Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the Beginning of Makahiki

Started brining the turkey for tomorrow. I'm trying, for the first time, not plain salt water, but salt water flavored with bay leaves, rosemary, sage, tarragon, brown sugar and apple juice. I panicked when I realized that the turkey and brine container wouldn't fit in the refrigerator. Decided to use the big cooler and ice, but then I needed some kind of bag to keep from diluting the brine. Googled "brining bags" and then found them at Chef's Kitchen Supply . As I drove past the Target construction site, with lots of guys working, I wondered about the rumors that Target was gonna cancel. Depressing. But turning from Kaiwi Street into the new dedicated turn lane on the new four lane Queen Kaahumanu Highway was very cool, speaking of things to be thankful for.

Tomorrow, by the way, is not just Thanksgiving. It's the New Moon, and therefore, according to this Star-Bulletin article, the beginning of the makahiki season:

On Thursday we will see a new moon that has special significance to Hawaiians. It will be the first new moon since the constellation Makali'i (Pleiades) rose in the eastern sky at sunset last Monday. This signaled to Hawaiians of old that it was time for the makahiki -- and it speaks just as loudly today.

The full Hawaiian name of this celebration is makahiki na o Lono -- "time of the coming of Lono" -- a religious occasion welcoming the return of the god Lono, known for bringing wind and rain. It appears we're getting a head start.