Country CousinIssue Date: November 25, 2020 Not just on Thanksgiving, but always.
Thank You, Lord!
Thanksgiving will be here on Thursday, Nov. 26. Some of us will be having the traditional Thanksgiving gatherings, others will not. However you spend your Thanksgiving, hope is a happy one, and hope you make time to actually give thanks.
Deer season is half gone. There seemed to be fewer hunters this year, and there are still plenty of deer jumping out in front of cars here in TIMESLand. It's lots better to get them with a gun!
Weather has been quite fine for this time of year. Cool - well, cold, actually, and a dusting of snow, but luckily, not of the kind that makes driving hazardous, at least not so far. Hope that continues.
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
According to Travel Wisconsin, November is National Native American Heritage Month. The month is rapidly drawing to a close for this year, but the coming drizzly winter days might be a good time to dream up some plans for next year, when hopefully we will once again be allowed to enjoy the great things our area has to offer.
Travel Wisconsin says there are 11 sovereign tribal nations located within Wisconsin's borders, more than any other state east of the Mississippi. Wisconsin is rich in Native American heritage and experiences, from campgrounds and hotel/conference centers to tourist attractions, gambling casinos, cultural centers and pow wows hosted by the various tribes, who invite everyone to share in the fun. Check it out on the Travel Wisconsin home page.
FIRST THANKSGIVING
Seems very appropriate to celebrate Native American Month at the same time we commemorate what appears to be the first joint celebration between the Pilgrim newcomers to the North American continent and the Indians who were there before them. This year marks the 399th anniversary of that celebration!
Some historians of today claim the Pilgrims never held a Thanksgiving feast in Autumn, but they certainly had at least one after their first harvest in 1621, unless someone made up the first-hand account said to have been written by Edward Winslow, one of the Plymouth Rock Colony's leaders.
That feast would have been held in their first Autumn, on the North American continent, less than a year after they landed at Plymouth Rock 400 years ago - on Dec. 21, 1620. That anniversary is coming up in just one month!
The Pilgrims were an extremely devout people, and it's hard to believe they would not have offered a special thanks in autumn, after a harvest substantial enough to offer hope that the coming winter wouldn't be a repeat of their horrible first year of starvation in the New World.
Also hard to believe that after all that starving they would celebrate by fasting, as some of today's pundits claim. That just wouldn't happen! The Pilgrims were devout, but they were also human.
Winslow, quoted in "Mourt's Relation", said: "Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
From this account, we know they had plenty of food, and it sounds like they relaxed and had a bit of fun. According to other accounts, in addition to the venison provided by Massasoit and his friends, there was enough wild fowl to supply the village for a week. The fowl included ducks, geese, turkeys and even swans. How wonderful for people who had been starving to death a few months earlier!
Maybe those Pilgrims weren't as dour as we're led to believe. Maybe that came later.
Since there were no large buildings in the colony it's reasonable to assume the feast was held outside. The exact date seems questionable, and considering the latitude, it seems likely it was earlier than November, probably sometime in October.
How beautiful it must have been. Forests ablaze with colored leaves, Pilgrims and their Indian friends rejoicing together, in a nearly untouched land, sunshine during the day and camp fires at night, probably Indian teepees all around, and two totally diverse peoples getting to know and appreciate one another for the first time. Too bad that great accord didn't last!
ON THE SOAP BOX - DO NOT DESTROY!
Am not happy with how the elections seem to be playing out, but am confident that most of those who share that unhappiness will not resort to the spoiled brat tactics of the far left"¦tactics that include tearing down statues, destroying buildings and looting businesses to prove how angry we are.
To quote some recent commentary written by Robert B. Charles, a former litigator who also taught law at Harvard University's Extension School, said in an article published by the Association of Mature American Citizens:
While studying politics and economics at Oxford, I met up with a conservative economics colleague in the library, reading Karl Marx's "Communist Manifesto." Charles said he asked why, and the colleague told him he reads Marx every year, ""¦just to recall why I believe what I believe."
Charles said the point is, when you reach out to understand what you may disagree with, the result is always positive. That is what learning is all about.
"Truth, not suppression of it, is the goal," Charles says. "History is about remembering truth accurately: the heroic and despotic, the noble and ignoble. History is proof of individual rights, rule of law"¦about understanding and teaching what failed, without compromise and shading, without pretending it worked. Communism's eye-popping destruction and human horrors, in places like the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe under Soviet (Russian) domination, Cuba, Laos, Venezuela and China"¦all examples of how not to govern, and how to suppress individual rights."
Charles declares in another paragraph on learning from history: "That is why we do not topple statues or burn books. Preserving history and ideas with which we disagree is how we inform ourselves and future generations of why we believe what we believe. That is how we learn what is indefensible or not worth retrying, what offends, disturbs, deprives and depresses. It is also how we learn what is solid and good, what worked, uplifted, inspired and improved life."
Would add to that: In order to know how far we as a society have come, we need to understand and remember where we started from."
And would repeat Charles' admonition: "Violence is not how democratic societies work, nor society-enhancing reform. The way forward is tolerance for peaceful opinions and debating the merits, not intimidation, "cancel culture,' and riots"¦."
And in order for thoughtful discourse between civilized citizens of a civilized nation to continue, students of today must be taught real history, with viewpoints from both sides of the aisle presented fairly, as facts, not as propaganda!
STAY HEALTHY
Continue to be baffled by all the advice from experts on how to hide from the dreaded coronavirus, but an almost total lack of advice on how to avoid getting sick if we are exposed.
Since the Covid-19 version of coronavirus is a particularly evil form of the viruses that cause the common cold and most flus, it seems logical that taking steps to build up our immune systems should help us to stay healthy.
Believe it doesn't hurt to dose up on old time cold fighters, and add some new ones that recent studies have shown to be effective.
After reading summaries of a few recent studies, am adding honey and turmeric to my defense arsenal along with good old vitamin C, echinacea, B vitamins, tonic water and lots of rest along with fresh air and sunshine. Not pretending to be a physician, but if they work, great, and if not, at least there was no harm done.
A recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases touts the benefits of honey and turmeric. It states that raw honey (the kind ou get directly out of the honey comb) contains properties which destroy every bacteria or pathogen they tested it on; can be applied directly to humans to treat infections like cuts and insect bites, and can be taken internally to treat health problems.
These scientists say honey is a precious natural remedy for a myriad of ailments and diseases including indigestion, cold, flu, asthma, and many, many more. They also say Turmeric is "another natural magical antibiotic with a ton of health benefits" because of its content of curcuminoids, and believe it could result in improved immunity against diseases since it stimulates production and functionality of immune cells.
One Internet article based on that study advises taking multiple doses of Turmeric Infused Honey each day to fight off all sorts of things. Says to simply mix one teaspoon of ground turmeric with a quarter cup of raw honey and two drops of lemon essential oil, which is optional. Simply stir together well, cover and keep at room temperature, and stir before each use. Take half a teaspoon of the mixture many times daily to fight the flu or colds.
Am trying this, on the theory that it's quite inexpensive, has to be harmless, and could prove to be very effective.
Remember Mom's old Hot Toddies made with honey, lemon juice, brandy and a little hot water and served just as we were being tucked into bed? Probably our colds would have gone away without it, but the cure was almost worth getting sick for.
Also read that the good old vaporizers may be effective at fighting Covid-19. For a makeshift version, put a dab of Vicks Vaporub in a container of very hot water, drape a towel over your head and breathe in the hot vapors until the water cools off. Keep using the same container and add water and Vicks as needed. Repeat a few times a day while stuffiness and/or sore throat continues. If you do this, keep out of drafts until you cool down. You could also breathe in the hot vapors that come from a dishwasher that has't quite completed the drying cycle.
Today's scientists even admit that our moms and grandmas were right when they prescribed chicken soup for folks with colds. Lots of them (us - I'm one of those old grandmas now) always added turmeric to our chicken soup for flavor and the nice yellow color it gives. Who knew it also had health benefits?
ON THE SOAP BOX AGAIN
Friend Nathan Kelly Gamlin sent this gentle warning, and I feel obliged to pass it along: "Before you cancel Thanksgiving and Christmas with your loved ones, remember that this may be the last holiday you have. We are not guaranteed a single minute on this Earth. Stop living in fear and embrace life to the fullest!"
COOKIN' TIME
Thanksgiving and Deer Season are also the start of the Great Eating Season in Wisconsin. Read a cute thought on different attitudes toward eating: An Italian businessman and an American businessman were discussing plans for dining while at a business conference. "That's the difference between us," the Italian declared. "You think of eating as something you do between working, and we think of working as something we must do between eating."
HUNTER'S MEAT PIE
No venison? Use hamburger if you must. Tastes almost as good. This recipe serves four or six, depending on how hungry they are.
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 pound lean ground venison or other big game
1 tablespoon bacon grease (or cooking oil)
1 red onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 stalks celery (diced)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (diced)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup cottage cheese
2 tomatoes (sliced)
1 cup Marble Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Spread mashed potatoes evenly in a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside. Brown the venison in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly and no longer pink, set aside. Heat the canola oil in the skillet, then stir in the red onion, garlic, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cooked venison, and season with Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture onto potatoes in the casserole dish. Stir together eggs and cottage cheese in a small bowl; spread evenly over meat mixture. Top with tomato slices, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until set, about 20 minutes.
MADEOVER TURKEY CASSEROLE
If you have Turkey leftovers in the fridge, this is a great way to use them up. If you had no turkey this year, consider this plan for Christmas or next year's Thanksgiving. Consider also using leftover dressing as the base, but cook more celery and onion and add to it first.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced onion
8 ounce package bread stuffing cubes
1 cup chicken (or turkey) broth
2 cups turkey gravy
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
15-ounce can cream-style corn
3 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or 1 cup or so of French Fried Onion Rings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter in an oven-proof skillet. Cook and stir celery and onion until they get soft, about 10 minutes. don't get them brown. Stir in bread cubes and broth. Mix turkey and gravy and spoon over the stuffing mixture. On top of this put the corn, and on top of that put the mashed potatoes. Bake in the pre-heated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.Sprinkle on cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake about 10 minutes more. (This is heresy for a Wisconsinite, but try skipping the cheese and sprinkle some French fried onions (the kind from a can) on top instead. Yum!
SLOW COOKER BREAD PUDDING
After Thanksgiving feasting, give yourself a break. Dine on turkey sandwiches and leftover salads, and then top it off with this decadent (and easy) dessert. Guaranteed to get rave reviews from hungry deer hunters. If there's any left, they'd probably enjoy it cold for breakfast too. The glaze is optional, but great if you choose to add it.
3 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons cinnamon
20 slices of wheat bread, 1 inch cubes
Glaze: 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1.5 tablespoons rum or brandy
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then add milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and butter. Add bread cubes raisins and pecans and toss until the bread cubes are moistened. (The original recipe says to also add 1/2 cup butterscotch chips, but we like it better without.) Put into slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours or until center is firm. Turn off heat but leave the cover on and let stand for 30 minutes or more. Serve warm with glaze or whipped cream. For glaze, heat all ingredients except for the rum or brandy until almost boiling, but not quite. Add rum or brandy and pour over the pudding at serving time.
The Country Cousin
Thought for the week: Lord, we have so much to be thankful for. Most of us have never known true hunger. When we're faced with illness and sorrow, You comfort us. You ease the memory of pain, but preserve the radiance of joys remembered. Thank You for that.
You have given Man dominion over all the Earth, and You have given us this beautiful and bountiful land to live in. Thank You for that. Help us to use it wisely.
You have given each of us talents. Help us use them wisely.
You have given us freedom. Thank You for that. Help us to do whatever we must to preserve it, at this time when we are in such great danger of allowing it to be taken away.
In all things, Lord, grant us the the courage to stand up for You and do what You would have us do. Grant us the wisdom and the humility to follow gracefully in the great Dance of Life and let You do the leading."
Happy Thanksgiving! God Bless!
(This column is written by Shirley Prudhomme of Crivitz. Views expressed are her own and are in no way intended to be an official statement of the opinions of Peshtigo Times editors and publishers. She may be contacted by phone at 715-291-9002 or by e-mail to shirleyprudhommechickadee@yahoo.com.)
Recent stories, opinions and photos
|
| |
|
Yes
No
Undecided
