, thanks Brother Turkey.

I really like the idea behind Thanksgiving, so I thought I would write down of few of the things I am most thankful for.

I am a pretty ungrateful person. I am not very good at expressing thanks for all I have and all I have been given.

I recently read something the affect that all of the great spiritual traditions/religions have focused on relationships; relationship with God (or whatever you choose to call the Divine Mystery), relationship with family, and relationship with the "other" (always the hardest one). I would also add relationship with the creation, the natural world. These are the relationships I strive to focus my life on.

Above all I am thankful for relationships with my family. Alina and my four boys are my world. I truly don't deserve them.

I have some pretty amazing parents and siblings. I rarely tell them how much I love and appreciate them. I do. Any of you that know my family know that they are amazing people.

I am grateful for the mystery (that I am coming more and more to accept) that is this life. Just to live here on this amazing planet for a short time surrounded by people that love me and people that I love is enough. I am content.

I am thankful for the ability and freedom to question my existence and my place in this great infinite space.

I am grateful for wild places (big and small). For places that are quiet, places where I can interact with natural processes. Places that overwhelm me and make me feel small, but yet still a part of it all.

After Thanksgiving we went up on the mountain with Reno and Star and got a tree for them and then went the following weekend to harvest our Christmas Tree with Todd and Ash.

Tree down

Uncle Todd demonstrating the art of getting pulled behind a truck

Special moment, if we ever make a Christmas Album this will be the cover

This year was Ridges turn with the saw