Just some thoughts – Page 42 – Just An East Coast Girl

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…with Pirates!

Have you ever tasted roasted chestnuts? They are good. Not as good as one would think listening to the famous song…”chestnuts roasting on an open fire jack frost nipping at your nose, yule tide carols being sung by a choir…” I love that song and this time of year! It’s about a month til Christmas now and it is when all kinds of wonderful, special things happen around town.

Tonight…in Lunenburg, NS, the lighting of the fishing vessels down on the waterfront. Hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, a few of the shops open later, Christmas music playing, carollers singing …and PIRATES!!! I didn’t expect pirates! We enjoyed a nice dinner ( our favourite apps at our favourite place) ahh…it’s a great start to the weekend!

BUT we still have BLACK FRIDAY sales!!!!!

Today is American Thanksgiving. It is not in Canada. I guess it’s RED THURSDAY, so they say… the day before BLACK FRIDAY.

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. But, why then? Why doesn’t Canada celebrate Thanksgiving the same day as the United States?

Basically, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks and is not based on a historical date like Christmas. So, the entire world does not celebrate Thanksgiving and even those that do, frequently celebrate on different dates than the United States. Canada is a perfect example.

Canada’s Thanksgiving is based on a bountiful harvest and not on the Pilgrims and the New World like the Unites States holiday. The reason it occurs earlier than the US Thanksgiving is that Canada is north of the United States and because of this the harvest season occurs earlier during the year. It only makes sense for Canada to celebrate its fall harvest during their fall and harvest time! It’s actually a very beautiful time to celebrate and be thankful.

The First Canadian Thanksgiving?

The first Canadian Thanksgiving goes back even further than the United States. Back in 1578 an English explorer named Martin Frobisher was trying to find a northern route to the Orient. He was not successful in his quest, but he did end up establishing a settlement somewhere along what is Newfoundland today. Despite not making it to the Orient Frobisher was thankful the journey had been safe and decided to have a day of thanks. This resulted in the first Canadian Thanksgiving.

During this same time frame many French settlers were making their way to the area and also began having days of thanks during the harvest time. They, like the American Pilgrims, invited local Indians to take part in their feast.

This is how the Canadian Thanksgiving started and why Canada doesn’t celebrate on the same day as the United States. BUT…

we still have BLACK FRIDAY SALES! Although I’m not sure why considering it’s a US marketing ploy…EVERYONE wants a good deal!

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So..Happy Thanksgiving to our American Family & Friends. May you have a wonderful day.

Time to light things up!

It’s one month til Christmas and time to light things up! I have had some of my inside lights on for the last week or so. We will decorate our Family tree this weekend ( a little early) because David will be away with work. But it’s time to have the outside lights on!

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Haha, no snow yet…just some flurries. BUT it’s looking VERY Christmasy!

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Just one month!!!!

better rain than snow

Looking out my window this Sunday morning. Better rain than snow…

TRUTH

But…oh so much rain. Rain for days….

too early?

decorations-early-

I don’t think so.

I was talking to some friends in China last night and they asked what I’ve been up to. I said well…not a lot but I am thinking about EVERYTHING Christmas these days.

Decorating, gift buying, what to bake…all consume my thoughts. I told them I have my home pretty much decorated for Christmas. ( Just the Family room left to do, which I will do today)

Isn’t it a bit early they asked? For Christmas?

Not for me. I asked if they remembered when I was in China, and how my apartment looked in November and December? I LOVE the coziness that Christmas decorations bring. The lights are just so wonderful. They bring a warmth and coziness, almost magical atmosphere to this dark grey time of year. Darkness falls so early and the evenings seem long and the lights and a nice scent simmering on my scentsy burner just really help. I love it!

So…is it too early? I don’t think so. I am enjoying it and besides there’s only 5 weeks left til Christmas! It’s time to deck the halls!

5 wk to xmas

Pray for Paris

My heart breaks reading the news, thinking of my French friends living there…

Paris has been on my mind and in my heart lately. I have been actually doing a bit of research because it is the next “big” trip we hope to do after the wedding in April. I have wanted to go to the “city of LOVE” for a few years and in July it will be our 30th Wedding Anniversary. So I have been reading and researching.

The attacks last night on this city are senseless…the world is in shock by what has happened and our love, prayers and support are with Paris and France. Pray for the city…more importantly PRAY for the People.

The bins are out…It’s begun

I know I know…all the opinions are out. When to, when not to, after this day, before this day, not too soon…

But honestly, it is REALLY up to each individual what and when they choose. I don’t mean any disrespect whatsoever. I am so very thankful and feel blessed to live in Canada where brave men and women fought for our freedom and I am thankful that we do remember , pay tribute, and celebrate that every November.

And for me, I do usually wait until after Remembrance Day only because it’s closer to the middle of November and usually by then it’s a bit colder and most of the signs of a beautiful Autumn have disappeared and it just “feels” more like Christmas. I know even the words “feels like Christmas” is up for debate. In Canada, for me Christmas feeling and mood is… cooler weather, crisp frosty mornings and powdery light dustings of snow. However when we lived in Brazil, it was hot, sometimes rainy, beach weather with powdery white sands. It was a real effort to get in the mood of “feeling like Christmas” that year. But fun to decorate and not worry about snow affecting the decor on my patio! haha

So today…the bins are out and I have begun. Just a little, taking my time, enjoying the Christmas music that is now once again added to my Playlist for the next 6 weeks or so, and cleaning my house well, room by room and adding touches here and there that will make things look and feel like Christmas. It will take a few days because I’m not doing it all in one day but I’m enjoying it.

My first baking was done yesterday ( gotta get the fruitcake done early)as I watched the Remembrance Service in Ottawa. And I even did a little shopping online to be delivered in the next few weeks. And so little by little Christmas merrymaking has begun.

Isn’t it just the most wonderful time of the year? Brr…and today “feels” chilly, it “feels” like that time of the year 😀

We Remember…

Sometimes…it’s all ya need

No words needed. Thanks girlfriend!!!!

It’s time for bed…

It’s getting colder. The leaves have turned from red to gold and are now falling quickly from the trees. LOTS and LOTS of raking and clean up to do. YES, it’s that time again, it comes too quickly, but it’s time to put the gardens to bed! Cold and Snow will be here before we know it!

But yesterday was a gorgeous day. Sunny and warm ( at least 15 degrees) and a perfect day for cleaning and organizing the shed, putting away garden furniture, raking and fixing the gardens, mowing and fertilizing and even…yes even putting up a few Christmas lights. The hardest ones because it was so nice and I really don’t like doing this when it’s cold and my hands and fingers are cold. It’s hard to believe that it’s soon that time again.

And after all that hard work and fresh air, I was ready for bed early!!! What a great day!!!