Wednesday, November 30, 2011

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving, the 112th Carnival of Genealogy

Thanks Footnote Maven.
Carol at Reflections From the Fence reminded me I had failed to write my entry for Jasia's "An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving'', the 112th Carnival of Genealogy.  
I have always loved Thanksgiving.  When growing up, my mom, dad and I would make the 80 mile trip to Pawnee.  The family would alter who had the meal. Sometimes it was my Aunt Dora, sometimes my Aunt Lynn, and sometimes my Uncle Ed.  I loved especially when my Aunt Lillie came down from Kansas, because she made the best rolls.  Those were wonderful family days.  All the kids would go outside and play, sometimes getting hurt or in ant hills. (I remember my cousin stripping his pants off because he had stomped in an ant hill. Silly boy.)  Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures from that time that shows how we enjoyed each other.  I also remember there was always a table laden with food.  Two kinds of potatoes, (sweet potatoes, and white potatoes), green beans seasoned with bacon, white and brown gravy, jello plain and with fruit, turkey, and oh my so many desserts.  After dinner, the men would sit and visit about hunting, watch a TV, or snooze, while the women straightened  up.  All the older members of the family are gone. My mom is all that is left of that generation.
Her tradition was grabbing my children to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on television.  My daughter told me even that is not the same. Today, my children are spread across the States, we occasionally may see one or two get together, but more often than not, they have Thanksgiving with their own family and lament that there isn't any family near.
Me with my cousins at Thanksgiving.
Two years ago I wrote this post of what I was thankful for.  No change in this girl's life.

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing all these great memories in the COG. You did a really nice job of telling the story without pictures. I know that's always a challenge to do! Bravo!

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  2. I guess those were fire ants. I've seen a grown man strip down after stepping in an ant hill by mistake.

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  3. I'm sorry, I am at my daughter's and her keypad stuck and I accidently deleted Joan's comment. Thankful for email notifications where I can post my friend's comment.

    Joan
    Frances, I too loved those old days. I think the thing I miss most is the group planning and cooking and baking, so the holiday really began days before. Now, it seems like one or two of my family might whip in for dinner and be gone shortly thereafter --- feels a bit like a caterer or a really good short order cook.

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  4. Being far flung changes so much. We spent the morning texting one another as we watched the parade and basted our birds.

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