Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends

Thanks giving in Canada can be one of the most colourful times of the year - reminding us that there is much to be grateful for in this beautiful country and world. It's a time most often, of family, friends, holidays and getting together... and a last hurrah of colour.

This year the colours here are at their peak. Autumn has truly put on a brilliant gown for the festivities - the reds seem redder, the oranges more flame-like and the yellows glow with sunlight. Bronze ash trees stand out against the evergreens.

Vegetable gardens are filled with the last of the squash and pumpkins ready for harvesting. The last of the apples (they were early this year) are being harvested and the Mexican and Jamaican workers going home soon. Farm fields are being plowed, sewn with winter wheat or prepped for next spring. Cattle and sheep are fat and healthy looking and my wild birds - goodness... I now have five feeders out all around the house and put extra seed down for the ground feeders in some spots - I'm inundated with birds.

This year I've been treated with three pairs of purple finches - a native breed that is being pushed out by the house finch - tons of goldfinches that are losing their brilliant breeding plumage and nuthatches, blue jays, mourning doves, woodpeckers, white crowed sparrows and one of my favourites - the chickadee - there are several that scold me when I'm late putting out the feeders. (I need to take them in at night because the local raccoon gang maraud it regularly - one spent the night two nights ago in the drive shed rafters - the dogs discovered it and barked all day yesterday - wore them and me out completely!)

In any case, the sun is up and shining brightly, the sky is blue here, the air still a bit crisp after a light frost, and all is right in my world.

Happy Thanksgiving all - and to my American and European internet friends - I hope you have a similarly beautiful Sunday! I'm so grateful for all your comments, actually just that you seem to enjoy this little blog... Thanks everyone - for everything!