A tale of two Tables

I've driven, then thanks-given, and kept on livin', then thanksgiven again. 
After the road trip, but before being allowed to go back to Bellingham, I was invited over to my brother's girlfriend's parents for a turkey toasting.  They live in Bellevue, up in a fantastic tower, with clean-ness all over it.  I was surprised they let me in, but they are kind hearted souls, and not afraid of the dirty, I guess.  Abe had brought venison, smoked salmon, wild rice, and nettles; basically the whole meal, though there was a turkey looking mighty tasty sitting on the table as well. Katrina's family was there, so I took a family shot.  They have a very proper dog, with immaculate etiquette and good floor manners.  

 Abe and Katrina also made some pies, which were all delicious. 

 The table, which of course this whole blog is about, was set white and clean, with three sets of plates.  I only used one set, but that just showed my ignorance.  Everyone knows that to properly thank sgiving you have to have at least three plates.  Here is a shot of the venison sitting proudly and prettily in the midst of civilization.  

 We came back to Bellingham on Friday (and a very Black Friday it was), and I got to see my precious Altair for a little bit, to check her spirits and bilge level, then on Sunday I got to give thanks again at my mother's place, around a less square table, with my family. 

 After all this delicious feasting and fattening up of my fatted calves (on my legs) I've been doing a bit more wondering about where the food comes from, and just today I had an excellent lesson from my brother Abe about how to prepare wild rice for consumption.  It is a lengthy process to go from stalking the stalks in the wading ponds to pulling the husks and turning golden into black.  The good parts are black like mini mouse terds, while the husks are a beautiful golden fluffy color, but they blow away nicely in the winds, like so much chaff.

 The rice is hard to separate completely, so it takes a lot of work on the machine abe has set up, then finally hand picking out the golden pellets at the end. 

 Its been really cold lately, and as a result water is getting pulled up from the earth and freezing into little pillars of ice.  They go crunch when you walk and it is great.  The light is really pretty when the skies are clear and the sun is setting, so since I had my camera out, I took a few shots near my dad's place.

Tomorrow I fly out to Hawaii, to the Big Island, for a two week trip out there with my friend Lindsay.  I hope to have lots of cool pictures and maybe a story or two and even a scar, or a tattoo on my face, or some wild Hawaiian thing.