THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving Day will soon be here,and since Marianne and Jenni have advocated expressing thanks with various GRATITUDE LISTS recently, I decided to join in with my thoughts about both the Thanksgiving celebration and "thanks-living".
When I was growing up Thanksgiving was an important day in my family. My Mother's menu included all of the traditional dishes. Her baked chicken and dressing were delicious, along with perfect rice, giblet gravy, green beans, potato salad, candied sweet potatoes, turnip greens, pumpkin pies, and her homemade biscuits! We usually ate around 12:00 noon --- then spent almost as much time doing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen as she and my older sisters had spent cooking! Our traditions made a lasting impression on me, and after my marriage I continued this tradition in our own home.
Well, perhaps I should say that I did keep Thanksgiving in the manner that my Mother had also been taught, but I didn't inherit the "cooking gene" !! My husband was always generous with his thanks,but cooking wasn't always easy for me. Loyd was very willing to give me a helping hand, washing up pots and pans before meal time, or taking care of our babies. And in time I did become a better cook, with the exception of cooking perfect rice or baking. We usually remained at home for this special day and enjoyed a family meal with Grandmother Tysinger as our beloved guest. Bless her for providing her delicious pies and cakes ! Who will ever forget her pound cake with chocolate icing or her wonderful coconut or sweet potato pies.
The males in my family usually went hunting on Thanksgiving Day morning if we were living in the country or in Saluda. Daddy and my brothers enjoyed their own tradition in this manner, and at times were quite successful. Like all farm families of that day the squirrels, rabbits, or an occasional wild turkey helped feed large families. And need I even say that my Mama made even the toughest critter tasty good? When Robbie and David were in high school they became interested in hunting --- but--- none of us really enjoyed eating little rabbits or squirrels,so that tradition fell by the wayside.
I am thankful for the memory of my parents, grandparents, other relatives, and my siblings, and for the traditions we shared. I am thankful for the memory of my husband's parents and sister. I am most thankful for my husband, our children, grandchildren and spouses of two generation. And our three great-granddaughters are icing on "the cake of life"!!
If this isn't "thanks-living" then I don't know what is.