Cornucopia

November is a time of finishing up the last of the harvest, taking stock of what we have grown, storing away the fruits of our labors for the year ahead, appreciating what is abundant in our lives and spending time with family and friends. I have been enjoying seeing a full root cellar with baskets of potatoes, onions, pumpkins, and squash; braids of garlic hanging from the ceiling; jars of canned goods lining the shelves and bottles of homemade cider to enjoy. Gourds and pumpkins fill baskets and display themselves beautifully on counter tops. Firewood fills the woodsheds and the stack on the back porch is always piled high. A cornucopia sits in the middle of our table on a quilted runner my mother made, filled with gourds from our garden and found objects from nature. This ancient symbol heralds back to Greek and Roman mythology, reminding us to observe and appreciate abundance around us in all forms.

Family, and being surrounded by people we love is a form of abundance. It’s not always easy to gather a family together from near and far to share a meal, and with us living the farthest away it’s not always easy to get there, but when everyone from Great Grandparents to babies in high chairs are all sitting around one table, we have something very important.

Whether you are celebrating traditional Thanksgiving, getting together with friends over the holiday weekend, or observing what’s going on in the seasons, it’s a fine time to think about abundance and what our cornucopia holds.