A Manitoulin Thanksgiving

I can  hardly wait for the weekend!  Two more sleeps until we get to see some of our favourite people on the planet!

People think I’m crazy because my favourite season is Fall.  Sure, I love the freshness and the rebirth that is Spring and I love the sun on my back, the sand between my toes and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore in the Summer.  This said, nothing beats Fall.

The Fall colours are stunning.  The crisp Fall air and warm, fuzzy, over-sized sweaters and cute boots are also favourites of mine.  Most of all, Fall is a reminder of all the things I am thankful for.

My cousins and my youngest brother try to make it to the Island for a Manitoulin Thanksgiving each year.  It is a tradition that we’ve been keeping for the past few years.  We don’t get to see them often, so we are so thankful for them coming all this way to spend a few days with us.

A Manitoulin Thanksgiving

Going hiking or exploring different walking trails, soaking in all of Nature’s beauty, and just reconnecting with Mother Earth is something my family from the city enjoys doing.  Manitoulin Island is a wonderful place to do this.  The Fall colours, stunning vistas, and many lakes make Manitoulin an ideal destination for relaxation and unwinding.  If you’re an outdoor enthusiast and nature lover, this is the place to be.

The Cup and Saucer is always stunning this time of the year.  Another must-see over Thanksgiving weekend is the salmon run at the Bridal Veil Falls in Kagawong. 

It’s actually bittersweet, but an incredible experience to witness the salmon swim upstream and try to jump the falls, only to meet their final resting place there.  The salmon go there to spawn and though this is their last stop, the circle of life continues.

While in Kagawong, a visit to the Manitoulin Chocolate Works is always in order!  Enjoy some of their specialty chocolate or a robust and flavourful coffee or a rich hot chocolate. Make sure to take some home for friends and family (or save some for yourself)!

On the menu

I’m a bit of a Pinterest fanatic and have pinned recipes for this Thanksgiving dinner.  On the menu for our Manitoulin Thanksgiving:

• Turkey, homemade stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette
• Mashed Potatoes
• Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
• Crispy Potato Roast
• Ratatouille
• Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad
• Turkey Vegetable Tray
• Pumpkin Pie (courtesy of my Mother-in-law)
• Apple Pie with Apple Roses (or maybe this Apple Walnut Tart with Maple Custard)

I think my friend said she is going to be making Korean Japchae.  My Mother-in-law is bringing pumpkin pie, quinoa salad and her homemade mustard and relish.  I also picked up some libations for our out of town guests.

Hey! Gotta support our local beer companies (we’ve got two of them on the Island)!  Find Manitoulin Brewing Company at www.manitoulinbrewing.co and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Thankful for…

Sharing a meal with the people I love most.  I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  To me, food brings people together.  Every occasion is a good occasion to celebrate life.

Family.  To me, nothing is more important than family.  Getting to spend time together for Thanksgiving and creating family memories is the best gift of all.

My hardworking Farmer John.  Hubby’s birthday also happens to be on Thanksgiving Monday!

Our miracle– Little One.  A very spirited and sweet child.

My  parents and MIL living so close to us.

My work — Always interesting, challenging (in a good way), fun, exciting, new and it enables me to work from home (occasionally having to travel out of province and out of country).  I work my tushy off, but I love what I do.  I enjoy working with my amazing clients, both local and corporate.

Living on this beautiful island.  The longer I live on Manitoulin, the more I realize why it is often referred to as “God’s land”.

Our farm. Though I occasionally curse the fact that farming and our lifestyle will be the death of me, I really don’t mean it.  At least I don’t think I mean it! I’m thankful for the many blessings we receive from farming.  It is not an easy life and people often overlook or take for granted all the hard work farmers do each and every day to provide healthy food for the population. Our farm has enabled us to sustain our family, grow our own food, teach our daughter about life and death, and all the challenges that end up being character-building.  She is connected to the land and understands many things I didn’t know at her age because I wasn’t exposed to them.  For example, she knows how to identify various plants and what their properties are.  She knows to avoid certain plants.  She understands how some of the machinery and equipment operate and she can identify stages of development in corn. She’s also not afraid to handle snails and insects, toads or salamanders.  Pretty wild!

I’m thankful for another day to spend with my loved ones.  As my husband always tells me, “Every day above ground is a good day.”  I guess he’s got a point!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?