Thanksgiving 2022
Thursday is Thanksgiving. I find myself having gratitude for many things in my life. Most recently, my sister and I traveled to see my ailing aunt. What a blessing that was in so many ways.
Spending time with my sister +
Visiting and caring for my aunt +
Meeting and connecting with some of her friends +
What I am reminded of is that family comes in all shapes & sizes and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on our genetic family as well as our friends who have become family in our lives. So, no matter where you spend your Thanksgiving this year, be grateful for the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving this year.
I came across an article about what a soldier ate for Thanksgiving during the Civil War. If you are interested you can read it here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-american-history/2022/11/16/civil-war-thanksgiving/
But the cliff notes version, this young soldier imagined his brother (not in the war) eating “chicken pie, cider, and plum pudding.” This soldier however was eating “baked beans coffee with milk in it and bread which makes a good army meal.” The soldier is using this memory to help him make his feeble meal taste better. He uses this image to recreate previous Thanksgivings he shared with his family. The meal symbolizes all the traditions and memories associated with happier times.
So, this Thanksgiving, take a moment to not only be grateful for what we have now before us; but also let us be grateful for the memories of past gatherings.
On a lighter note, what is your must have/go to Thanksgiving food or drink that you need to make it feel complete?
I will go first. My mom made stuffing each year, but she shaped them into balls so each helping could have the crispy corner. This is an example of how we keep our memories alive through food. They are now dubbed Betty Balls in honor of my mother. I have given the recipe out to several friends over the years.
If you are wondering how genealogy comes into play, I wrote a previous post about our lineage to the Pilgrims.
Until later, I will be exploringbackwards!
Exploring Backwards 
Loved the traditions that we carry on. I got the Betty Balls from my Mom and Grandmother. Your Civil War soldier was probably thinking of his Mother’s stuffing balls.
Thanksgiving must have is my homemade from scratch Corn Pudding. No frozen corn or canned in my version. If I don’t bring it to the feast, I’m ostracized the remainder of the day. Corn is symbolic to Thanksgiving as much as Pumpkin Pie. From a Southern Living recipe I discovered (a very long time ago) for Creamed Corn and an adjacent recipe for Corn Pudding, I was able to tweek and achieve my Queen of Corn Crown. 🌽 Come on Thursday !
GREAT THEMES – AND INFO – AS USUAL ! XOXOXO HAPPY THANKSGIVING ! MLS