Autumn
by Starrlite
We see life ending
as summer closes.
The dew lies longer
the breeze reddens noses
The deer linger less
as opening day nears
and turkeys take flight
on the winds of fear
The nuts on the ground
are stolen much quicker
for late night snacks
in the cold of mid-winter
The trees drop their leaves
and corn stalks turn brown.
The canning is done
for the season's abound
The smells of fresh pies
reach across the yard,
yet, winter is coming..
will it be hard
Since we can't foretell
of the first snowfall,
the groundhog just waits..
to see it all.
1998 Starrlite
Happy Thanksgiving from Sammy and Aurora
I count my blessings
My thoughts belong to you
The way you smile and laugh
Times you've pulled me through
Memories of times we shared
They fill my lonely days
Reflections of a special heart
That never fades away
Love that spans a river wide
With Mountains we have crossed
Path of two forever there
No journey ever lost
All these treasures in my heart
They speak of you today
Tell you of the gratefulness
In kind and loving way
God has blessed us graciously
With love we always share
Friendship's lasting treasury
Each bound with heart that cares
Forever I will wear this smile
That shows upon my face
The fabric woven in our life
Is precious gold and lace.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray this cushy life to keep.
I pray for toys that look like mice,
And sofa cushions, soft and nice,
For grocery bags where I can hide,
Just like a tiger, crouched inside!
I pray for gourmet Kitty snacks,
And someone nice to scratch my back,
For window sills all warm and bright,
For shadows to explore at night.
I pray I'll always stay real cool,
And keep the secret feline rule
To NEVER tell a human that
The world is really ruled by CATS!
In Keeping With Thanksgiving, we want to tell you what we are thankful for this Happy Thanksgiving this year:
For each other
Sammy is thankful I found him and gave him a new home
and lots of good food.
He is thankful for his Meowmie.
He is thankful for his playthings
Our backyard and the birdies we watch through the window
Our nice house and all the nice stuff in it
And Meowmie is really thankful for Sammy!
Here are six reasons why you should be thankful for your cat:
Love. If there's one thing you know, it's that your cat loves you.
And if you love your cat, that love comes back to you tenfold.
Companionship. Your cat keeps you company, and that company helps
you to feel less lonely and isolated, especially if you live alone.
Coming home to your cat gives you something to look forward to.
Physical contact. When your cat nuzzles up next to you or purrs,
all is right with the world. Studies prove that cuddling and
stroking your cat is good for you; it makes you calmer and can
even lowers your heart rate and your blood pressure.
Someone to talk to. Talking things out relieves a lot of internal
pressure. But having someone to talk to makes a difference, too.
It makes you feel less lonely.Talk about anything your cat will listen.
Motivation to exercise. Most cats need exercise every day. Whether
it's playing with a feathery flyer or tossing a little crinkle ball-
you'll be getting a little exercise, too. Physical exercise helps
you to deal with stress and sometimes gives you the opportunity to
get outside and breathe some fresh air. It will also make you smile
and laugh which is very good for us.
Security. Some cats promote a feeling of safety. Just having a
living thing with us can give us a feeling of comfort and make us
feel less anxious and more secure.
This Thanksgiving as we gather together to give thanks for our
blessings, let's not forget our cats, those faithful companions
that are such an important part of our lives.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Info thanks to Dr. Jon at PetPlace
History of Thanksgiving
The traditional Thanksgiving is a combination of religious and harvest celebrations. The Pilgrim Feast of 1621 is generally what we think of when we think of the very first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims had just had a really good harvest after a very difficult winter. To celebrate, the Pilgrims called for a huge feast!
In addition to the Pilgrims, 91 Native Americans attended. They probably had to eat outside at a big table. The celebration lasted 3 days, and included games, races, and other activities. Plus, of course, lots of food!
Though nobody's sure if they actually ate turkey, they did have venison and some type of fowl. And even though they couldn't eat pumpkin pie (because of a flour shortage), they did have boiled pumpkin! They also had berries, seafood, and fruits.
But that feast wasn't repeated every year. And it wasn't until 1777 that all 13 colonies had a thanksgiving celebration together. Most people credit Sarah Josepha Hale with making Thanksgiving an annual, and national event. She was a magazine editor who wrote lots of letters and articles about why we should make it a regular, national holiday. In 1863, President Lincoln agreed and proclaimed the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. But it wasn't until 1941 that Congress made it a totally legal holiday.
Lots of different countries celebrate a holiday like Thanksgiving. Whenever it is, it's a great time to be really thankful for all of your friends, and family! Have fun!
Thanksgiving Poem
With Our Warmest Good Wishes to You!
We hope you know that we've been
thinking especially of you. Over the
miles and through all the days apart,
you have been in so many of our
wishes and happiest thoughts.
Time cannot change the kind of
feelings held deep within the heart,
and no distance is so great that it
cannot be bridged by the warmest
wishes and the nicest memories
that life can give.
As this message comes your way,
we hope this day finds you enjoying
a wondrous time... with so much
to be thankful for.
-Poem by
J.M. Colter
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from all the mice
Our Thanksgiving Prayer
Good and Gracious God, we come before you
today united with all who give You thanks and
praise. Fill us with gratitude for Your many
blessings, both physical and spiritual.
We thank You in particular this day for the
gifts of food and family. Bless this food,
Lord, that it may nourish our bodies. Bless our
family, especially those who can't be with us
today. Also today, we remember those of our
family who have gone to be with you.
Grant us Your spirtual blessings and help us
pray daily for the grace to serve You in
response to Your bountiful gifts to us. Bless
all who serve You throught the World.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, Your Son,
Our Lord, who gives all things freely
according to our needs. Continue to bless
us and give us Your peace.
Cats were welcome aboard sailing ships in the 16th century because they helped
control the rodent population and protected finite food supplies. They were so
well known as sea-going voyagers that National Geographic once reported that
"cats, like people, found freedom from persecution in America. It is believed
that they first came over on the Mayflower, although it may have been earlier-
with the Spaniards in the 16th century. In any event, once here, they thrived."
Carolyn Travers, research manager at www.plimoth.org in Plymouth, Mass., a
non-profit, educational institution that bills itself as the living history
museum of 17th century Plymouth, confirmed that cats were common on ships,
so common in fact that they didn't warrant mentioning.
"What they talked about was what interested people. Cat were too common to
talk about," Travers said. "Dogs were mentioned on the Mayflower because
they tackled wolves, but cats weren't mentioned."
The first written mention that Travers said she found of cats dates back to
1634, some 14 years after the Mayflower anchored in what today is Province-
town harbor. William Wood wrote in "New England's Prospect" how cats saved
the colony's crops from squirrels and probably what we know today as chipmunks.
The First Thanksgiving
We don't know if Goodman's dogs or any cats were present at the first
Thanksgiving feast, although they probably were. The cats had worked hard
to keep the colony vermin-free, and the dogs had been involved in planting
the corn. In fact, they had been too involved - they kept trying to dig up
the fish planted with the corn, and the settlers had to tie their forepaws
together to keep them from doing so.
So, this Thanksgiving Day, and everyday, give thanks for the fact that
cats and dogs came to America to help the settlers survive. Today, they
help us thrive by significantly adding to the quality of our lives.
Virginia Wells and Susan Bard Hall contributed to this story
In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfies
See the smoke trail!
Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
the grey smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all,
Flowers in the summer
Fires in the fall!
~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~
