A Short History of Thanksgiving

By Anna Kathryn Lanier

Most of us believe that the first Thanksgiving in America was held in Plymouth in 1621 by the Pilgrims to give thanks for surviving the previous winter and for the recent good harvest.  However, celebrations of thanks had been taking place in the Americas for many years prior.  The Spanish held celebrations in the sixteenth century and areas of what would become the Commonwealth of Virginia had Thanksgiving services as early as 1607, with Jamestown holding their first celebration in 1610.  

In 1619 a group of new arrivals settled in an area known as Berkeley Hundred. The Charter of Berkeley Hundred specified a thanksgiving service: “We ordaine that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantacon in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.” 

But of course, it is the Pilgrims’ thanksgiving that we remember when we celebrate our Thanksgiving today. As many may have learned already, the foods that we traditionally serve today are not even close to what the Pilgrims (or other seventeenth century citizens) served during their feast.  The three day Plymouth celebration included:  geese, ducks, turkey, lobsters, oysters, clams, venison, corn (roasted, parched or soaked in maple syrup), cornmeal, johnnycakes, beans and squash. 

Here are two updated recipes for your family to enjoy on Thankgiving:

Baked Glazed Squash

2 ½ pounds butternut squash    

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 TBSP butter
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
Dash of pepper

Slice squash in 1-inch thick slices; remove seeds. Arrange squash rings in 13x9x2 pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 350° till almost tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine brown sugar, butter , paprika, salt and pepper; cook and stir until bubbly.  Spoon mixture over squash.  Continue baking, uncovered, till squash is tender, about 15 minutes, spooning mixture over squash occasionally. Serves 8.

Johnnycakes

2 beaten eggs

1 cup water
¾ cup milk
2 TBSP lard, melted
1 tsp salt
2 cups yellow cornmeal
Butter
Maple syrup

In a bowl mix eggs, water, milk, lard and salt.  Stir in cornmeal. Stir well before making johnnycakes. For each cake, place ¼ cup batter onto a hot, well-greased griddle, spread to ¼-inch thick. Cook till golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve warm with butter and syrup. Makes 12 to 14 cakes.

 

 

President George Washington proclaimed the first National Thanksgiving in 1789. For the next seventy or so years, each president would or would not proclaim a Day of Thanksgiving, as they wished.  It did not become a national holiday until President Abraham Lincoln made a proclamation in 1863 declaring the final Thursday of November to be a national day of Thanksgiving.  This proclamation tradition held true with successive presidents until Franklin Roosevelt.  In 1939 there were five Thursdays in November, so he proclaimed the next-to-last Thursday as Thanksgiving Day, claiming the extra week of Christmas shopping would help the economy.  At the time, advertising Christmas goods before Thanksgiving was considered inappropriate! This move, however, confused people and states, some of whom already had set celebrations (and football games) scheduled.  Twenty-three states went along with the change, twenty-two did not and some states, like Texas, just celebrated both days. 

For 1940 and 1941, both of which had only four Thursdays, Roosevelt kept with his next-to-last Thursday for Thanksgiving.  But the states continued to be confused and most celebrated it when they wanted to. In 1941, Congress decided to take charge and passed a bill making the fourth Thursday of November as the fixed date for Thanksgiving. This was most often the last Thursday, but every so often it is the next-to-last (as it is this year).  Roosevelt signed it into law on December 26, 1941, effective in 1942.  Some states still held it when they wanted to for several more years, with Texas not settling on the fourth Thursday until 1956.

In 1947, The National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and the Egg National Board have given a turkey to the President of the United States at a White House ceremony.  While recent speeches have credited Harry Truman with pardoning the first White House turkey, the Truman Library has no record of him doing so.  President John Kennedy, when presented the turkey, said “Let’s just keep him.”  However, the first official pardon took place in 1989 when President George H.W. Bush pardoned his turkey.  Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama continued the tradition by also pardoning their turkeys.

Fun Tid Bit: It’s estimated that 48 million turkeys are on the dinner table for Thanksgiving.

 

References: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Thanksgiving

Better Homes and Garden Heritage Cook Book, 1975

Thanksgiving Traditions: A Presidential Pardon — Infoplease.com

Note: pictures are from dreamstime.com and belong to me. They should not be used without permission.

Anna Kathryn Lanierhttp://annakathrynlanier.blogspot.com/

Never let your memories be greater than your dreams. ~Doug Ivester

Native American Heritage Month by Paty Jager

November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories. And to acknowledge the important contributions of Native People. It was formed to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have face both historically and int eh present, and show how tribal citizens work to conquer these challenges.

http://www.ncai.org/events/2012/11/01/native-american-heritage-month

This month with the elections many Native Americans voted. We've discussed the fact women were a long time in getting the right to vote, but the people who lived in this country before it was a country didn't receive that right completely until 1965. 

The Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 gave citizenship rights to American Indians and Alaska Natives who had not already become U.S. Citizens by military service or denouncing tribal status and affiliations  At that time even though they became citizens not all states allowed American Indians to vote. 

The Voting Rights Act in 1965 finally gave American Indians and Alaska Natives the right to vote in every state. But there is still only a small group of Native Americans who vote. The National Congress of American Indians(NCAI) has started campaigns and pushed the need for Native Americans to take an interest in where this country is going and vote.

www.patyjager.net

www.patyjager.blogspot.com

Kristy McCaffrey-Guest from Arizona

RATTLESNAKES

by Kristy McCaffrey



AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
OF THE
WINGS OF THE WEST
SERIES

Three years ago my family and I moved to the desert north of Phoenix and one of the many aspects to which we had to adjust was the presence of rattlesnakes. Because our property buffers an open area of desert belonging to the city, we get a fair amount of wildlife (coyotes, javelina, bobcats) as well as snakes that wander onto our land. Most are non-poisonous—bull and garter snakes—but we’ve also encountered and caught a good number of rattlers. In this area the prevalent species is the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. It blends well into its surroundings, with a dirt-colored hide, but does have one outstanding feature which helps with a swift identification. On its tail, just below the rattle, are one to two inches of black and white stripes.




YOUNG RATTLER IN AN APPLE JUICE JAR

In the summer, when it’s very hot, snakes gravitate toward water, so puddles can pose a problem. We found a young rattler near the house this way. My husband captured and placed it into an empty (RS in jar)apple juice bottle. We then deposited the snake off-property. We’ve been told that rattlers will live within a one mile territory; because we have dogs and children we prefer to relocate the snakes. The other alternative is to kill them, which many of our neighbors do. Not only is this dangerous (to kill one you must get close to it—distance is always the safest course of action when dealing with a poisonous reptile) but I also feel it’s unnecessary. Western Diamondbacks aren’t very aggressive unless threatened. And even then they’ll slither away the first chance they get.

            This was apparent when one of our chocolate labs, Lily, encountered a rattler during a walk in the desert. It lay coiled and when she poked her nose at it the snake struck. Luckily she pulled back just in time to avoid a bite. Just as quickly the snake turned and slithered into a bush, rattling it’s pathetic rattle (nothing like in the movies).

            My husband and older son often ride motorcycles and quads in the desert and have come across rattlesnakes on the trails several times. Sometimes they can pass but often are forced to turn back. Rattlesnakes tend to enjoy their moments of sunning and simply won’t move unless pressed. In the winter months it’s never a good idea to be out in the desert during the day since the snakes will be warming themselves from the cold night. And during the summer, dusk is a dangerous time since they’ll be out after staying in the shade of a bush for the better part of the day. Initially we had the false impression that rattlesnakes hibernate but have come to learn this isn’t true. They can be out and about year round.




KRISTY'S HUSBAND RESCUING
A RATTLER TO BE RELOCATED

We’ve found big rattlers on our driveway twice on chilly winter nights, likely soaking up the warmth of the concrete. My husband has a long metal snake catcher, which he uses to capture the reptile and then lift it into a large garbage bin. We then load the can on the back of our pickup truck and drive it to a portion of the desert far from our house for release.

A SNAKE-CATCHER

I must admit I don’t fear rattlesnakes as much as I did when we first arrived. I have a healthy respect for them, scan my surroundings at all times, and don’t walk outside barefoot. We keep a close eye on our dogs during walks. It’s also important to keep the property clear of clutter, to minimize hiding places.



KRISTY'S ARIZONA DESERT HOME

            Still, we had one in the backyard the other day, despite it being completely fenced in. My mother happened to discover it. As she sat by the pool, reading a book and enjoying a break in the heat, she heard a low, quiet rattle. She didn’t think it was a snake, but then noticed that our dogs as well as hers (four in all) had surrounded something and were on full alert. The snake stood its ground, only because it had to, against the dogs. She quickly got all the animals inside without incident and my 18-year-old son wrangled the snake into the garbage bin and sent it on another relocation program. Maybe if we move enough of them they’ll breed elsewhere!

            Now, if we could just get rid of the scorpions...
 

BIO: Kristy McCaffrey

 Kristy McCaffrey has been writing since she was very young, but it wasn't until she was a stay-at-home mom that she considered becoming published. A fascination with science led her to earn two engineering degrees--she did her undergraduate work at Arizona State University and her graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh--but storytelling was always her favorite hobby. Born and raised in Arizona, and recently returned after a 20 year absence in Pittsburgh, she writes Old West romances to capture the landscapes that were such a big part of her childhood. Her first novel "The Wren" was a CAPA winner for best new author traditional, a Texas Gold finalist, and a HOLT Medallion finalist for best first book. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband,

four children, and two chocolate labs, Ranger and Lily.

 

All books can be found on Amazon on Kristy's author page:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Kristy+McCaffrey

www.kristymccaffrey.comhttp://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristyMcCaffrey
 

 

 

 

Posted by: Celia Yeary 

Trimming the Victorian Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree has been a tradition in Germany for hundreds of years. But it when Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s German husband, introduced the Christmas tree to the Royal Family, that it suddenly became fashionable for every Victorian home to have one.

Originally trees were table-top size, but by the end of the century they stood from floor-to-ceiling.

Children helped to make the decorations, stringing popcorn and cranberry garland. They made paper chain flowers and set up nativity scenes.

The decorations were elaborate with tiny hand-dipped candles, gingerbread men, cookies, and marzipan candies. Paper cornucopias hung from the branches filled with fruit, nuts, and sweets. There were paper fans and angels, crocheted snowflakes, mittens, tin soldiers, whistles and wind-up toys.

Later in the century hand-blown glass balls, called kugels were imported from Germany along with Dresdens, cardboard painted in gold, silver and copper, to look like metal. They were usually done in the shapes of animals, birds, fish, ships, trains, and trolley cars.

On the top of the tree was a Christmas doll, or a Nuremberg angel with a skirt of spun glass, a crinkled gold skirt and a wax face.

When I wrote my holiday novella, Another Waltz, I tried to capture some of that Christmas magic and transport it onto the page. Here is an excerpt from Another Waltz.

                                       ****

Squinting, Madeline peered around the branches of the large Christmas tree, which filled the back corner of the ballroom.

Hoping to avoid the prying eyes of Lucille’s guests, Madeline had just stepped through the servants’ door and sidled along the back wall until she’d reached the wide boughs of the twelve foot Douglas Fir.

Red and gold ribbons, strings of popcorn and cranberries, all twined around the tree. Paper angels and cornucopias hung from the many branches. Silver and gold Dresdens in shapes of animals and trains filled the empty spaces, and hand-blown, glass ornaments from Germany had been clipped to the tree, each holding a candle, their tiny flames flickering like stars among the branches.

She focused her gaze on the blurry rainbow of beautiful gowns swirling across the floor. The gentlemen, austere in their dark tail coats with splotches of white waistcoats and shirts, partnered the perfect complement to the ladies’ finery. Garland of evergreens, ivy, dried flowers, and red bows festooned the large windows, doorways, and picture frames.

Stringed music floated from the raised platform at the north end of the ballroom to mingle with the laughter and conversation of more than seventy guests.

 

 

To Purchase Another Waltz

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_135&products_id=4993

Little Known Fort Churchill

By Paisley Kirkpatrick

One of my friends recently visited Fort Churchill. I was intrigued by the buildings making up this fort and thought to share them with you and give you a little bit of history. I live over the mountain from Carson City, Nevada, and had never heard of this place before. It was small, but seems to have had an integral part in our history. Talk of Indian atrocities at Williams Station, a Carson River outpost located 30 miles east of Carson City, filtered back to settlers in the Carson Valley. Because of the fear of impending attacks, the settlers demanded immediate protection.

The so-called Pyramid Lake War began on May 12, 1860, when three white men living at Williams Station kidnapped and held two Indian girls prisoner. Their action and refusal to release the girls led to reprisals. Indians killed the three men, released the girls and burned the station. Because rumors exaggerated the number of whites killed and the number of Paiutes thought ready to move against white settlements, hasty and ill-conceived plans resulted in the movement of 105 volunteers to Pyramid Lake to avenge the deaths of the white men.

The out-numbered whites suffered a major defeat in the battle that followed. They lost two-thirds of their original force. The Indians' momentous victory led to immediate white retaliation. Urgent calls went out to California for regular armed troops. The troops, bolstered by additional volunteers, moved against the Indian forces in early June. In this second battle, the out-numbered Indians were forced to retreat. Casualty reports ranged from four to 160 Indians killed while only two whites died.

Captain Joseph Stewart and His Carson River Expedition were then ordered to establish a post on the Carson River. Starting July 20, 1860, tens of thousands of dollars were spent to construct Fort Churchill, the desert outpost that guarded the Pony Express run and other mail routes. Between expeditions against the Indians, hundreds of soldiers were based there.

The fort was named in honor of Sylvester Churchill, the Inspector General of the U.S. Army. It was built as a permanent installation. Adobe buildings were erected on stone foundations in the form of a square, facing a central parade ground. The Civil War made the fort an important supply depot for the Nevada Military District and as a base for troops patrolling the overland routes.

The fort was abandoned in 1869, and the adobe buildings were auctioned for only $750. In 1884, the remains of soldiers buried in the post cemetery were moved to Carson City. The remaining graves are those of the Buckland family, pioneer ranchers who sold supplies to the fort.

Fort Churchill sits at an elevation of 4,250 feet and is flanked on the south by rolling desert hills and higher areas of the Pine Nut Range. The Carson River originates in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west. It forms the major water resource in the area and is the only perennial source of surface water near the fort.

Photos by Judy Newberry Ashley

THE KEEPERS OF CAMELOT by Cheryl Pierson

Who likes the stories of King Arthur and his knights? I do! I have been fascinated with the entire legend of Camelot since I was a child. The Sword In the Stone, the Disney cartoon movie, was a favorite when I was young.

As I got older, I couldn’t get enough of the movie musical, Camelot, with Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero, and Richard Harris in the starring roles. I valiantly tried to struggle through T. H. White’s “The Once and Future King” but finally had to admit, it was too heavy for a twelve-year-old. As an adult, I enjoyed it, along with Mary Stewart’s series of the Arthurian legend as told from Merlin’s POV—a “must read” set if you’re a Camelot fan.

So, the story I wrote for the “Six Guns and Slay Bells: A Creepy Cowboy Christmas” anthology is one that is dear to my heart in many ways. Even the title, “The Keepers of Camelot”, was not something I had to think about for long.

Legend says that Arthur will rise once more when the world needs him the most. But in

my story, something goes awry, and Arthur has returned in many times, many places, throughout the centuries since his final battle.

The story opens with Arthur on a stagecoach in the American west—Indian Territory—of the 1880’s. But in this life, he comes across two people he’d never thought to see again—Lancelot and Guinevere. Why are they here—and how will it all end…this time?

The stage is attacked by Apaches minutes before the driver gets the passengers to the safety of the next stage station. Though they’re safe for the time being, a nerve-wracking Christmas Eve is in store as the Apaches wait for them outside.

Arthur has a plan. He’s seen the fearless leader of the Apache—the man they call “Sky Eyes”, a man he knew as Lancelot du Lac a hundred lifetimes ago.

Will Lance’s prowess as a warrior combine with his legendary arrogance to seal the fate of the people inside the station—including Guinevere, the woman he gave up everything for in the past?

One young boy in the group unknowingly holds the key to Lance’s decision. But will the glorious legend of Camelot be remembered?

There are some excellent stories in this book by many great western writers, including Troy Smith, Courtney Joyner, Robert Randisi, L.J. Washburn, James Reasoner, and many more. They’re all paranormal in some way, all about Christmas, and they all take place in a western setting.

I'll be giving away a pdf copy of SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS to one lucky commenter. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address in your comment so I can reach you if I draw your name. Drawing will be held on Monday evening, October 29. If you just can't wait to see if you won, this collection makes a great gift for others—or for yourself! http://www.amazon.com/Six-guns-Slay-Bells-Creepy-Christmas/dp/1478189169/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351380533&sr=1-1&keywords=six+guns+and+slay+bells

All my other short stories, anthologies, novels and novellas can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson

GOT CANDY CORN?

What makes you think of fall? Cooler weather? Changing leaves? A few weeks ago my daughter was walking down the aisle of a well-known drug store chain. A woman clasped a package of candy to her chest and said, “Candy corn! It must be fall!”

Tasty Traditional Treat

Are you one of the many who consider candy corn a sign of fall? I admit I adore the tiny candies. October 30 is National Candy Corn Day. Truly! You know I wouldn't lie to you. For those of us over the age of 25  (and some of us are way over that age), when you think of Halloween candy you probably think of candy corn, those sugary little spikes of Halloween cheer. They've been around for as long as I remember and even as long as my grandparents remember, but did you know that they were invented in the 1880's?

George Renninger, an employee of the Wunderlee Candy Company, invented the popular confection in the 1880s and Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia was the first to go into commercial production of candy corn. However, the company most closely associated with this wonderful confection is the Goelitz Confectionery Company. Founder Gustav Goelitz, a German immigrant, began commercial production of the treat in 1898 in Cincinnati and is today the oldest manufacturer of the Halloween icon.The Goelitz Candy Company is now also Jelly Belly Candy Company (Yum!) and still produces candy corn today.

A serving of Candy Corn is nineteen pieces, and 140 calories and has zero grams of fat. More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces—enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end. But who's laying it end to end? At our house we're eating that sweet stuff.

Trick or Treat for Candy Corn

When candy corn first appeared, it was popular among farmers because of its agrarian look. The tri-color design was considered revolutionary and the public went crazy for it. Lack of machinery meant that candy corn was only made seasonally from March to November. Candy corn has remained unchanged for more than 100 years and is a favorite at Halloween.

                                                          How is Candy Corn Made?

In 1900, it was the job of many men to produce candy corn for eight months of the year. Sugar, corn syrup and other ingredients were cooked into a slurry in large kettles. Fondant and marshmallow were added to give a smooth texture and bite. The 45 pounds of hot candy was poured into buckets called runners. Men dubbed stringers walked backwards pouring the candy into cornstarch trays imprinted with the kernel shape. A strenuous job at best before the days of air-conditioning and electric fans. It took three passes to make the white, yellow and orange colors. Perishability prevented widespread distribution. Originally, candy corn was delivered by wagon in wooden boxes, tubs and cartons. I prefer my candy corn in a nice sterile wrapper, don't you?


All this strenuous labor wasn't lost on the public. It's tricolor design was considered revolutionary for its time and people flocked to buy them. Their shape was also a big selling point for the mostly agrarian population of the early 1900's. So popular was candy corn that companies tried other vegetable shapes including turnips. (What? Candy turnips? Oh, well, I like the little candy pumpkins.) The Goelitz Candy Company even had to turn orders down for lack of production capacity.

The process of making candy corn is very similar today, but now machines do most of the work, as shown in the video above. Manufacturers use a method called the corn starch molding process. A tray containing depressions is filled with corn starch. Candy corn is made from the bottom to the top and in three-color passes. First, the depression is filled one-quarter full with yellow syrup and allowed to partially set. Next, the orange syrup is added. The mold is then topped off with the white syrup and is cooled. The candy now can gel together. After is it has finished cooling, the trays are emptied and the little candy corns are ready to be eaten.

During WWI, Herman Goelitz, son of Gustav, moved to Fairfield, California to start his own company, the Herman Goelitz Candy Company. Their product? Candy Corn! The fortune of the Halloween treat would rise and fall many times as recession and boom, war and peace, and sugar rationing affected the humble confection. Throughout the hard times it was the sale of candy corn that kept the companies afloat. In the sugar crisis of the mid 1970's when the price of raw sugar skyrocketed, the company had to borrow heavily to buy sugar to keep up production. After the crisis, the market plummeted. Many companies went out of business. It was demand for candy corn that kept Goelitz from bankruptcy.

Today you won't have to look very hard to find candy corn. Computer and machine aided production have made them a plentiful staple no matter what time of year. So plentiful in fact that according to the National Confectioners Association, in 2001 candy manufacturers sold more than 20 million pounds of candy corn. Roughly 8.3 billion kernels! A popular variation called "Indian corn" features a "special" chocolate brown wide end, orange center and pointed white tip, often available around Thanksgiving. During the Halloween season, blackberry cobbler candy corn can be found in eastern Canada. Corn confectioners have introduced additional color variations suited to other holidays. Red, white, and green corn is available for Christmas. Red, pink, and white is sold at Valentines. Pastels corn is produced for Easter. Very impressive for a product that has remained virtually unchanged for well over 100 years.

While you're munching your candy corn and other Halloween goodies, why not read a good book? Any of our authors offers a great read. Ahem, you might even try my latest release, HIGH STAKES BRIDE.

Souces:
www.Wikipedia.com
http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/candycorn.shtml



http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/CandyType.cfm?ItemNumber=1582


www.jellybelly.com
video: The History Channel via You Tube

Thanks for stopping by!