Falling Off the Map
It’s amazing how one day of not blogging turns into two or three. I started a number of times each day just to wander off either physically or mentally. The notes below I did on Sunday basking in the warmth of a true summer like day.
‘Canadian Thanksgiving
This is my favorite holiday of the year, unsullied by commercialism, and stress, a true time of thanksgiving. Most years it is cold, many times snowy and the odd time like this year it is warm and sunny. When I say warm I mean like 70ish which is warm for the frozen north. I am outside, reclining under a cloudless sky, so blue it could be it could be a vast warm ocean, wearing summer togs and listening to leaves rustling from a gentle breeze. Somewhere distant there is the drone of a lawn mower.
This is the time for family, turkey, warm smells and vibrant colors. It’s a lazy relaxing holiday with most of the work being a little grocery shopping and some cooking..even lazier now that they have stuffed turkeys which are pretty delicious. No fuss, no muss, just a little post eating mess.
For some reason, regardless of name, this seems such a natural time of year for giving thanks and snuggling down for winter. Of course bears snuggle down not people but it is the thought of the whole thing.
I like that there is no thought of gifts and the accompanying stress it’s just about people. For many years it was at this feast that I made a point of inviting people I knew were going to be alone so aside from family there were friends who became family.
We often think of the first Thanksgiving arriving with settlers to North America but in fact feasts of thanksgiving at the end of harvest were celebrated by our native brothers and sisters for centuries before.’
The plan was to give a more in-depth history of Thanksgiving practices in Canada and to baste flavorful delightful photos, however I was suddenly felled by…yes…my annual October cold. Nuts. And Monday I was hosting dinner for my family. Thankfully my son and daughter-in-law took over most of the work so what was to be a quiet relaxing day for them turned out rather hectic. Today things are back to normal and I am pretending this cold and sore throat are soothed by left overs most notably so far…lemon meringue pie, pecan pie, bread and cheese. And it is only noon!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, too. Our family (John and his two sisters) celebrated in the Sunday School wing of the church because we had outgrown all our houses. There were always extra people with us, some every year and some because they were temporarily without a place to celebrate. We usually had 30 to 35 people eating turkey and all the trimmings. I hope your recovery from your cold will be speedy.
Much better and much cheered by visualizing all those wonderful people together
Feel better. I attended a family gathering of 30 and it all went smoothly thanks to potluck and the host preparing the turkey and ham! I think every season has it’s charm. Yes, (shudder), even winter. I hope you feel like your energetic self soon. I’m thank full to have family and friends like you in my life.
I am pretty darn good here too. And you are one of my primary treasures in life only beaten out by the grands
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!! It is always a great time of the year and although it is not celebrated here in Spain, I celebrated in my heart.
When I lived in South Texas every Canadian nurse living there celebrated Thanksgiving big time. Actually we got 2 – October and November
Nice story, Chris. Thanksgiving is a very ancient tradition. In some countries we still call it Samhain, the third major holiday of the pagan year.
Samhain sounds quite quaint.
But very ancient. Google it, you’ll know what you mean?
Reblogged this on bridgesburning and commented:
My October’s and Thanksgiving have little change from year to year. And that is something to be grateful for.
Feel better soon! Happy Thanksgiving! I wonder if turkey soup has the same healing properties as chicken soup?
I hope you make a speedy recovery… I’ve been dealing with a bronchial problem too and that got in the way of comments… Finally catching up. Happy Thanks giving! 🙂
For some reason I thought America owned the rights to Thanksgiving©.
I know…I did too…glad its a shared holiday!
Reclining. Warmth. Thanks. All very very good things. 🙂
Hi Colleen..today it is gray drab raining…it was nice fir a day or two anyway!
Lemon meringue pie has miraculous healing powers. Enjoy the left overs and get well soon. Add a stiff brandy to the pie and miracles will surely happen. 🙂
Hi Judith, I skipped the brandy and went straight for the scotch..thanks for your well wishes.
well I think you covered most of the food groups, before noon even! heh heh.
Thanks Joss it was an effort but continued through the day even to dressing sandwiches!
Hope those left-overs to the trick!
Ah Winsome..they certainly helped!
Happy Belated Thanksgiving Chris! Hope you are feeling better now and have polished off those leftovers! Have a great day! 🙂
Thanks Mark! Am full of left overs..sort of feeling like a turkey myself with a cold!
I heard that lemon meringue pie has exceptional cold fighting capabilities!.. c
Well Cecilia it certainly soothes the throat!!