Saturday, November 29, 2008
New Look of Amanda's bedroom...
We are working on a slower schedule. We are barely on our After Thanksgiving Day shopping. Amanda went on a tear and she was really on a shopping spree and it is everything for Amanda. I mean everything! She changed the look of her bedroom and in the process also stocked up her closet. I am too embarrassed to show her closet :( Here is a lot at the bedroom....
Thanksgiving Dinner at Irene & Cliff's
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The First Thanksgiving
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.
Historians have also recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia. At this site near the Charles River in December of 1619, a group of British settlers led by Captain John Woodlief knelt in prayer and pledged "Thanksgiving" to God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. This event has been acknowledged by some scholars and writers as the official first Thanksgiving among European settlers on record. Whether at Plymouth, Berkeley Plantation, or throughout the Americas, celebrations of thanks have held great meaning and importance over time. The legacy of thanks, and particularly of the feast, have survived the centuries as people throughout the United States gather family, friends, and enormous amounts of food for their yearly Thanksgiving meal.
What Was Actually on the Menu?
What foods topped the table at the first harvest feast? Historians aren't completely certain about the full bounty, but it's safe to say the pilgrims weren't gobbling up pumpkin pie or playing with their mashed potatoes. Following is a list of the foods that were available to the colonists at the time of the 1621 feast. However, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl, which are mentioned in primary sources. The most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
Did you know that lobster, seal and swans were on the Pilgrims' menu? Learn more...
Seventeenth Century Table Manners:
The pilgrims didn't use forks; they ate with spoons, knives, and their fingers. They wiped their hands on large cloth napkins which they also used to pick up hot morsels of food. Salt would have been on the table at the harvest feast, and people would have sprinkled it on their food. Pepper, however, was something that they used for cooking but wasn't available on the table.
In the seventeenth century, a person's social standing determined what he or she ate. The best food was placed next to the most important people. People didn't tend to sample everything that was on the table (as we do today), they just ate what was closest to them.
Serving in the seventeenth century was very different from serving today. People weren't served their meals individually. Foods were served onto the table and then people took the food from the table and ate it. All the servers had to do was move the food from the place where it was cooked onto the table.
Pilgrims didn't eat in courses as we do today. All of the different types of foods were placed on the table at the same time and people ate in any order they chose. Sometimes there were two courses, but each of them would contain both meat dishes, puddings, and sweets.
More Meat, Less Vegetables
Our modern Thanksgiving repast is centered around the turkey, but that certainly wasn't the case at the pilgrims's feasts. Their meals included many different meats. Vegetable dishes, one of the main components of our modern celebration, didn't really play a large part in the feast mentality of the seventeenth century. Depending on the time of year, many vegetables weren't available to the colonists.
The pilgrims probably didn't have pies or anything sweet at the harvest feast. They had brought some sugar with them on the Mayflower but by the time of the feast, the supply had dwindled. Also, they didn't have an oven so pies and cakes and breads were not possible at all. The food that was eaten at the harvest feast would have seemed fatty by 1990's standards, but it was probably more healthy for the pilgrims than it would be for people today. The colonists were more active and needed more protein. Heart attack was the least of their worries. They were more concerned about the plague and pox.
Surprisingly Spicy Cooking
People tend to think of English food at bland, but, in fact, the pilgrims used many spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit, in sauces for meats. In the seventeenth century, cooks did not use proportions or talk about teaspoons and tablespoons. Instead, they just improvised. The best way to cook things in the seventeenth century was to roast them. Among the pilgrims, someone was assigned to sit for hours at a time and turn the spit to make sure the meat was evenly done.
Since the pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians had no refrigeration in the seventeenth century, they tended to dry a lot of their foods to preserve them. They dried Indian corn, hams, fish, and herbs.
Dinner for Breakfast: Pilgrim Meals:
The biggest meal of the day for the colonists was eaten at noon and it was called noonmeat or dinner. The housewives would spend part of their morning cooking that meal. Supper was a smaller meal that they had at the end of the day. Breakfast tended to be leftovers from the previous day's noonmeat.
In a pilgrim household, the adults sat down to eat and the children and servants waited on them. The foods that the colonists and Wampanoag Indians ate were very similar, but their eating patterns were different. While the colonists had set eating patterns—breakfast, dinner, and supper—the Wampanoags tended to eat when they were hungry and to have pots cooking throughout the day.
Source: Kathleen Curtin, Food Historian at Plimoth Plantation
All Photos Courtesy of Plimouth Plantation, Inc., Plymouth, Mass. USA. ca.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving !
May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs!
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious and your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs!
Winter in Walnut...
This is what winter looks like in Walnut at seven in the morning,
after a heavy rain last night - Courtesy of Roderick.
after a heavy rain last night - Courtesy of Roderick.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
一群天才的傑作
一位國文老師的告白
我是個國中的 國文 老師，生平最痛苦的事情就是改作文!!
字醜就算了，還會自己學倉頡創字!!
創字就算了，還會用自己奇怪的邏輯寫句子!!
每次都改到哭笑不得……………
==============================
１、元旦時，我們全家一起到歷史博物館參觀「冰馬桶」…
師評：有這樣的東西嗎？我也要去！（兵馬俑）
２、早上起床整裡「遺容」後，我們到學校集合，
師評：不知道你家是哪一家殯儀館？老師一直都不知道…（儀容）
３、昨晚左眼皮跳個不停，當時就覺得那是「胸罩」，果然今天皮夾
師評：孩子，你已經這麼大了嗎？（凶兆 ）
４、報上說重金屬污染過的牡蠣，可「治」癌…
師評：一字之差，養蚵人家翻身矣！
我是不是該趕快去養牡蠣？會賺到翻哦… （致癌）
５、昨晚我和同學到速食店吃晚餐，我們點了兩個漢堡、「
師評：好吃嗎？雞糞？（雞塊一份）
６、星期天準備外出逛街時，匆忙之間不小心給「肛門」夾到，
師評：老師很好奇──誰的肛門這麼大…？（鋼門）
７、四下無人，不要從背後 拍我肩膀，我很容易「受精」…
師評：孩子，我可能是你爸哦… 老師記得曾這樣讓很多人「受精」喔!（受驚）
８、逛完花市後，我花錢買下「賤男」，準備帶回家過年。
師評：發音正確一點，「劍蘭」會哭的…
９、我的歷史老師長髮披肩，個子矮小，脾氣不好，有一點點「胸」
師評：歷史老師要我轉告你「等下上歷史課﹐皮給我繃緊一點。」（
１０、我認為自己是個品學兼「憂」的好學生…
師評：你是該憂了──不及格。（優）
１１、在「崎嶇坎坷」的人生「康莊大道」上，我們要堅定方向…
師評：此路可繼世界八大奇蹟兵馬俑之後，登上第九大奇蹟。
１２、
三不五時地飄來一陣又一陣烹煮紅燒牛肉時所散發出來的濃濃迷人中
師評：明天麻煩你一口氣唸完這句給我聽，不准換氣。
==============================
PART 2
這次出的作文題目是：美食與我
我非常沾沾自喜，相當期待這麼生活化又簡單的題目
一定能讓他們發揮的淋漓盡致，
可以減輕我每次改作文到快往生的噩運!!!
沒想到我錯了!!!!!!!
這些天兵天將們每個都是未來的棟樑????……
節錄一些下來:
1.我最喜歡吃的食物是生魚片，
2.我最喜歡吃的食物是生魚片，唯一美中不足的是，
3.我最喜歡吃的美食是青菜，青菜中最喜歡吃的美食是白 菜，為什麼喜歡吃 白 菜呢？
因為他是青菜的一種（繞口令嗎？）
4.我最喜歡吃滷肉飯跟貢丸湯，他們對我來說不只是一種美食，
（真是謝謝你的數學教學）
5.我最喜歡吃外婆煮的菜，裡面包含了很多愛心，
所以我要趁外婆還活著的時候，叫他每天煮三餐給我吃。
（這算虐待老人嗎？）
6.我最喜歡吃那種在外面跑的雞肉 （所以你要吃雞肉前都要追著他跑？）
7.我最喜歡吃美食，是那種出現陸地上，天天都看的到的那種肉（
8.我對美食的要求很嚴格，他不能是由一位傷心的廚師做出來的
（連續劇看太多了，孩子）
9.媽媽很厲害，他下廚以後，可以把一顆蛋變成一顆荷包蛋（
10.每次媽媽煮完菜我們全家都會歡呼，
（原來你家都是一道菜煮完再煮一道…）
11.我很喜歡跟爸爸去逛夜市，因為美食都能讓我感到垂涎三尺，
些食物出現，
（好心酸的孩子）
12.我最喜歡吃媽媽煮的菜，跟外面賣的差的可遠呢!
（那到底是好吃還是不好吃？）
13.世界上美食很多，其中我最喜歡吃的外國料理是台南擔仔麵
（同學，請問你是哪國人？）
14.生魚片實在是太好吃了，
（慢動作嗎？）
15.有一樣食物讓我百吃不厭，那就是雙胞胎，
奇怪，沒錯，他就是很奇怪（這樣有解釋到嗎？）
16.我吃東西總是又快又急，沒辦法，熟能生巧嘛!
（我呼吸總是又快又急，沒辦法，熟能生巧嘛…！）
有前輩說：他上輩子殺了人，所以這輩子處罰他當老師。
唉...我想我不只殺了人，還是………………殺..錯..人….
才會淪落到當 國文老師………
換小學老師了:
1.題目：一邊……一邊……
小朋友寫：他一邊脫衣服，一邊穿褲子。
老師批語：他到底是要脫還是要穿啊？
2.題目：其中
小朋友寫：我的其中一只左腳受傷了。
老師批語：你是蜈蚣嗎？
3.題目：陸陸續續
小朋友寫：下班了，爸爸陸陸續續的回家了。
老師批語：你到底有幾個爸爸呀？
4.題目：難過
小朋友寫：我家門前有條水溝很難過。
老師批語：老師更難過。
5.題目：又 又
小朋友寫：我的媽媽又矮又高又胖又瘦。
老師批語；你的媽媽是變形金鋼嗎？
6.題目：你看
小朋友寫：你看什麼看！沒看過啊
老師批語：沒看過
7.題目：欣欣向榮
小朋友寫：欣欣向榮榮告 白 。
老師批語：連續劇不要看太多了！
8.題目：好吃
小朋友寫：好吃個屁。
老師批語：有些東西是不能吃的。
9.目：天真
小朋友寫：今天真熱。
老師批語：你真天真。
10.題目：果然
小朋友寫：昨天我吃水果，然後喝涼水。
老師批語：是詞組，不能分開的。
11.題目：先……再……，例題：先吃飯，再冼澡。
小朋友寫：先生，再見！
老師批語：想像力超過了地球人的智慧。
12.題目：況且
小朋友寫：一列火車經過，況且況且況且況且況且況
老師批語：我死了算了
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Joy of Christmas Cards
A woman walks into the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.
"What denomination?" asks the clerk.
"Oh, good heavens! Have we come to this?" said the woman.
"Well, give me 50 Baptist and 50 Catholic and one Methodist."
"What denomination?" asks the clerk.
"Oh, good heavens! Have we come to this?" said the woman.
"Well, give me 50 Baptist and 50 Catholic and one Methodist."
Death Row in Women's Prison
Three women are about to be executed.
One''s a brunette, one''s a redhead, and one''s a blonde.
The guard brings the brunette forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She says no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
Suddenly the brunette yells, "EARTHQUAKE!!!"
Everyone is startled and throws themselves on the ground while she escapes.
The guard brings the redhead forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She say no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
Suddenly the redhead yells, "TORNADO!!!"
Everyone is startled and looks around for cover while she escapes.
By now the blonde has it all figured out. The guard brings her forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She says no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
And the blonde yells, "FIRE!!!"
One''s a brunette, one''s a redhead, and one''s a blonde.
The guard brings the brunette forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She says no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
Suddenly the brunette yells, "EARTHQUAKE!!!"
Everyone is startled and throws themselves on the ground while she escapes.
The guard brings the redhead forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She say no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
Suddenly the redhead yells, "TORNADO!!!"
Everyone is startled and looks around for cover while she escapes.
By now the blonde has it all figured out. The guard brings her forward and the executioner asks if she has any last requests.
She says no, and the executioner shouts, "Ready! Aim!"
And the blonde yells, "FIRE!!!"
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Christmas Concert '08
The Christmas Concert is coming to our church again. Please let me know if you need a ticket!
Thanksgiving Dinner At Church
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at church today. Keeping with the tradition, the members of the English congregation prepared the dinner and invited all of us to enjoy this festive meal. We really appreciated this time of gathering and looking forward to many many more Thanksgiving dinners together.....
The people that make this dinner happened...
The Food
Decoration..
Speech...
Eating & Fellowship
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