THANKSGIVING

     Tomorrow is  Canadian Thanksgiving. Traditionally it was a time to consider the harvest of fruit and vegetables and animals. People produced their own food and they had to produce enough to last a whole year. No sneaking over to the store when you run short of things. 

     As time went on Thanksgiving became a time of general thankfulness for what we were given in that year. 

     So this year I am thankful more than ever for my life. Next week sometime I will be 84. As my Irish twin says. "The numbers are getting big."

    I am fortunate now to have very good health. Yes, I have aches and pains. I can live with them. I have no big health issues. I do not have any of the usual problems the elderly have. I don't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or any of the usual senior issues. I am very thankful for my good health. After I finish this post I'll go out for my nightly 3 km walk. 

       I do all my own yard work because I can and I like it. I dig my vegetable garden by hand.

    I don't think I'm sliding into any of the age related conditions such as dementia. 

   A friend and I discussed yesterday our short term memory challenges . We admit it but decided that we can live with it.

   So I'm thankful for the good things I have at this age and look forward to more good things. 

    So Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian pals. 

Happy Thanksgiving

     I wish to say Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadian followers, but I also want to say more than that.

    So , not wanting to show my tremendous ignorance about Thanksgiving, I decided to do some research. Wow! Did I learn a few things.

    Thanksgiving has a very long history. It's gone through many changes, but the basic sentiments are still there.

    Our Thanksgiving originates from European harvest festivals. Since most of the population at that time were farmers, they were very thankful for a good crop and once it was harvested they celebrated. I would guess that the harvest festival goes much further than Europeans.

     The first North American Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Arctic explorer, Martin Frobisher somewhere around Baffin Island.

     Canadians drew upon their European roots for Thanksgiving celebrations. Dates of celebration were different in each region. The dates also change. In 1957 the Canadian government set Thanksgiving to be noted on the second Monday of October. Since that time Thanksgiving has become commercialized and has very little to do with being thankful for a good crop. We are making an effort to stop and note what we are thankful for. Churches do celebrate Thanksgiving.

     Why the difference in dates between Canadian and American dates?  Probably our harvest is complete before the American harvest. Our weather deteriorates earlier so we set the date earlier so that we have better weather for activities.

     Today we had a high of 20 C (69 F) so it's very pleasant. So yes, I'm thankful for very pleasant weather. Many times it can be very unpleasant with cold and snow.

    I am thankful for many things on a personal level. However, I would like to be thankful for many changes around the world but that doesn't seem to be happening. We have a major refugee problem which only seems to be getting worse.

    So folks, have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

      This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada. To all my Canadian followers, Happy Thanksgiving.

      Thanksgiving here is a somewhat moderate long week end. There are a few exciting Canadian foot ball games, but foot ball is not a big deal except for those few who like it. Mostly families get together for some visiting. The big turkey feast is all but gone. We had roast turkey breast with the trimmings. If the weather is fine , outdoor activities are enjoyed. If we have rotten weather well inside activities take place. 

     So yesterday was a fine fall day. We had a high temperature of 21 C (72 F) with lots of sunlight and calm. I wish I knew how to take a photo of a nice fall day.  We didn't set any high temp records ,but it was very nice.  We are looking forward to a pleasant weekend weather wise.

     Now it is tradition for one to identify what one is thankful for. Usually we pick one thing that has been a major influence in the past year. I'm not good at selecting one thing that is above all others. I am thankful for all the usual: family, good health, good friends, peace, hope, excellent community, fine neighbors, blogging, bloggers... My hope is that as many people as possible can be thankful  for what I am thankful for.

    And to my American followers, have a great Columbus day week end.

Happy Thanksgiving to My American Daughter

     My daughter's life fits nicely into four sections. First, she lived at home until she finished High School. Second she spent 11 years attending university and working. Third, she came back to the city and taught for 7  years. Fourth, she moved to Chicago.

     When my daughter came back to town she was a well established adult. She insisted on having Thanksgiving at her house every year. She's a rebel and would not do the traditional Thanksgiving feast. She liked to try other things. So we had leg of lamb, steak, chicken, duck ... a variety , but never turkey. Thanksgiving at her house was always a good time. It was something to be thankful for.

    Now she does thanksgiving at a different time with different folks. She still has a great celebration. She still shares with everyone what she is thankful for.

    So Happy Thanksgiving to my American daughter! Happy thanksgiving to all my American readers. I am thankful that you follow me and share your blog.

The Thanksgiving List

     I was introduced to the thanksgiving list a few years ago where we would say what we are thankful for. It's a good exercise. It puts some meaning into Thanksgiving and leads us to stop and  appreciate things .

  Since this is the blog world I thought I would keep my list connected to the blog world.

   1. I'm thankful for the people who follow my blog. You are the ones who put meaning into what I write. I very much appreciate that people stop by and visit Hiawatha House.

   2. I'm thankful for all the great blogs that I get to read. I go for variety . So some blogs publish excellent photography. Others are humorous. Some blogs are very descriptive other other places. Other blogs relate daily life. Many blogs have very attractive layouts. Some blogs stick to a very narrow topic that is covered in depth. I have to be thankful that you work so hard on your blogs and that I benefit from it.

    3.I'm thankful for comments. Comments do many things. Comments make me think more about what I wrote. Comments often gently show another point of view. Comments are always enlightening for me!

    4. I'm thankful for the genuine friendship of fellow bloggers. You have to really care to read and comment on what I write. You pick up on things that you like and things that I struggle with. Thanks for the help and support.

     5. Some of you are great huggers! So thanks for the hugs. They are most appreciated. 

     I look forward to more high quality blogging. 

Fall From My Yard

     The other day I took a few minutes to take a look at fall colors around my yard. Once leaves turn color here it doesn't take long and they fall off. 

     So here are some photos taken from my yard on Oct.

My cheerful little white birch

Already some leaves have fallen

My green ash. Yesterday, Oct.10, most leaves had fallen from the ash.

Some birch beauty contrasted with cedar

My neighbor's birch trying to help brighten up a gray sky

      Happy thanksgiving to Canadian followers and anybody else who cares to accept good wishes.

I Am Thankful For the People Around Me

        Since it's the middle of the Thanksgiving Day weekend it's time to think about what I am thankful for. Many times we get carried away with the hoopla of the weekend and forget about contemplating how fortunate we are. It's a valuable exercise to consider the good things in life that we experience and then we may not be overcome by some of the nastier parts of life.

       I am very thankful for the people I find around me on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. I like people. However, I'm not an extrovert who walks across the street to talk to a stranger. I tend to hold back and observe what's going on around me. When I do engage in conversation with someone I will be the listener and think carefully about what they are telling me. Once get to know someone I can become very talkative and provoke reactions by challenges to people.

      I appreciate family, relatives, friends neighbors , colleagues and the odd person who I just happen to bump into. Most people are supportive. Most people you can learn something from. Most people genuinely want to reach out to others and communicate what ever is on their mind.

     I can accept a wide variety of people. I am comfortable with visible minorities. I can deal with those who are somewhat different in views as long as they do not push me. I listen to their views and they listen to mine. I have had some extremely eye opening conversations with criminals but I have nothing to do with them when they are active as criminals.


      So I have to say that I am thankful for the people around me who are a part of my life and teach me things and make me think about life. Maybe this is why I appreciate life as it comes.

      So thanks to all those who have passed through my life.





   

I Celebrate Thanksgiving Early

       My wife decided that we would have our Thanksgiving meal today and avoid the crowds of the weekend. So the celebration part of Thanksgiving is a special meal. The meditation on thankfulness can occur on the weekend.


      For most people Thanksgiving celebrations are long on tradition. For my Dad any excuse for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings was just fine. He was a farmer and was very active physically so had a lusty appetite. He loved having family together so his two brothers and sometimes a sister would attend these dinners. These visits and wonderful meals were days that were very exciting. Usually the meal was at noon with cold turkey and left overs in the late afternoon so my uncles could go home and do their farm chores.

      For my Dad the thankful part took place every day of the year. He was a devout christian and prayed many times a day and always offered thanks for what God had provided him.


      For my family, we for the most time, have enjoyed the turkey dinner with all the trimmings. There were only four of us but we could really tuck into the turkey and make it disappear. When my kids left home we continued to enjoy the turkey dinner. When my daughter came back and lived beside us she took over Thanksgiving celebrations. She did not always have the traditional turkey. What she did have was her birth mother and granny and at times other relatives. This made for an enjoyable day.


      Now that we are only a couple again we have found the turkey bit too much. We don't like having left over turkey for four or five days. Our appetites and energy to make the meal have lessened. So today is the first Thanksgiving that we have decided to go out for the meal.


      Now that the meal is dispensed with I have time to consider what I am thankful for. Looking back over the year there were many good things which happened to make my life rewarding.

      Since I'm on the blog I can say that I'm thankful for all the people who visit Hiawatha House. I am also thankful to all the people who offer comments. I have found many interesting blogs to read so thanks to all the bloggers who create interesting posts.

    

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

To all Americans...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
From Hiawatha House

Practical Thanksgiving Practice

       Thanksgiving has a very long history as it was a thanks for a bountiful harvest. Thanksgiving is found in most cultures and religions.

      Today I will comment on my 70 years of  Thanksgiving practise. I don't remember Thankgiving in my years from birth to about 8 or 9. It was during the war and times were tough as well as food was rationed during the war. We maybe did not have any formal celebration of the day. What I first remember is that my Dad loved turkey and to celebrate with his relatives. He would invite his two brothers and their families. It was a happy time with lots of visiting and celebrating. I don't remember too much concentration on thankfulness except for the thanking God for the food.

     My first few years of living away from home, I usually made it back to Dad's for his famous turkey feast. At this time I also attended the odd CFL football game. When I went to the arctic, we were mostly single and not well enough organized that we would order a frozen turkey a year in advance for Thanksgiving celebrations. I was sometimes invited to share the meal with a family and it was a special treat and much appreciated.

      When I married my wife was big on having a special Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. That routine has continued to the present. For seven years my daughter insisted on doing the Thanksgiving meal. She would invite her birth mother and Granny. My daughter is an excellent cook and likes to experiment and have variety. It was also special to have her birth mother to celebrate with us and visit with her.

     Now all that I have been referring to is food! I love food but surely there is more to Thanksgiving that food? Surely we could wish one another well on this day.

     I like what has been happening lately where people make an effort to state openly what they are thankful for over the last year. This to me seems to be meaningful when we have to stop and consider the past year and what we have to be thankful for. In a religious sense people pray and thank God every day. Religious practice is full of thankfulness to God. So on Thanksgiving Day I like the practice of stating openly before others our thanks for important things in our life for the past year. When I do this I realize how extremely fortunate I have been in the past year. Oh yes, I do enjoy the food.

THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Have a wonderful thanksgiving weekend!

I am thankful for all the readers who come to my blog!

Please leave a comment as to what you are thankful for.