Mamacotti, Thanks for your kind words over the loss of our geese. Incidentally, we were advised by one of the best breeders in the country to yes, add a couple more of similar age if possible and don't wait too long either. They're flock creatures, like herd animals and feel secure in numbers. We're looking into a few more. As for duck eggs, we have four bonafide indian runners, 2 ducks, 2 drakes. Not show quality, but hearty and more reliable layers than our hens. Not sure if you're familiar with the breed - real cartoon like characters though - like a bowling ball on flippers, always on the go - single file. We call them "the little batillion". Can send pics if you like. If you're are interested, and can give us directions on how to send them, we'd love to help. Runners don't normally go broody (too busy) so our fertile eggs have quite the opposite problem. LFRJ

I'll be thinking of you all tomorrow. Our T-day is going to be on Friday this year, because of various travel schedules, not to mention the several people who wanted to have dinner at their in-laws AND wanted to have dinner at DD's. I'm actually pleased ~~ for once, I won't be rushing home from work to start the prep for all the veggie dishes. Five vegs this year: cream-cheese/chili corn, harvard beets, gingered carrots & pears, snap peas (a change from the spinach squares), and a broccoli/cauliflower dish that has a nutmeg/cheddar sauce. Tried this last year and it was a success. 1 big bag of baby carrots, thoroughly rinsed, and the fat ones cut in half lengthwise. Dump in big pot of lightly salted boiling water, let boil for 10 minutes. While the carrots are cooking, open and drain a can of sliced pears -- this year, I'll have to slice halves, no pre-sliced in stock at the store. Put about ½ cup of pear jelly [or pear jam or apple jelly] in a small bowl and nuke just until warm and mostly melted. Stir ½ teaspoon ground ginger OR 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger into the melted jelly. Taste jelly and add more ginger if needed (you should be able to clearly taste the ginger). Depending on how many carrots, you may need to double the gingered jelly. Drain the carrots and dump into a large bowl. Pour the gingered jelly over and stir until all carrots are coated. Fold in the pear slices. For the dinner, it does very well on a warming tray, not going mushy. Have a good day, and may all your Thanksgiving dishes be wonderful.

On the go again to the town wide rummages with Cheryl, Amber and Alyssa. I bought some nice flannel for a dollar a yard and a lady gave me about 2 dozen canning jars! We left around noon and ended up going to Pizza Hut again, not my choice this time. Then Cheryl and I went to visit the lady at the barn sale as she is a neighbor. I finally got home, hoping to take a nap, but no, Cheryl is coming back! The girls wanted me to go to the festival to see the pet parade, but I I am now home, ate a lunch meat sandwich, a banana and chocolate milk. Ahhh, tomorrow is another day and I have a feeling it will be full too. Sue Nice cool fall weather and rather breezy in central Indiana.

Quick report: The roulade came out pretty good. The puff pastry was not as crisp as I’d hoped, possibly because I baked it for an hour, then transported it, then finished baking it at the dinner location. It was very popular nonetheless. The goose ”stew” was fine, but was kind of over shadowed by the other fancy Thanksgiving foods. It deserved to be the center of a daily family meal. The duck with red wine reduction and mushrooms was very tasty although I thought the meat was a little over done. I talked to the guy who shot these birds. He said this early in the season, the birds are smaller and younger; in March the big geese and fat ducks come through. He offered to give me a piece of venison for a dinner I have to cook Saturday (welcome home for the friends whose house/dog we are sitting). I am not sure I’m going to take him up on it - it would be a very cool dinner if I don’t mess it up, but I’d be a lot more likely to mess it up than if I chose a main dish more familiar to me.