How did it begin?   

Well .........the short version is that there were these Pilgrims that left 

England on a ship called the Mayflower. 

They landed at Plymouth Rock  on December 11, 1620.

Only 56 of the 102 Pilgrims made it through  the bitter winter and into the fall of 1621. 

The Great Harvest of 1621  prompted a feast by the pilgrims, in which they invited the 91 Indians that taught them how to live through the seasons.

           The Pilgrims and the Indians  didn't gather for another

                         feast again until 1623.

At that point - these feasts were not held on the third Thursday of November as we do today.

 It wasn't until 1777 that all 13 colonies joined in a Thanksgiving feast .

In  the late 18th century,  George Washington  

& Thomas Jefferson    held varying opinions on honoring this sporatic harvests and unions of friends and family.

Sarah Josepha Hale headed the effort of a 40 year letter writing campaign to Governors and Presidents...finally prompting President Lincoln to proclaim, in 1863,  the last Thursday in November  as a national day of Thanksgiving!

The first gathering in 1621 may or may not have

included  Turkey ....

Pilgrims describes how the governor sent "four men out fowling" returning with turkeys, ducks and geese.   Through the ages - with all those

              

 running around.....

 

they became the staple of Thanksgiving....

      

The thrill of the hunt! 

 A fine tradition is a good ole fashion'd Turkey Shoot!

Word of caution:  It is not wise to befriending the local Toms...er.....Tims....er....Teds.....

Best idea is to lurk in the woods.....or ....er.....cornfield.....

When you see your target....

aim yer musket....   and    .......

and THAT .....is how it's done! 

Turkeys are very sly - they know how to hide! 

Watch out for those wise Turkeys trying to stay off the table!!

They could be in the most obvious places...

Or those dancing to their own drum.....just to throw you off!

Are you the one who hordes the Turkey to yourself?

Or goes out to play football with the boys?

Once the Tryptophan kicks in - you may choose to stay in to watch football

Watch the kiddies bicker over who gets the wishbone!

 Then again - sometimes...it's all about the Pie!!

Anyway you look at it  - do shake yer tailfeathers as you

prepare for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

~~N~~

And good Luck for those who go shopping!

Copyright ©2006 HTOOOS. All rights reserved. 

Updated 11/24/2010 ~ 07:02:07

~~N~~