Thankful for travel, family, food, and warmth ... but no jello wigglers!??

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We had a fabulous Thanksgiving trip, with lots of fun with family and of course the most wonderful food. My pictures of the Thanksgiving spread didn't come out well, so I won't post any pics of it. But I promised a picture of the corn field within which I would be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, so here is a shot of what my cuz sees out her back door every day.

Those of you who know farming will point out this isn't exactly the shot of a corn field that I promised. It's true. The farmer planted beans this year! I was hoping his horses would wander by while I was looking so I could include them in the shot. They often work their way right around the edges of the field. There must be better pickin's in some other section right now.

But lest you suffer from corn field withdrawal, here's one right across the road.

We New Englanders aren't used to seeing land so flat. The views in the Midwest cover lots more distance than ours.

I got this picture because I had gotten up early one morning. Everyone else was still asleep, and I was getting ready to settle down with something to read when I noticed this sunrise and dashed to get my camera. I stepped out onto a frosty deck and took a couple of shots before I realized I should step out of the lee of the building to get a better angle. Now, stepping out of the lee of a building in the flatlands means stepping out into a darn strong breeze. What felt like "frosty" before suddenly felt like "frigid", with my hair wanting to whip in front of the camera to boot. One quick shot and I was back indoors, thankful for the warmth.

It makes me think of the Pakistanis who lived through the big earthquake and don't have protection from the cold as winter settles in. If you live in a wintry area, you know what it's like to be exposed to the cold too long. Please consider sending something to a charity to get tents and blankets to those folks. A Jewish community group in our area has contacts over there and is collecting to send things directly to the affected Pakistanis. I loved sending our contribution there, because there's no overhead costs other than the shipping. No salaries, no office supplies, no rent, all contributions going straight to the cause. I'd be happy to send you their contact information if you'd like to help.

P.S. It's true, the traditional jello wigglers did not put in an appearance this year. Nobody seemed to miss them much, so it appears tradition is evolving. Here are some pics of some third cousins who found my digital camera very entertaining!