Thanksgiving HodgePodge

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I'm participating in the Wednesday Hodgepodge questions because I love how the blogger posted them:  it spells THANKS going down the left hand side...clever!

As you read this I am probably on the Mass Pike somewhere heading towards Plymouth County from our home in eastern New York State. 

 Talking turkey...are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu? When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between? Cranberries-homemade or jelled right out of the can? Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts? 

It's not our turn to cook BUT my brother in law (Dave's older bro Pete) asked Dave to make his vegan stuffing (we use veggie broth vs turkey broth and don't put it in the bird) and I was asked to make my sweet potato casserole (vegan due to using flaxseed vs egg and Earth Balance vs cow butter). Pete will make the turkey and he and his wife Kathy will make most of the sides. My oldest daughter is doing the peanut butter dates for the hors d'oeuvres, our youngest girl is baking peanut butter cookies for their Bernese Mt dog, Kyss (this was requested!) and my niece Hanna from Scotland is baking all the pies. I made cranberry orange bread for those of us who don't want pie. 

 Holiday movies...tell us your favorite and what it is about the film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs? 

My personal favorite is White Christmas because I've been watching it every year since I was a little girl. We started the tradition (once I got married and had children ) by watching it every Christmas Eve after the church service. We sing along, say the lines, it's great fun.  I guess I love it because the current Christmas movies seem so trashy compared to the elegance and class (not to mention vocal/singing and dance quality of the 1940s) of the classic movies. Since I studied Musical theater in high school and college and since both daughters were in musicals and youngest is a ballerina, of course this is one of our very fave movies. 

A favorite way to give back and help others? 

My daughters and I, when we happen to be together in a St*rbucks driveway, like to pay for the person behind us. I also like to give financially to an organization that helps rescue people from human trafficking, and we like to donate gently used clothing to the local thrift shop.  We also enjoy buying toys for the Toys for Tots program and shopping for the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox ministry. Throughout the year we also volunteer with Grace in Action. 

 Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful. 

This spot. 

 Moreau Lake State Park. My absolute favorite NYS park.  We were getting our kayaks to bring them home for the season and we were thanking God that we won a spot from the NY Lottery system to keep them there from April to November. I'm hoping/praying we can get spots again for 2025. 

 Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently? 

I would remember to buy a bag of ice for the cooler for our trip to MA because now I have to dash over there today. In the pouring rain. 

 Spill your own random thought here. 

I hope everyone traveling has a safe journey to and from their Thanksgiving destinations. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!