"laestadian, apostolic, gay, lgbtq, ex-oalc, ex-llc, llc, oalc, bunner" LEARNING TO LIVE FREE: Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, readers. A bout of laryngitis keeps me from talking (or enjoying food) today, but the pie is baked, the turkey brined, and the potatoes about to be peeled. The show must go on, for our kids' sake. They LOVE tradition.

My husband will roast a small heirloom turkey from the farmers' market. Our son will make his traditional cranberry sauce with candied ginger. Our daughter will mash the potatoes and set the table with our fancy dishes. I'll make green beans with shallots and mushrooms. Together, at some magical hour this afternoon, we will light the beeswax tapers, sit down and smile at each other. Take in the beauty and abundance. Reflect on our good fortune.

Itadakimasu, we'll say. Japanese for "I humbly receive."

Growing up in the OALC, we never gave thanks at meals. Sometimes, the men would begin eating as soon as they were seated, and the women, who had labored -- for hours or days -- preparing the food, would wait until after the men and children were done, and eat whatever was left. Perhaps this practice dates from farming life, with men coming in from the fields for dinner and going right back out again. Also, in huge families, there is not always room to sit together at one table.

But still. It bugged me.

Fortunately, as adults we can start new traditions. And keep tweaking them.

This year, there is cornbread in the stuffing and the pie is made from a weird, bumpy heirloom squash. Our conversation will be seasoned with Japanese and French because the kids are studying those languages.

Whatever the words, we will acknowledge the food, the farmers who grew it, the earth, rain, sun, air, the family and friends, everything that sustain us. Including this blog and the wonderful people here.

For this I whisper my thanks.

9 comments:

  1. As a kid, I also used to wonder why the women worked so hard preparing everything and the guys would sit on their keisters, then they got to eat first and go back to their keisters while the women got to clean up. It seemed that the women used the time preparing the meal to socialize with each other. Us kids would all then usually head outside and have a snowball fight. My non Finnish aunt used to mutter to herself saying that the Finnish women just 'spoiled their husbands.'

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  2. Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! My husband did not help with the meal and he's not even Finnish We had one son visiting with his family. My grandaughter, age six, helped set the table, mixed up the fruit salad/dessert, and did up the individual green salads with dried cranberries and Gorgonzola cheese. That made it very special for me. I hope she remembers it when she is older.

    I am thankful for my health, my long-suffering husband who puts up with my quirks, happy and healthy married children with their families, a roof over my head, and a good car to take me to see brothers and sister, kids, and my mother.

    Life is Good!
    SISU

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  3. LLLreader: I had a good Thanksgiving. My family has gradually evolved into a team regarding dinner prep. My brother did the turkey, my grandson pitches in, my husband, nephew-in-law, and everyone else took part. One year in my kitchen, my husband, step-son, son, brother, nephew, and another nephew-in-law were all in there working. I have pictures to prove it! One of them had always been the "sitting in the living room while the women-folk do the work" kind of guy. He was surprised when he was asked to pitch in--and discovered it was fun. That kind of working together builds good strong family feelings. It doesn't leave anyone exhausted and resentful--the time in the kitchen together is a real blessing. One step-son found he has a knack for making gravy!

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  4. We had a great Thanksgiving and hope you all did as well. Our "tradition" the past few years has involved getting together with friends on Thanksgiving Day. Two of the guys are excellent chefs who insist on doing virtually everything. I think spouses are allowed begrudgingly to contribute minor side dishes or perhaps a dessert. Since those two have the cooking well in hand and since I am a vinophile, I take charge of providing some good and hopefully unusual wines that pair well with the menu. This year was sort of a challenge since the main meat courses were a Cuban spiced (cumen and other unusual spices) turkey, and beef bourguignon. I finally decided the beef required a well aged, brooding Syrah as well as a good Pinot Noir, and for the turkey, I paired a German Riesling Kabinett, a domestic brut rose', and a nice Pinot Gris to cover all tastes. It seemed to work quite well!

    Then on Saturday, it was off to Portland to see our new grandson and those large people he lives with! Anytime I can get in quality "Grampa" time, it is a time to be truly thankful!

    Thanksgiving is indeed a really pure holiday, isn't it? We don't exchange gifts and all the hoopla surrounding that, or blow off fireworks. We can just take a deep breath, enjoy being with family, and concentrate on thanking God for the blessings we share. If watching a little football is part of your tradition, that just adds to the fun. (We didn't, as we just had too many other things to talk about -- plus who wants to see the Lions get destroyed yet again!)

    Now I am thankful that this year is "our year" for the family, and all children, spouses, and both grandchildren will be with us for Christmas! We are praying for good weather and safe travels -- and I wish the same for you and yours.

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  5. Free, its nice to see a post from you. You write so beautifully.
    -Eyeswideopen

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  6. Sisu, LLLReader, Cvow, so glad you shared Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Sisu, your granddaughter WILL remember! Those memories are etched so young. My kids have strong ideas already about what "MUST" be on the table.

    LLR, I agree that "working together builds good strong family feelings"and hope your manly-man discovered something new about himself. There can be no real joy without sacrifice, or something liek that.

    WHile not as scrumptiously varied as the feast Cvow described, we had fun making an "all local" meal, including a heritage turkey. When my mom asked me "what is THAT," I told her "what you grew up eating." The flavor was incredible, and we got a lot of meals from the meat and stock. Good thing, because it was one expensive turkey.

    As I wasn't feeling very well, we didn't have any guests, and I must say I missed that. Thanksgivings should include at least 3 generations, babyholding, and one Scrabble game. (Cvow, congrats on your new grandbaby!)

    Eyewideopen, thanks for the compliment. I would like to contribute more frequently, but life keeps getting in the way. If you or anyone else would like to post an essay on the blog, please send it to me at: extoot (at symbol) gmail.com

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  7. Happy 92nd Birthday to the Republic of Finland! Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää Suomi!

    Here is a link to a video which briefly explains Finland's move toward independence as expressed in Sibelius' "Finlandia":

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XojVmivqDrA&feature=related

    Video is just over 8 minutes long, so grab a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, sit down, and enjoy.

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  8. The Finnish National anthem and an English translation I partly translated and partly plagarized. Note: a direct English translation is a little difficult if one tries to match the exact words with the notes to the song.
    Finnish
    Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa,
    soi, sana kultainen!
    Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,
    ei vettä, rantaa rakkaampaa
    kuin kotimaa tää pohjoinen,
    maa kallis isien.

    Sun kukoistukses kuorestaan
    kerrankin puhkeaa;
    viel' lempemme saa nousemaan
    sun toivos, riemus loistossaan,
    ja kerran laulus, synnyinmaa
    korkeemman kaiun saa.


    English translation
    Our land, our land, our Suomi land,
    Sound loud, O name of worth!
    No hill that meets the heaven's band,
    No hidden vale, no wave washed sands,
    Are loved, like our gracious land,
    Our own beloved fatherland.

    Thy blossom, in the bud laid low,
    Yet ripened shall upspring.
    See! From our love once more shall grow
    Thy light, thy joy, thy hope, thy glow!
    And clearer yet one day shall ring
    The song our land shall sing.

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  9. The Finnish national anthem and its English translation.

    Finnish-Maame
    Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa,
    soi, sana kultainen!
    Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa,
    ei vettä, rantaa rakkaampaa
    kuin kotimaa tää pohjoinen,
    maa kallis isien.
    Sun kukoistukses kuorestaan
    kerrankin puhkeaa;
    viel' lempemme saa nousemaan
    sun toivos, riemus loistossaan,
    ja kerran laulus, synnyinmaa
    korkeemman kaiun saa.

    English-Our Beloved Land
    Our land, our land, our native land,
    Sing loud, O name of worth!
    No hill that meets the heaven's band,
    No hidden vale, no wave washed sand,
    Is loved, more than our native land,
    Our beloved fatherland.

    Thy blossom, in the bud laid low,
    Yet ripened shall upspring.
    See! From our love once more shall grow
    Thy light, thy joy, thy hope, thy glow!
    And clearer yet one day shall ring
    The song our land shall sing.

    ReplyDelete