Giving Thanks.....
It Is that Time of year, Dear Readers, when Americans gather with Loved Ones to celebrate the Holiday of "Thanksgiving". It is a Feast whose menu has only small variations across the entire continent, for the most part centered around a Roast Turkey, many varieties of vegetable dishes and Pies for dessert. Of course, there are variations, but the History of the Holiday is rooted in a celebration held by the earliest European Colonists (also called settlers) who were mostly here because of religious persecution in their home lands in Europe. This feast supposedly took place in Massachusetts Colony in the early 1620's after they had survived a year in the New Land. The local Indigenous People ("Native Americans") as opposed to the immigrant Europeans, had come to help these new people and had been instrumental in their survival. The settlers were Thankful. And the local large bird, the Wild Turkey figured big in the feasting, along with corn (maize), beans, squash, potatoes and cranberries, all of these being native to the Americas and plentiful in the area. It was a Time when the support of the community and the assistance of neighbors made a real difference to survival. And meanwhile, in the current times, in The Lovely Old Dollhouse Victor and Joanna have been baking the pies ahead of time to make room for the rest of the baking on Thanksgiving Day. Victor is playing "Chef" this year and is heading to the Farmers market for fresh vegetables.
Meanwhile over at Sally May and Chip's house, The "Shabby Sister House"
Sally May is baking cookies to bring to the celebration.
"Daddy is cooking this year" she tells Chip as he comes
to see if there are any cookies to snack on yet.
"And he says there's no need to bring anything
but ourselves and an appetite!"
"So, I guess there will be plenty of cookies for later..." says Chip...
sort of hoping for one now.
"Yes", agrees Sally May, "but we are not going to ruin our appetites!"
she said sternly, knowing Annabelle was listening to every word!
And Victor has returned from the Farmer's Market
with a basket full of squash and onions and potatoes.
"I'll help you peel those potatoes" says Joanna cheerfully.
"I was hoping you would" replied Victor with a wink.
"Oh, and I ran into Old Eddie", he added
"and we got to chatting. You remember him, don't you?"
"Of course I do!"declared Joanna. "How is he?"
"Well," said Victor. "he's been having a hard time lately...
he has no family around here... so I told him to join us for dinner.
We have plenty to go around, after all!"
And in the Living Room, Charles is warning Helen
that it will be a bigger group than usual celebrating the meal.
"It seems that Victor has invited an old acquaintance
to join us for dinner he says" cheerfully.
"Do you remember Old Eddie, my Dear?" he asks.
"We haven't seen him in a long time..." said Helen.
"I do hope he is alright!"
"Well, Victor thinks he is a bit lonely without family," said Charles,
carefully not mentioning the real issues.
"And don't forget we have Cousin Kitty
staying with us too," added Helen anxiously.
It seems Cousin Kitty had recently lost her
housing subsidy benefits and was camping on
the nearest couch she could find in the crisis.
At the moment that was the bench in the upstairs hallway
with her seven cats!
Pollyanna and Arthur were in their favorite hiding spot...
the attic "studio" where Pollyanna sometimes worked on
the Miniature projects she had started so enthusiastically a while ago,
but mostly spent time Daydreaming.
Arthur could easily keep her company while
accomplishing much on his laptop computer.
"It's starting to smell divine..." said Arthur of the
cooking aromas that wafted up to them eventually.
"Yes, Daddy's cooking and he knows
what he is doing!" agreed Pollyanna.
"But I think I just heard someone arriving already.." she added,
"but it sounds too quiet to be Sally May's folks!"
"We can go down and find out..." said Arthur restlessly.
Old Eddie had arrived and stepped inside quietly,
not quite sure what to do next.
But Charles had heard his arrival and went
to greet him and help him feel welcome.
Charles brought Eddie into the Living Room
and introduced him to Helen.
And Pollyanna and Arthur joined them moments later.
The topic of conversation was mostly the weather conditions
and the hopes that it would not snow too soon!
Not long after Sally May and Chip and Annabelle
and Chip's parents Ernie and Blanche
all arrived with cheerful greetings.
"Here we are at last..." called Sally May
as she headed to the kitchen.
"And you know I can never come empty handed...!" she declared.
"I have brought a fruit basket to add to the pies!"
Victor and Joanna were just deciding that everything was ready
and they should call everybody in.
"I hope there's enough..." said Joanna....
"Of course there's enough!" declared Victor.
"That's a 23 lb. Turkey!"
"You are so thoughtful, darling..." said Joanna
as Sally May put the basket in the middle of the table.
"That is just exactly what this meal was missing!"
declared Victor giving his daughter a big smile.
Within minutes, the room was filling with the rest of the family,
lured by the delicious aromas and the commotion of the latest arrivals.
"But where is Cousin Kitty....?" asked Helen, looking around
and not seeing her in the crowd.
"She is feeling shy, Grandma..." said Pollyanna.
"We passed her on the way down...
she said she will eat 'when the dust settles'" she added.
"I think she is afraid the cats will climb on the table,"
said Pollyanna smiling.
"I'll take a plate up to her," she added quietly.
Charles cleared his throat to get the attention of everyone.
"I always feel so Blessed to have my Family all so near to me,
and so I can only imagine the situation being the reverse.
But for many, what family they have are far away or no longer with us,
and at times of celebration that can only deepen their feelings of loss and loneliness.
But truly, we are all Humans together in this World,
and if we look back far enough we all descend from the same Family Tree.
My hope and prayer is that we all learn to share and give love
to all the people of our "Family Tree"
no matter how far or near they are to this branch of the tree.
I humbly give thanks that you are all here
to share this Feast.
Let us eat!"
"Hear Hear!" called Victor as he cut the first slices of Turkey.
"Pass the plates..." said Ernie....
"Let me ladle that gravy" said Sally May...
Well, Dear Readers, I hope, wherever you are
and however far or near to Family you are,
that you can take a few minutes to Give Thanks
for the Greater Human Family to which we all belong.
And perhaps pass along some cheer or assistance
to those nearest whether you know them or not!
We are all part of the same family in the end.
Happy Thanksgiving!
