Tag: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2022

Posted on by Galen Charlton | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving
Luna
Luna
Tuna
Tuna

Galen here once again to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. As was the case in 2018 and 2020, more cats have entered our lives. This time, it’s Luna (who likes bathroom sinks and has OPINIONS if you’re not petting her when required) and Tuna (who is a very sweet and very large lug of a kitty). Alas, this year also marked the passing of Freddie. Cats leave holes in our hearts when they pass; new cats do not fill those holes, not quite, but lay the groundwork for future holes — and yet I cannot imagine a life without them.

The reading for today is a small one: “The cat’s song” by Marge Piercy:

Mine, says the cat, putting out his paw of darkness.
My lover, my friend, my slave, my toy, says
the cat making on your chest his gesture of drawing

milk from his mother’s forgotten breasts.

Let us walk in the woods, says the cat.
I’ll teach you to read the tabloid of scents,
to fade into shadow, wait like a trap, to hunt.

Now I lay this plump warm mouse on your mat.

… the rest here

Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Black Friday Blog Hop> Black Friday Book Bonanza> Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thanksgiving Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

I hope you’re all ready for tomorrow’s Turkey Day! We’re doing something a bit different and having friends over on Black Friday instead of on Thanksgiving. It solves their problem of trying to be two places at once – which no one has really figured out a solution for yet – and doing our cooking on a day when we CAN go to the grocery store if we forgot something important.

So on the actual Turkey Day we’re having actual turkey – really just a turkey boob for two. On Friday we’re getting a Honey Baked Ham – something that would be a bear to pick up on Wednesday but should be easy-peasy on Friday. We’re also making potato pancakes and a broccoli casserole because OMG that meal will need something green in it. It’s all kind of an experiment as we’re cooking things we’ve never made before and hoping it all works out. No matter what, the ham is guaranteed to be good. And the pie. Did I mention the pie? We’re picking up a Chocolate Chess Pie, which I don’t think either of us has ever had, from a place that specializes in pies.

That’ll definitely be just fine!

What about you? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving treat? Answer in the Rafflecopter for a chance at the winner’s choice of a $15(US) gift card to either Amazon or the local bookstore of your choice, or the same amount in books, again from either Amazon, the Book Depository, or the local bookstore of your choice. In order to do this there are just a couple of restrictions. For US entrants, the bookstore you choose needs to have an easy method for me to purchase your gift certificate  or books online and get them sent to you. If you are outside the US, you need to be in a location that the Book Depository ships to (they don’t do Gift Certificates – maybe someday.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more terrific prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!



Thanksgiving 2020

Posted on by Galen Charlton | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving

Galen here, once again sneaking onto Marlene’s blog to do a Thanksgiving reading list post.

George staring at me. Awaiting turkey?

As was the case in 2018, we are thankful for yet another kitty in our lives. George is one of the offspring of a neighborhood cat. He’s turned into quite the social glue of our clowder, demanding and getting affection from Freddie, Lucifer, and Hecate in various ways.

Again, as with 2018, I am hopeful that the results of the election will get our country back towards the path of justice. Of course, this is a difficult time: the pandemic is on fire everywhere in this country, and I fear that all of the travel and gatherings for Thanksgiving will cause so many needless deaths.

Marlene and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving together with the cats, and no one else is invited. Maybe next year will be different, but for as many of us to get to next year as possible, patience is required today. On the one hand, that’s easy enough for me and Marlene to say; we’re introverts. I won’t pretend that staying home hasn’t been hard for us, but I know it is a lot more difficult many others, including folks who have no choice but to go out into the world in order to keep body and soul together. But please: if you can, stay home for the holidays, share your Thanksgiving meal only with your pod (or at least stay outdoors as much as possible), wear your masks, and wash your hands.

Some reading:

Thanksgiving 2019

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Alternatively, Happy Turkey Coma Day. Or even Happy Parade Day.

Possibly even Happy semi-official start of the Xmas Season.

Last year, Galen posted a reading list along with a picture of tiny, bitey Miss Hecate, who was thankful for her timely rescue the month before. So I’ll leave you this year with a picture of the full-grown Miss Hecate, still grateful for that timely rescue, just as we are grateful for her playful advent into our lives. And as you can see from her picture below, she’s expecting someone to be grateful that she brought him a mousie.

 

Thanksgiving 2017

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving

Today marks Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

For a lot of us, this is a day off of work, and a day to spend with family and friends. Also a day to end up in a turkey-induced coma, although I’m trying to avoid that last bit.

We’re spending the holiday with friends and family-of-choice. Wherever you are, I hope its warm, bright and filled with the voices of those you care for.

The leaves have fallen. Snow may be on the ground, or falling. Autumn is definitely here in the northern hemisphere.

And tomorrow, heaven help us all, is Black Friday, and the opening salvos of the holiday shopping season.

Rest up!

Thanksgiving Day 2016

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving

Happy-Thanksgiving-Images-Card

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the U.S.

Thanksgiving may be a bit more strained around some family dinner tables than others this year. We’re planning to be with like-minded friends, so while there may be some sadness amidst the joy, we’ve always been on the same side and this holiday will be a chance to welcome new friends among us and be grateful that we have each other to lean on.

Before I sign off to go see if I can help with the turkey, I have one final thought to leave you with today:

539-thanksgiving-quotes

Thanksgiving Day 2014: a small reading list

Posted on by Galen Charlton | Author : | Holidays> Thanksgiving

Galen here, taking advantage of Marlene’s incipient tryptophan poisoning to do a holiday post on her blog.

Very Large Turkey by rickpilot_2000 on Flickr (CC-BY-SA)
Very Large Turkey by rickpilot_2000 on Flickr (CC-BY-SA)

Behold the national bird of the United States of America! That is, if Ben Franklin had had his way.

Quoting good old Ben:

“I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

Of course, had the turkey become the national bird, we might feel inhibited against eating it… and I really don’t think eagle would be a good substitute. So it all works out.

Here is some reading for the day:

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 12-1-13

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Giveaways> Holidays> Thanksgiving> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Sunday Post

For those of us in the U.S. it is the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. For everyone not in the U.S., you’re probably wondering what the fuss was about. Except that we were in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday and Friday and saw Black Friday Sale signs going up all over the place. It seemed strange to have Black Friday Sales without having had a Thanksgiving Thursday first. And Canada doesn’t. Thanksgiving in Canada was way back on October 14.

We asked people what the deal was, and it turned out that yes, it was becoming a deal. Vancouver, at least, is way too close to the U.S. border for economic comfort. Too many Christmas shoppers were driving to Seattle, or at least the outlet mall along the way, to grab the Black Friday shopping madness in the U.S.

So the Canadian stores were trying to keep those shoppers at home by giving them their very own Black Friday sales. Turkey and stuffing optional.

Buying In by Laura HemphillCurrent Giveaways:

Buying In by Laura Hemphill — hardcover copy of the book
Poisoned Web by Crista McHugh — $100 Amazon Gift Card
Bittersweet Magic by Nina Croft — $25 Amazon Gift Card
Seductive Powers by Rebecca Royce — $50 Amazon Gift Card
Bewitching Book Tours Hot Holiday Giveaway

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the paperback copy of In Love with a Wicked Man by Liz Carlyle is Erin F.
The winner of the $10 Amazon or B&N Gift card in the Gratitude Giveaway Hop is Ellie.

poisoned web by crista mchughBlog Recap:

B Review: Buying In by Laura Hemphill + Giveaway
B+ Review: In Love With a Wicked Man by Liz Carlyle + Giveaway
C+ Review: Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin
Happy Thanksgivukkah
A- Review: Poisoned Web by Crista McHugh + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (68)

The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C.C. HumphreysComing Next Week:

Parts & Wreck by Mark Henry (review + guest post + giveaway)
The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys (review)
Codex Born by Jim C. Hines (review)
When It’s Right by Jeanette Grey (review)
Alien Adoration by Jessica E. Subject (review)
Alien Admirer by Jessica E. Subject (review)

Happy Thanksgivukkah

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Hanukkah> Holidays> Thanksgiving

Menurkey

Are you feeling sorry for that poor turkey with the candles up his tailfeathers? I know I am!

This probably hasn’t happened before in your lifetime, and it probably won’t happen again. The last time was in 1918, and the next time won’t be until 2070.

No, it’s not Halley’s Comet.

For those of us in the U.S. (which I’m technically not, today, so funny that) today is Thanksgiving. This also happens to be a very late Thanksgiving, always the fourth Thursday in November; because November started on a Friday this year.

For those of us who are Jewish, today is the first day of Hanukkah, which started last night at sunset. It is the 25th day of Kislev according to the Jewish calendar. (Wikipedia has a lovely explanation of how the Hebrew calendar drifts out of sync in relation to the Gregorian calendar used for standard dates.)

But the idea of this once in a lifetime phenomenon captured a lot of people’s imaginations. So we have Thanksgivukkah, a word which is driving the WordPress spell-checker absolutely bonkers.

A day where I can give thanks, eat turkey and possibly receive Hanukkah presents, all in one swell foop.

So wherever you may be, I hope that you are having a happy Thanksgiving, even if today isn’t your holiday. Or holidays.

thanksgiving-hanukkah-yom-kippur-fasting-thanksgivukkah-ecards-someecards

 

What’s on my (mostly virtual) nightstand? 11-27-11

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Virtual Nightstand

What’s on my iPad for this week? Pretty much everything that was on it for last week. Plus next week. We did go to my mom’s for Thanksgiving. And of the two options, read a lot or not very much, it turned out to be the not very much option.

But wait, the recap is supposed to come at the end of the post, isn’t it?

I left December as a deliberately “light” month, in the hopes of catching up with stuff I left behind back in September. Also, there’s a whole gaggle of reviews for December 27 and January 1, and I’d like to get a jump on those before they gang up on me. So I’ll be playing a lot of “catch up” this month.

Is anyone else out there having a problem with the idea that December starts this week? I am. For one thing, living in the South means that I miss all the seasonal markers that I’m used to. In Atlanta, at least the leaves do fall off the trees, but it’s still warm outside. In Chicago, we used to get the first serious snowfall most Thanksgiving weekends. There might not be a White Christmas, but there was usually a White Thanksgiving. I know it’s not traditional, but it was normal. Never mind about Anchorage. They usually have a White Halloween.

The last book in a trilogy I’ve been enjoying and reviewing (Den of Thieves, A Thief in the Night) is due Thurday, December 1. Honor Among Thieves by David Chandler finishes up The Ancient Blades trilogy. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all works out. I’m wondering about that title, since there usually is no honor among thieves. We’ll see…

I did get an email over Thanksgiving from Library Journal, asking me to review a Carina title for them, so Holiday Kisses, with stories by Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon, Shannon Stacy and Alison Kent is on my list for this week. I’d stared at this several times on NetGalley but resisted the impulse, because I’ve read books by all four authors and enjoyed them immensely. I’m glad LJ gave me the excuse to read the book anyway.

I have a second Christmas novella anthology for next week. A Clockwork Christmas, also a Carina Press title from NetGalley. The difference is that this one is all Steampunk Christmas stories, and this is one I just couldn’t resist. I love Steampunk!

The other book I couldn’t resist is Deadly Pursuit by Nina Croft. It’s the second in her Blood Hunter series. I reviewed the first book, Break Out, back in August. This is not just space opera, this is vampires in space. When I read the first book, I said I wanted to see more of the world, well, here’s my “more”. I have to see what comes next.

As far as the recap from last week goes, I didn’t do so well. Actually, I did pretty awful. Family visits are not conducive to maintaining any kind of routine, as probably every person recovering from their own Thanksgiving holiday is groaning about at this very moment!

I was caught up for one brief shining moment on Tuesday, and it felt so good! It just didn’t last very long. Dagnabbit!

I have one of this week’s books read. Her Christmas Pleasure is pleasurably completed. It helped a lot that it was the shortest! Every other book rolls over to this week. This does not help me get to the September backlog. Not at all.

On the other hand, when I couldn’t concentrate on anything else, I picked up Cast in Fury by Michelle Sagara, which does get me more forwarder on the September backlog. One of the books in that list of titles to be reviewed is Sagara’s Cast in Ruin. In order to review Cast in Ruin, I feel the need to read the rest of the series. Whenever I can’t make myself read something due for the week, I pick up the next Elantra book, and get myself back on track. What I’ll do when I run out of those, well, I’ll burn that bridge when I come to it.

It’s a 450 mile drive from Atlanta to Cincinnati, each way. Long trip. We listened to Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, read by Wil Wheaton. Wow. Just wow. The book was absolutely awesome, and I can’t think of a better choice for narrator than Wheaton. The book was so good that when we realized we weren’t quite going to be finished when we got home, we drove around a little, just so we’d finish. It was that good.

Of course I’m going to review it this week. But I just couldn’t resist giving a sneak preview.

Tomorrow is Ebook Review Central. This week will feature Dreamspinner Press for October.

Return next week for another edition of “The Readings of Marlene”. Sort of like “The Perils of Pauline” except all the cliffhangers are between the pages.