Thankful Corn

One of my family's Thanksgiving traditions is our "Thankful Corn." Each person at the dinner table receives 3 kernels of Indian Corn. We then pass around a small bowl, with each person placing one kernel of corn in the bowl while telling something he/she's thankful for. By the time everyone has shared their thanks (no repeats), the amount of corn in the bowl shows how much there is to be thankful for, even though each person only listed 3 things.

Last year, we saved our thankful corn and planted it this summer. At first, we didn't think it would survive, then we were sure it didn't have enough light to tassel. We hand pollinated the few tufts of silk, but were sure it was planted too late for the ears to mature. Then there was the anxious waiting for the right time to pick - not too early, but before the squirrels or raccoons beat us to it.
But this was the-little-corn-patch-that-could - and it did!
Above you see our two ears of Indian Corn, grown from last Thanksgiving's thankful corn. The yellow corn was a volunteer planted by Farmer Squirrel.

So,while it isn't yet Thanksgiving, I offer up tonight my thanks for my mom's successful surgery today. She still faces many challenges and a long recuperation, but right now, she's doing well.
There is always so much to be thankful for.