Tuesday, November 28, 2006

We went for a drive

after Thanksgiving Dinner. Some slept, some didn't.
Any way, we drove and drove and just wanted to see some wildlife. There wasn't much snow, hardly any traffic and about 3 pickups carrying Christmas Trees. We went all the way to Ten Sleep. The pass was 9666FT elevation. On the way back, we saw these creatures...



I just love them. So many memories of them growing up...a cow and calf moose. Doesn't get much better than that!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Thanksgiving Traditions and then some...

We arrived at mom and Pennie's house shortly before 11am on Thanksgiving Day. Pennie had already prepared much of the meal, so I quickly got to work!

The first thing I needed to do was to get some snacks on the table and the TRADITIONAL jellyroll that I used to make all the time. However, it has been a LONG time since I baked anything, much less a jellyroll! Nonetheless, mom special ordered one. This one is filled with huckleberry preserves. Doesn't my momma look beautiful in her green suit? She sure enjoyed the meat slices, miniature wheat bread loaves, veggies and dip!

And don't forget the TRADITIONAL yummy old lady heads!

The next TRADITIONAL task at hand was to get the dang wassail going! (medieval drink of the english, made with pineapple/apple/orange juice with cloves and cinnamon. I added the cranberries and orange slices because it's so appealing to the eyes and pallet!)
...and the coolest thing of all is that it was made in our oval roaster...we've had it since I can remember.

Usually, I play the piano while everyone else does all the work, but this year, I got to do the cooking too. So, the MUSICAL TRADITION continued as Chi played some blues on his guitar. Chi has been Ed's friend and roomate since he came here from Japan 2 1/2 years ago. This is probably the last time we get to see him as he is moving back in December. Hopefully he will be up to see us. If not, goodbye dear friend.
Another TRADITION included dressing up and/or patiently waiting for dinner to get done!

The time finally arrived and Megs started trimming the turkey. While she did that, I got together the rest of our yummies. Here are the fixings. We enjoyed the TRADITIONAL dishes. I carefully placed them on the 2 hot plates we've had and used ever since I can remember...the cool blue round rock thingy and the wire fish thingy. lol
Strange how the simplest things can jar so many forgotten memories, isn't it?
So here is the hot stuff (excluding the stuffing and the sweetpotatoes). Megs is still trimming, trimming, trimming.

And the cold stuff...
and the eaters...
while I dished up...
Yummy food, wonderful visits and a full belly made this TRADITIONAL Thanksgiving dinner a great time. One of the best I've had in a while. Love you who was with is and miss and love you family who was not.

Next on the agenda...CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! WOOHOO!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Definitions:

Top Web Results for "thanksgiving"




Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1) - Cite This Source
thanks‧giv‧ing  [thangks-giv-ing] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors.
2. an expression of thanks
3. a public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor or kindness.
4. a day set apart for giving thanks
5. (initial capital letter) Thanksgiving Day.
[Origin: 1525–35; thank + -s3 + giving]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source
thanks·giv·ing (thngks-gvng) Pronunciation Key
n.
An act of giving thanks; an expression of gratitude to God: a hymn of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day.


The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet - Cite This Source
thanksgiving

The act of....Hmmm. Step back just a moment. Hold out your arms. Extend them to their full length, hands out and palms up... embrace all that you have. Drop the "act of being thankful" and truly, truly feel it. Feel its warmth in your heart. Feel its aura around you. Hold out both hands. Let one be full of your family, home, friends, all you love, all your feelings, your emotions, all that you have...let the other be full of your aches and pains, your losses, your heartaches and heartbreaks. Acknowlege you have them, honor them, realize them, never deny them. Hold them both together...offer them up...they define our life, they are all encompassing of our life, to which we give thanks for.

May yours be just as warm.