But, thanksgiving is like Christmas without the expectations...a remembrance, too. But, of survival and true human spirit. Yes, native Americans were human back then, too. Just because they didn't know the concept of land ownership doesn't mean they didn't understand survival and generosity. Somewhere I read what they had to eat at the first thanksgiving and it was generous. Puritan pilgims really abused that generosity toward their own just a short time after the first thanksgiving and the true hero was the natives. Puritanism ended with the Salem witch trials. Somehow the native generosity is what we celebrate and should. Just as we should celebrate Christ and what he did for us. He showed us the path...
I'm sorry...I promised I wouldn't preach. But, it seems difficult for retailers to get that last thursday in November into their corner. Just the day after. But, up through tomorrow we see little of it in newspapers or on television. Our bird is thawing and I ususally get up early and stuff it with giblet stuffing. Then I go hunting and come in to help with the rest of the dinner.
There is much to be thankful for including many thanksgiving day does that end up on the table throughout the winter. I shoot does on thanksgiving if I haven't found a mature buck. A good reason to give thanks. Like today on thanksgiving eve and the nice 8 point buck my son took today. A clean double lung shot that made me proud. I believe venison was on the table that first thanksgiving.
Hunter is a direct descendant of the Salem witch trials. His ancestors came over on the second voyage of the Mayflower. And the tragic hero of the witch trials, John Proctor, had a sister who married George Hadley. The bible tracing this lineage to a Jug creek cemetery near Lafarge just north of here still exists and my childrens Grandmother is a Hadley who's father is in that book. And the stories were intact through her father and his. My wife had to rediscover them over weeks of research, though as if some were tryiing to forget ancestors being hung as witches like they really were. I call it creeping puritanism. Something to watchout for still today. The book 'The Crucible' is about John Proctor...who's father is my kids grandparent. With such a small gene pool back then my kids are also related to several others killed at the trials. But, John Proctors lettter from jail to Boston and Cotton Mather ended spectral evidence and Puritanism. It also saved his pregnant wifes life but not his own. The church was poor and John owned land and a tavern...a perfect suspect for seizing land by the church. The letter of apology came much later but did restore his assetts to his heirs. The Hadleys made a trek to Wisconsins driftless area through New York, Ohio, and Oklahoma where Hiram Moses Hadley was an Indian Agent for the US government before coming north with that bible. All the while with their music and to this day all play instruments and sing and dance. The same thing they were persecutued for by the puritans. Those puritans.,..
The same puritans and native American generosity we celebrate tomorrow but lets remember who the hero's to this day are. America could use a lot more of its own reparations to its native first people. So we celebrate Hunters nice buck and remember our ancestors and give thanks...to God and his children that saved our very existance. And keep it going for a month as we celebrate the gifts of wise men to a child...
My mother in law Barb Hadley and more photos of descendants of George Hadley and the Salem witch trials..,and Cotton Mather. Plus Hunters buck and a few oldtimers...
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