Thanksgiving

I was looking up the history of Thanksgiving, trying to find Governor Bradford's proclamation of the first Thanksgiving. I did not find the proclamation for the first year, 1621, but I did find the one for two years later. I thought the history was interesting. They had a dry summer that year, and were facing a crop failure. Governor Bradford called the people together for a day of prayer and fasting, and soon after that the rains fell, saving the crops and the settlement. So, after the harvest was gathered that fall, Governor Bradford issued the following proclamation:

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams; and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the daytime, on Thursday, November 29'th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.

--William Bradford

Ye Governor of Ye Colony

I thought it is interesting to read, especially in light of the last year, with the rocky economy and the H1N1 virus and other things we face in our personal lives. We still have a lot to be thankful for, food, shelter, health, and the freedom the worship God. May we always remember to be thankful.

(I tried to find a few thanksgiving pictures, but didn't have much success)

The Bi- Annual Saga

Every spring, and every fall, I find unwelcome visitors invading my kitchen. One morning I wake up and find their calling cards. Mice. I hate mice. They are dirty and gross. So after I discover they have had a great time romping in my kitchen, I spend that day thoroughly washing and sanitizing every thing in sight. My husband says he can't figure out where they are getting in, as he insulated the underside of our house, and plugged every hole in sight. I'm sure there must be a small hole somewhere unseen, because twice a year, one mouse invades my territory.

The other day, it happened again. I've been watching for signs, and was almost on the point of deciding it wasn't going to happen this fall. Well, so yesterday I opened the drawer where I keep the dishcloths and hot pads, etc. And there it was, the evidence of the invader. And they wanted my freshly laundered hot pads as nest stuffing. Ugh! I promptly cleaned out all the kitchen drawers and set a few traps. Last night while we were eating supper, Mrs. Mouse got caught. So, thus ends the saga for this season we hope.