Tomorrow, 24th November, is Thanksgiving in America. This is a time when families get together and eat and celebrate. I took a look for the history of this celebration and now I know more clearly its origins and how it came to be what it is to-day. Take a look at this link. The History Channel - Thanksgiving if you want to dispel some of the myths that have grown up around this day.

I'm fortunate in having a huge Dharma family, both lay and monastic sangha members. This evening I received a telephone call from one of them. I was touched to be remembered and get this call. "You're family, that's why I called".

Thanksgiving is celebrated in Canada in September and we did a ceremony at the Priory. I've been waiting for an opportunity to post a photo of the altar and now is my chance. You will see there are dishes of food on the altar and I scattered some autumn leaves around the alter reminding us that the season is changing and our efforts are more inwardly directed...now the harvest is in.

It is unseasonably warm at the moment. Temperatures reached 15 c today!