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I always loved Thanksgiving. No one could cook like my mom, Margaret Howard. She loved it. The more people the better. My dad, Elmer, would sit in the kitchen and cut up stuff for her while she cooked. Now they are gone but their memories live on in their children and grandchildren. Marcia Howard Miller, Hopkinsville, KY Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Would love to be home for the Holiday. Have two sisters still in the area and loads of cousins. Sure would be great if we all could share the turkey and all the trimmings. Shirley Riddle Stacy, Peoria, AZ Happy Holidays to all of you back in Hazard. I remember the smells from Thanksgiving dinner on the Mountain. Nothing like it. Evelyn Hurt Beasley, Cincinnati, OH I will be spending Thanksgiving at home with my family, remembering all the loved ones who have gone on. Times have been very hard this year but, finally are looking up and going in the right direction. I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope everyone has a great time and lots to eat. Don't forget to say grace for our soldiers and God bless each and everyone. G. Hollins, Hazard, KY I am going to be spending Thanksgiving Day here at home with my family. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. I have a new grandson born on Nov.9, 2004 and I have three other wonderful grandchildren along with their parents who will be here. The guy I live with also has four grandchildren and their parents will be here also. My sister from Lee County Ky. along with her family will be here. We will have a wonderful dinner and lots of fellowship together. Most of all we will Thank God for all the blessings he has given us. Please pray for our soldiers and their families throughout the holidays and in the future. Happy Holidays. Debbie Allmond, Anderson, IN I may live in Indiana, but my roots are dug deep in Hazard, Ky. My Thanksgiving memories are of us kids climbing into the Chevy (This was back in the early 1960's) and singing Over the River And Through The Woods, To Grandmothers House We Go. This was an early tradition for us, that I can remember. My grandmother's house was several hours away. I remember us girls wearing our heavy coats and muffs and how cold we felt. It was a long trip of many hills, bumps and curves, we'd drive by many farms, and see grain bins all the way there. We'd finally get to my grandmothers house, my father would open the big heavy iron gate, drive across the bridge, shut the gate get back in the car and drive the long path up the lane and park. We looked at the lane as we were coming up the grass, it usually was heavily frosted and dusted with snow and the trees were frozen in time it seemed. Then we got out and walked up all those steps onto the long porch and into and through the living room while the fire roared and cracked the big dining room table would be decorated with silver candelabras, and fine china. Every member of the family would be there. All the aunts, uncles, cousins. The dining room was full of joy and happiness as we walked around the table and stole a bite here and there waiting for the final preparations to get done so we could all dig in. I remember my grandmother's table cloth with the different shaded orange and brown colored squares. This meant we were going to have fun, and going to have a big family feast with plenty for everyone. In later years as the family started getting older, and my grandmother was too old to cook, my mother would hold the Thanksgiving dinners in her home. She would start 1-2 days before preparing the goodies, salads and other foods that we loved. My mother would put the turkey in the oven the night before and would get up several times during the night to check it and see if the turkey was getting tender. Then in the morning we'd get up and have a light breakfast and wait for the company to arrive. The guests would arrive and they were hungry to munch so my mother had set out plates of raw cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and celery with a homemade dip for everyone to eat on. The kids would watch TV or play in the basement. The adults would help, usually the women, and the men would look for a football game and huddle in the den. Several hours later the dinner was done and the family was called to the table, a prayer was said, and each one told of what they were grateful for. After stuffing them selves people were slowly creeping from the table and were sitting on the couch feeling sleepy. This was usually the men, as the women had to clean up the kitchen. After the kitchen was cleaned everyone gathered to put up the tree, play Christmas music, sing Christmas carols and put a few gifts under the tree. Later dishes of pumpkin pie, pecan pie and ice cream were served. The women quickly eat and get ready to go out for a few hours for some Christmas shopping. They want to take some gifts back to put under their own tree they set up the day before. Once the women come back from their shopping, everyone is ready to go. It's been quite a busy day but this is our special Thanksgiving. Cindy Clarke in Indiana We are planning a Thanksgiving Dinner - Family reunion for my mother who is 78 years old. There has been a lot of fighting in this family for a few years. Now everyone has agreed to get together for her at her house as she requested. Over 60 people hope it goes O.K. Linda Thornton, Houston, TX On Thanksgiving - I think of Nola Eversole - who for years owned and operated the Kentucky Inn on Main Street in Hazard and was also a cook at the business. Although it may have not been widely known, Eversole worked every holiday preparing Thanksgiving dinners for the needy, free of charge. It was something she enjoyed doing. Nola died on Thanksgiving day 2001. anonymous Penny Ritter of Hazard is responsible for a custom in our family. As Thanksgiving approached one year, I heard Penny talking at the beauty shop about how they played Christmas music while the Thanksgiving meal was served. After the kitchen clean-up, the Ritters put up their Christmas tree. I copied that great idea. Thus, we developed our 'first' family tradition! Later today, I will remind our daughter about how Christmas music and tree decorating on Thanksgiving got started in our family long before she was born. Carol Melton
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Well, we had our big Thanksgiving dinner for my mother. Everyone
showed up except for two grandchildren. It went just fine and my mother
was so happy. She passed away soon after that and I am so glad we did this
for her. Love you Mom. Linda Thornton, Houston, TX