Beyond Words

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and you know what that means: food. Lots of food! And, as much as we love all the turkey and fixings they are no bueno for something else we love: our pets.

 

In addition to lots of food, Thanksgiving is also all about lots of people and kitchen chaos, which means you may not pay attention to what your dogs eat or sneak on the side. But if you want a day without a pet emergency room visit, you might want to take note of the ASPCA’s do’s and don’ts of Thanksgiving for pet owners.

 

 

When talking turkey, it’s tough to not give your dog a little nibble of the bird but just make sure it’s fully cooked, skinless, boneless, and has no tracings of twine or foil. The skin can be especially dangerous for Fido, as it will have spices, sauces, and fats that could all be dangerous and hard to digest.

 

Bones, even those cooked like neck bones, are the worst and if ingested, will wreak havoc on a dog or cat’s digestive track. They splinter inside an animal and could lead to that dreaded emergency room visit.

 

Lastly, be sure to double bag and wrap-tie the turkey carcass and toss in an outside bin and keep all garbage away from pets.

 

 

What’s the other Thanksgiving Day standard? Pumpkin pie. The confection is my absolute favorite but raw yeast dough will not be your pet’s fave. If ingested, the yeast converts sugars in the dough into carbon dioxide, gas, and alcohol, which can result in a bloated almost drunken pet with severe pain. This could be life-threatening and comes into play when making rolls and other bread items as well.

 

Nutmeg is a key ingredient in pumpkin pie and traditional sweet potato casseroles, but it is a big no-no for dogs. In fact, the seasonal favorite can cause seizures and central nervous system problems if ingested by a pup. Pumpkin and sweet potatoes themselves are fine in moderation; just make sure they don’t have any nutmeg or other spices.

 

 

Along those same lines are onions and garlic. These two are pretty commonly known as bad for dogs, but just in case you didn’t know it, keep them away from your four-legged friends at all times. Both contain sulfides that are toxic to dogs and can lead to anemia. Between the two, onions are more toxic than garlic and cooking them does not reduce their toxicity.

 

When I think of the holidays from my childhood, I remember my parents always had a big bowl of nuts on the coffee table. They were in a special wooden bowl and were not shelled. An old-school nutcracker and shell picker were always part of the set-up but when I think about it, it’s nuts to have nuts laying around if you have dogs, which we always did.

 

Nuts, especially walnuts and macadamia nuts, are uber dangerous for your dog. If a bad reaction occurs, a dog will be unable to stand, will vomit, suffer tremors and elevated heart rate, as well as both a fever and weakness within 12 hours of digesting the nuts. Thankfully most symptoms go away but why risk it? Keep those nuts up high people.

 

Other things you should keep away from your pets

Drippings and Gravy

Turkey Stuffing

Raisins and Grapes

Mushrooms

Corn on the Cob

Butter

Chocolate

Alcohol

 

It’s not all bad news though and there are plenty of Thanksgiving Day items that can be safely added to your mutt’s menu, including:

Boneless, skinless and well-cooked turkey meat

Sweet potatoes (plain)

Plain pumpkin puree

Green beans

Cranberry sauce

Carrots (raw or cooked but plain)

Apples

 

If you think your precious pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4436. It’s a number you should probably keep handy all year long.

 

 

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and one with safe and happy pets!

I’m guessing that when you read that headline you might have thought this was going to be about everything Christmas now with Thanksgiving taking a back seat, but no, it’s actually all about Thanksgiving and its history.

 

As we gather round our tables and TVs on Thursday to celebrate the uniquely American holiday that is Thanksgiving, let’s take a minute to learn why we’re doing so and take another minute to actually be thankful.

 

 

Appropriately, the very first Thanksgiving was preceded by a series of tumultuous events, starting in September of 1620 when a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England carrying 102 passengers. The group consisted of an assortment of religious separatists who were seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and were joined by others lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in a New World. You could say the Mayflower was filled with the original faithful and original capitalists.

 

 

After a very treacherous 66 day trip, the Mayflower dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod and one month later crossed Massachusetts Bay where who we now call Pilgrims established a village at Plymouth.  It still was rough going though, as during that first brutal winter most of them remained on board and many got sick. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring.

 

 

The following March in 1621, surviving settlers moved ashore and were later visited by various Native Americans who taught them how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish, and avoid poisonous plants. In November, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited their Native American allies for what is now considered America’s first “Thanksgiving.”

 

In 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation when he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to our war of independence and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. It wasn’t until 1846, however, that Thanksgiving became a national holiday when Abraham Lincoln made it official during the height of the Civil War. His proclamation entreated all Americans to ask God to “commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of this nation.” Lincoln deemed the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day, but in 1939 Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression.

 

 

As I write the I can’t help but think what our former leaders would think if they could see us today. Washington would probably cringe that many want to disparge our Constitution and Lincoln would think his words sadly ring as clear today as they did back then. Racial and civil strife. Heal the nation. Chills, right? And as for Roosevelt’s move, it was probably a wise one for the times, but how ironic that the holiday meant to stimulate gratitude is followed by a day when we’re cajoled to spur retail sales. We’re so thankful and yet want so much.

 

 

Even in the midst of disagreemnt out there, my hope is that we can all agree that there is always, always something to be thankful for. So this year, let’s really count our blessings. Count our joys instead of our woes, count our friends instead of our foes, count our courage instead of our fear, count our health instead of our wealth, and count our smiles instead of our tears.

 

Thanksgiving Fun Facts

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be named the national bird instead of the bald eagle.

The tradition of the president pardoning a turkey every year started with Harry Truman.

More than 250 million turkeys are raised in the U.S. with more than 40 million gobbled up on Thanksgiving.

Male turkey gobble; females cluck.

The original Pilgrims and Native Americans probably shared rabbit, chicken, fish, goose, pigeon, squash, cabbage, beans, nuts, onions, eggs, and cheese at the first Thanksgiving, with not a green bean casserole in sight.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

I’ll be spending Thanksgiving this year again with my husband’s side of the family along with our daughter, which has become an annual tradition I’ve grown to love. Another tradition I love is the serving of cranberry sauce alongside the turkey, dressing, potatoes, green beans, pies, and the likes. In fact, it’s something I often volunteer to take and will do so again this year.

 

I was never a big fan of cranberries back in the “open a can and pour out the log” days, but I’ve grown to love them with each new recipe I’ve discovered as well as my tried and true one. What about you? Yay or nay on cranberry sides? And what exactly are those little red berries that we generally only eat once a year?

 

The small, red, and tart fruit is actually very healthy and we can thank Native Americans for them as they mixed cranberries with deer meat waaaay back in the day. They may have even shared some with the Pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving Day.

 

 

History also notes sailors used cranberries as a source of Vitamin C to prevent scurvy and more recent studies suggest cranberries promote gastrointestinal and oral health, raise the good HDL cholesterol, and may even help prevent cancer.

 

 

The very first official harvesting of cranberries was by Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall, who planted the first commercial beds in Dennis, Massachusetts in 1816. Many of today’s cranberry bogs are in fact more than 100 years old!

 

 

Cranberries grow on low-running vines in sandy marshes and are one of only three commercially grown fruits native to North America…the other two being blueberries and Concord grapes. During harvesting, the berry marshes are flooded, special equipment is used to knock the berries off the vines, and then they float to the surface. Most of the world’s cranberries are grown on some 50,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada and are harvested in September and October. Perfect timing for fresh cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving!

 

Each year, Americans eat about 400 million pounds of cranberries with 20 percent of them consumed over Thanksgiving. The fruit can be eaten both fresh and dried and is popular in muffins, trail mixes, cereals, salads, and of course juices.

 

So, what do you prefer? Fresh or canned? Whole berry canned or jellied? I prefer the whole berry and fresh but if you like that blob of gelled stuff, here’s a fun way to make it festive using cookie cutters.

 

And just in case you don’t have enough food planned (LOL!), here are some yummy recipes that use cranberries. Use them this week or all year long!

 

 

Cranberry Brie Cups (Great for Thanksgiving morning!)

1 8 oz. tube crescent rolls dough

1 8 oz. wheel of brie (can substitute cream cheese)

½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce

Optional: chopped pecans on top

 

Preheat oven to 375 and grease mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out crescent dough and pinch together seams.

Cut into 24 squares and place into muffin tin slots.

Cut cheese into small pieces and place inside crescent dough.

Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.

Bake until crescent pastry is golden, about 15 minutes.

 

 

Festive Pineapple Cranberry Salad (My favorite!)

1 can mandarin oranges

2 pkg. raspberry flavored gelatin

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce or 1 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries thawed and boiled.

1 apple, chopped

Optional: chopped pecans

Drain oranges and pour juice into sauce pan with 3 cups cold water. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Add dry gelatin and stir 2 minutes. Stir in cranberry sauce. Pour into large bowl and add oranges and apple. Refrigerate 1 ½ hours or until slightly thickened.

 

 

Three Ingredient Cranberry Relish

(Anthony Bourdain calls this, “Delicious and truly one of the easiest recipes in the world.”)

Wash 1 large orange under warm water. Dry and coarsely chop skin, flesh, and pith. Remove seeds. Combine orange and 12 oz. fresh cranberries in food processor. Pulse until mixture appears grainy. Transfer to bowl and fold in 1 cup sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.

 

 

Tangy Cranberry Meatballs (great use for any leftover cranberry sauce!)

Leftover cranberry sauce

¼ rice vinegar

2 T ketchup

2 T soy sauce

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t brown sugar

¼ cup water

2 lb. pkg. precooked cocktail-size meatballs

 

In a large saucepan combine all ingredients except meatballs, cook on medium low, and stir until smooth.

Add meatballs and cook until heated, about 10-15 minutes.

 

 

Cranberry Nut Bread (my mom’s recipe)

2 cups fresh, whole cranberries

2 T butter

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup and 2 T sugar

1 ¾ t baking powder

1 t salt

1 egg, well beaten

1/3 cup orange juice

1 t grated orange rind

¼ cup water

Cut cranberries in half. Melt and set aside butter. Sift together dry ingredients. Combine egg, orange juice, and water. Make well in dry ingredients and add liquids. Stir in butter. Add orange rind and cranberries. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

 

 

Cranberry Salsa Dip

1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

½ cup sugar

Green onions, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 lime, juiced

Pinch of salt

2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

Put all ingredients except cream cheese in food processor. Pulse until ingredients are chopped coarsely. Put in airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. After, spread softened cream cheese on serving plate and spread salsa over cream cheese. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

 

 

Cranberry Hot Tea

1 48 oz. can cranberry juice cocktail

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup orange juice

1 cup lemonade

1 cup pineapple juice

Cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Serve warm with cinnamon stick garnish.

 

 

Cranberry Punch

2 bottles cranberry juice

1 ½ bottles water (using juice bottle to measure)

2 cans frozen orange juice, thawed

Juice of 3 lemons or 9 T lemon juice

1 pkg. red hot candies

Whole cloves and sugar to taste

Put all ingredients in pot and heat on low until red hots melt. Transfer to crock pot to serve and keep warm.

 

Cape Cod

Mix 1 part vodka with cranberry juice to taste in highball glass and fill with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.

Variations:

Sea Breeze: add grapefruit juice

Bay Breeze: add pineapple juice

Cosmopolitan: add triple sec and serve in martini glass

 

 

Cranberry Kiss Cocktail

1.5 oz. cranberry vodka

2 oz. cranberry juice

1.5 oz. simple sugar

Lime wedges and mint leaves

Muddle 3 lime wedges and 8 mint leaves in a shaker. Add other ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with floating mint leaves.

 

There you have it. Lots of fun info about and lots of fun recipes for cranberries. Have a berry happy Thanksgiving!

 

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.  Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words.  Gratitude is shown in acts.”

Henri Frederic Amiel

 

I’m sad. I’m a bit mad. And most of all I’ve had it. I’ve had it with Christmas taking over Thanksgiving’s important November role:  that of being the holiday of gratitude, family, and friends. And food. And football. And fall. And simply one day for festivities and fun.

 

I LOVE Thanksgiving.  I love the food, I love the football, I love the family and friends, and I love fall.  I don’t love that people are already putting up Christmas trees and Christmas lights. Don’t get me wrong, I also love Christmas, but there’s a time and a place for everything.  And a month.

 

October is for Halloween.

November is for Thanksgiving.

December is for Christmas.

 

 

 

Holidays shouldn’t mix and match.  We don’t mesh Valentine’s Day with St. Patrick’s Day and Easter, so why Thanksgiving and Christmas? I don’t get it and it’s just wrong to be serving your turkey and dressing as you turn on the lights of your Christmas tree.  I know many of you disagree with me and countless of you may have already started your Christmas decoration deluge and I apoligize for wishing otherwise.

 

 

Thanksgiving is very important.  Giving thanks and being grateful always is, so devoting an entire day to doing so should not be overshadowed by any other holiday or event…including Black Friday, the day we want everything after the day of being thankful for what we have.

 

 

 

For those of you who don’t know or have forgotten its origins, the very first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in answer to their prayers for an end to the drought so they would have food. Those same pilgrims worked side-by-side with their new neighbors, Native American Indians, in a show of ultimate acceptance and teamwork.  These are important moments in our nation’s history and deserve to be saluted…all by themselves.

 

 

So please, do us all a favor and put away your lights and ornaments for just two more weeks.  Let’s all give Thanksgiving the holiday and the honor it deserves. I’ll be ever so thankful if you do.

 

 

 

It’s been a long couple of months in our country and I for one am glad the vitriol is over. I posted the above photo after last Tuesday’s election and have lived by it for years both because I have lived in a city for almost 40 years that leans opposite of what I do in most things and because it’s the right thing to do. Many longtime friends lean differently then I do but, except for a handful who have come and gone, I remain friends with them after all these years. Most of them are very dear and treasured friends and we have survived many an election and I’m confident we will survive many more. Those who are no longer on the radar either chose to walk away from our friendship or on a few rare occasions, I have. And that’s okay.

 

Sadly, I’ve seen lots of inflammatory and insulting posts and a friend private messaged me regarding my above post and it was heartbreaking. Apparently, a dear friend of hers of nearly 50 years and who is considered family in so many ways, “unfriended” her. My friend is both lost and heartbroken and I was at a loss for words when she told me. What do you say?

 

What I wanted to say is “shame on her!” No one deserves that and to do it on social media is even more egregious. But such is the time we live in as much as we claim to be tolerant and as I’ve personally witnessed in posts. It’s all very sad and very, well, unfriendly.

 

This all brought up an article I recently read on doing a friendship audit and now might be as good a time as any to consider doing one. What exactly am I talking about? Basically, just taking stock of your circles of friends and whether you’re experiencing more pain than gain from them. I can honestly say I don’t feel the need to do this personally, but I have experienced these types of audits in the past so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned and what I read.

 

 

There’s no arguing that there’s no comfort in the world like a good friend or a good group of friends. I’m blessed with many and I count my blessings almost daily for each and every one of them. We all long for friends who lift us up, make us laugh, and encourage and support us. Sadly, sometimes we discover that some pals may be sapping our energy and no longer inspiring us. Those are the ones we should consider a friendship audit for. How so?

 

Psychotherapist and author Terri Cole and friendship expert and coach Shari Land shared their thoughts with “Woman’s Day” and I’ll share some with you here.

 

Cole suggests we audit our friendships once-a-year or so and to start by asking yourself three questions:

• How do I feel when I think about spending time with them?
• How do I feel when we’re together?
• How do I feel after?

If you answer anything other than some version of “good” or “great” or things like excited, happy, supported, heard, inspired, loved, uplifted, or understood, it may be time to consider cutting ties. Considering that many friends in our transient lives may live miles away, I would include “talking to” along with the “spending time with” question and to always give grace to those friends who may be going through a tough time.

 

 

The goal is to be intentional about spending time with those who make you feel your best, even when you’re not at your best. It’s also important to stay open and flexible. Not all friendships are obvious at the start and not are all meant to last. There’s a famous saying that goes “friends are there for a reason or for a season.” Be honest with yourself and be open to not clinging to friendships that drain you or fail to nurture you and also be open to gravitating to those who aren’t like you. I have many friends whose interests are different then mine but I learn from them and they open my eyes to new and different perspectives. Think Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart and you might just find that friend who surprises you and enhances your life in ways you never thought possible.

 

Finding new friends can be difficult as we get older though. When you want to meet new people, it’s recommended you join three things: a health-related local cause or class, a social club, and an arts organization. Research shows that we tend to like people better when we believe they like us and it’s no secret that people will respond warmly when you make a friendly gesture, so show someone you’d like to become closer. Be intentional too. Make time for those important to you and who make you feel your best and always be willing to take a chance.

 

Friendships happen at all stages of life so be sure to surround yourself with the right people for where you are right now. In your 20s, a friend might be one who likes the same nightlife as you do but during your parenting years, it’s likely those who have kids the same age and in the same activities. As you mature in your career, your coworkers may be your best buddies and as you age and retire, it’s often more about character and interests that you gravitate toward.

 

 

If you feel the time has come to cut the ties that bind you, don’t be bound to not letting go even though letting go of a once-cherished friendship is said to be as painful as a romantic breakup; especially if there’s a lot of history. The key is to move forward with your integrity in tact and not holding onto a friendship because you feel guilty. Let go of the guilt and let go.

 

 

Ancient philosophers and contemporary researchers agree that strong bonds with other people are keys to happiness. But they also note that the things we do to impress others rarely impresses them for long but the things we do to provide value can last a lifetime. Be honest, be kind, and be you. After that, the politics will take care of themselves and you can vote to move ahead or move on.