Beyond Words

Have you finished your Thanksgiving Day grocery shopping? Are the pies baked? Did sweet potatoes or yams make the cut? I love them both and whichever is picked for Turkey Day I’m okay with as they are both healthy and yummy. Healthy and yummy, but different and not interchangeable.

 

 

The popular saying is “puh-tay-toe” “puh-tah-toe,” but this time of year it switches to sweet potatoes or yams. So, as we get ready to celebrate all things we are thankful for, let’s say thank you to the two orangey potatoes! Both are critical Thanksgiving Day side dishes and chalk full of nutrients. Okay, maybe not when mixed with brown sugar and marshmallows, but when done right, they really should be part of not only your Thanksgiving menu, but your year-long diet.

 

First things first: sweet potatoes aren’t yams and they’re not even true potatoes! According to my Concierge Choice Physicians newsletter, a potato is considered a “tuber” and a sweet potato is actually a root vegetable. Both potatoes and sweet potatoes grow under the soil and as for yams vs. sweet potatoes, they are both root vegetables but belong to two different plant families.  And by “plants,” we’re talking real plants.

 

 

The sweet potato is from the morning glory family while the yam is related to the lily. Who knew?! Yams are generally more starchy and less sweet than their sweetly named cousins and grow much larger. Just two states – Idaho and Washington – provide more than half of the total U.S. potato crop and a single state – North Carolina – accounts for more than half of hte sweet postato harvest in the U.S. And, other than Thanksgiving Day tables in the U.S.A., where you’re from may dictate which one you eat and cook with. Yams are commonly used in African, Asian, and Caribbean cooking while sweet potatoes are generally more popular in New World meals.

 

We all feel better when we order those “healthy” sweet potato fries instead of regular fries and many of you consider fresh sweet potatoes healthier than those canned cubes soaked in syrup, but ironically many of the popular canned yams you see this time of year are technically sweet potatoes. If you’re picky about one or the other, check the label. When buying fresh ones, you’ll also want to check your choice.

 

 

As you peruse the produce department, know that yams have long, tapered shapes and skin that looks like bark on a tree. They have a neutral flavor, tough flesh, yucca-like texture, and are best when boiled in savory recipes like soups and stews.

 

The most common varieties of sweet potatoes have smooth orange or reddish skin, orange flesh, and a sweet flavor. Surprisingly, both (even the canned ones) are healthy depending on how you prepare them. Let’s start with yams.

 

 

Yams are linked to many health benefits including boosting brain health, reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar levels, inhibiting the progression of both osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and reducing cholesterol and LDL levels. A single yam also packs nearly 370 percent of your daily Vitamin A requirement and even canned yams are great sources of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, and antioxidants. Canned yams in syrup are non-GMO, contain no preservatives, and are certified by the American Heart Association as a heart healthy food.

 

 

But what about all that syrup in the canned variety? What’s really in it? Basically, sweet potatoes, water, corn syrup, and sugar. Ick, right? No worries! You can actually remove the sugar by rinsing the pieces in water before cooking because pieces of sweet potato don’t absorb sugar. Whatever is in the can stays on the surface of them prior to rinsing, which can also get rid of much of the syrup. Perhaps best of all is the fact that canned sweet potatoes are already cooked meaning Aunt Carla’s famous Sweet Potato Casserole cooks fast and who doesn’t want at least a few Thanksgiving dishes that cook quickly?

 

 

Sweet potatoes on the whole have a higher concentration of most nutrients, have more fiber, and are generally more nutritious than yams. In fact, they are considered “nutrient dense” in that one cup of a baked sweet potato with the skin on provides more than 50 percent of your daily Vitamin A, C, and magnesium requirement and more than 25 percent of your Vitamin B6 and potassium requirement. They are also loaded with antioxidants that protect your body from inflammation and possibly even cancer, heart disease, and aging.

 

Sweet potatoes are also good for your gut as they are laden with both soluble and insoluble fiber and their antioxidants promote healthy gut bacteria growth, the former may lower the risk of colon cancer and the latter is thought to limit conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome.

 

The eyes also have it with sweet potatoes! What food do we immediately think of as good for the eyes? Carrots, right? What color are carrots? Orange. What color is the flesh of a sweet potato? Orange. And yes, you guessed it; that orange color is due to high amounts of beta-carotene, which your body converts into Vitamin A and uses to form light-detecting receptors inside your eyes, much like it does with carrots. And, how ironic that both carrots and sweet potatoes are root vegetables.

 

 

In the end, can you substitute sweet potatoes for yams and vice-versa? The bad news and short answer is “no,” so do your best to use what is listed on any given recipe. The good news is, those canned yams aren’t as bad as you maybe thought they were. Want a sweet dish? Go for true sweet potatoes. Want a more savory dish? Opt for yams. Want it in a hurry? A canned variety is the way to go. Whichever you choose, I hope your dish is yummy! Let’s be thankful for them all.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and here are a few recipes you might enjoy. I personally leave out the pecans in most but am including them for your preference.

 

Ann’s Perfectly Baked Sweet Potato

Wash potato and cut off both ends.

Put in cold oven directly on rack and above cookie sheet and then heat to 425.

Cook for 1 hour and then turn off oven but keep potato in oven for 30 more minutes.

Top with butter or toppings of your choice.

 

 

Candied Yam Soufflé

Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 stick of butter

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

2 large (40 oz.) can large yams or sweet potatoes, drained

1 t ground cinnamon

1 t ground nutmeg

1 12 oz. jar marshmallow topping (or mini marshmallows)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

Add brown sugar and pecans and simmer for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, place drained yams in large bowl and mash finely.

Pour sugar/pecan mixture over yams and stir until thoroughly combined.

Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir.

Transfer to a metal pie pan and top with marshmallow topping or marshmallows.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and raise oven temp to 400 degrees and bake additional 10 minutes.

Watch carefully to keep from over burning.

 

 

Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

Crust Ingredients

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

¾ cup chopped nuts…pecans preferred

¼ cup melted butter

 

Sweet Potato Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup salt

½ t vanilla

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

¼ cup butter

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine crust ingredients and mix in bowl. Set aside.

Pour sweet potato mixture into buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle crust mixture evenly on top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Allow minimum 30 minutes to cool before serving.

 

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

The Sandy Show & The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

4 whole medium sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

2 whole eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1 t salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pecans

½ cup flour

¾ stick of softened butter

 

Directions

Wash potatoes and bake at 375 about 30-35 minutes or until fork tender.

When done, slice open and scrape out flesh into a large bowl.

Add sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt and mash slightly.

In separate bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter and mix thoroughly.

Spread sweet potato mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with crumb mixture on top.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

 

 

Praline Sweet Potatoes

Texascooppower.com

Potatoes Ingredients

3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 t vanilla extract

½ cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) melted butter

 

Topping Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

1/3 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

 

Preheat oven to 350 and butter 9 x 13 baking dish.

In large bowl, combine potatoes with brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, and butter.

Pour into prepared baking dish.

In small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, and flour.

Stir in melted butter until crumble forms.

Scatter evenly over top of sweet potatoes.

Bake 30-40 minutes and until topping is golden brown or crunchy.

 

 

Heart Healthy Chipotle Chili

Orlandodietician.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
3 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the same can)
2 cups water
2 teaspoons vegetable base
2 cups chopped kale (remove the hard stems)f
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh ground pepper to taste

6 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt (optional, for topping)

 

Directions

In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Sautee 3 minutes then add butternut squash, parsnips, and sweet potato, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Add in chili powder, cumin, cocoa and cinnamon. Cook for one more minute.

Stir in tomatoes, chipotle peppers, water and vegetable base. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add kale and stir until wilted. Add black beans, cook an additional two minutes and add pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop (one tablespoon) of Greek yogurt on top.

 

 

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Orlandodietician.com

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (skin on)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the potato well and cut into thin strips.

In a large bowl or mix together the spices and olive oil. Toss in the potatoes and coat with spice mixture (you could also do this in a large plastic bag).

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side for an additional 15 minutes or until fries are browned and crisp.

 

Disclaimer: Always check with your health provider before adding anything to your diet or nutrition plan.

 

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’ve volunteered to bring 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. 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. Have a berry Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

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.

 

I recently saw an online speaker say “The way your closet is organized is one of the biggest indicators of your current mind frame.” Hmmmmm. Let me think about that for a bit. Is that true for me and my closet? Is it true in general? Let’s open the door and have a look see.

 

 

My closet. I love it. And yes, if you know me at all you’re probably guessing it’s uber organized. And it is. I’ve organized it by short sleeve tops, long sleeve tops, dressy tops, dresses, golf clothes, fall/winter tops, hoodies, pants, leggings, vests and blazers, and longer wraps and sweaters. I also have drawers for undies and sweaters. My shoes? Cubbies and shelves. Above all of this is everything from purses, lots of ball caps and visors, small totes, luggage, bedding, gift wrapping items, and a whole slew of miscellaneous stuff. It’s all good, right?

 

Wrong.

 

I have too much of everything and I know it. It’s just hard to part with stuff I still like but probably don’t need or wear. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe I could stand a closet makeover. That’s where the Closet Curator can help and who ironically spoke recently at my neighborhood ladies organization monthly meeting.

 

 

 

Natalie Frazier is a wardrobe stylist and organizer and offers personal styling services that include any and everything that relates to your closet and the clothes in it. Her goal is to show you how to define your personal style, refine your wardrobe, and love the way you look. Sounds like a career I should have considered considering I’m extremely organized and I love fashion. But I digress…

 

Meeting attendees learned all about Frazier’s “pile system” as she systematically goes trough a client’s wardrobe and then organizes what is left in a way that best suits the client and the space available, all-in hopes of making getting dressed easier. The results are an organized wardrobe that fits your lifestyle and goals; increased knowledge of your own style, shopping habits, and body shape; and a customized list of essentials currently missing in your wardrobe. Sign me up, right?!

 

If you open your closet full of clothes and often think “I have nothing to wear” or if you’re wondering if you’re in need of any or all of the above services, Frazier suggests asking yourself the following:

 

• Do you have a closet full of clothes but often feel like you have nothing to wear?
• Do you long to be excited about going to your closet and choosing an outfit?
• Do you want to get more use out the clothes you own?
• Do you want to spend less time shopping for clothes and outfits?
• Do you want to look and feel great and get more compliments on the outfits you wear?

 

I answer “yes” to some of those but not all. My problem is I have clothes that I know I’ll probably never wear but just can’t get myself to get rid of. Some of them are former work clothes that I still love but really don’t have a need for. Others are too many special occasion dresses, blouses, and pants that I rarely choose over other similar items or worse…buy new ones for that special occasion. I have clothes that’s too big or too small and others that just don’t make the cut when getting dressed but that I do really like. I guess I need to get out more so I can wear it all!

 

That’s not gonna happen.

 

 

Enter Courtney Carver. I discovered Carver years ago when I read her book “Soulful Simplicity.” It’s still one of my favorite reads of all time. Carver also helms the “Be More with Less” minimalist lifestyle blog that encourages living with less clutter, busyness, and stress in order to simplify your life so you can enjoy it more and ultimately discover joy in less. I love her ideas even though I find many of them difficult to implement.

 

 

I’m also very hesitant to implement her fashion challenge called “Project 333” that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for three months. My first reaction is “whaaaaaat?!”, but when I honestly think about it, since the lockdown, I pretty much wear the same things every day with the random “going out” or travel items brought into the picture. Still; the challenge feels very challenging.

 

Seeing as I love clothes and love organizing, Carver’s reminder that “less stuff equals less organizing” hits encouraging. But, as with all things, maybe it’s best to start small. Carver recently posted “Three Things to Remove from Your Closet” and I found her suggestions possibly do-able:

 

Clothes that don’t fit your body. Remove clothes that don’t fit your body; your body today. Be comfortable in your clothes!

 

Clothes that don’t fit your lifestyle. (Raising my hand on this one!) Maybe you bought them for a lifestyle you used to have or one you hoped to have. You aren’t wearing those items now and they’re just taking up space and attention. Let them go and enjoy the life you have now. (Amen!)

 

Clothes that make you feel sad or bad for any reason. If you paid too much for something but never wear it, that might make you feel guilty. If someone gifted you a hideous sweater and you love them but not the sweater, you may feel bad about not wearing it. Maybe someone gave you something but that someone is no longer a positive influence in your life or even worse, hurt you. Let it go.

 

Carver also offers a much more extensive list that I’m sure many of you will appreciate:

 

33 items to remove from your closet

1. That formal outfit (bridesmaid dress) you bought for one occasion promising to wear it over and over again.
2. Those super cute shoes that you can’t walk in.
3. Clothes with sentimental value that don’t fit. Take a picture.
4. Sentimental items that make you sad.
5. The warm coat you don’t wear. Someone needs it more than you.
6. Your ex-anyone’s anything.
7. Clothes you are saving for your children.
8. Aspirational items. AKA things you would never wear in your real life.
9. Items that need to go to the dry cleaner that never get to the dry cleaner.
10. Items that need to go to the tailor that never get to the tailor.
11. Clothes that don’t belong to you. Give them back.
12. Christmas sweaters that you don’t even wear to the Christmas sweater party anymore.
13. Things that other people bought for you but you wouldn’t enjoy wearing.
14. Pieces you can see through unintentionally.
15. Clothing or shoes that leave a mark or blister.
16. Anything you have to squeeze in to or items that make you want to change your body. Change your clothes instead.
17. Expensive things. Just because you spent a lot on it doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever.
18. Clothes you bought on vacation that you won’t wear where you live.
19. Anything with a stain that won’t come out.
20. Things with rips or holes that aren’t supposed to be there.
21. Extra purses and handbags.
22. Clothing that irritates your skin.
23. Things that don’t fit your body.
24. Things that don’t fit your lifestyle.
25. Sequins and sparkles if you prefer simple and subtle.
26. Simple and subtle if you prefer sequins and sparkles.
27. That shirt you bought in every color even though you always wear the black one.
28. Stuff with price tags still attached.
29. Clothes that make you feel bad for any reason.
30. Items you bought because they were “your color” and you hate that color.
31. Anything you haven’t worn in more than 3 years.
32. Something you feel guilty about letting go of. When you let go, the guilt will go with it.
33. Anything already in the donation bag. It’s time to let go.

 

I’m wondering if you see yourself in any of them as I do. Numbers 2, 5, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, and 31 have my name all over them but don’t even think about me getting rid of number 25. I love sequins and glittery things but yes, I don’t wear all of them often. Still, hands off my sparkle.

 

In the end, I will try my hardest to purge and pile but will ultimately live by the wise words my daughter told me: “Wear what makes you feel pretty.” Well said my love; well said.

 

 

 

I’m guessing that when you read that headline you might have thought this was going to be about everything being 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 later next week and 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, which should be somewhat a given given all the scary and bad news out there.

 

 

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 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 our Constitution is being disparaged by many and in many ways 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 all our own. We’re so thankful and yet want so much.

 

 

Even in the midst of so much negativity and strife out there, there is always, always something to be thankful for. So this year, let’s try to count really 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 recently posted that question on social media and it’s amazing how passionate people are either way. One is definitely a Candy Corn lover or hater. I personally LOVE Candy Corn. It’s hands down my favorite traditional Halloween treat. Amazingly I don’t even like Halloween though, and I don’t enjoy having to dress up in a costume. But give me Candy Corn and I’m a happy camper. In fact, I love all things Candy Corn as you’ll see in the photos I’ve included here.

 

You are undoubtedly seeing the traditional triangular-shaped treats with their iconic white, orange, and yellow pattern on every store shelf this time of year. Candy Corn has become synonymous with Halloween but that wasn’t always the case.

 

Candy Corn’s history dates back to the 1880s when George Renninger, an employee of the Wunderle Candy Company in Philadelphia, came up with the idea of molding butter cream into the shape of a corn kernel. The exact recipe is unknown, although it’s suspected the main ingredients were butter cream, sugar, and corn syrup, meaning Candy Corn does indeed contain “corn” in at least some form! At the time corn was an American staple in feeding both families and livestock and its target market was agricultural and rural families. In fact, the treat’s original name was “chicken feed!”

 

Much like the above fun cereal treats, Renninger’s creation could be molded into any shape, with chestnuts, turnips, and peapods being some of the first options before today’s shape took hold. Candy Corn’s chewy substance is generally made from sugar, egg whites, and ground almonds and being that it had limited availability due to the amount of labor it took to make, it became forever linked as a harvest and fall-time treat. It was only natural that its association with Halloween would happen.

 

 

Jelly Belly, then known as the Goelitz Confectionary Company, is credited with popularizing the Candy Corn more than a century ago when it began making the candy in its Cincinnati factory in 1898 using the original recipe to create the tri-color candy. How its made has changed dramatically however.

 

 

The confection took off but being that its three distinct stripes were painstakingly poured by hand, demand was hard to keep up with. Originally, workers had to carry 45 pounds of sugar and corn syrup down a conveyor belt laden with candy trays. They then had to pass the streamers over the trays so the liquid could drip into the molds, repeating the process with each color to make a single piece of candy consisting of its signature signature white tip, orange middle, and yellow tip. Not only did this require strength and endurance, it was very time-consuming.

 

Thankfully, America’s factory economy took off and now equipment does most of the work. An estimated 17,000 tons or 35 million pounds of the seasonal staple are produced annually using a recipe that hasn’t changed much over the years. Jelly Belly alone makes 9 billion kernels every year!

 

So, what does Candy Corn taste like and what is it supposed to taste like? That’s a matter of personal palate but according to Jelly Belly the main flavors are rich marshmallow and warm vanilla. As for the texture, which is critical to me in any food, Candy Corn is meant to be creamy and smooth.

 

Another fun side of Candy Corn is the fact that you can teach young kids the concept of The Holy Trinity with it in that even though it’s made up of three parts, it’s one candy. Love it.

 

As with anything, Candy Corn has morphed into more than its original form, including red and green “Reindeer Corn” and pink and red “Cupid Corn.” Yes, I would probably eat those, but being the traditionalist that I am, I pretty much stick to the white, orange, and yellow originals. I don’t even like the ones that have a chocolate-flavored brown portion. I do, however, love the pumpkin shaped candies.

 

What about you? Do you love or hate Candy Corn? What is your favorite Halloween treat?

 

Who knew those little white, orange, and yellow candies had such a long and storied history. I for one will be buying some and invite you to join me as we celebrate National Candy Corn Day on October 30. I might even polish my nails!

 

 

 

 

Happy first day of fall! And, even though it’s still hot here in Texas we’ve at least seem to have left the 100+ degrees behind us. Woohoo!

 

 

Fall is my favorite season. I love fall clothes, I love traditional fall weather, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I love football! When I think of fall, I think of all of those things but I also think of something else: chile. Yep, not pumpkin spice, but chile. Fall is when that scrumptious green chile is harvested and roasted in New Mexico towns like Hatch and Chimayo. If I close my eyes, I can smell the distinct aroma.

 

Another fall tradition is all things pumpkin spice. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of that legendary beverage, the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. The drink was a huge hit from the moment that it was introduced, and it’s now Starbucks’s best-selling seasonal beverage and apparently, it’s every company’s dream is to create the next Pumpkin Spice. And just for fun, when I do venture into a Starbucks, I love giving the barista any name but my own. My favorite is Natasha. Give it a try! You can be anyone you want in Starbucks!

 

But back to chile.

 

 

August through October is green chile harvesting season and it’s around this time of year that grocery stores start hosting Hatch chile roasting events with chile roasters out front presiding over big steel and mesh cylinder roasters and turning green chile peppers around and around until they are just right to be packaged and sold. Inside the stores you’ll find green chile infused bacon, cookies, breads, cheeses, and even wines. I stock up on all of them. I’m also a sucker for green chile cheeseburgers.

 

Growing up in Santa Fe, we’d roast the chiles at home either on the grill or in the oven. I’ve done both as I’ve grown up, but now that they’re conveniently at my nearby grocer, I leave the roasting to them. I do remember, however, my husband and I bringing home burlap sacks full of chile from Santa Fe…a couple of times on a plane! Those days are over but our freezer is still stocked full of both frozen whole green chile and chopped.

 

 

If you buy the chile whole, you need to peel each roasted pepper before using them in any recipes. This is easily done in a sink. Simply run light water, peel the roasted skin off much as you would a banana, then hold the pepper and pull off the stem. This will allow you to open up the pepper and remove any remaining seeds. From there, you just chop it up and use it as you wish. Word of caution: be sure to wash your hands after peeling the peppers!

 

Not many states have a food that is as closely related to them as chile is to New Mexico save for maybe lobster in Maine, gumbo in Louisiana, chowder in Massachusetts, and pizza in New York. The self-proclaimed “Chile Capital of the World,” New Mexico takes its chile seriously. But what is so distinctive about it and why is it so famous?

 

 

 

First of all, it’s different then other peppers like Serrano or Poblano and it’s unique to NM. In fact, many consider the 10-mile-long Hatch Valley; near Las Cruces, New Mexico and not far from El Paso, Texas; the best chile growing region on Earth. Yep, Earth. The area’s high elevation at just over 4,000 feet, intense heat, dry weather, and slightly alkaline soil all contribute to making the perfect blend for growing the chile. It’s been said that the area’s soil and climate do for chiles what Champagne’s does for sparkling wine and Parma’s does for cheese. Hmmmm…a bottle of bubbly with some green chile cheese sounds pretty good right now!

 

 

 

Hatch chile may be the most famous, but Northern New Mexico has its own, albeit a bit more “best kept secret” chile hot spot. Chimayo, just north of Santa Fe, is well-known for its variety of chile and its James Beard Award winning restaurant Rancho de Chimayo has what I consider the pictured above and best stacked chicken enchiladas anywhere. Maybe even on Earth!

 

So how on Earth did two small villages in New Mexico come upon a harvest unlike any other?

 

 

According to the information displayed at the New World Cuisine exhibit at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, it was Spanish colonizers who founded Santa Fe in 1610 and immigrated into New Mexico in the 1500’s and brought chile with them. They introduced chile to Indigenous Pueblo people and converted the Nahuatl name, chilli, to chile. Unlike the chili in Texas and other places (which I also love), chile in New Mexico is both a plant and a dish.

 

When you order a dish like enchiladas in New Mexico you will often be asked if you want red, green, or Christmas, the latter being both. I’d say green chile is more famous and the only one my husband will eat (and he ADORES his green chile especially in his scrambled eggs and breakfast tacos) but red is my favorite in tamales, Frito pies, and for breakfast with eggs. For enchiladas, it’s only green for me and green is what you make chile rellenos with. Both can be made into sauces, which are called green chile and red chile.

 

 

And quick note on those amazing enchiladas: they are “stacked,” not rolled. This means they come to you on a plate like pancakes do and if you’re really a native or enchilada expert, you know to order them with blue corn tortillas. Above is a sample of my mom’s enchiladas, which try as I may, I can never fully duplicate.

 

 

Red chile is perhaps most famous for those often-considered decorative ristras that hang on many a porch and door in New Mexico. Traditionally they actually serve a purpose. They are ripened green chile peppers that are strung together then hung in the sun to dry. The dried pods are then ground up into a flour-like powder, which is used to make red chile sauce.

 

If you ever get a chance, go to the Hatch Chile Festival, held annually now for 51 years. At it, you’ll get your fill of all things chile and enjoy a parade headed by The Chile Queen and her Red and Green Princesses. What’s not to love about that?!

 

 

Not only is green chile delectable, but a steaming pot of the peppers is also healthy and chalk full of Vitamins C, A, and K as well as potassium and are excellent and natural sources of iron. They also speed up one’s metabolism as much as 50 percent for up to three hours after eating, have zero calories, and are loaded with antioxidants. The capsaicin in them is also said to be beneficial in combating the common cold or sinus infections. Lastly, they actually make you feel good! The heat produced by chile acts as an effective pain reliever as the endorphins released when you eat them boost your mood. Yummy and healthy. I’m in!

 

When it comes to chile, I’m all in for all of it. Just writing this makes me crave some stacked enchiladas smothered in green chile with a side of whole beans. I better get cooking!

 

 

Most can name what film that quote comes from, as with “Show me the money,” “I’ll have what she’s having,” “You can’t handle the truth,” and “Just keep swimming.” We all have our favorites and we all remember many a line and cherish many a soundtrack.

 

I recently blogged about the power of music in our lives and it wasn’t soon after that I came across a post entitled “Films that Changed My Life.” It piqued my interest and made me wonder that same thing. I’m not going to be as dramatic as “changed my life,” but are there films that I love and will watch again and again? I’m saying yes!

 

 

Actually pause, because when I think about it, one film that could maybe qualify as changing my life is “Brian’s Song,” the 1971 movie that recounts the life of Brian Piccolo, a Chicago Bears football player stricken with terminal cancer, focusing on his friendship with teammate Gale Sayers and brilliantly portrayed by James Caan and Billy Dee Williams. Being the rule follower that I am though, I hesitate to include it on my official list here because it wasn’t a film in the movie theater but an ABC Movie of the Week on TV. Still, it by all means merits at least a mention here. Same goes for “Cinderella” starring Lesley Anne Warren. Looking back, my first real memory of seeing a movie in a theatre was I saw “Grease” in Santa Fe’s historic Lensic Theatre, even though my dad did co-own a few theatres when I was growing up. I still really like “Grease,” but I’m not certain it falls on my all-time faves list.

 

On that note, roll the curtain up for my list of my favorite movies of all time…

 

“Goodwill Hunting”

Love that quote and love this movie so much it might be my favorite of all time.

 

 

“Sound of Music”

“Mary Poppins” (one of my favorite quotes every is from Mary when she tells Jane and Michael “Enough is as good as a feast.” She’s not wrong.)

“My Fair Lady” (and nearly every Audrey Hepburn movie TBH)

“Bye, Bye Birdie”

I will watch these three musicals anytime anywhere and pretty much know all the words and scenes by heart.

 

 

“Forrest Gump”

Hands down one of the best movies ever. Sometimes there’s just not enough rocks.

 

 

“Dances with Wolves”

The first time I saw it I couldn’t believe it. Its soundtrack is also great.

 

 

“Legally Blonde”

Funny yet powerful movie that never gets old.  Elle Woods was everything: smart, sassy, lady-like, pretty, confident, kind, and funny. In a world full of haters; be Elle Woods.

 

 

“Hope Floats”

Just a sweet, sweet movie and could Harry Connick, Jr. being any cuter or lovable?

 

 

“The Blind Side”

I hate all the drama and innuendo currently surrounding this amazing film but I still love it. What’s not to love about a mamma who says “I will never wear that gaudy orange” and warns bullies that she’s always packing?

 

 

“Crazy Rich Asians”

The wedding scene where the bride walks through water up the aisle in those thigh-high gold sparkle boots. I cry every time.

 

 

“Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”

John Candy at his finest and a twist no one saw coming.

 

 

“The Parent Trap”

The one starring Dennis Quaid and Lyndsay Lohan.

 

 

“Sex and The City: The Movie”

A tale of the strength of friendship that set the bar for all squads.

 

 

“Finding Nemo”

What a fun movie. Just keep swimming, right?

 

 

“Dumb & Dumber”

I know; corny as heck, right? It gets me every time though. We landed on the moon!

 

 

“National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”

Our family Christmas tradition. Also up there: “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Elf.”

 

 

“The Big Chill”

A film for the ages with soundtrack for the ages.

 

 

“The Breakfast Club”

Wonderfully messaged film that, sadly, could never happen in high schools today.

 

 

“The Parent Trap”

“A Man Called Otto”

I only recently saw this but am thinking it ranks up there.

 

 

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”

Sweet as can be movie that surprisingly stole my heart.

 

 

“Cinemo Paradiso”

Mi piace molto!

 

 

“The Bucket List”

The ultimate road trip flick.

 

 

“Rainman”

Uh-mazing acting by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise too. Such. A. Great. Movie.

 

 

“Thelma & Louise”

It broke ground when it was released and that last scene is one of the most memorable ever. Are you a Thelma or a Louise?

 

 

“Slumdog Millionaire”

Pretty much opened everyone’s eyes but in an entertaining and thoughtful way.

 

 

 

Along these lines comes a list of favorite actors and actresses…

 

Actors

Kevin Costner

Tom Hanks

Matt Damon

Gene Hackman

Cary Grant

Mark Wahlberg

Denzel Washington

Paul Newman

Jimmy Stewart

Robert Duvall

Morgan Freeman

Jeff Bridges

Dennis Quaid

Liam Neeson

Henry Golding

Michael B. Jordan

Michael Keaton

Alexander Skarsgard

Ashton Kutcher

Vince Vaughn

Bruce Willis

Sam Shepherd

 

 

Actresses

Sandra Bullock

Audrey Hepburn

Diane Lane

Jennifer Garner

Sally Field

Robin Wright

Meryl Streep (whose list isn’t she on?!)

Kate Winslet

Rachel McAdams

Anne Hathaway

Julia Stiles

Claire Danes

Emily Blunt

Helen Mirren

Annette Bening

Michelle Pfeiffer

Diane Keaton

Kathy Bates

Doris Day

Debra Winger

Meg Ryan

Jessica Lange

Renee Zellweger

Minnie Driver

Regina King

Roselyn Sanchez

Eva Mendes

Sandra Oh

 

And lastly, is it just me or do you also sometimes confuse Keira Knightly and Natalie Portman and could Amy Adams, Anna Kendrick, Joanna Garcia, and Isla Fisher be sisters if not twins?

 

So what movies changed your life or that you just love? Can’t wait to hear!

 

 

 

 

 

I recently toured the Buffalo AKG Art Museum and among all the Monets and Warhols hanging in its beautiful halls, one of my favorite paintings was the above William Harnett painting. The oil on canvas is entitled “Music and Literature” and was painted in 1878. Crazy, right? Sooooo long ago! I was drawn to the piece because it depicts two of my favorite things: music and books. I’ve been thinking about music a lot lately and figured it’s worth a visit here.

 

 

Unless you’ve been under a rock lately, you’ve probably heard all about Taylor Swift and Jason Aldean. Swift is setting every live concert record on her current and extremely popular Eras tour, which is the highest grossing tour of all time and the first to shatter $1 billion in ticket sales. In North America alone, Swifites are helping Swift gross $2.2 billion in ticket sales alone. It’s estimated that each of her shows collects $10,000,000 in ticket sales, resulting in a $4 million profit. Merchandise sold at each tour stop averages $2.5 million and Swift’s total profit per show per night is said to be $5.7 million. It’s no secret that, even back when albums were selling, artists make most of their money on tours but this one is off the charts. Excuse the pun.

 

Aldean is also making headlines thanks to his “Try That in a Small Town” song and video. Truth be told I am a long-time and huge Aldean fan and when I first heard his new song that laments what’s going on in cities across this country, I loved it. I think it’s raw, honest, and somewhat needed. Critics, as you may know, have slammed it but their objections have only helped the song climb to #1 and become a certified hit and anthem. Same with Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” song out of nowhere that is currently topping the charts.

 

 

So, what is it about music that gets to our hearts and gets to our souls? Why is it I we can remember every word to “American Pie” but can’t remember what we had for dinner last night? I, for one, am never really without it and can’t imagine a music-free flight or road trip. Music hits so heavy in my life that on a recent trip to London with our daughter, my highlights included watching and singing along to “Mama Mia” in the West End and seeing Bruce Springsteen live in Hyde Park. Yes, I loved all the royal things and had to pinch myself several times, but when it came down to it, singing “Dancing Queen” in a historic theatre with our daughter and “Born to Run” with a bunch of crazy Brits was beyond amazing and incredibly memorable.

 

 

And speaking of Bruce, my ever-loyal husband has seen the Boss 40+ times (and yes, he’s beyond jealous about the London show) and actually proposed to me with Bruce’s “Wanna Marry You” song. We walked down the aisle at the end of our wedding to Elvis’ “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” because Bruce sang it during the “Born in the USA” tour and my hubby liked it. To this day, it’s our song. Suffice it to say Bruce Springsteen’s music is important to us.

 

 

Something else my hubby and I love doing is making playlists. Him especially. He has a mountain playlist, a beach playlist, a desert playlist, and a host of Bruce playlists. My range of music varies widely and my playlists include everything from country to chill, rock to pop, Christian to spa, dance to instrumental. A listen to my main playlist will take you from Van Morrison to Sound of Music to Kool & the Gang to Willie Nelson to U2 to Bach to Toby Keith to Jimmy Buffet to Abba. It’s quite the journey and quite the fun!

 

Fun can also describe live music, which is something my husband and I both have a passion for. I was privileged to work for the main arena in town doing publicity and promotions and got to meet many a star. To this day it was the most fun job I’ve ever had. Austin is deemed “The Live Music Capital of the World” and when we moved to town 37 years ago, we frequented many a live venue. Sadly, Austin’s growth has become unmanageable so attending a show is now more hassle then fun. It also doesn’t help that we’re getting up in age but we like to remind ourselves and others that we saw live music in Austin during its glory days.

 

 

I can honestly close my eyes and hear certain songs and they will forever remind me of something. “We Are Young” takes me back to Moms Weekends with our daughter when she was in college and Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA” takes me back to driving around with a dear friend. From way back, I can hear “Urgent” by Foreigner or “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by the Police and be transported to a frat party during my college days and a fellow coed’s boyfriend’s truck, respectively. “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Rolling Stones will always remind me of that great funeral scene in “The Big Chill,” Darden Smith’s “Little Victories” reminds me of being in labor and us driving to the hospital to welcome our daughter into the world, “You Were Meant for Me” by Jewel ushers me back to helping a dear friend pack things up during a divorce, Lyle Lovett’s “Nobody Knows” was beautifully included in a scene out of “Beverly Hills 90210” as was Abba’s “Dancing Queen” in “Firefly Lane, and I’ll never forget Tom Petty’s haunting rendition of “I Won’t Back Down” during a 9/11 TV special. Random, right? These don’t even include expected ones and the list could go on forever.

 

 

Music is powerful. Music is moving. And music helps you move. I can’t even imagine a treadmill workout without it and the same goes for running errands. Sadly and regrettably, I am not musically inclined at all. I did take guitar lessons when I was young and I love to sing and was in choir, but knowing notes and reading music are not skills I have. I might be able to write a good song if I had to and would love to be able to play the piano. It’s never too late, right? My dream? Playing a piano in the privacy of my own home surrounded by a library and shelves full of books. I’ve always said if I could be anything or anyone in life, I’d pick either a professional tennis player or a singer a la Stevie Nicks or Shania Twain. “I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania is forever my go-to karaoke song. Let’s go girls!

 

 

Perhaps no one said it better than the great Dick Clark. What about you? Do you have songs that take you back to certain people or places? Are you a music lover and listen to it whenever and wherever? What music is the soundtrack of your life? Let’s end here on a high note and share your songs of life.

 

During lunch recently with dear friends, one of them mentioned that her granddaughter got some emoji stickers and chuckled at the “poop” one. It made us all laugh thinking about it and got me thinking about things I’ve read about emoji. Truth be told, I love them and use them often; mostly in texts. Apparently, so do millions of others but do you know who created the cherished little cartoons, what research says about them, and that they created a growing job market?

 

First up, the research.

 

The U.S. Emoji Trend Report was conducted by Adobe as part of its Future of Creativity study and it showed the vital role emoji play in our lives. In fact, the report found that 91 percent of U.S. emoji users agree they make it easier to express themselves and 71 percent say they can help spark positive conversations about cultural and social issues. They also help people overcome language barriers and form connections that would otherwise be difficult to do, empower self-expression, make conversations fun, impart personality into a conversation, and positively impact mental health. In fact, 73 percent of emoji users think people who use them are friendlier, funnier, and cooler than those who don’t. Pretty heady stuff for simple characters, right?

 

A couple of other interesting findings:

 

The top 5 emoji in the U.S.? Smile with tears, thumbs up, red heart, winking with heart kiss, and tear.

 

Sixty percent of U.S. emoji users agree that using them in their communications has improved their mental health. Insert “thumbs up” emoji here.

 

Emoji use at work improves efficiency, boosts creativity, and builds stronger relationships with 71 percent saying using emoji at work positively impacts likability and credibility and 63 percent saying they make team building more efficient. (The most effective emoji at motivating users at work are reportedly thumbs up and muscle arm.)

 

75 percent say its ok to only send an emoji as a quick response instead of words.

 

There are more positive emoji than negative ones.

 

Making an emoji a personal reflection of your race and appearance is as diverse as emoji users themselves. I personally use the brunette but other than that, all of mine are that yellowish-gold. To each his own, right?

 

Emoji are so part of our lives that there is an actual World Emoji Day every July 17. Who knew?

 

 

Yes, it’s true, inserting and using cartoon pictures of objects we love and feelings we feel can serve as words we can’t vocalize or write, but it’s important to note that certain symbols mean different things in different places so emoji etiquette is important.

 

 

Some emoji are used in different ways with different people. Case in point, what many call “praying hands” some consider “high five.” Certain emoji also hold different meaning in different cultures. The “thumbs up” emoji is popular in the west but in some Middle Eastern cultures it is an offensive gesture. The same can be said about the “A-OK” hand gesture, which is distasteful in Latin America. And in Japan, the words for “poo” and “luck” sound similar, so it’s not uncommon to send a friend a “poo” emoji before an exam or job interview. Emoji don’t always mean what you might think they do, can differ in appearance from platform to platform, and are always changing. Remember when Apple ditched the handgun and replaced it with a water gun? Then there are the ones that are used in ways not originally intended such as the eggplant and the peach, but we won’t go there.

 

 

So how did all this come to be and where did the name come from? It all goes back to 1999 when then 25-year-old Shigetaka Kurita of Japan designed the first emoji as a way to ease communication on a mobile internet system developed by Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo. The system offered emails but was restricted to 250 characters so emoji offered a way to say more in a limited space. And the name? The word emoji comes from the Japanese e (picture or image) and moji (character.) Many consider them one of Japan’s most transformative modern designs but they still remained largely confined to Japan for more than a decade.

 

It wasn’t until 2010 that emoji were incorporated into Unicode, the standard that governs the software coding of text, when 722 emoji were released on both iPhone and Android. A year later Apple added an official emoji keyboard to iOS and Android followed suit two years later. At last count there are now more than 3,600 emoji with a new batch reportedly being unveiled next month.

 

 

Angela Guzman knows a little about this, as she was an Apple intern who, with a mentor, designed the company’s original emoji set including face with tears of joy, red heart, party popper, and pile of poo. (What many don’t know is that pile of poo, the same one my friend’s granddaughter giggled at, is also the ice cream on the ice cream cone.) Her first design was the engagement ring and she says one of the hardest to design was the dancer with the red dress. She and her mentor are today proud owners of a U.S. patent for the close to 500 characters they created.

 

Guzman is as surprised as anyone on how her and others’ creations have revolutionized communication and that emoji would eventually appear on everything from toys to stickers, apparel to candy, and the subject or characters of movies, books, and music videos. And get this, in 2016 the original emoji set was added to the collection at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Emoji is an official work of art!

 

Two other interesting things I learned while researching all of this: emoji is not capitalized and there is no plural for emoji.

 

And just in case you’re wondering, my favorite emoji? In no particular order: praying hands, laughing faces, girl with hand up, girl with hand on face, girl with both arms up, face with heart eyes, sunglasses face, thumbs up, and eyes wide open face. How about you? Which ones are your faves?

 

 

So, you think you have the skills and desire to design more little characters for society? There may be a job for you! Yep, Emoji Designer and Emoji Translation are growing job opportunities. Keith Broni from Ireland is said to be the first person in the world with the job title Emoji Translator; a position that many companies have created to help them navigate through the growing emoji minefield. Broni beat out 500 other applicants for the job and has since worked with PR firms, marketing departments, and multinational companies.

 

Other emoji spin-offs include an emoji spelling bee (how fun would that be?!), emoji convention Emojicon, Emojipedia, and emoji summer camps for kids with the requisite Emoji Art Instructor position leading the way. So prevalent are emoji that one UK linguist once said emoji was the country’s fastest-growing language. But, Rob Drummond, a senior lecturer in linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University, says no way no how. He reports that a test for a language is that you have to be able to translate a full sentence from one to another with shared meanings and since emoji meaning vary from person to person, this is not the case. Still, the tears of joy emoji, considered the most commonly used one on the planet, was the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year back in 2015.

 

 

So, the next time you insert a smiley face, praying hands, or champagne toast in a message, think about that little character’s backstory and you’ll forever want to give all the creative minds behind them a big thumbs up.

 

 

 

 

I recently saw the movie “Oppenheimer,” a movie and history I was so excited to see. Growing up in Santa Fe meant I knew about the man who invented “the bomb,” Trinity Site, and of course Los Alamos. The town was right up the mountain from Santa Fe and we used to tease that seeing its lights at night meant it was “glowing.” Los Alamos had a mystery about it and not until I was older did it open up so-to-speak. The Lab is still there and I will say, the town is definitely worth a visit.

 

I think we all pretty much know how the Oppenheimer story ends, and thankfully that kind of “ending” hasn’t happened since. War is brutal and WWII was especially so. The U.S. kinda watched from afar but on December 7, 1941 we watched “the day of infamy” unfold. News of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor set in motion our entry into WWII. The country rallied behind our troops and our efforts.

 

 

Growing up in Santa Fe also meant I’d heard about another WWII legend, the Code Talkers. Perhaps not as well-known or famous as Oppenheimer, Code Talkers are nonetheless credited with helping us win the war. Who were they and what did they do?

 

 

According to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a “code talker” was the name given to American Indians who used their native tribal language to relay encoded messages for the U.S. Marines. The timing of their enlistment was critical, as the Japanese had broken all previous codes sent over radio waves and our Marines were desperate to find a secure way to communicate critical information. With new Code Talkers on board, they were in good hands.

 

Code Talkers actually had a hand in every major Marine operation the in the Pacific theater and were never successfully decoded by Japanese codebreakers. At the critical and famous battle of Iwo Jima, it is estimated that 800 messages were transmitted and received by the Code Talkers without error. So essential were they to our military efforts, that Major Howard Connor, a Marine officer of the signal division at Iwo Jima, once said, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would have never taken Iwo Jima.”

 

Author Laura Tohe’s father was a Code Talker and she gives an inside view of their journey. President Roosevelt’s announcement of America’s entry into the war was heard coast-to-coast, including in many parts of the Navajo Nation homeland in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Known for their collectible blankets and jewelry, young Navajo men were moved to enlist and being that they came from reservations, rural backgrounds, and military-style boarding schools, they were well-prepared for harsh military life. What they didn’t know and maybe weren’t as prepared for was that they would be asked to develop and us their native Navajo language…a language they were often forbidden to speak in government schools…as a secret weapon.

 

The idea of using American Indians fluent in both their traditional tribal language and English to send secret messages in battle was first put to the test in WWI. It wasn’t until WWII however, that the U.S. military developed a specific policy to recruit and train American Indian speakers to become Code Talkers.

 

The U.S. Army was the first branch to begin recruiting Code Talkers from places like Oklahoma in 1940. Other branches, including the Marines and Navy, followed suit and the first class of 29 Navajo Code Talkers begin training for the Marines in 1942. Navajos made up the majority of Code Talkers, but there were at least 14 other Native nations, including Cherokee and Comanche, who served as Code Talkers in both the Pacific and Europe during the war. It’s estimated that around 400 Native Americans served their country and served it in a most unique and valuable way.

 

As the war progressed, the military shifted to using just Navajo. It was chosen mainly because it wasn’t spoken outside of the U.S., was at the time unwritten, and is the most spoken indigenous language in the country, meaning finding native Navajo speakers proved easier than finding those from a mix of smaller groups. But why a native language and why Navajo?

 

For one, it was spoken almost exclusively by Navajos and is a mostly oral language with no written alphabet. There was no published dictionary on it and grammar was deliberately complicated with metaphors, tricks, and obscure references. In short, it is a very complex language and its tonal qualities and dialect make it very hard to learn. Some actually believe the code devised and carried out by the Navajos may have been the only unbreakable code is military history.

 

So, what happened to these war heroes after victory? Most went back to their homes without any fanfare. In fact, upon discharge they swore to never reveal their role as it wasn’t known if they and their codes would be needed in future battles. The code was declassified in 1968 and the Code Talkers have since been honored by Presidents Nixon, Reagan, and Trump. In 1992, a special exhibit at the Pentagon revealed a permanent display of photos, equipment, the original code, and explanation of how the code worked. It was a long time coming and deserving honor for their loyalty, bravery, resilience, and ingenuity. As Tohe writes, “A language once forbidden became a weapon that was quick, accurate, and never deciphered. Most important, it saved many American lives.”

 

Thank you Code Talkers and God Bless America.