I Am Grateful for Grapefruit

I'm feeling especially grateful for, of all things, the grapefruit in the center of this photograph. I'm grateful for apples and Brussel sprouts, cranberries and all the bounty that is so easily found just a few blocks from home. But this year I am especially grateful for grapefruit. I can understand if you think that's somewhat odd. But I am a big fan of grapefruit and for the last decade I have limited my consumption due to a certain popular medication for cholesterol. But as of Tuesday I am off that medication -- at least for a little while -- and I can go to town with grapefruit. I hadn't thought of it initially, but as was walking down Broadway Tuesday afternoon the thought came to me, "I can eat grapefruit again."

That thought led to a number of other thoughts, particularly that the things I am grateful for in this phase of my life seem to be very different from earlier times of my life. I am grateful for hours without "Breaking News" on the television. I am grateful for fresh flowers all year round and appreciate the hard work that brings them to my neighborhood. I am grateful for the aroma of freshly ground coffee and I am grateful for oases of serenity in the midst of the noise and rush of New York.

 Grateful for fresh flowers all year round...

 

...and Central Park, from Central Park South.

 





My aunt's almond loaf recipe. I realize it's a little cryptic. When I looked at it tonight I realized she had omitted any instruction about mixing the ingredients or shaping the loaf -- flat on a greased cookie sheet. She assumed I would know what to do.

 

I'm also grateful for memories of Thanksgivings past and all those I celebrated with. I'm grateful to have my Aunt Miriam's recipe for Mandel Bread -- actually a sweet almond tea loaf -- that we enjoyed on every holiday and a good many other days throughout the year. It was "her" recipe and I am so grateful to have a copy of it in her handwriting. The scribble at the far right is my writing. I am grateful, too, for friends to celebrate with today.

 

When I started writing this post, my thought was that I was grateful for small graces, but I realized those small graces are all symbols of the basics of life...family, friends, good health and the sweet rhythm of every day life. It's not that I was ungrateful of small graces in the past, but as youth slips further into memory, the basics of life grow more important. Yes, I am grateful for grapefruit.   

 

Wishes for a Thanksgiving of graces large and small. Thanks for visiting and have a day sweet with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!