I am a firm believer that we should be thankful year-round and not rely on a specific month or season. That being said, it is a lot easier to think than to do. Life gets busy, mundane daily tasks add up, and we forget to take the time to just be thankful for what we have.

Once fall arrives, I am reminded of all of the many things I have to be thankful for. As the leaves that I have taken for granted for the last several months all fall to the ground, I am reminded that life is continuously changing and evolving, and it is important to appreciate all that we have now.

Here in New England, by the time Thanksgiving enters the scene, our gardens have long since left. The last root vegetables have been harvested, and our garden beds are laying dormant for the new year.

Spring was so busy with planning and planting that there was barely time to breathe, never mind revel in the beauty of the new garden. We were wrist-deep in soil, fertilizer, and seeds. Our focus was designing a garden that would work harmoniously together and yield a ripe bounty of vegetables.

All throughout the summer, there never seemed to be enough time to truly appreciate the garden. There was too much work to be done. Each day was a never-ending cycle of weeding, watering, and caring for our rapidly growing plants. As each vegetable ripened, we carefully harvested and either used or preserved the fruits of our labor.

As the days started to get cooler, we happily harvested the rest of our gems. We were now in a time crunch to get them all stored and preserved before the season was truly over. We also needed to make sure that we took care of the garden beds so that they would be ready for planting in the spring.

Now there is time for thankfulness. We may not have said it all year, yet we expressed it with every weed we pulled, every vegetable we plucked, and each drop of water we lovingly showered. We have potatoes and other root vegetables stored in cool, dry places. Apples have been diced and frozen or canned into applesauce. Cucumbers are snug in jars with vinegar. Tomatoes are in jars as either tangy sauce or spicy salsa. Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries have been made into jam.

Our months of work have turned into treats that can be enjoyed all winter long. Let’s take the time to be thankful for our bounty and enjoy a few months of rest before we start all over again.