Oct 13 2024 - Pumpkin Pie Wars

 

Who would guess that even Thanksgiving can give way to wars?  Yes, there are Pumpkin Pie Wars. What makes for Pumpkin Pie Wars?  There was a so-called pie war in 2014 between two bakeries in Cincinnati over billboards and their placement right next to each other.   Then there's a TV move in 2016 named Pumpkin Pie Wars - that's a Hallmark moment, so don't expect any fighting.  Maybe a pie fight.   Historically, the Civil Qar had a stand-off between South and North over pumpkin pie. There was no pumpkin pie in the South and they considered this a cultural domination.  Making Thanksgiving a permanent holiday was seen by prominent Southerners as a culture war - that was in the 19th century.  When it comes to dominance, there's no argument over the largest pumpkin pie in the world - 3,699 pounds in New Bremen, Ohio.  It was 20 feet in diameter.  What did their recipe have?  Canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Looks like a traditional pumpkin pie.   In relation to the largest pie records, this pumpkin pie is far behind.  The world's largest meat pie weighed 23,237 pounds, made in Stratford-up-Avon College in the UK.  And the world's largest cherry pie, in 1990, came in at 37,713 pounds and a diameter of 20 feet.  That was in B.C.  Shouldn't the largest pie be an apple one?  Yes - 40,000 pounds in 1997 in Wenatchee Valley in Washington.  Given these are foods to be eaten, you can imagine what they taste like.  Even participants involved in "building" the pies said they tasted poor.    This is a silly Millie puppy image. Just popped in a new background so we can have a Happy Thanksgiving card.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Nov 23 2023 - Bentley Up in Smoke at U.S. Border

 

It is on the front page of the Globe and Mail today - a car blew up on the American side of the Canadian-US Border in Niagara Falls at the Rainbow Bridge yesterday.  It blew up so substantially that there was no license plate to find.  There was nothing left but the engine.  It incinerated.   The conclusion on the explosion is that it is not an act of Terrorism.   People thinking they were going to a Thanksgiving Dinner today are definitely delayed.  There are 15 car inspection lanes into Canada and 16 into the U.S.  You can imagine they were full. Add to that - All of the bridges in Niagara were closed because of the explosion.  All those cars had to turn around to go back to Canada.  There are people roaming Clifton Hill wondering what to do.   The other three bridges are open again, but you can imagine the wait times. We have signs on the highway giving the wait times during the peak season.  I wonder what they say today. This brings up the Canadian vs American Thanksgiving differences.  A key difference seems to be that Canadians don't go on a shopping spree the day before Thanksgiving.  There's no massive line-up of cars to get the Thursday before Black Friday deals. That's partly because our Thanksgiving is on a Monday so really is a holiday.  Our holiday is more low-key.  We don't have huge parades in front of Macy's, football spectaculars and pressure from the New York Times to cook the perfect meal.  The next difference is that we don't head out for a shopping craze the day after Thanksgiving.  So perhaps with no berserk shopping lines the day before and the day after, we generally have a more "thankful" time.  At least we have a less violent sense to our Thanksgiving weekend.  We don't leave the dishes in the sink to go camp out all night in front of ToyRUs stores - supposedly that behaviour is history now.  Stores still open at 5am.  Even here in Canada some will open at 6am - again just a little more relaxed here. This is our favourite Canadian vs American Thanksgiving joke. And a Harvest interpretation.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Oct 8 2023 - Traditional Thanksgiving

 

What makes your Canadian Thanksgiving traditional and classic? While Butter Tarts are considered the iconic classic Canadian dessert, we likely still want pumpkin pie for the holiday.  I think I might be on track here:  it is the dessert that we most think about for Canadian Thanksgiving.   Why is that?  Well, my opinions that many people don't really like turkey.  There are lots of articles with the headline "People hate turkey: Admit it" or This article seems the best one of all: "There are 2 Types of People. Those Who Hate Turkey and Those Who Are Wrong"  - this headline comes from a website named ricemedia.co, and the author has more to say: "But that’s not the main issue. The real issue is size. Buying Turkey is like buying an American SUV in Singapore.  "Turkey’s problem is twofold. 1) The bird is so large that heat cannot reach all parts of it, resulting in an uneven done-ness 2) The meat has so little fat that any amount of overcooking is unforgivable. You have to walk a precariously thin line between indigestion and diarrhoea—in short, to pray for a thermodynamic miracle." "This is the reason why most commercial brands (Butterball, Norbest) inject their Turkey with a sodium phosphate solution to keep the flesh moist. It is also the reason why many home cooks, finding the saline injections inadequate, shingle their Turkey’s breast with a layer of bacon to protect it from direct heat." Such whit and sarcasm in this article, resulting in a refreshing point of view from this writer. It brings laughter to the table of turkey. It was written by Pan Jie in 2019 - for Christmas.  The article is HERE.  So likely there is nothing else to really say about Canadian Thanksgiving.  We seem to have a handle on what to put on or in every dish:  the Turkey is Maple Roasted, the Cranberry Sauce is Maple Cranberry Sauce, the Squash is Maple flavoured.  So what goes in the Pumpkin Pie?  Yes. Using DuckDuckGo as my browser, I get this message every time.  My question is why doesn't Facebook present better content if is tracking me on Safari.  It seems to me it is failing at its task - the one it said it would never do when it started. If you want to view commercial-free videos on YouTube, use DuckDuckGo as the commercials are blocked.  Now that's a Thanksgiving tip to remember all year. Here's the whopping Thousand Flower Chrysanthemum of Longwood Gardens - like the Thanksgiving Turkey - over the top in size.  Unlike the turkey, it takes the award for beauty as well.

Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Oct 4 2022 - Pumpkin Pie on the Horizon

 

Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among most religions after harvests and at other times.   But North America's two Thanksgivings are Colonizing Settler Festivals - distinctive compared to everyone else as they relate to survival rather than just celebrating the harvest. We call our thanksgiving "Canadian Thanksgiving".  It is a Canadian Joke.  The date?  It was late - in 1957 - that Canada fixed Thanksgiving to the second Monday in October.  There aren't that many Thanksgiving Days around the globe.  Japan's holiday is Labour Thanksgiving Day - an all in one celebration of labour and production that started during the American occupation. The  really big #1 holiday each year is New Year's and there are variations and versions all over the globe.  Thanksgiving is far down the kist of important holidays - except for us Canadians and Americans. The distinction of  the Thanksgiving meal is pumpkin pie.  I wouldn't consider pumpkin pie part of Christmas or even desirable t Christmas.  But it is for Thanksgiving.  Native to North America, it was exported to France and then England in the 1500s.  How perfect that the Pilgrims brought the pumpkin pie back to New England when they arrived. Canadians have a notion that everything has  "become" political in the U.S. in the last few years.  Here's how far back the social politics goes:  When Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, observers in the Confederacy saw it as a move to impose Yankee traditions on the South. We' have our own Canadian jabs and snubs about the earlier date of "Canadian Thanksgiving"  -  You don't have to wake up at ungodly hours to participate in Black Friday with your parents.  When Americans get around to posting about Thanksgiving, Canadians have "been there, done that."

There are lots of pumpkin displays - at the farmer's fruit and vegetable stands and in front of supermarkets.  They are autumn's celebration here. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Facebook Twitter Website Email Share Tweet Forward

oct 11 20201 - And After Thanksgiving, Is there Rest? No

 

After our Canadian dinner of Canadian leftovers last night, the "Day of Distinguishing Canadian vs US Thanksgiving" comes to a close.   It brought to mind things that might or might not be celebrated based on country and religion.  We joke about Canadian vs American Thanksgiving.  However, we fail to take into account being Indigenous in either country and how overwhelming the colonial nature of the holiday tradition has been.  What about our next holiday?  It's Halloween.  What do we find?  It is labelled a secular holiday - like Valentine's and Thanksgiving. It comes from some ancient tradition - Celtic - so that might be ok.  But wait, the Roman Catholics took it over as an All Saints Day.  That's what makes it political to all sorts of religious groups. I am quite amazed by how many holidays the Jehovah Witnesses reject - they claim that Jesus didn't ask for anyone to celebrate his birthday.  So Christmas is off. And after that? It is Remembrance Day on November 11 at 11:00am.  Give up the singing of Onward Christian Soldiers and the British National Anthem in Ireland.  These items are the subject of protest.  Ireland is particularly troubled by the day of commemorations.  And then there are religious groups such as Quakers. Then we're on to American Thanksgiving with the predominant views alternating between the Pilgrims 'sharing' their harvest with the 'natives' and the harmoniously sharing the 'first Thanksgiving meal'. We round out the year with Christmas and celebrating the New Year.  We know Christmas is political.  Are New Year's celebrations a political issue?  The Jehovah Witnesses pop up again - they "refuse participation in ecumenical and interfaith activities."  Keep going and you will find 4 reasons why Muslims should not celebrate the New Year.  Mostly, though, it is complete cultures who don't celebrate January 1st as the New Year - think of Chinese New Year. We can continue through the entire year, and this trend will apply to every celebration holiday.  It seems to me this is an instance where being a Global Village has its dilemmas. Our picture today was taken a year ago.  It is the Cherry Ave intersection from yesterday's picture of the bicycle driver in the flower field.  It is on the left side past the intersection.

Oct 10 2021 - Thanksgiving Only in Canada

 

Is there a reason we must call today Canadian Thanksgiving? Yes, it is a simple reason - American Thanksgiving is bigger, bolder, and more cherished.  It seems to be next to sacred with its mythical beginning with the Pilgrims.  Search for Thanksgiving and all manner of U.S. perspectives will be retrieved.   What about the Canadian perspective? I found this quote, without attribution, to describe it: It's very dear to me, the issue of Canadian Thanksgiving.  Or, as I like to call it:  "Thanksgiving"... I had lunch this afternoon, not Canadian lunch.  I parked my car.  I didn't Canadian park it.   The proximity to Christmas is portrayed in this visual joke:   Americans too complain about its placement in the calendar: “Even though we’re a week and a half away from Thanksgiving, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” —Richard Roeper “My fondest memories are generally the day after Thanksgiving. I get the total decorating Christmas itch.” –  Katharine McPhee Given Thanksgiving's place in the calendar, we might find this joke especially funny:     I drive "down" Cherry Ave every week on my way from Elaine's Pear Blossom Orchard to pick up my vegetables.  It is a great hill with a spectacular view of Toronto across the lake.  That is where today's picture was taken.  It was at the bottom of Cherry Ave and Highway 8 way back in October 2009. This corner is now a vineyard, but then it was a field of wildflowers.  Lucky me that day that a person in a red jacket was riding their bicycle.

Nov 26 2020 - Naming the Mayflower

 

Today we explore American Thanksgiving by asking the question:  Why was the ship named the Mayflower?   It is very simple:  I hadn't realized that this is another name for Hawthorn blossoms (Crataegus monogyna).  I had one of these in the Toronto garden with beautiful pink blossoms, followed by edible fruit that attracted migrating birds in the Fall.  While mine was not long-lived, the oldest one is in France and goes back to the 3rd century.   The oldest in Britain is 700 years old. The hawthorn is associated with Faerie in Ireland, and is 'not disturbed' by those who believe in the danger fairies traditionally represent. American Thanksgiving is a holiday of far more significance in the U.S. than it is in Canada and Commonwealth countries.  We don't have a 'trip to the promised land' as the motivation for our celebration.   The Pilgrims and Puritans referred to themselves as God's New Israel who would build a spiritual Jerusalem in America.  The journey across the Atlantic was horrible - imagine what it felt like with swells of over 100 feet.  The arrival was November 19 1620.  And here we are 400 years later.   I have only a few ship images.  Here we are looking across the lake in November 2015 to Toronto, with the skyline very prominent. I take the Welland Canal for granted when I drive over the bridge to go to the garden centre greenhouses. It is the reason we see big ships in Lake Ontario.

Read past POTDs at my Blog: https://marilyncornwell.blogspot.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Nov 16 2020 - American Thanksgiving

 

It is coming soon - American Thanksgiving.  So late in the year, it crowds into Christmas.  They have developed orange Poinsettias to accommodate this cross-over.   The other thing it has in timing that is difficult is the American election.  This sets up difficult and troublesome situations.  For example, Trump has been ruining American Thanksgiving since 2015 when a poll showed he was the politician most likely to ruin the Dinner.  The headlines about Trump and Thanksgiving in 2015, 2017 and 2019 were things like: "How to talk to Trump-Loving relatives at Thanksgiving."  During this election campaign, Trump predicted that if Biden becomes their next president, the Americans will have to bid farewell to Christmas and Thanksgiving.  That is a definite "ruin Thanksgiving" headline. On the other side of the ocean, the UK does have a sort of Thanksgiving - it seems to be November 26th this year.  Here's a quote from a website named wayenglishcourse.co.uk:  "The American thanksgiving is not celebrated in the UK because no one had to be thankful for their new land and good ocean trip." Our picture today is compensating for the diminishing colours of our landscape that November brings. It is a lovely Florida sunrise in 2016.   I wonder when we can expect the best sunrise/sunset colour here in Niagara.  Is there a time of year when it is best?  In terms of locations, Port Dalhousie and Niagara Falls have dramatic sunrises/sunsets.  One dilemma for Niagara Falls is that it has the most dramatic ones during the coldest winter weather.

Read past POTDs at my Blog: https://marilyncornwell.blogspot.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Oct 11 2020 - And Why so Earl y?

 

What is with Canada that Thanksgiving is so early?  Why don't we follow the American dates?  Today there is a general answer first and a social political answer at the end.   A general answer is that festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. We might note that all North Hemisphere inhabitants had a fall harvest celebration that dates back to the beginnings of communal living.  These just aren't documented very well.  What is more important is that history is written with an orientation towards colonialist celebration.  Our Canadian history writing is orientated around European settler celebrations.  How do I know this?  Our first documented European settler celebration of Thanks (vs harvest thanksgiving) was in 1578 with Martin Frobisher, the explorer.  It occurred in Nunavut.  I would be thankful too if I'd arrived in Nunavut - how did he get up there?  I expect he got lost looking for the famed North-West Passage to the orient. It seems to me an indication of historian orientation - to inject European settlers into every social context - to confuse Martin Frobisher's meal of thanks of survival with the traditional fall harvest thanks.   So on to turkey:  the first documented harvest thanksgiving celebration featuring the uniquely North American turkey, squash and pumpkin wa in Nova Scotia in the 1750s and by the 1870s was common across Canada. In Canadian provinces the date had moved around quite a bit - even as late as December 6th, and other times coinciding with American Thanksgiving.  Canada decided in 1957 to make Thanksgiving the second Monday in October, particularly to separate it from Remembrance Day - November 11th.  It had co-occured before then to mark the sacrifices of veterans in the great Wars.   An excellent article on Canadian Thanksgiving was written in 2017, in McLean's Magazine HERE  with a broader point of view. The author, Christine Sismondo expresses clearly the concerns over European settlers and their dominance over the social landscape.  Here's the concluding paragraph: "Since the United States has thoroughly taken ownership of it (Thanksgiving) as a founding myth for its nation-building project, to the point that it’s practically eclipsed Canadian Thanksgiving, we could make the holiday our own by using it in a totally different way. A good start would be to acknowledge that Europe had pre-contact harvest feast traditions of their own, but to stop pretending Europeans invented Thanksgiving in Canada or the United States and, instead, consider how to repurpose the holiday to redress historical wrongs—and imagine a new Canadian identity." I think we'll be keeping track of what Christine Sismondo has to say from now on. Here's one of my favourite Autumn pictures - Charles Daley Park's gazebo under the yellow of Locust trees.  And then here's Millie with her version of pumpkin pie.

Read past POTDs at my Blog: https://marilyncornwell.blogspot.com Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Weather Report x 2

I was checking out the Weather Report for Grimsby - warm summer temperatures for the next few days.  At the same time, a Weather Report song was on the radio on JazzFM.  They regularly play two of the jazz fusion band's songs -  "A Remark You Made" and "Birdland".  I think it is Jaco Pastorius' bass lines that draw my attention to the songs every time I hear them. Our Canadian Thanksgiving is concluded - and what does every Thanksgiving meal finish with?  Of course it is pumpkin pie - it has to be one of the delicious desserts. Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family and are also considered winter squash.  Pumpkins have been grown in North America for about 5000 years Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and healing snake bites  Pumpkins are 90-percent water The world record for giant pumpkins remains in Germany! For the second time in 3 years, the world record for giant pumpkins has fallen at the European Weigh-Off in Germany. German grower Mathia Willemijn brought this behemoth pumpkin weighing 2,624.6 pounds to the weigh-off on October 9, 2016. Here is a picture of a person paddling on a pumpkin in the water as part of the world record pumpkin pictures.  I thought I should insert it as you might not believe it could be true. Our picture is shows the garden rendezvous with night lighting, part of my experiments for "The Night Garden".

Whacky Thanksgiving

This is American Thanksgiving and we visit what's whacky as reported by the Huffington Post a few years ago.  Colored Turkeys at Gozzi’s Turkey Farms You can order your Thanksgiving bird from this Connecticut farm, but that’s not what visitors come to see. Every year around Thanksgiving, Gozzi’s dyes its live turkeys all shades of neon and gives kids a chance to feed them. Says a Yelper, “I thought pink, purple, green, and yellow turkeys were just in coloring books. But Gozzi’s got them.” The Fifth Third Turkey Trot Well, it’s actually the 31st instalment of this Detroit footrace, named “Fifth Third” after the bank that founded it. The titles continue their wonkiness on race day: there’s the 10k Turkey Trot, 5k Stuffing Strut, and Mashed Potato Mile (completing more than one is a Drumstick Double). Don your craziest costume, and you might win the contest! The Turkey Testicle Festival That’s right, the catchphrase at this 21-and-over bar fest is “hot nuts.” A thousand pounds of actual turkey yarbles will be served alongside pizza and beer at Parkside Pub in Huntley, Illinois on the eve of Thanksgiving. Catch some local bands and leave with a story to tell around the Thanksgiving table. The Green Lake Gobble Seattle ends their Thanksgiving 5k with a hefty serving of side dish: in the Mashed Potato Much Off, the one to shovel the most potatoes in four minutes wins a pile of cash. You might also score prizes if you beat the runner who wears a turkey suit during the race. Here's our orange Poinsettia for the American Thanksgiving table.