Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Over the River and Through the Woods

I loved that song as a little girl. It always brought Currier & Ives prints to mind. I guess, even then, I was smitten with horses and the idea of driving them.


Although we never visited my Grandparents by sleigh, we did spend many Thanksgivings with them. They lived about 1 1/2 hours from our home.  I would have to dress in my Sunday best: stiff dress trimmed in velveteen, with petticoats, white tights and patent leather shoes. All of the clothes were uncomfortable! Apparently my grandmother was not much for cooking and as I recall, wasn't all that fond of children. She was actually a step-grandmother, my Grandfather's 3nd wife, and she had never had children of her own. She preferred to have us meet at "The Club" for the Thanksgiving buffet. All of this had to be timed around the Buffalo Bills' game, if they were in the playoffs, since my Grandfather was a huge Bills fan.
"The Club" was as stiff and starchy as my dress, and equally as uncomfortable. My father had been raised with the attitude that children should be seen, and not heard. This carried over to our upbringing, to some extent, and definitely applied to Thanksgiving dinner with the grandparents. I was a twitchy little thing and found it very difficult to sit still and be quiet.... still do!
But, those family occasions didn't kill me, and years later, as a young adult, I was thrilled to be able to host Thanksgiving dinners at my home, and invite my grandparents to join us there. 
This year we will visit relatives of my Dad's lady friend. I am bringing an apple pie, a pumpkin pie, and baked Brie with some fruit as an appetizer. I may have to go get a turkey to cook on Friday; I'll miss the wonderful aroma that permeates the house while it roasts!

What about you? Do you have special Thanksgiving memories? Do you recall a Thanksgiving disaster? What is your favorite, or your least favorite dish? Do you have a special way of cooking 'the bird'?

I will set this up as a blog hop - or maybe I should say a 'Turkey Trot'! 
If you'd like to link your Blog to my blog, click on the link below. You can respond to my questions, or put up your blog so others can link to it. If you don't care to link up, you can share your thoughts in a comment right here!

Happy Thanksgiving!





7 comments:

  1. I don't cook. . .and now as an adult, I spend most holidays with my husband's family. We mostly live with 5 miles of each other. They know better than to ask me to cook something, so we usually have the (soda) pop detail. They can be quite the rambunctious bunch, and opinionated, so sometimes things can get out of hand. . .it is always interesting to say the least!
    When I was younger, I remember getting dressed up in the stiff dresses and going over my grandparents or cousins houses. I always remember it as boring.
    I don't really care for turkey. I much prefer ham. Mashed potatoes and gravy are my all time favorites! I could do without cranberry stuff and stuffing.

    Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!

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  2. That was a happy childhood song for me too, although we never spent Thanksgiving with the grandparents!
    I make a mean apple-cranberry crumble pie, and a fine pecan pie with bourbon in it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is very timely! I was JUST thinking about Currier and Ives the other day. I LOVED those drawings when I was a young girl...and still do. I have a four-plate set of the four seasons hanging in my dining room! I'm fairly sure that most younger people have no idea who or what Currier and Ives is!

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  4. I love that song, and all the magic that goes with it! Still hoping one day to drive a sled through the woods, preferably with my own horse(s) ~ always a dreamer.

    No special Thanksgiving memories here, altho we do celebrate. Hard to believe, but I've never cooked a turkey! I am surrounded by other's who actually like to cook, unlike me. I typically make Sweet Potato Souffle to share.

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  5. I miss petticoats.
    Oh, how I loved the rustle of all that crinoline....... :)

    New here......
    Really liking your posts.....

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

    Mimi
    The Goat Borrower

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  6. I always wanted to learn to drive horses and have a sleigh. No snow here, though :o) Our Thanksgiving meals have grown progressively simpler over the years, as our lives have grown increasingly complicated (something had to give, right?)

    The food is fun, but faith, family and friendships are the heart of the holiday for me. *grin*

    Have a blessed Thanksgiving girl!

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  7. Sounds like a stuffy thanksgiving..and not too much fun.
    We always sing that song at Thanksgiving..I actually did cross a small creek and go through the woods to get to Grandma and Grandpas house..but always in a car never in a sleigh:)

    ReplyDelete

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