We were so thankful for pretty weather Thanksgiving day so we could set up for outdoor dining! The sun was shining, the yard still had blooms, and we had most of our family present. We are so thankful to have the family farmhouse for everyone to come home and visit.
We set up two tables for our outdoor dining to keep a little separation between family groups, and hopefully reduce any spread of coronavirus, if someone had it and was asymptomatic or presymptomatic. Thankfully, no one has gotten sick since the holiday!
We used one of my most treasured possessions – a quilt that belonged to my great grandmother – for our table cloth, and another antique quilt for my sister-in-law’s table. Homegrown pumpkins and huge rusty red leaves from my oak leaf hydrangea were a simple centerpiece. We used my antique Lochs of Scotland plates atop Pioneer Woman everyday dishes, because the beaded edge looks pretty framing the transferware plates.
Thankfully, I have a husband who was good with moving the tables outside, and my son helped him. Me and the girls set tables, when we weren’t cooking! You’d think we had a pared-down thanksgiving meal, but, nah! There was nothing left out, and the food was awesome!
We had roasted turkey, chicken-and-dressing, stuffing, street corn, homemade rolls, roasted homegrown broccoli, deviled eggs, squash casserole, green bean casserole, candied sweet potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce. Everything cooked from scratch, and nearly all the vegetables from our own garden/freezer! Thankful for this abundance and that everyone in the family cooked together!! We added bread pudding to our regular pumpkin pies for dessert!
SO glad we renovated the back yard this summer! It was perfect for our outdoor meal!
Our Christmas plans are a bit unsure right now, with record cases of Covid in our area, and in each of the cities where the kids live. Trusting that we can keep the day special and holy despite having to take all the precautions we must to keep everyone safe.
We have only one immediate family member test positive for Covid, and she had a mild case and no lasting conditions. I hope your family is safe and well. How are you handling holidays with all the recommendations?
