In honor of my American friends.

So, American Thanksgiving is tomorrow, eh? :)

Well, winter is upon us. Or, erm, technically should be. Thank you Climate Change, no snow yet. That's right, folks. I live in Alberta, Canada, and we have yet to have a snowfall that will stick for more than a few hours. It's nearly December. Brown Christmas, anyone?

It's also been unseasonably warm, and my cat, in his infinite wisdom, has suddenly been struck with the idea that it must be spring. So, all day and night he scratches at the door to get out because the little dumbass is suffering from spring fever.

He's driving me crazy. Good thing he's neutered. I don't need him siring any more neurotic kitties.

He's not the only one who is getting messed up by this weather. My own body is confused. It's acting weird. Maybe I'm just coming down with something, who knows. But I just know that this is atypical of how I normally feel in winter. At the risk of getting rotting vegetables thrown at me (kindly direct your compost toward my bin, thanks...), I actually really like winter. When you grow a garden, you tend to get pretty in tune with the seasons, and summer means hard work. You are on your feet getting pricked and stung, you're dirty, your hands are down in the dirt, and your knees and back kill you from the lifting, kneeling, hauling and weeding.

It's a pretty good life, really. I'd enjoy it more if I didn't have to work outside my home. I'd love to devote my days to my little bit of earth. I love when I see food start to come up. It is so rewarding. Mark Twain once said: "Time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food." I couldn't agree more, Sir. Now, pay off my mortgage, and we'll talk.

In any case, summer is so different from the rest of the year. We even eat differently...Lighter foods become more the norm...lots of cooler foods. Chicken salads, a little barbeque with colorful, garden fresh veggies on the side...We work hard, we play hard, we eat great.

Then, as winter rolls around, things get darker. Days get shorter. I really believe that this is Nature's way of saying, "Summer is hard. It's time for rest now, because next summer is not going to be any easier!". We eat our harvest of squashes, carrots, parsnips and pumpkin. (Sadly, this season was too rainy, and my pumpkins ended up with "Powdery Mildew". It ruined the fruit. I was not happy, but I think I know how to prevent it next year.) We crave warmer foods, fattier foods, foods that sustain, foods that nourish.

I know I'm a nutritionist, but I personally believe that nutritional science has been one of the worst things to happen to our health. We have forgotten how to eat actual food, looking instead for packages that list calories, fat grams, protein and carbohydrates. We are more disconnected than we ever were. Which, I believe has been a primary cause of obesity and disease, frankly.

We no longer eat consciously. I suppose we think that as long as the packaging on something shows fewer calories, that we can eat it "on the go"...And I understand all the theories about eating all day long, or "grazing". I'm just not sure I agree with them. Food is our life force, and it needs to be respected. Spending our days unconciously shoving food into our mouths so that we can keep overworking is working against Nature's plan. If I am going to eat a meal, I'd like to prepare it. I'd like to sit down for it. Some good conversation or a glass of wine (or both) never hurts. I'd like my body and mind to relax so that I can properly digest my food, and get full benefit from it.

I had a wicked craving for seafood yesterday (and then felt nauseous all day and couldn't eat it anyway...hopefully today will be better...). I went to my local grocery store, and could not help myself. Now, see, I usually meal plan WAY in advance, so fresh fish is not normally an option because living on the prairies, there is no guarantee that there will be any available. When it is available, the quality is sometimes dubious, and sometimes downright offensive.

However, yesterday I went to the grocery store in search of some decent seafood, and there it was. Stuffed salmon. I know I could just as easily stuff my own, but...damnit, it looked good! Wild salmon stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. So, that's what we're having for dinner tonight.

I don't know how many calories it contains. I don't really care. I will eat until I'm satisfied, not stuffed. I will sit down at the meal with appreciation for where it came from, and I will give thanks for it. My vegetables came not from a grocery store but from my own freezer and cold room, and before that, my own backyard. (One of them came from the farmer's market, admittedly...) So, I say big thank you to Mother Earth for her bounty, and letting me in on her secrets. To see a tiny seed turn into a zucchini is nothing short of miraculous. It is truly beautiful.