My favorite time of year is here.

Not because of the holidays, but because I get to spend a lot of time in the kitchen trying out new recipes, fixing meals for friends and family, and I don’t have to spend time working outside.

This is the time of year I also share assorted goodies we have grown and preserved through the summer.

We always fix a big meal for Thanksgiving. I buy two of the biggest Norbest turkeys I can find at Needler’s. The second one goes in the freezer for Christmas. This year, I only bought one because our daughter and her family would be going to Cleveland for Thanksgiving dinner with her in-laws. Since she was planning on doing all the cooking there for everyone, I was going to help from far away. Her husband has five siblings, plus their families, so Angi was going to learn how to cook for a crowd.

I sent four quart bags of frozen corn, which Susie and I put up this summer with her to Ohio. We order 10 or 12 dozen ears of corn from the Long family on Huntsville Road every year, prepare it, and use it or share it. I also sent four quart jars of green beans we grew this summer. Both of these items just had to be cooked in a pan so it would be easy to fix.

Before she went to Ohio, she went to the grocery to buy items for the big dinner.

As usual, she texted me and asked for my recipe for sausage dressing so she was sure she had all the ingredients. I send her this recipe every year, but it’s easier to ask me again instead of finding it from the last time.

A bit later, she texted again asking for my sugar free chocolate pie recipe. Again, a yearly request. I think I will just make a booklet of all my favorite recipes to give her, which she will probably lose.

A young couple (around 50) who go to our church live around the corner from us.

I dropped off corn and green beans, plus a crumb crust apple pie on their porch. I texted them and told them we just dropped off goodies that they should get immediately before the critters find them.

I thought I heard Santa on our roof just before Thanksgiving.

Turns out it was just my neighbor blowing the leaves out of our gutters. When he finished, I asked him what he needed. He told me one of my apple pies would be adequate payment. That was a lot easier than me getting on the roof.

We store all of our Christmas ornaments and tree, plus Susie’s village set in the attic.

Unfortunately, she won’t let me climb the pull-down stairs going up there.

We thought maybe we could get the grandson to do it for me on one of his trips home from school.

He never made it.

Our neighbor on the other side was home from work this week.

I called and asked if he was sick. He said he was just watching TV on his day off.

I invited him over to get all our stuff out of the attic.

When he finished, I asked him what kind of pie he liked. I fixed a Biscoff cookie butter pie and took it over.

Again, that was easier for me than climbing into the attic.

Usually by this time of year, I have fixed some of our favorite cookies and tried some new cookie recipes.

I make fudge, brownies, pies, cakes, and assorted other goodies to share with everyone.

I have a dentist appointment next week and they always expect a pan of some kind of dessert. In return, they always promise to be gentle with the needle.

I am planning my menu for Christmas dinner.

Our daughter and family will be back, and I always invite some friends who have nowhere to go on Christmas.

A lot of traditional dishes will be on the table, and I will be trying out some new recipes on the guests.

I seldom get any complaints.

On a side note, our grandson was here recently and was going through my room.

He calls it the “Treasure Room” because of the assorted junk in there.

He asked if he could have something. I told him “No. That’s mine.”

He said, “That’s OK. It will all be mine someday anyway.”

His mother was very upset, but the rest of us thought it was funny.

While at the grocery the other day, I started laughing (which I don’t often do).

Susie asked what was the matter.

I saw a magnet about the size of an index card. It had a price of $5, but I didn’t care what the price was. I had to have it.

It read, “When I die, the DOG gets everything.”

Our grandson, Benjamin, is getting that for Christmas.

Rich Creason is an award-winning outdoors and travel writer whose work has appeared in local, regional, national and international publications for 40 years. Born in Anderson, he is a graduate of Markleville High School. He lives in South Madison County with his wife, Susie. He may be contacted at [email protected].