# 184 - November 25th, 2009

Greetings one and all - if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin... Happy Thanksgiving and a joyous ‘Turkey and Football Day’ to all! What a great day and a hearty “well done!” to whoever thought of it (?)... Family, friends, food, drink, and football – it doesn’t get much better than that – making this Mother-of-All national holidays my personal favorite. Meanwhile, as you sit around stuffed, recovering from the vast amount of food you’ve devoured, why not test yourself, and others perhaps, with the ‘Turkey Vulture Turkey Day Quiz’? Answers at the end...
1. How many people were aboard the Mayflower when it landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620?
a) 35 b) 88 c) 102 d) 145
2. At the first Thanksgiving which of the following was approved table manners? A) To eat with your hands b) To spit on the floor
c) To throw bones into the fire when done. d) All of these.
3.A. True or False. Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday of November 3.B. True or False. Indians attended the first Thanksgiving feast.
4. What is America’s favorite dessert on Thanksgiving?
a) Sweet Potato Pie b) Pecan Pie c) Pumpkin Pie
5. Which two teams in the N.F.L. traditionally play at home on every Thanksgiving – one since 1934, the other since the 70’s?
6. How many degrees can a Turkey see for?
a) 360 b) 270 c) 180 d) 90
7. One year after the pilgrims had arrived at Plymouth Rock half of them had died. So, as they sat down to the first Thanksgiving, what was the ration of men to women at that historical event?
a) 2:1 b) 5:1 c) 9:1
8. Who pushed for the Turkey to be the nation’s national symbol?
a) Benjamin Franklin b) Abraham Lincoln
c) F.D.R. d) George W. Bush
9.A. True or False? Male Turkeys are the ones who make the gobbling sound. 9.B. True or False? The Pilgrims bought beer with them on the voyage to the New World.
10. Fish, fowl, peas, pumpkins, veal, beef, turkey...Which of these items was not on the very 1st Thanksgiving Day menu?
Obviously we need a relevant few words for The Quote of the Week and, with the eating part of the day being of paramount importance (although seeing friends and family does come a close second), what better sentiments than those uttered by English novelist and essayist, Virginia Woolf who brilliantly said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – I can’t argue with that, nor would I even try. Eat, drink, and be merry!...
Talking of eating, drinking, and being merry, finally this week I want to pass on an important P.S.A. in the form of a heads-up that the Original Crab Feed is scheduled for Saturday, Feb 6th, 2010 at The Apple Hall in Boonville. I’m giving you plenty of notice because some of you may wish to give Xmas gifts to loved ones in the form of tickets and if so please contact organizer Gloria Ross at 895-3017. After Xmas, tickets for this special event, with its sumptuous crab feast, delicious local Pinot Noir from Esterlina Winery, the fun-filled social hour, and the always-popular raffle, will be on sale at various places throughout the Valley. This is the longest-running Crab Feed, it’s the Original one, and it’s a great Valley occasion, arguably the best local event of the year. It WILL sell out - you have been warned...
Well now I think it’s time to take my leave - I have to see a man about a turkey... Be careful out there and stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you. And if there was a day to indulge in at least two of the Seven Deadly Sins this is it – two of my favorites come to mind and I encourage you to join me in a healthy amount of Gluttony and sizeable portion of Sloth… Oh, and of course, one final request, “Let us prey”… Humbly yours, Turkey Vulture…
p.s. You can contact me with words of support/abuse at turkeyvulture1 @ earthlink.net
Quiz Answers...
1. c) 102. 2. d) All were acceptable – rather like Thanksgiving at The Nest where guests are encouraged to partake in each of these ‘manners.’
3.A. False – it’s always the 4th Thursday of November, even when November has five Thursdays. 3.B. True – easily outnumbering the Pilgrims, more than half of who had died over that first year.
4. c) Pumpkin Pie, although Freshly Squished Squirrel covered in a creamy entrails sauce is the pie of choice here at The Nest.
5. The Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys play at home on this day every year, which for the hapless fans of the Lions, in recent years anyway, has generally meant a miserable Thanksgiving.
6. A Turkey can see for 270 degrees around it. This would explain why you’ve had little luck when trying to creep up and capture a wild one for dinner. I suggest you just buy a fresh one from Lemons’ Market!
7. With only fifty-one survivors by the time of the first Thanksgiving Day Feast, the ration of men to women was 9:1 – there were just five women remaining! I couldn’t possibly comment.
8. Benjamin Franklin – a great man and a true visionary clearly.
9.A. True – females do not. 9.B. True – Yer gotta like that. 10. Beef.