Adopt a turkey!

 

 

 

 

This year we sponsored, MARTHA.

Hope she had a great Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

Visit Farm Sanctuary for more info. and other animals who need help.

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/the-sanctuaries/

 

 

 

 

www.ginirifkin.com



A BIT OF THANKSGIVING HISTORY

....for the Thanksgiving Holiday 

 

 Sarah Josepha Hale was born on October 24th, 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire to Revolutionary War Captain Gordon Buell and Martha Whittlesay Buell.   

 

    An American writer, an influential editor of Godey's Lady's Book, and the author of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb", she also campaigned for the creation of the American holiday known as Thanksgiving.

 

   Although she did not support women's suffrage and instead believed in the "secret, silent influence of women" to sway men voters, she was an early advocate of women's education, particularly higher education for women, and she helped in the founding of Vassar College.

    Hale is credited as the individual most responsible for making Thanksgiving a national holiday in the United States; it had previously been celebrated only in New England.

 

   Each state scheduled its own holiday, some as early as October and others as late as January; it was largely unknown in the American South. Her advocacy for the national holiday began in 1846 and lasted 17 years before it was successful.

 

 

 

 Never say die, she wrote letters to five Presidents of the United States -- Zachary Taylor, Millard Filmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln. Her initial letters failed to persuade, but the letter she wrote to Lincoln did convince him to support legislation establishing a national holiday of Thanksgiving in 1863.

 

 

    The new national holiday was considered a unifying day after the stress of the American Civil War. Prior to the addition of Thanksgiving, the only national holidays celebrated in the United States were Washington's Birthday and Independence Day.

     Her novel, published in the U.S. under the title Northwood: Life North and South, made her one of the first American women novelists and one of the first of either gender to write a book about slavery. 

 

 

   Hale wrote many novels and poems, publishing nearly fifty volumes of work by the end of her life. 

 

She retired

in 1877 at the age of 89. The same year, Thomas Edison spoke the opening lines of "Mary's Lamb": the first ever recorded on his newly invented phonograph.

 

 

Hale died at her home, 1413 Locust Street in Philadelphia, on April 30, 1879.

 

   So on Thanksgiving, please take a moment to remember Sarah.

 

 

    I hope you have friends and family at your side, and a prayer on you lips along with all your favorite food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

McCarty Fickel November Victorian Tea 2014

 The temperatures dropped, and the snow did fly.

 

 

Then a little angel named Christina Hildebrandt dropped by.

 

 

She picked up our spirits her harp music so sweet,

it gladden our hearts and quickened out feet.

 

 The food was prepared with loving care,

 sweet and delicious for those soon to be there.....

 

The silver was polished, the tree was aglow.

Before you knew it we were ready to go.

 

 

 

 

 The Red Hat Ladies arrived by the score.

We were so happy to see them as they came through the door.

Virginia told of the folks

 who once lived in the house.

And everyone listened, quiet as a mouse.

 

 

The servers were dressed beautifully, 

their smiles in place

as they helped one another bring joy to this place.

  ( Meda, Sandy, Virginia, Virginia, Janice, Virginia)

                   

       Our unsung heroes were Dick and John.

   They were busy in the kitchen

when the cameras were on.

 

 

 

On the way out the door, all seemed in good cheer.

We hope they had fun

and were glad they were here. 

 

 www.ginirifkin.com

ROMANCING THE 8 TCRW STYLE

    Again, Cody burst out laughing, this time even harder.

   Glancing around the wagon, the reason became clear, and Britania gasped in alarm. One of her trunks had burst open, spewing lacy beribboned undergarments hither and yon. 

   These were not items worn by the type of lady she pretended to be. They were outrageous dainties, a jezebel's delight, couture de jour for a whore.

   “Oh, bloody ’ell.”

                                                    Set in Colorado, 1880

                                                     

                                          Buy at Amazon
                                                       Read more at my website

GREELEY READCON/BOOKS & BREWS 2014

                   What a wonderful evening. 

It started with a beautiful gift from my thoughtful sister Kathy....made me feel so special. 


Then instead of heading West, young man. We headed East to Greeley.

 It was still daylight when we reached Zoe's Cafe

We quickly got set up. 

             Then sat back and enjoyed the fun. 

                   This year we ran into a 
              whole new group of celebrities. 

Who doesn't love Superman?

    And Gandolf promised I could go
                   on the next adventure. 

There were wonderful cake truffles from "Batter-up Cakes, tea and beer.  

   with music by the Dixie Leadfoot band.

 Lots of nice folks attended, and sales were good,
and it ended as it began, with a gift! 

   Thank you Meagan at the High Plains Library district and all those who helped to make this a terrific evening. Love my tote.

Romancing the 8

Again, Cody burst out laughing, this time even harder.

   Glancing around the wagon, the reason became clear, and Britania gasped in alarm. One of her trunks had burst open, spewing lacy beribboned undergarments hither and yon. 

   These were not items worn by the type of lady she pretended to be. They were outrageous dainties, a jezebel's delight, couture de jour for a whore.

   “Oh, bloody ’ell.”

                                       Set in Colorado, 1880

                                                       

                                          Buy at Amazon
                                                       Read more at my website

Greeley ReadCon 2014 / Books and Brews @ Zoe's Cafe

So proud to be invited to ReadCon 2014, and Books and Brews in Greeley, Co. 

October 25, 2014

per the High Plains library district: ReadCon is Northern Colorado’s Premier event for readers and writers. Not to mention audiobook lovers, podcasters, zombie fans, local authors, poets, films fans, gadget geeks and comic nerds. Like any great, big life event, like any beautiful faraway place, like the best day of your life, it can’t be described. You’ve just got to be there. 
         Multiple venues + multiple presentations = multiple fun!                              www.readcon.us

   This year, the Books and Brews portion will be held at Zoe's Cafe Coffee Shop, located at 715 10th Street in Greeley. 

   With over 35 authors and several breweries represented, along with the toe tapping music of the Dixie Leadfoot Band, it promises to be a fun evening. 

   Please stop by and support your local authors. Pickup a few books for the winter months ahead. Talk to an author about the genre you write and in which you'd like to be published.

      Last year's event, featured a few celebrities. 

a girl can dream......

Hope to see you Oct. 25th at Zoe's 5:30 -7:30 PM. 

www.ginirifkin.com