Today is Thanksgiving Day in the USA and first of all I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from the staff at Review This. We thank each and every one of you for your support over the years. Your support for Review This Blogs is what makes us successful. Thank you!
Veterans Tribute Park
Last week I took a group that I mentor to take photographs at our local Veterans Tribute Park. We had been there last May, and I wrote a review at that time. I have listed a link to it at the end of this article. We enjoyed the park so much that we decided we would like to go to it again in the autumn when all the fall colors would be out. The week before we were to go, we had a hard freeze so many of the color was depleted and yet t here were lots of beautiful scenes to photograph. The day we went was a perfect day weatherwise and we enjoyed walking through the park and capturing the beauty of the season on our cameras.
Photos from our Visit
This photo is of some of the grasses that adorn the fall landscape.
In this photo I was demonstrating to the group the use of natural framing of a subject by looking through the grasses to capture the lake in the background.
In this photo we zoomed in to capture the orange trees surrounding the lake. You will note that many of the trees in the background had already lost their leaves, but it still gives a nice framing for the lake.
There was a bridge that went down toward the lake. It provided a nice overlook to the lakes. I showed everyone how when they turned around and showed the path going up to the lake it gave a leading line to the trees beyond.
Zooming in for a close-up photo of fall leaves makes a pretty photo.
Veterans Tribute Park in the Spring
Here is a review I wrote on our spring visit to the park.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
As we are moving to the end of the year faster than a speeding train, my thoughts and reflections seem to have taken a turn inwards.
Thanksgiving is just a day away and there is so much to be thankful for!
Here are just a few things that we should all be thankful for:
Family! Yes even when they drive you crazy, you know that they are the ones that you can count on when you need an ear to listen, hands to help, and a loving response when times are troubled.
Friends! Sometimes friends are the family that we wish for and they will do everything in their powers to help you too!
Home! It's that special place where you hang up your hat and coat, shake off the troubles of the day and relax.
Work!! Sometimes we might not be thankful for this, but. really. we do like to be productive and accomplish things. It helps us put clothes on our backs and food in our stomachs.
Children, they are the reason we do so many things! They make us laugh and cry, puff out our chests in pride and sometimes challenge us.
Food! So many sweet and savory dishes to tickle our palates.
These are just a few things that we could focus on during our celebrations and I'm sure there are many many more! I just focused on the immediate family, but we should also focus and our surroundings as well.
We are blessed to live in a country that gives us our freedom to do what our hearts desire. We can travel, see things from around the world and experience many different customs and traditions. We can speak our minds and dialogue with others even when we don't agree. We can appreciate our differences and celebrate them!
We are all different and yet we are all part of the human family. How wonderful is that?
This Thanksgiving, let's all make it our goal to appreciate the wonderful things we have in this life and celebrate each other in our similarities and our differences.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
American Thanksgiving is coming up, and I thought it would be fun to share a little mental break for anyone who’s knee-deep in planning, cooking, hosting, or just trying to keep up with the holiday buzz.
Sometimes, between the grocery runs and the to-do lists, it’s nice to pause and do something entirely unrelated to casseroles and centerpieces.
So this week, I’m offering a simple, festive word scramble. Nothing fancy—just a lighthearted way to shift your mind into a different gear and enjoy a few quiet minutes.
I’ve always liked word scrambles because they’re a nice change from the usual word searches and crosswords. There’s no complicated “find this in a grid” or “solve this clever clue” required—just a handful of jumbled letters waiting to be untangled.
It feels calming, almost like giving your brain a gentle stretch without any pressure. So whether you’re taking a quick break from holiday prep or simply looking for a cozy little activity to sip your coffee with, this word scramble fits the mood. It’s festive, low-key, and a fun way to celebrate the season in a small but satisfying way.
Can You Unscramble These Words Relating To Thanksgiving?
If you’re in the mood to give your brain a fun little workout, head on down and tackle this jumble of mixed-up letters. See how many of these Thanksgiving-related words you can sort out without sneaking a look at the answers (I know — it’s tempting).
Whether you’re curled up with a warm drink, unwinding after a busy day, or just wanting a quick dose of distraction, this word scramble is a simple way to brighten your mood.
🦃Solve These Scrambled Words 🍂
1. 🦃 RADGUIETT ____________
2. 🌾 HARVTSE ____________
3. 🎃 UNKPIPM ____________
4. 🍽 ESTAF ____________
5. 🦃 ERUYTK ____________
6. 🍞 ACNDBEORR ____________
7. 🍒 NRERCYBRA ____________
8. 🥣 FTFGSIUN ____________
9. 🍁 MUUANT ____________
10. 👨👩👧👦 LFYIAM ____________
11. 🥧 HGTGNRAEI ____________
12. ⛪ RLIMIPG ____________
13. 🎉 AEDPRA ____________
14. 🙏 BIELGSNSS ____________
15. 🌽 AORCCIUNPO ____________
16. 🎈 CTLEEBARE ____________
17. 📜 DTNAIOTIR ____________
18. 🍗 SEEOVFTLR ____________
19. 🥔 DMSHEA ____________
20. 🍏 DHARORC ____________
(Scroll down for the answers at the bottom of this page)
It’s filled with 500 holiday-themed words to unscramble, and the pages are large and easy to read. Each page has a little festive artwork, and every page features ten words centered around a new Christmas theme — plus the answers are included so you can check your work.
I created it as a cheerful, relaxing way to give your brain a little holiday workout. It’s perfect for teens or adults and makes a sweet stocking stuffer, a small party gift, or a thoughtful treat for anyone who loves a little festive fun.
How did you do? Were you able to solve a few of them?
🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃
Here are the Answers For The Thanksgiving Word Scramble - (They'll drop down on this page when you click)
Click Here For The Answers
1. RADGUIETT → GRATITUDE
2. HARVTSE → HARVEST
3. UNKPIPM → PUMPKIN
4. ESTAF → FEAST
5. ERUYTK → TURKEY
6. ACNDBEORR → CORNBREAD
7. NRERCYBRA → CRANBERRY
8. FTFGSIUN → STUFFING
9. MUUANT → AUTUMN
10. LFYIAM → FAMILY
11. HGTGNRAEI → GATHERING
12. RLIMIPG → PILGRIM
13. AEDPRA → PARADE
14. BIELGSNSS → BLESSINGS
15. AORCCIUNPO → CORNUCOPIA
16. CTLEEBARE → CELEBRATE
17. DTNAIOTIR → TRADITION
18. SEEOVFTLR → LEFTOVERS
19. DMSHEA → MASHED
20. DHARORC → ORCHARD
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Today is another flash fiction story about Gracie, who is eight years old. Long before those 82 years of life experience kicked in.
This flash fiction is about the early signs of who Gracie would become, and the first quiet stirrings of the peace she would one day find within herself—peace that would stay with her all the way to that rocking chair at 82.
______________________________
Gracie Always Knew - A Doll's Lesson
Gracie
held her favorite doll, its painted smile forever unchanged.
She
studied it closely, realizing that while she had learned to run
faster, dream bigger, and feel deeper, the doll had stayed exactly
the same. Time moved through her like the changing seasons—shaping her in quiet, steady ways—while the doll stayed exactly the same.
That's when she understood:
time only changes the living.
She gave the doll a pretend
life, imagining it full of thoughts and adventures. But sometimes,
late at night, another thought crept in—what if someone imagined me into being, giving me my lines, feelings, and story?
Church was as much a part
of her life as brushing her teeth or saying goodnight. And with
church came God, expected, unquestioned, and ever-present.
But the older
she got, the more she wondered: Where
is God? Why is God? Her questions had grown more detailed now, shaped by the things she
was starting to notice about the world and about herself. Those questions were
still too big to hold, but she carried them anyway.
She thought often about who
she was becoming.
There was one thing she wanted to be more than
anything—kind. Really kind. The type of kind that came from the
inside, not just because someone was watching. At eight years old, she failed at that many times. But it remained ever-present in her spirit.
Most of the time, she
was kind. But not always. Sometimes, she snapped at her little brother and was mean to her little brother!
Sometimes, envy crept in like a thief. She felt that and knew jealousy was not something to cling to. Still, deep down, she understood those moments didn't define her. They
were passing clouds, not her sky.
Something inside her—some
glowing ember she couldn't name—kept telling her that kindness
mattered more than almost anything else. It was what made people
beautiful. Not their clothes, or their hair, or even their words.
She felt kindness was like sunlight through a window—gentle, warm, and easy to miss if you weren't paying attention, but everything felt better there.
However, the world didn't
always agree.
Gracie had started to
notice contradictions.
Adults talked about love, forgiveness, and
doing what was right. They sang about it in church, prayed about it
at dinner, and nodded solemnly as Church leaders spoke.
But then the same
people would gossip, lose their tempers, or ignore someone who needed
help. It confused her. How
could they forget so quickly?
She wanted to believe
people meant well—that they were just trying, like she was. But part
of her couldn't shake the feeling that some were only
pretending—that they wore kindness like a costume and took it off
when it no longer served them.
And then, with a quiet
sigh, she admitted it—Sometimes,
I do that too.
The realization didn't
crush her, but settled into her chest with weight. Maybe being
good wasn't about getting it right every time. Perhaps it was about
not giving up when you got it wrong.
Gracie didn't like the idea of perfection—something about it always felt impossible, like a game no one could win. And yet, she couldn't help but chase it.
Even at eight, she felt the pressure to be the one who got it right, who made things better, who didn't let anyone down. Somewhere along the way, without meaning to, she'd written herself a silent set of rules: Be better. Fix it. Don't disappoint.
She didn't know it then, but that quiet urge to rescue and make things right would shape much of her life—until years later, when she finally began to see its weight and learn a different way of being.
You see, Gracie was, by nature, a
rescuer. But she didn't know that
yet.
For now, at eight years old, she knew only this: being a doll would be so much easier. Dolls didn't have to
ask questions, feel pain, or wrestle with what was right. Dolls
didn't worry about being enough.
It was the first time she
realized how heavy it could be to be real—and maybe the first clue
that she was beginning to understand more than most eight-year-olds.
That's when Gracie wrote her first poem, at 8 years old. She called it "Thanksgiving."
_____________________
Am I Gracie?
You can safely presume that I'm Gracie, and yes, that first poem called Thanksgiving is included in my published poetry book below. I penned it when I was in grade 3; it is childlike and reflects the idealistic mind of an 8-year-old.
_____________________
I hope you've enjoyed the story of Gracie's life lesson at eight years old. 🕮
If you're into a longer story, I've penned this short story, The Gift of Knowing (can you sense a theme here?).
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Keeping your carpet clean can be challenging, especially in high-traffic
areas. We like to have our carpet cleaned every year before the holidays.
Fran called the carpet cleaner we used several times and left a message to
make an appointment.
After several days of not receiving a callback, she tried another
local carpet cleaner. Once again we didn't receive a callback from the
second carpet cleaner either.
So, we decided to buy our own carpet cleaner. Fran researched and decided
on the Hoover Smart Wash+ Automatic Carpet Cleaner.
After receiving our new carpet cleaner, it was a matter of finding the time
to clean it. One day, before the Thanksgiving holiday, we got almost two feet
of snow. You're probably wondering what snow has to do with cleaning our
carpet. Well, my car was plowed in, and I couldn't get out of the driveway to
go to work that morning. So, I decided to stay home and clean the carpet with
our new carpet cleaner.
After opening the box I found the assembly to be very easy. I filled one
tank with warm water and the other tank with the cleaning solution as
instructed.
Cleaning the carpet was as easy as vacuuming. The Smart Wash+ is equipped
with motion-sensing technology. Push forward, and it automatically dispenses
the cleaning solution. When you pull it back it activates a powerful drying
process. No triggers or buttons - it's as intuitive as it gets.
When you advance the brushes activate penetrating deep into the carpet to
remove embedded dirt. The drying has HeatForce technology, and the Smart
Wash+ dries carpets faster letting you walk on them in just a few hours
instead of waiting all day.
I cleaned our living room carpet, and hallway in a couple of hours.
Clean-up was easy, the removable brushes and nozzle ensure hassle-free
cleaning.
I love one other feature: there is a button on the tank for Dry Only. When you push it, the brushes and cleaner stop, and the tank will dry going forward and backward.
The Smart Wash+ also comes with accessory tools to clean your stairs and upholstery. All of these accessories are in a handy bag, that easily hangs in a closet.
Our Smart Wash+ was reasonably priced, and I'm sure it will pay for itself
very quickly. If you are looking for a professional-level clean carpet
without the professional price tag I recommend the Hoover Smat Wash+. We are
very pleased with the results.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Today is a day of Thanksgiving in the USA and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving on behalf of the entire staff of Review This.
I have many things that I am thankful for, but on this post I'd like to share my thanks for my hobby of photography by sharing with you several of the photos that I have taken this fall. I always see Thanksgiving as the end of the colorful fall colors and the start of the winter holidays.
Fall Photography
In the photo at the beginning of this post, I have shared a photo that I took down on Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri. They always decorate for each holiday and fall is no exception. I loved this box of fall flowers set against the wood railing. Another place I visited to take some fall photos was our Missouri Extension gardens. Fall is really the end of the blooming season, but there are still some great flowers to photograph. The photo below shows some bright purple flowers peeking out of an old wooden fence.
I love the beautiful shades of colors of the leaves in the fall. Here are a few of my favorites from this year.
One of the views I particularly enjoy all year round is the view from the sliding doors in our kitchen. It looks out past our deck to the trees in a subdivision below us. It is interesting to see how this view changes with each season. In the photo below it is a early fall morning and the trees are just beginning to change colors. The sky is full of color in the early morning light.
As I look at nature and my photographs, I thank God for this beautiful creation He has giving to us.
May you and your family be blessed with a thankful heart!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you are like me, you worry that all that luscious food will be taking up residence on your hips after the event. Over the years I have found a few recipes that help reduce this possibility, and are just as delicious as their full calorie counterparts. I even started sneaking them into potluck events around the holidays, and not a single person has ever noticed that the calories have been trimmed.
Substitute one or more of these recipes at your family feast, and see if anyone notices. I can practically guarantee they won't!
Low Sugar Cranberry Relish
Ingredients:
12 ounce cranberries - fresh or frozen cranberries.
1 whole orange with skin If you are not a fan of oranges, they can be changed out with any crispy, tart apple that is cored, peeled and sliced.
1/2 cup almonds, chopped medium. If you aren't partial to almonds, you can use walnuts or if you prefer softer nuts, use pecans.
1. Wash the orange and cut it in half. Peel one half and discard the peel. Peel the other half and put the peel into the food processor or blender. Separate the orange sections and cut each in half and set aside.
2. Turn on the food processor or blender and chop the orange peel as small as you can without pureeing it.
3. Wash and drain the cranberries well. Make sure they are all firm. Put in the food processor or blender.
4. Put the almonds and 1/2 cup sweetener in the food processor or blender.
5. Pulse the food processor or blender until the pieces of the mixture are smallish chunky, and the sweetener is well mixed in.
6. Add the orange pieces and pulse a few more times till the oranges are well mixed in with the other ingredients.
7. Try the relish for sweetness and and add more if needed.
8. This relish should be stored in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for 8 hours before serving.
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup bread crumbs
4 slices turkey bacon
1 can (10 ounce) of 99%fat free cream of mushroom soup
8. In a large bowl, stir together the condensed soup, yogurt and liquid smoke.
9. Then stir in the beans and bacon.
10. Lightly spray a glass baking dish (11" x 7" or 9" x 13") with no stick spray.
11. Transfer the bean mixture to the backing dish.
12. Top with the onion mixture to the glass dish.
13. Top with the onion mixture and back for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Makes 6 servings, 103 calories per serving.
Pumpkin Pie
If you prefer, you can make your pie shell from scratch. I always use a premade pie shell to save time.
Pumpkin Pie Filling:
15 ounce can of pure pumpkin - Not pumpkin pie filling
12 ounces of fat free evaporated skim milk
2 eggs or 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters
1/2 cup granulated sugar - I substitute Splenda for this
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves - this is optional, as some don't like the taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl.
3. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl.
4. Stir in pumpkin and spice mixture.
5. Gradually stir in evaporated skim milk.
6. Pour in to a pre-prepared pie shell.
7. Bake pie in the oven for 15 minutes.
8. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for at least two hours, serve immediately or refrigerate before serving. DO NOT chill before the pie has set, if you do it can begin to weep moisture on the top of the pie. If this happens, blot the top lightly with a paper towel.
Makes 8 servings, about 150 calories each.
I especially love the relish. It is so sweet and crunchy! I always had eaten regular jellied cranberry sauce until about 10 years ago when my sister brought some relish to our Thanksgiving dinner. I tried it and just never looked back. It is YUMMY!!
The pumpkin pie is a recipe that I made myself when my husband developed diabetes and could not have sugar anymore. While I was tweaking the recipe I decided to try to cut some calories too which is why I started using fat free evaporated skim milk. I really cannot taste the difference.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have and you and yours have a
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Thanksgiving for Canadians has come and gone and for many of my friends in the US it will be coming up very shortly.
For many families, this is a time of getting together, sharing our time, our joys and our losses through the year behind us and looking forward to the year ahead.
But, that is for most "normal" families! What happens when you don't belong to that "kind" of family.
Sins of the Family is a true story about a dysfunctional family with secrets that are over 100 years old and that have managed to tear this family apart.
What if your family was rife with mental illness or an inability to cope with their truth and history? What if your own granddad and your mother did nothing to stop your Gran from behaving the way she does?
Felicity lives in this situation! She takes abuse from her Gran on a daily basis. She is beaten and verbally abused everyday. She doesn't know why Gran is so mean and abusive. As a small child she really didn't know that this wasn't "normal". Standing for an hour or more switching on a light and switching it back off again, until she got it right, was a common torture forced on her by her Gran!
Only once in a blue moon would her Grandad come to her rescue, raising his voice to her. Her mother was never one to raise any objection to the way Gran treated Felicity, because if she complained, she would be the next target!
One woman's power over this family has done so much damage.
Can Felicity ever figure out what a normal life looks like and how to get out from the crazy place she calls home?
This book is an eye opener and Felicity does start to find some answers after digging into her family's history.
Let's just say, it's not a pretty picture at all!
I don't want to give away too much about Felicity's life, but suggest that this is a really interesting book. Never having had any of the experiences that she had, gave me some new insights into other people's lives that I have never even considered before.
This book will leave you shaking your head and wondering how this could happen in our day and age!
Yet I'm sure that it does happen and probably happens more often than we ("normal") people think
It is clear to me that we can never, ever judge other people because we just don't know what makes them tick and what they have been through. All our experiences shape our lives and Felicity is no different in that.
This book has made me glad that I have a "normal" family with problems that we discuss or work out! Thanksgiving is for giving thanks and after this book I will give thanks much more often. Understanding and forgiveness are two of the biggest steps you need to take to move forward!
I hope you take the time to read this book!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
A cute developmental toy for the new baby to enjoy, My Baby's First Thanksgiving Playset comes with a Tom Turkey who has jingle sounds, a Pilgrim Teddy Bear who squeaks, and a crinkly Pumpkin Pie toy. The Native American Girl is also a rattle. These soft plush interactive toys fit inside a tote bag hand-embroidered with a turkey applique and the words “My 1st Thanksgiving”.
What would be more appropriate for a newborn for this holiday mealtime than the gift of a darling baby bib with a sweet baby turkey and the words “My First Thanksgiving” printed on it. This soft cotton bib would make a really cute holiday baby gift.
First Christmas Tree Ornament
Since my daughter was born just one week before Christmas, I know what it’s like to have a newborn at holiday time.
One of the cutest and most clever personalized baby outfits I’ve come across is this absolutely adorable “Sorry Santa, I drank the milk” newborn romper.
The sleeves have the fold over mitts and a fold over foot cuff for a footed romper option. The bottom snaps open to make easy access for the quick diaper changes.
The outfit comes with a knotted beanie hat that will be personalized with the baby's name in the same font and colors as the romper.
This outfit and a wide variety of other 1sts are available in the Etsy Shop called Qatasta.
Summary
Happy Holidays to all, and an especially warm holiday welcome to the newest babies.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
