one day early...

Happy Thanksgiving. Today I get to work in my wood shop surrounded by my tools,  and with the knowledge to put them to use making things, which with care could last generations. I have an amazing amount to be thankful for, so I am starting my celebration one day early, and a day in the woodshop is celebration. You, my readers and friends, I add to my long list of things to be thankful for.

Yesterday was a great day in the school wood shop... more to be thankful for. Nick informed me that he wanted to turn a ball on the lathe. I told him, I don't think you have the skill and concentration for that yet. He proved me wrong. I gave him instruction, and he did it. I asked him, "Can you do it again without my directions?" "Yes!"  I doubt there are many educators in the US who would understand the full range of things that took place in that class or why they would be of such great value. The value is no in making a ball. You can buy one already turned in the Walmart craft supply section for 79¢. But can you shop for such concentration of eye, body,  mind and aesthetic discernment? Can you place a value on arising to meet a challenge, and proving your teacher wrong in his assessment of your skill and concentration?

The last two years, as some of my long time readers will recall, we went to New York to share Thanksgiving with my daughter and friends. Among remarkable memories was watching our friend Jane ride off in a New York taxi with a full cooked 20 lb. turkey braced in her lap as we traveled half the length of Manhattan. So this Thanksgiving will be a close to home one shared with friends at a more local level. You can read about our last couple thanksgivings by typing thanksgiving in the search block at upper left. The photo above is from two years ago in the Poconos.

I wish you all the best. The aromas that arise from the kitchen on Thanksgiving day are to be treasured. The wisdom of hands expressed through the preparation of food to be shared with friends is about as good as it gets.