Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I have so much to thank God for, but first on my list is my family. I am truly blessed!

Thinking about my family brings to mind the Thanksgiving I got it in my head I was going to make an authentic pumpkin pie - from a big orange pumpkin! I was a young wife with three children, busy with work and school at the time, and wanted to do something special for the people I loved. How hard could it be, right?

I had the pumpkin. There it sat on my kitchen counter with absolutely no instructions printed on it anywhere. This was long before I could go to the computer and pull up detailed step by step directions on 100 different sites, so I tapped the only source I had. I called my Granny.

My grandmother, Dorothy Bingham, was a farmer’s wife, the mother of five and a phenomenal cook. I knew I was placing myself in capable hands. I had absolute confidence she would guide me through the complicated process and I would be a Thanksgiving hero!

She was happy to hear from me and we spent a few minutes catching up before I got down to business. “Granny,” I said, “I need to know how to make a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin. Do you know how?”

“Oh, sure,” she said. “First, you pick up your pumpkin with both hands. Make sure you have a good hold on it. Now, for this next step you have to go outside.” I was all ears. Should I take notes? What tools would I need?

She continued on. “Take that pumpkin over to your garbage can and chuck that sucker in. Then, get in the car, drive to the store and buy a can of pumpkin purée.”

My Granny is a wise woman. I did just what she said and made a beautiful, delicious pumpkin pie - from canned pumpkin!

I wish you all a world of blessings to count today and lots of loved ones to count them with!!

I love you, Granny!!