photography – Coffeehouse Junkie

All beauty exhausted, duck in winter

*With apologies and respect to Yosa Buson. Milwaukee circa 2016.*

A galaxy of snowflakes descend

More Thanksgiving leftovers – playlist

For the holiday season, listen to the In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond show: Autumn and Thanksgiving.

You may also enjoy going through the archives of the In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond podcast:

Episode Dec 14 2025 – In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

The core of this episode has some of the best tenor sax players from today and yesteryear. I'm speaking of Potter, Kirk, Rollins and Trane. They are bookended by a new release from Out Of/Into and Zawinul's In A Silent Way. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Out Of/Into ~ Nacho Supreme ~ Motion II Chris Potter ~ The Mind's Eye (For Michael Becker and Joe Lovano) ~ Gratitude Roland Kirk ~ Alfie (Live at the Penthouse in Seattle September 1967) ~ Single Sonny Rollins ~ Alfie's Theme ~ Alfie John Coltrane ~ Moment's Notice ~ Blue Train Herbie Hancock ~ Watermelon Man ~ Head Hunters Weather Report ~ In a Silent Way ~ 8:30 (Live) Miles Davis ~ In a Silent Way (Rehearsal) ~ The Complete in a Silent Way Sessions

Thanksgiving feast leftovers – playlist

Gratitude for a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Feast

The pressure to perform and succeed at holidays stresses everyone. The lists of things to do, people to see, and places to go is overwhelming. That is the simple and delightful plot of the 1970s film A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. A favorite scene is when the Peanuts characters prepare the Thanksgiving feast: buttered toast, popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans, and an ice cream parfait.

One year, our family put together a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving feast of toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks and gummy bears (could not find jelly beans at the convenience store) to share. The snacks were placed in brown paper lunch bags and shared at gatherings. The disappointment was that most of those who received the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving snack bags had never scene the film. Or did not remember the feast items. But I am grateful for the lesson.

Are you thankful for a challenge or disappointment that turned out to be better than expected? What teaching or teacher are you grateful for this year? Name a person in your life currently who is a blessing. Who is a person in your past for whom you are grateful? What is something you learned to do that is a blessing?

There so many things and people to be thankful for that an individual might be able to fill a bare November maple tree with bright red paper thanksgiving leaves.