Welcome to Awakenings

Life IS history in the making. Every word we say, everything we do becomes history the moment it is said or done. Life void of memories leaves nothing but emptiness. For those who might consider history boring, think again: It is who we are, what we do and why we are here. We are certainly individuals in our thoughts and deeds but we all germinated from seeds planted long, long ago.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Trivia, Treats & Tradition

[Go to catnipoflife for a purr-r-r-r-fect Thanksgiving blessing!]

Thanksgiving is loaded with historical trivia, delectable treats and holiday tradition. May this day be filled with fun, food and fellowship overflowing with voices of thankfulness and gratitude.

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth
by Jennie A. Brownscombe. (1914)
A mythologized painting showing
Plymouth settlers feasting with Plains Indians.
en.wikipedia.org

Embrace the Past...
*****
With the coming of Thanksgiving comes a special time to embrace the past. The feast of which we are most familiar took place when the Pilgrims arrived and the Wampanoag Indians gathered in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. This was a time of autumn celebration and that's right, it took place in the 17th century!

Within the history of Thanksgiving lies nuggets of trivia that nudge at the heart and tickle the funny bone. 

Did you know...
  • Turkey may not have been the main meat that filled the guests' bellies at the first feast?
  • George Washington declared Thanksgiving to be a February holiday?
  • Fledgling colonists lacked butter and wheat flour for baking, thus no pumpkin pie?
  • Whether mashed or roasted, white or sweet, potatoes had no place at the first Thanksgiving?
  • While cranberries were plentiful, in wasn't until 50 years later that sauces and relishes were made with the tart orbs?
  • "Although Thanksgiving celebrations dated back to the first European settlements in America, it was not until the 1860s that Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national holiday" (History of Thanksgiving. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 9:52, November 20, 2012, from http://www.history.comhttp://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday.)
What about corn? 
So far there has been no mention of corn: roasted, boiled or popped. While corn and kidney beans were staples of the Pilgrim's diet, is it possible there was no corn gracing the table of that first Thanksgiving feast? If it was present, i.e., Indian corn, it presented itself in a form much different from that which we are familiar today. From this, a thought is interjected:
Popcorn is prevalent today as one of America’s favorite snacks but. . .

Did Pilgrim's Eat Popcorn?

Some believe to this day
Popcorn was a “parched” treat
Brought by the Indians
 
A banquet of harvest tradition
Surpasses any myth of yore
Hearty, bountiful plenty
Did grace every table galore
 
Venison, goose, duck, and eel
Beckoned the most squeamish lad
Time of rejoicing and feasting
Meant only the best to be had
A cornucopia of fruits
Berries, grapes, apples, and plums
Competed with homegrown veggies
Squash, peas, beans, even white corn
 
There were no potatoes
Pumpkin pie hadn’t been invented
Bread puddings, milk, and honey
Left no appetite unattended
Indeed more beer than water
Quenched the harshest of thirsts
With gin and wine not far behind
Unbeknownst which came first
But what about the popcorn?
Were pilgrims the early munchers
Of that salty, puffed corn treat
Or was someone else the launcher?
Not until over a century later
Did sweet yellow corn none the least
Become the corn that traditionally “popped”
As part of a Thanksgiving feast

©2012 Awakenings
Sharla Lee Shults
Empower the Present...

Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday in the United States.
©iStockphoto.com/Olga Lyubkina

Two Sides of Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving Day: A Holiday Feast

A cornucopia of fruits, nuts, and veggies,
Turkey, trimmings, cakes, and pies,
More than anyone could possibly ask,
Instead of a treat, becomes our demise. 
***
Family and friends prepare favorite recipes
Bringing various homemade dishes to explore.
Glutons for punishment, a natural instinct,
Led us back for more and more.
***
Thirst quenched and bellies stuffed to the gills,
Rocking chair conversation not too deep.
Is it the rocking motion or the turkey
That finally puts us all to sleep?

Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Gratitude
  
 A cornucopia of thoughtfulness and gratitude,
Thanks from the heart, as well as the lips, 
More blessings than anyone could ask
Comes with all the trimmings this day equips.
***
Family and friends unite in fellowship
Granting praise for all the gifts of the year.
A candle is lit and with prayerful hands
The try meaning of Thanksgiving is clear!

©2009 Remembering
Sharla Lee Shults
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING BE FILLED WITH MANY BLESSINGS!

Enrich the Future...

This day is a day of celebration not only for the blessings of today but for blessings to be extended into tomorrow's tomorrows. Take a moment to count your blessings but most importantly ask yourself how you can bless someone else. Perhaps something as simple as a smile could brighten someone's day. Whatever it is, take the time to bring blessings into the world around you, one moment, one day, one person at a time. The future is in your hands!



There will be many empty seats at tables across our nation this Thanksgiving as war still rages overseas. Thousands of brave young men and women in uniform are fighting two wars on foreign shores. Remember them: Our troops, soldiers, men and women, who are away from home and the ones they love for the greater good of our nation.

Support our Troops: Support America!

 May they be blessed this day, every day, and be reunited with loved ones in the days ahead.

[Did you go to catnipoflife for that purr-r-r-r-fect Thanksgiving blessing? While visiting, don't leave without watching the video!]

Related Articles:

15 comments:

  1. URGENT AND EFFECTIVE POWERFUL LOVE SPELL CASTER WHO RESTORED HAPPINESS IN MY RELATIONSHIP
    am here to share with you my life experience on how a great man called Dr gbojie saved me and my marriage.I have been Married & Barren for for 5 years i had no child. i have never been pregnant i was a subject of laughter from my Friends & neighbors, i almost lost my marriage because of this issue.i was so confused that i did not know what to do until i came across this great Dr online and i contacted him at once i was scared weather it was going to work because i never believed things like this before, so i decided to give it a try and i did all what Dr gbojie asked of me and today to my greatest surprise i took in the first time and i gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and now my marriage that was about crashing before is now restored. my husband now love and want me better, Am so happy for everything that have been happening in my life since i met this Dr gbojie .I want to tell all the women/men out there who have a similar situation like mine,that the world is not over YET they should dry up their tears and contact this great man and their problem will be gone or are you also having other problems you can also contact gbojiespiritualtemple@gmail.com,gbojiespiritualtemple@yahoo.com His spells is for a better life OR call his number +2349066410185
    website : http://gbojiespiritualtemple.website2.me
    blog : https://brokenmindmend.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Having an assignment due tomorrow and understand you can’t do it yourself? But you’re afraid of delegating your paper to some scam services as well? Why not check https://scamfighter.net/review/oxbridgeessays.com on Scamfighter.net

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have used this site https://bestwritingservice.com/writing-movie-critique-essay.html many times. I have ordered many essays there on various topics. I had a lot of good grades. I am glad that I know a place where professionals who are ready to help work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I often read various blogs. Your blog is cool. I often read facts about plagiarism. I am always looking for different information that will help me to be a good student.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I will join with the fact that the Day embodies many celebrations, traditions and wonderful treats. In our family we spend the holiday in the circle of relatives. I remember the last time on the holiday of the guests, upon arrival I was final only for the reason that in the team where I work on writing synopsis writing example. I completed my first and successful business. I was the happiest man that day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The staff at Family Practice Specialists vows to give each patient superior customer service. We're here to assist you with your adult primary, dermatology, diabetic, eye, and other specialty medical service needs. Review our New Patient Welcome Packet to get to know the doctors at our practice and the services we offer. family physicians Phoenix

    ReplyDelete
  7. Grizna Digital Agency is a team of professionals born in Ukraine, in the picturesque city of Odesa. We came together to do what we love and understand best. For more than 7 years, we have been engaged in the development and development of our partners' businesses, helping them achieve maximum results in the digital sphere. IT агенція

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'd like to draft like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, that’s what I was exploring for, what a stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have enjoyed a lot reading this post keep it up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really liked it. I wanted to leave a note.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I also tried to share the site. thank you

    ReplyDelete