Thanksgiving
With Family 2014
At Old RanchWe Are So Blessed To Have Family And Friends (Page Four)
Page Created: 11/26/2014 Page Last Updated: 11/05/2023 00:21
We are happy to see our family and friends together
Did You Know? - The Pilgrims held a true thanksgiving celebration in 1623 following a fast, and a refreshing 14-day rain which resulted in a larger harvest.
William DeLoss Love calculates that this thanksgiving was made on Wednesday, July 30, 1623, a day before the arrival of a supply ship with more colonists, but before the fall harvest.
In Love's opinion this 1623 thanksgiving was significant because the order to recognize the event was from civil authority (Governor Bradford), and not from the church, making it likely the first civil recognition of Thanksgiving in New England.
It's 3:00 And Time To Arrive...
Geoff heads for our table to see what we need
Lorraine and Bernie and ready to dine...
Shrimp anyone?
Did You Know? - The Massachusetts Bay Colony (consisting mainly of Puritan Christians) celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in 1630, and frequently thereafter until about 1680, when it became an annual festival in that colony; and Connecticut as early as 1639 and annually after 1647, except in 1675. The Dutch in New Netherland appointed a day for giving thanks in 1644 and occasionally thereafter.
Later in the 18th century, individual colonies would periodically designate a day of thanksgiving in honor of a military victory, an adoption of a state constitution or an exceptionally bountiful crop.
During the 18th century, individual colonies commonly observed days of thanksgiving at different times of the year.
Did You Know? - Shrimp can be differentiated from prawns by checking their abdomen structure and the number of claws. While shrimp have two pairs of claws, and the second segment of the abdomen overlaps the segments on either side, prawns have three pairs of claws and even-sized segments on the abdomen. Prawns do not have a prominent bend on their abdomen as seen in the shrimp.
We are old enough to have dessert first...
The chaffing dishes are warming up
We have our corner table plus a table for Mr. Turkey
Did You Know? - The loose red skin attached to the underside of a turkey's beak is called a wattle. When the male turkey is excited, especially during mating season, the wattle turns scarlet. The fleshy flap of skin that hangs over the gobbler's beak is called a snood and also turns bright red when the bird is excited.
Sue begins to check everything out
We had seventeen folks today...
Greg and Step-Dad David arrive... Ready to celebrate Thanksgiving
Bernie greets Brian
Jan arrives... Can't believe it is not rainy and wet
Long time friends... Great friends
Irene and Kerstin catching up on the latest
Juan... Always a smile
"Puedo ayudarle? Bienvenido a Old Ranch!"
Juan always makes the visit to Old Ranch special
Hey... Matching cast!
"Keep you arm up dear!"
"Who? Me?"
"You said the food was ready??"
Brian just realized we are getting our own turkey
"Es muss Zeit zum Essen und Feiern mit Freunden
"
Lorraine joined us for Thanksgiving
Irene makes the day special
and keeps Bernie laughing
Good to see Jan and Brian back where it is dry
Jan and David... Patiently waiting for the buffet to open
Carri and Ellen waited and obseved carefully and were first in line
Nick's first pass through the line
"I will not spill it.. I will not spill it!"
"It's turkey day..."
Greg and Bob hit the chow line...
"Now this is good vittles"
"Save the silverware"
Bob placed a special order for turkey
"I like bacon also!"
Arturo was working hard... He is amazing... He knows our family and
friends and makes sure everyone is having a good time!
Arturo is the best
The plates are getting filled and then suddenly disappearing
"Hello up there!"
"Get back down here... We are eating everything"
Bill's seventh pass through the line
OMG... Paul is in the picture?
We called for the turkey.....
Lorraine is awaiting dessert
All smiles
Hans found the dessert
Knife and fork in the proper position
"Come and get it... Come and get it" or
"Ven y cógelo... Ven y cógelo"
The bird gets applause
That was a good sized turkey
Juan sets it down in a place of honor
"All ready to carve"
The last time you will see him in one piece
We had a long talk with Greg before we gave him the knife
"Easy... Women and children to the rear... Gentlemen, beware of flying knives"
One last sip before I get the knives (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"These hands are those of a Ninja"
Greg has a great audience (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
...arms are flailing... sparks are flying
Juan adds some expert advice
Dark meat first
Did You Know? - Ounce for ounce, white turkey breast meat trumps dark meat, calorically speaking. Per 3 ounces, opting for white meat over dark will save you 45 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat: 115 calories and 0 grams of saturated fat versus 160 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat, respectively.
Both white and dark meat are a good source of protein, offering 26 and 24 grams per serving, respectively. Dark meat does, however, have at least one nutritional advantage over white meat—it delivers more iron (11% of the daily value, compared to 7% in turkey breast).
Slicing and dicing
Did You Know? - Wild turkeys, while technically the same species as domesticated turkeys, have a very different taste from farm-raised turkeys. Almost all of the meat is "dark" (even the breast) with a more intense flavor.
The flavor can also vary seasonally with changes in available forage, often leaving wild turkey meat with a gamier flavor in late summer due to the greater number of insects in its diet over the preceding months. Wild turkey that has fed predominantly on grass and grain has a milder flavor.
"Yummy... Where does the line begin??"
Greg vs. Mr. Turkey.... Greg appears to be winning
Here comes a leg... Who is first?
The man is a cutting wizard!
"Hey Greg... I am a leg man!"
Greg is an artist with the knife and fork
Carri watches with great care at a distance
Head down and shovel it in (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Greg!! Don't bruise it!"
"I like to eat flowers!"
Ellen took Bill's flowers away (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"You should have seen it... Greg threw the turkey six feet in the
air and cut it on the way down.... It was fabulous"
Brian got his leg
Sue checks up on everyone
Dave is ready for dessert
Greg handles special requests... Irene requested a gizzard
Did You Know? - The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including archosaurs (dinosaurs, birds, pterosaurs, crocodiles and alligators), earthworms, some gastropods, some fish and some crustaceans. This specialized stomach constructed of thick, muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit.
Thirty minutes later and Greg is still working hard
Everyone tried the turkey... Except Sue
The turkey was delicious
...a few words from our "Official Carver"
"A tip of our glasses to Herb... We miss you dear friend"
A toast also to good friends and family
"How did I do??" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Getting the camera ready to go (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"I smell dessert!" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Chief desserter in charge (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Paul and Jan perform a "dessert excorcism" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Filler up (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Cakes and cookies (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Bernie... I got you some desserts"
Brian assisted Paul in tieing Paul's shoes...
The centerpieces found good homes
You were such a beautiful bird...
"Yo... Save some for me!!'
The "Hans-Cam" gets pressed into duty
The pinks almost match...
Brian and Hans
sharing cookies...
Ellen catches up on all the latest
"Slurp... Gurgle..."
"That's my Dad!
"I got my smile from him!"
Good night all (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
We visited Amy and Joe and the boys (and Amy's folks - Tony and Michele ) before heading to
Luisa's to visit with Mitch, Luisa, Zack, and Connor
Bye bye Lilly