Good morning, America. I start this article with a few words of wisdom. This will be my 88th Thanksgiving here in our great nation. I have had the honor and privilege to see our great nation step up and defend the freedom of our nation and world.

Hello to all my friends. It’s almost Halloween as I write this article. I like to get a head start. As you can imagine, I have been very busy barking at the turkeys and crows that show up in our yard every morning and afternoon. Mom takes us for walks, and I go to day care once a week. I love seeing all my friends. I even got myself all painted up (literally, at day care.) We had a lot of fun.

The harbor now has more empty mooring balls than boats. It is emptying out fast. Most lobster boats that I see coming into the harbor are carrying traps that are being taken up for the winter. The picture above was taken on a very calm Monday morning walk.

As we enter this dark time of year, I don’t think I am alone as I seek warm, comforting foods. Roasted root veggies are a staple in my kitchen (and probably yours) during these months. They store well, are affordable, and are easy to find at grocery stores and farmers markets alike. And they are versatile so you can mix and match them however you prefer.        

Halloween is supposed to be next week, but the wildlife goblins are not familiar with human calendars and arrived at our house early. Their early morning activity left us with a pumpkin carving reminiscent of the Norwegian artist Edward Munch’s famous painting “The Scream,” originally exhibited under the German title “Der Schrei der Natur.”