This week, as we pause to reflect on the blessings in our lives, I hope that everyone is spending the holiday in a manner that is joyful, with people they love. I am aware of a fellow blogger that lost her husband suddenly without warning last week. Even though she lives in a country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, it is still a hard time of year with the holidays to come. Another blogger buddy has opted not to go see her extended family as gatherings have become contentious with disagreements rather than celebrations of togetherness. Holiday stress of entertaining with overnight guests and trying to get a huge meal on the table often overshadows what should be a time of happiness. So, maybe we can take a breath today ahead of the preparations, and pause to remember past Thanksgivings where our blessings were full, and think about all we have to be grateful for today.
I remember one Thanksgiving in particular many years ago that was very special, when we lived in the same area as my mother and grandmother. My grandmother was hosting Thanksgiving with her sister, and we were looking forward to the day anticipating five around the table. I was bringing a side dish. But, when we awoke on Thanksgiving morning it had snowed overnight, and it was still coming down. Roads were treacherous, and as I stood at the window feeling dismayed, we made the decision not to make the 20-mile trip. It was just too dangerous. As the morning went on, it stopped snowing although the cloud cover was low and heavy. Snow was inches deep and the roads were icy.
My Sweet Babboo and I had a nice breakfast, and sipped coffee while we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. My mother called around 1 pm to say she had crawled her way to my grandmother’s house safely, but she didn’t recommend we try it, although it had stopped snowing. My Sweet Babboo could see that I was unhappy as I kept going to the window to see if the temperature had warmed any bit at all. It hadn’t. As I looked around in the kitchen to see what I could cobble together for a meal, he decided it just wouldn’t do to have soup for Thanksgiving. He told me to get dressed, and grab my heavy coat, we were going to go. I said we couldn’t take the chance on those streets, but he didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t decide which was worse, the disappointment of the missed holiday meal or the fear of the icy roads. In the end he insisted, so we got dressed, put the side dish and a couple of blankets in the car and set off around 2. Driving slowly and cautiously, it took almost an hour to make the normally 20 minute trip. But we made it. Seeing the faces of surprised family as we came in the door was worth every nervous minute on the road. A holiday was saved, a meal was shared with those we loved, blessings were granted in safe travel. The holiday that almost wasn’t turned out to be one of the most precious. The turkey was much like this one, served on this same platter that I inherited and still use every year. And we got to take leftovers home so we didn’t miss out on turkey sandwiches.
As I reflect on gratitude this year, I have to say I am very grateful that our home was spared major damage from the hurricane. We were able to get through those weeks in October with relative ease, clean water, and a generator for several hours a day to keep our food safe and have communication with others. Others were not as fortunate, and lost so much. Delivering quilts to two severely affected areas was so rewarding to me, filling my heart with gratitude. This week, I received a lovely card from Sara in Bat Cave who took our quilts to others in her church family who lost their homes. I share it here for everyone who made a contribution or donation to this effort.
I am grateful for friends in our lives that bring us fellowship. Friends in our quilt guild and car clubs bring us social connections. Dinner out with a special few bring us closer as we have no family here. The few we are close to in family live out of state. We will have a Zoom call with My Sweet Babboo’s brother and sister-in-love in the evening on Thanksgiving.
As I have mentioned on a previous Thanksgiving post, I have so many memories of Thanksgiving days past, and it is usually the ones with mishaps that become the most memorable. Like the year I had to send My Sweet Babboo to the store on Thanksgiving day, just minutes before closing because I wasn’t able to get the jellied cranberry sauce required earlier in the week. The store had been out of stock, and I forgot about it until the big day. Luckily, they had restocked and he got there in time.
I’ve told this story before, but newer readers may have not seen it. For those who have, I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me once more on the best holiday story I have. My husband and I were celebrating out first holiday season after we got married, living in a decades-old apartment complex. Old enough to be just a bit sad, not old enough to be charming, but cheap enough for us to afford. My mother and grandmother made the six hour drive to visit us for a few days that first year. My mother, who was always up for something new, wanted to cook the turkey at 200 degrees for 24 hours, a new method she had just read in a magazine. OK, sure. So, I put mom in charge of the turkey on Wednesday and went to work, leaving my poor husband home to entertain the in-laws all day. Well, about four hours after she put the bird in, the oven in that old apartment burnt through the element shooting the oven temp up over 500 degrees. A call to the apartment office, and the manager (who thankfully was still there) happened to have an empty apartment where they could use the oven. Unfortunately, when My Sweet Babboo grabbed the turkey out of our burned up oven, a tidal wave of turkey juice and grease crested over the top of the roaster and down the front of his shirt and pants. Soaking wet with hot broth, he managed to get the turkey over to the other apartment, and cleaned up both the kitchen and himself before I got home. I was grateful that I didn’t know about this while it was happening!! I was also grateful it occurred the day BEFORE the holiday, and not on the holiday itself when the office would have been closed. Amazingly, the turkey was delicious for the holiday dinner as it was supposed to be.
I am grateful for all of you dear readers who spend time several times a week to read my words, and especially to those who leave a comment as your comments, encouragement and support are the lifeblood of a blogger. Your support of the many charitable projects I decide to do make it possible to make a difference in so many lives. I couldn’t do it alone. Thank you.
So today, please take a moment to share a memory of Thanksgiving past, and your blessings in a comment. What are you grateful for this year? What is your fondest Thanksgiving memory?
From My Carolina Home 
Hi Carole, I sent you an e-mail which you may not have gotten but I hope you get this. I have 2 boxes of quilts for NC and went to my nearby Fed X store to mail only to find out they don’t deliver to P.O. Boxes. Could you give me your street address?
You might find my e-mail as a comment to your previous blog post.
Thank you for taking the initiative to collect quilts for the flood victims. There are 6 bed size quilts in the boxes from my guild – Loose Treads Quilters Guild in Spring City , Pa.
Debby O’Keefe
Sent from my iPhone
Debby, I replied to you twice, check your spam folder. Yes, please ship to the following address for Fedex –
524 Courtland Blvd, Unit 524
Mountain Home, NC 28758
Carole, thank you so much for your information ! Yes it was in spam.
Grandkids are here now but I will mail by the end of the week.
Debby
Sent from my iPhone
thank you Carole for your words of gratitude and encouragement. I am thankful for my family and friends. And thankful for your blog that is always filled with fun and interesting and beautiful things. I am also grateful that we live in a world where we can visit with so many friends through blogs and FaceTime, phone and YouTube , and still even by mail.
happy thanksgiving.
thankful for your blog and you Carole! And very thankful you got through the storm with minimal damage
Carole I enjoy reading your blogs and especially this one, it was sooo heartwarming! So happy to know you stayed safe during the hurricane. We only had huge down trees but no major damage. We really learned to appreciate having power, water and cell in our everyday lives. Most of all I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and I feel so blessed that our lives crossed a few years ago, It was a pleasure to know you! God Bless
I’m thankful for this blog, the encouragement to breath, try new challenges in my quilting world or cooking ideas. This year will be us and our two children around the table. We each adopted someone from our community giving tree and will bring those items to wrap and make ready. We are doing well, and all are healthy, there is much to be thankful for.
my list of gratitudes is very long indeed…for a quick release from suffering for my mom, health scares that got resolved quickly and completely, fostering closer relationships in a new locale, finding a place in an unfamiliar territory, personal health improvements, solace found in quilting and sewing, a warm and safe home, basic needs met and peace….truly blessed beyond measure…i wish for you the same
Such a lovely post, Carole, and so enjoyable to read! I think we all probably have those funny stories and memories about Thanksgiving. Early on in our marriage, Mike and I were supposed to drive about an hour away (on a good day) to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Unfortunately it snowed so much that we could barely get out of our driveway. Fortunately, we could make it to my parents’ house (in town here) and they happily welcomed us in and fed us. I’m thankful for family and friends who love and care for us no matter what! Happy Thanksgiving!
Well said, as usual. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the people who have been so devastated by the horrible weather. May your recovery be swift. Lenora
Carole, I need your help. I would like to send a small donation, but due to a reorganization I cannot find a mailing address for you. Would you share your address with me again?
What fond memories you have of Thanksgivings past. Thank you for everything you share in your blog — quilts, gardening, birding, recipes, books, and memories. Family bonds are worth keeping and I hope all your readers can come together to share a meal with their families without stress and animosity towards each other over trivial things which can’t be changed by bickering amongst themselves. I wish harmony for all everyday but especially during the holidays.
I appreciate you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your husband, I love looking at how you decorate for the holidays and the memories you share of different things. I use the same kind of cranberry jelly as you do and slice it also – this is because of childhood memories – mom and grandma always did the same – so at times even if it is not appreciated by some I look back at that cranberry jelly sliced with happy memories of a full house with grandparents and my aunt, my big family of 8 brothers and 3 sisters and my parents and remember that we had to have about 3 cans of that cranberry jelly so all who wanted it could have some. Sometimes my other aunt the nun would have special permission to come too and would bring several of the other nuns from the convent with her and the house would be even fuller. (back in the 60’s the nuns had to have special permission to visit outside the convent). It was a happy time and a very full house. After the cooking and dishes were done there was plenty of talking and card games – such fun times – I loved a full house of people.
I love your blog, especially the pictures and the Thanksgiving stories are great. We don’t do cranberry sauce, I found a recipe for cranberry relish that uses apples and pecans and fresh cranberries and we have done that for years. It makes enough to freeze some for Christmas turkey if we are having turkey then. The pictures are of “home” for me. From the South, I relocated to Nevada’s desert a number of years ago, so I really love seeing the mountains and wildlife. Thank you.
Those are great stories! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
How enjoyable it was to read your blog & reader comments today. I got together today with 3 of my sewing pals to sew, craft, chat and share a no fuss/no stress crock pot lunch. Something a little special for us this busy week as the year winds down & holiday excitement builds.
I’m thankful, Carole, that you continue to blog and share your projects and designs with all of us. Thank you for your generous spirit and all the good works you have organized and promoted.
I clearly remember the first Thanksgiving dinner I prepared for my new husband, in a small apartment in Oberlin, OH. I was determined to have the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The hardest part was getting everything ready at the same time. It wasn’t a complete disaster and I did get better at it in time.
What a lovely post — and your stories were new to me! I have two special Thanksgiving memories. One was after Rick’s bicycle accident. It was just going to be us two as recovery had been hard. The night before a friend had a Friendsgiving evening and we learned two other couples would be on their own as well. TG morning we woke and were both feeling pretty good. With nothing but a turkey breast, some stuffing made and a veg (maybe a salad, too!) we asked them to come over and bring anything they wanted. Mix and match dinner. I hurried to pull together a nice table (with no centerpiece in mind or party favors) and amazingly, it looked great. That day I used — for the first time — my mom’s crystal, which I’d always been afraid to use for fear of breaking the out-of-circulation pattern. But I thought, “What if we’d lost Rick and never used the crystal?” It changed my whole outlook on saving things “for good” and using them regularly. And yes, a good time was had by all.
I’m grateful for all the things so many are — family, deep friendships, Lizzie, blog buddies, a roof over my head, a great medical team and so much more. And, I’ll add a thanks to my quilting friend whose beautiful work arrived yesterday. I love it!
Have a wonderful holiday.
What a lovely memory! I can remember walking to a neighbor’s house for Thanksgiving with my Dad as my Mom had gone ahead to help with the meal. The memory is precious because I lost my Dad when I was 5 leaving so few memories. Thank you for letting us share these memories (and yes, I’ll use the Best Plates and Glasses!) Happy Turkey Day, you are a Blessing in our Lives
Carole, thank you for your heartwarming post. I enjoyed your stories of memorable Thanksgivings.
Every Thanksgiving is special since I spend it with my family. I prepare all of the meal and feel blessed that I can. I am thankful for blogging friends like you. I am happy you received minimal hurricane damage. I pray for all those who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and tragic loss of family members
Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Carole. I appreciate seeing the note of thanks about the quilts and prayed over them before shipping them to you. Be Blessed.
Thanks for the lovely post. We are truly blessed in so many ways. I pray every day for those who are not as fortunate as we are. My best Thanksgiving memories are of the trips from Kansas to Michigan, my home, to spend it with my parents and family. The house was always filled with so much joy and laughter. I had six sisters so you can imagine the crowd when we gathered. My Dad always roasted the turkey and would sneak me the first bite as it came out of the oven. Many memories that still fill my heart with joy. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
What a great Thanksgiving story that you and your husband have! Here’s my special memory.
Forty three years ago today it was pre-dawn Thanksgiving morning . I woke realizing that I had begun labor pains. We didn’t know genders back then, but my husband and I just knew this baby was a girl and, because I was a full time student at the local university, I had always hoped she’d be born over the Thanksgiving holiday allowing me to return for finals in my 5 (count them, five) classes. Both sets of grandparents were so excited when we called (yes, by land lines) to tell them. Our first child had been born a thousand miles from home as my husband was active duty military. This time, my mother was bound and determined to be at the hospital. Mom was hosting the large family holiday dinner. She dragged my little sister out of bed, shouted directions for making the turkey, and pushed my dad out the door. My sister managed to call an aunt who couldn’t decide if my sister was crying because she was supposed to pull the “innerds out of the bloody turkey” or because she wanted to be at the hospital. My husband, dad, the doctor and I watched some of the football games while mom walked the floor and muffled her sobs as she worried with each contraction. (I forgot to say that I am not a fan of needles so this was known as natural childbirth back then.) Then, as things started progressing, my dad who couldn’t watch his favorite TV show in color began to jiggle his pocket change and hyperventilate. Oh, and let me add that my brother was there to pick up my son and take him to the family dinner but was just as focused on flirting with the nurses. He even enlisted my son to help him! Our daughter arrived about 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving. I sent everyone to mom’s for the holiday dinner. At the evening visiting hours, twenty-one of them brought me left-overs and got to see the newest family member.
Thank you for sharing memories, everyone. I enjoyed reading all of the posts. Looking forward to another year of learning from and sharing with you, Carole!
Connie W.
Dear Carole, I’m thankful for you and how you give of yourself over and over again. You bless us with your talent in so many ways, and I’m forever thankful for your generosity.
I think my most memorable Thanksgiving was when in was in 7th grade. I’m 84 now so you know that’s been a few years ago. In those days, when school was out for the week of Thanksgiving, things were taken care of so we wouldn’t miss school. In my case, it was a tonsillectomy ad spent the night in the hospital which was nothing new. Going home for Thanksgiving dinner was huge for me and that’s still my favorite kind of dinner. Sitting at the kitchen table which was a bit crowded but Grandma and Grandpa always came to our house for Thanksgiving. As the food was passed around, nobody told me not to eat cornbread. Slathered some butter on that warm and luscious looking piece of bread and tried to swallow. With tears rolling down my face, I tried to keep my mouth closed as I choked until I got to the bathroom. I didn’t bother going back to the table.
I’m thankful for peace and contenment.
At 81 I have had very many Thanksgiving day celebrations, and yes I am truly thankful God has blessed me with 3 lovely children and their spouses, 10 Grands some with spouses, and 19 1/2 great grands…newest is due in January….so yes my heart is full………God bless…
I enjoyed all your anecdotes. With my daughter and her partner here, I haven’t the time to think of past holidays right now.
What a lovely post and a good reminder of how we should approach this holiday.
Always enjoy reading your posts. This one was a very good reminder of why we should be thankful, count our blessings and help those less fortunate. Thanksgiving was usually spent with relatives joining us for dinner at our home or big gatherings at my cousins. They were houseparents’ at Milton Hershey School. Most holidays their kids were away so we had a big kitchen and dining room to use. Our first Thanksgiving in Taiwan was interesting. Never thought about not all countries celebrating Thanksgiving. Not a holiday! Had never been out of the US over a Thanksgiving. Plus local farmers had a problem with turkeys being shipped in. We are used to turkeys with gizzards and livers packed inside. A no- no in Buddhism. The turkeys stayed on the cargo ships. Found an expensive canned ham, fixed sort of a Thanksgiving dinner. We ate about 7:30 after Galen got home from work. The rest of the time we were there we were able to get turkeys. Usually we would get together with a large extended family for our meal.
This year our Thanksgiving will be a quiet one. Every time the phone rings we re expecting a call about our SIL passing.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Carole! 🦃🥧
Happy Thanksgiving! I’ve been really trying to be more grateful lately, and this is a good testament to its importance. We’ve had a few family things going on that seem to take a toll, and while our lawyers have taken good care of us, it’s easy to see the negative everywhere else. I appreciate your words on this, thank you.
Carole, just now reading your wonderful post, your life is so full and rewarding with all the many projects, especially for Helene neighbors this year. I enjoyed the memorable stories of Thanksgivings past.
This year, I am particularly grateful for my siblings. I just completed what seemed an insurmountable task of moving one (80 yr old) sister from SC back to WV after 28 yrs there. Another sister helped me, and we truly had several small miracles along the way to encourage our hard work. We celebrated Thanksgiving with a brother who I helped tremendously a few years ago. He and his companion hosted! What a difference love and compassion make in a person’s life.
May you always be blessed with love and compassion you so often share with others.
Hugs,
Rita