What We're Thankful For Right Now

Right now in coastal British Columbia, leaves are detaching themselves from their deciduous hosts with every breeze. A maple you admired in the morning, for it’s end of season orange and red splendour might be naked by evening. Despite it’s extraordinary beauty, fall leaves me feeling a bit somber because it feels like summer passes too quickly in these parts. 

However, the silver lining is that it's time to start planning holiday celebrations, in whatever strange form they take place this year. For us Canucks, Thanksgiving is right around the corner, after all the growing season ends earlier north of the 49th Parallel. 

So this week at Cedar Mountain Studios we’re counting our blessings and giving thanks while we anticipate Turkey dinners. And … what a year it’s been. Thinking back to our New Year’s toasts, none of us would ever have imagined how this year would unravel. There’s lots of crazy happening right now in this great big world, but it’s important to remember that there’s also lots of good stuff going on. 

For one there’s the Canadian comedy series Schitt’s Creek. It is so fantastic that a show that uses humour to examine the transformational potential of love, kindness, and tolerance broke records at the Emmys. It’s just what we need right now.

I’m also so very thankful for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The impact she’s had on the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights will have positive impacts beyond measure for millions of people.  We’re so excited to honour RBG with this sweet Typewriter Sign.

I’m happy to report there’s lots of good happening closer to home as well. I recently traveled with my husband Don to Winnipeg to visit his father Ed. Ed’s 92 and promises he’s going to reach 100. Every visit is a treasure so it was well worth the extra pandemic related hassle it took to board a plane and see him. Ed Zacharias has faced down incredible challenges in his life and yet he remains so wonderfully optimistic. I won the lotto when I got this father in law.

I’m also so thankful we finally got to visit my father, Henry Sager. He’s 99 so our pandemic mandated separation was painful.  My dad was born in a small First Nations community near Alaska. The locals nicknamed him “Little Oolichan” after migratory fish that’s similar to a sardine. It was an apt moniker because my dad always moves so fast, just like a little fish. My dad was the kind of guy who would call up the stairs on a cold February night and tell us kids to “pack a bag and bring a bathing suit because we are going to drive until we find sun.”  He has had enough notable adventures in his life to fill more than one novel.

And of course I’m endlessly thankful for my husband, my kids, their partners, my grandchildren and all my dear friends, even more, now than ever with such uncertainty all around us. This pandemic has taught us all to be grateful for the special people in our inner circles.

I’m also so grateful for our team members and creative collaborators who work with us day in and day out to make Cedar Mountain what it is. I’m endlessly appreciative of their dedication and talents. I happily anticipate coming to work every day because I get to spend my time at work with people I love. Lucky me.

Finally though I want to sincerely thank all of you - our wonderful loyal customers! You make everything in our lives possible and we are endlessly grateful to be on this journey with you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

With love and gratitude.

Suzanne Zacharias
Co- Founder & Head Tea Drinker, Cedar Mountain Studios