Thanksgiving was the kick off of my Mom's holiday cooking and baking spree. Until I was in my 30's my Mom would have the entire gang in for the holiday meal. The week before Thanksgiving week was spent in a cleaning spree. China was dug out of the China Cabinet (which had belonged to my great great grandmother Lizzie Cook Grim, but was now in the possession of Mom) and washed, silver was polished, napkins and tablecloths dug out and washed and ironed. Lists were made and shopping was done.
Monday of Thanksgiving week was given over to baking. Homemade bread and rolls were made. Pies were made. There would be 2 Pumpkin, 2 Cherry, 1 Apple, and 1 Blackberry (Dad's favorite).
Homemade noodles were made and put in the fridge for Thursday. There would be fudge and cookies made, perhaps some homemade cinnamon rolls. Mom would wrap up some rolls and other goodies. She would put a note in the mailbox and tell the mailman (first it was Wes Durr, and later on it was Lou Nickler), that here were some goodies for him and his family, and would he please drop off the others at Dick and Mamie's house (they lived down the road). Wes or Lou would do this very happily, because they also knew that at Mamie's would be waiting some goodies for them also and a return package of nutrolls and other yummies for Mom.
Come Tuesday, any other baking or shopping, or cleaning or laundry was done. Mom used this day to catch up because come Wednesday it was going to be a long day.
Wednesday was spent making Deviled eggs, coleslaw, macaroni salad, and getting everything ready for early Thursday morning. Any last minute phone calls, shopping, cleaning etc., was done.
Thursday Mom was up bright and early. The stuffing was made and put in the bird which was soon roasting, sometimes a ham was also thrown in the top oven. Then the pickles, olives, celery, cucumbers, carrot sticks etc were placed in the crystal dishes especially meant for them. There was corn on the cob fresh from the freezer that Mom had put up. Green beans from the garden also. Sweet potatoes to be made, homemade noodles put on to cook, and gravy and mashed potatoes. The carrots, parsnips and turnips needed fixing. The table needed set, and card tables etc needed to be put up for kids and others.
Soon folks would start pouring into the house, Bill and Janette with Billie Jo, Lisa, Belinda, Wesley, Duane, and Sherry. Ruby and Blaine with Raymond, Hope and Damon. Dave and Karen with Paula, Lori, Jenny, Shelby and Davie. Grandma Cora and Pappy Bob. Any stray friends or relatives or kissin cousins or in-laws or outlaws. The table would be groaning under the abundance of food, and the house will be filled to the seams with all the family and friends.
At 1 p.m. sharp everything was done and the feasting would commence. Everyone would stuff themselves until they couldn't eat another bite. We would sit around the table drinking coffee and chatting. The kids would go outside and play. Finally the table was cleared. Food was put away and dishes were washed and put away also. Everyone would visit with each other. When folks got ready to leave Mom would fix up goodies for everyone to take home. It was a time to share the blessings of abundance with family and friends and enjoy the fellowship of each other.
I miss those days at the farm. I have the my grandmother's china cabinet and lots of the china. I also have memories of Thanksgiving past at the farm.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Why you need to vote! Or Why I do.
Voting is the one responsibility every single citizen of every nation needs to do. The reason you vote is to make your voice heard. Believe me if it were not such a big deal there would not be people trying to pass laws to make it difficult for people to vote!
Young people, you need to vote. You know how you are always trying to prove how mature you are? And that older people don't get it? Well, here is the one thing to do to prove how mature you are! Because there are millions of older people that don't take the responsibility to vote, prove to them that you do get it, and that you understand how important it is for every single citizen to hold the government accountable.
And research the issues folks. For example the Republican Party here in the USA as screamed for years that they are "The party of family values, and that they are for fiscal responsibility". YET in the past 30 years, and specifically since 2008 they have shown that they are the party for Corporate tax breaks, and that they vote to enrich the wealthy and corporations. They have passed restrictive voting laws to make it harder for citizens to Vote. They have refused to pass laws on not only equality, and for the health and welfare of everyday citizens, they have also become funded by Russians. Look it up. As for family values, every month the newpapers and tv are filled with headlines of Republican state legislators and Federal Congressmen being arrested for a wide variety of criminal acts including child trafficking, accepting bribes, and assault.
Since 2016 The Republican Party has backed an agenda of cutting social programs for the poor and elderly, wish to cut Social Security, claiming it is an "entitlement". It is not. Which goes to show you that they don't even have a basic understanding of how things work. They wish to deny healthcare to millions, they have pushed agenda's of hate and racism, encouraged laws to push religion down people's throats and actually have Party members who self proclaim they are Nazi's and racists. They have encourage false propaganda, have refused to even consider gun laws that would prohibit violent people and the mentally ill from obtaining weapons. They have once again given massive tax breaks to the wealthy claiming that "trickle down economics" work. They don't. Since Reagan first implemented this idea, the United States has constantly and continually drifted further in debt. The only thing that is accomplished is the rich get richer, the poor and middle classes get poorer and the nation gets deeper in debt.
The Republican Party, once called the Grand Old party, that party has become a haven filled with racists and other hateful people. That party which has claimed that the KKK was created by the Democrats is now the haven for the KKK. Back in the late 1800's the Democratic party and the Southern racists may have created the KKK, but now the Republican Party has become the headquarters for the Klan.
I vote because women fought and died for other women to obtain the right to vote and have their voices heard. I vote because my family fought to help create this nation, and in fact helped create it. I vote because my Shawnee and Black Ancestors were treated like third class citizens and denied the right to vote. Because they were the victims of racism and hatred. I vote because my Polish ancestors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were treated like scum, and were victims of racism and violence. I vote because I don't like the path that this nation is going down towards hatred, racism and all the other nasty ologies and isms.
I vote because my Dad taught me it was my responsibility as a citizen to make my voice heard and to hold the government accountable for their actions.
So just do it! VOTE!!!
Young people, you need to vote. You know how you are always trying to prove how mature you are? And that older people don't get it? Well, here is the one thing to do to prove how mature you are! Because there are millions of older people that don't take the responsibility to vote, prove to them that you do get it, and that you understand how important it is for every single citizen to hold the government accountable.
And research the issues folks. For example the Republican Party here in the USA as screamed for years that they are "The party of family values, and that they are for fiscal responsibility". YET in the past 30 years, and specifically since 2008 they have shown that they are the party for Corporate tax breaks, and that they vote to enrich the wealthy and corporations. They have passed restrictive voting laws to make it harder for citizens to Vote. They have refused to pass laws on not only equality, and for the health and welfare of everyday citizens, they have also become funded by Russians. Look it up. As for family values, every month the newpapers and tv are filled with headlines of Republican state legislators and Federal Congressmen being arrested for a wide variety of criminal acts including child trafficking, accepting bribes, and assault.
Since 2016 The Republican Party has backed an agenda of cutting social programs for the poor and elderly, wish to cut Social Security, claiming it is an "entitlement". It is not. Which goes to show you that they don't even have a basic understanding of how things work. They wish to deny healthcare to millions, they have pushed agenda's of hate and racism, encouraged laws to push religion down people's throats and actually have Party members who self proclaim they are Nazi's and racists. They have encourage false propaganda, have refused to even consider gun laws that would prohibit violent people and the mentally ill from obtaining weapons. They have once again given massive tax breaks to the wealthy claiming that "trickle down economics" work. They don't. Since Reagan first implemented this idea, the United States has constantly and continually drifted further in debt. The only thing that is accomplished is the rich get richer, the poor and middle classes get poorer and the nation gets deeper in debt.
The Republican Party, once called the Grand Old party, that party has become a haven filled with racists and other hateful people. That party which has claimed that the KKK was created by the Democrats is now the haven for the KKK. Back in the late 1800's the Democratic party and the Southern racists may have created the KKK, but now the Republican Party has become the headquarters for the Klan.
I vote because women fought and died for other women to obtain the right to vote and have their voices heard. I vote because my family fought to help create this nation, and in fact helped create it. I vote because my Shawnee and Black Ancestors were treated like third class citizens and denied the right to vote. Because they were the victims of racism and hatred. I vote because my Polish ancestors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were treated like scum, and were victims of racism and violence. I vote because I don't like the path that this nation is going down towards hatred, racism and all the other nasty ologies and isms.
I vote because my Dad taught me it was my responsibility as a citizen to make my voice heard and to hold the government accountable for their actions.
So just do it! VOTE!!!
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