The Annual Greenhouse Tradition

In some ways, Marcos and I lead a rather inconsequential life.

Which is why it surprised me how many friends approached me before Thanksgiving to ask if we would be eating in the greenhouse again this year. I suppose this answers your questions...


Each year, Marcos and I drive up to New Jersey to celebrate Thanksgiving with my father, his girlfriend Emili, and Emili's family. Think mainly vegetarian food with a touch of gourmet, too many women in the kitchen, impossible jigsaw puzzles, people sleeping everywhere, decorating the greenhouse, tofurkey and the seitan that wouldn't rise, conversations about everything from neutering/spaying cats to mental illness, beautiful slideshows of summer trips to Greece, knitting, computer related spelunking in the basement, bagel runs, waiting for the bathroom, grazing on bowls of nips and trail mix, and of course, the grand evening of...


...our Thanksgiving feast in the greenhouse. Isn't it beautiful? This year was significantly warmer than previous years, and I love that we not only ate comfortably, but stuck around afterwards to have pies and games outside rather than racing inside after dinner like we did last year. Marcos taught us how to play scattergories Brazilian style (meaning that we didn't have the actual game with us, so we each pitched in a category and we all wrote them down, and then on the count of three we each held out a random number of fingers to count off and determine the letter). The food was great, the greenhouse was cozy, the company was wonderful, and the game was a perfect end to our Thanksgiving celebration. If it seems amazingly ideal, it might be because, well, it kind of was...


Emili's sister Erica was in town from Denver, and her mom and dad had driven in from Michigan. Below are my dad and Emili, who are always so gracious in giving up their private space, alone time and even their bed to accommodate our big group.


And last but not least, Emili's niece Emma's gorgeous apple pie! I suggested she add leaves around the edge of the pie with her extra dough, and she topped it off with an acorn. Why be only functional when you can be both pretty and functional?