Spirits Having Flown

On this day, we celebrated our Thanksgiving holiday a day late with family in the Johnstown area. The trees were still wrapped in a layer of ice from the winter storm earlier in the week, and the drive was nothing short of breathtaking.

The section between Altoona and Patton known as the Buckhorn was especially enchanting. We crested the top of the hill and the sun came out, and I couldn't stop myself from shouting with glee: it was as though someone had turned on all the chandeliers in the ceiling of heaven at once, and suddenly everything around us was pure light and sparkle and shine! I may have never seen a better ice show in my life.

The only downside was that we were on a mission to get where we needed to go, and we were running a bit late, so there was no time to stop for pictures. I admit that while I fully enjoyed the show, my fingers twitched for my camera to record it all. Better to have seen than not seen, though, even sans camera.

We arrived with our arms full: a huge container of fancy mashed potatoes made with ranch dressing and cheddar cheese (that I had made just that morning at home), a homemade apple pie, and turkey gravy. A turkey, stuffing, rolls, cranberry salad, regular salad, pickles and olives, baby brussels sprouts, and tea were provided. We got there in time to assist with the last-minute preparations, then sat down and ate a delicious meal together, enjoying the fellowship and giving thanks for our many blessings.

Then we did a speedy clean-up of the kitchen, finished off our meal with pie and hot tea for dessert, and retired to the living room to catch up. We talked and talked, and my husband and his stepmother took turns telling some stories that featured my husband's father, who was taken from us going on three years ago this December.

As the afternoon grew long in the tooth and the day headed toward dusk, quite mellow in spirit, and full of turkey and memories, I looked out the window to see the sunset starting on the far hill. The clouds were a show in and of themselves: huge dark clouds above, with orange light shining down. And from the hills, above the cold white snow, above the ice, wisps of gray clouds rising, like spirits having flown.

The song: the Bee Gees, Spirits Having Flown.