Monday, November 8, 2021

Tuesday 4: November is Here

Welcome to Tuesday 4 begun by our friend Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory.
This week let's talk about November!

 


 

1. Besides Thanksgiving is there anything about November you like/dislike?

What I like about November is we are getting close to finishing the year. I'm always eager to finish one year and start the next as I set small goals, sometimes larger ones each year. What I dislike is the dark, rainy and generally cold weather. It takes me awhile to get used to weather transitions and I do really enjoy the early part of fall season before the more constant rains begin.  In fall 2021 it seems we've had much colder and wetter weather than we normally do.  I also dislike that I usually feel behind in Christmas preparations no matter my good intentions and early start to Christmas shopping. I did really enjoy the month of October with the lovely fall colours. Though November is not my favourite month largely due to wet and often windy weather, I try not to dwell on it.  It is part of living where I live.Whenever I do catch myself thinking negatively,  I try to change the thought patterns by remembering all the blessings I have.


2. How is November weather where you live? Does it suit you?

The weather is usually too wet and cold for my liking though when I first moved to my city none of this bothered me. I've lived fine with the weather for decades but I've  noticed that as I grown older and have some health challenges, the weather is really not good for me.  It's not likely this will change soon because I'm not the type to pull up stakes and move to a foreign land. I am just more comfortable with the Canadian system health care wise and otherwise. 


This is what I love about November though it mostly this is what it looks like in October


3. When do you plan for Thanksgiving? Eat home or out? Menu?

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in early October and that suits me very well  because there is a good break between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We always eat Thanksgiving dinner at home and it is a traditional holiday meal.  It  consists of either a turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce with mashed potatoes, gravy, one or two salads, 2 or 3 vegetable dishes (usually corn niblets, green beans and roasted Brussels sprouts).  If we want a change, we will have a roasted, glazed ham.  Dessert is usually a pie (apple or pumpkin) with ice cream or whipped cream. There are also lots of condiments like pickles and so on. At Christmas there will be crudities and a cheese, meat and fruit platters so we can graze on leftovers for a few days and perhaps cookies or fruits as additional desserts.


4. When do you begin your decor and plans for Christmas. It "officially" begins after Thanksgiving and the Macy's Parade when Santa arrives at the end.

I think about Christmas and possible gifts for much of the year.  Though my list of gift recipients is not so large it does include all immediate family members and a handful of close friends. In particular, I have to get creative when it comes to suitable gifts for my niece for all holidays and celebrations so my mind is always working to try and make things special for her.  I also like to send cards. Since the advent of email, smart phones and high postage costs, I have tried to limit the cards but I am old fashioned and cannot resist on sending 'just one more'. I officially don't start with decor until the end of November and sometimes even well into December. In a more 'perfect world', I would have the decor up by the middle of November to enjoy through the season.  Though I love the sparkling, twinkling lights and decor over Christmas, I like to take it all down as soon as we've entered the New Year. I find that by then everything looks tired and worn, but I also got this tradition from my mom and maternal grandfather, who both loved to start the New Year with a completely fresh slate.



Joining up with Tuesday 4 this week. Check it out!

 




10 comments:

KlaraS said...

November in my place is usually wet... :0(... rain, rain, rain...
Stay warm :0)

Red said...

Here in Alberta it is dry and just gets cold.

Jeanie said...

I wish we had our Thanksgiving in October. It just makes so much more sense with harvest and a better break between that and Christmas. Like you, I hunt for Christmas year round, but this year I haven't been out much so I'll have to make up some time!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

I love the card at the end, "come and worship". That would be a perfect Christmas card for me. I sometimes wish our Thanksgiving was also in October, because there is such a rush after our Thanksgiving to get ready for Christmas, and then bang, it's over so quickly. Seems like our fall decorations last for three months, Sept., Oct. November, but Christmas is only one month December. I usually leave them up until after January 6th, which was my family's tradition, not so much because it's Epiphany, but because it was my mother's birthday, and that is when they always took down the tree in her home growing up. Anyway, your menu for Thanksgiving sounds good. I am trying to get ready in my mind, but am slow moving this year. We've started out wet and cold this November, but it usually gets nicer as the month goes by. Take care my friend.

Mari said...

November is not a pretty month here either - dark and rainy, with some snow at times.
I wish our thanksgiving was in October like yours. It seems to make more sense as that's the end of Harvest...

Susan said...

I wish we could have thanksgiving instead of Halloween or earlier than the end of November. We sure could use some rain here is So Calif. Roasted sweet potatoes sounds good! Might have to try that one.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite things about November. I am fixing a turkey and all the sides and we invited my husband's cousin. I am not a fan of winter and the short daylight. My family is spread out all over the place, hubby and I will have a quiet Christmas. I hope you have a happy month of November. Take care!

Rhodesia said...

We do not have thanksgiving here, but we have a couple of public holidays in November plus Nigel's birthday! The 1st is All Saints Day, and this Thursday is the 11th and Remembrance Day. We have a service at the local memorial and then we have a luncheon with proceeds going to charity. Lunch will be at a local restaurant for N's birthday on Wednesday so it will be quite a busy couple of weeks.

I am far behind with blogging. Hope fully I will get time soon to go through all my October and November photos!!!

Keep well and hope the face is healing well. Diane

Susan said...

I live in So Calif. so we get mild fall and winter weather. Today it was 90! I like to send out cards but every year I send out less. I use to work for the post office and remember had sorting the many colorful envelopes. I hope you stay well!

Kirstin said...

I enjoyed your answers. Weather can definitely affect our health thats for sure. I usually take my decor down right after the New Year.

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