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Mountain View News Saturday, November 23, 2024


DOTTIE

Meet Dottie, an adorable 
3-month-old brown tabby kitten 
with a heart full of love! This 
playful little girl enjoys chasing 
toys, exploring her surroundings, 
and curling up for cozy naps 
in your lap. Dottie is one of five 
siblings born to the sweet mama 
cat Mindy, and her loving nature 
shines through in every cuddle and purr. 

We’d love for Dottie to go to her forever home with one of her siblings 
or another kitten companion, as having a buddy helps kittens 
thrive. If you already have a young feline friend at home, Dottie 
would be delighted to join the family! 

Are you ready to add this bundle of joy to your life? Dottie is waiting 
to steal your heart! She is thoroughly vetted and ready to go! Apply at https://www.lifelineforpets.
org/mindys-kittens.html.

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

[Nyerges is the author of several books including “Self-Sufficient Home” and 
“How to Survive Anywhere.” He also leads wilderness classes every weekend. 
He can be reached at School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 
90041, or www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


ON THANKSGIVING

I was at a local coffee shop and met a man who had read something I previously 
wrote about the historical origins of Thanksgiving, and what happened, and what 
didn’t happen.

 “I was a little puzzled after I read it,” Burt told me. “I understand that the first historical Thanksgiving 
may have not happened the way we are told as children,” he told me, “but how did we get to where we 
are today? What I understood from your writing that there are historical roots, and that we today remember 
those roots and try to be very thankful, but the connection was unclear.” Burt and I then had 
a very long conversation.

A newspaper column is typically not long enough to provide the “big picture” of the entire foundation 
of such a commemoration, as well as all the twists and turns that have occurred along the way. But here 
is the condensed version of what I told my new friend Burt.

First, try reading any of the many books that are available that describe the first so-called “first Thanksgiving” 
at the Plymouth colony that at least attempts to also show the Indigenous perspective. You will 
quickly see that this was not simply the European pilgrims and the native people sitting down to a great 
meal and giving thanks to their respective Gods, though that might have occurred. In fact, both the 
indigenous peoples and the newcomers had thanksgiving days on a pretty regular basis.

As you take the time to explore the motives of the many key players of our so-called “first Thanksgiving,” 
in the context of that time, you will see that though the Europeans were now increasingly flowing 
into the eastern seaboard, their long-term presence had not been allowed – until this point. Massasoit 
was the political-military leader of the Wampanoag confederation, which was the stronger native group 
in the area. However, after disease had wiped out many of the native people, Massasoit was worried 
about the neighboring long-time enemies – the Narragansett -- to the west. The gathering of the European 
leaders of the Plimouth Colony and Massasoit and entourage had been more-or-less brokered by 
Tisquantum (aka Squanto) who spoke English. 

Yes, there had been much interaction between the new colonists and native people for some time, and 
this gathering of 3 days in 1621 was intended to seal the deal between the colonists aligning with Massasoit. 
The exact date is unknown, but it was sometime between September 21 and November 9.

Yes, historians say that a grand meal followed, including mostly meat. The colony remained and there 
was relative peace for the next 10 to 50 years, depending on which historians were correct in their reading 
of the meager notes. The historical record indicates that the new colonists learned how to hunt, 
forage, practice medicine, make canoes and moccasins, and much more, from the indigenous people. 
Even Tisquantum taught the colonists how to farm using fish scraps, ironically, a bit of farming detail 
he picked up during his few years in Europe.

Politicians and religious leaders continued to practice the giving of thanks, in their churches and in 
their communities, and that is a good thing. They would hearken back to what gradually became known 
as the “first Thanksgiving” in order to give thanks for all the bounty they found and created in this new 
world, always giving thanks to God! But clearly, the indigenous people would have a very different 
view of the consequences of this 1621 pact, which gradually and inevitably meant the loss of their lands 
and further decimation of their peoples from disease. Of course, there was not yet a “United States of 
America,” and it was with a bit of nostalgia and selective memory that we refer to this semi-obscure 
gathering of two peoples as some sort of foundational event in the development of the United States. 
And it is understandable from the perspective of a national mythology that the native people were 
forgotten and the “gifts from God” remembered. 

My new friend Burt was nodding his head, beginning to see that there was much under the surface 
of this holiday. I recommended that he read such books as “1491: New Revelations of the Americas 
Before Columbus” by Mann, “Native American History: Idiot’s Guide” by Fleming, and others.

As I still believe, giving thanks is a good thing – good for the soul and good for the society. Just be sure 
to always give thanks where it is due!

Eventually, in the centuries that followed, Thanksgiving was celebrated on various days in various 
places. George Washington declared it an official Thanksgiving in 1789. However, the day did not become 
standardized as the final Thursday each November until 1863 with a proclamation by Abraham 
Lincoln.

The gross commercialization of Thanksgiving is a somewhat recent manifestation of the way in which 
we have tried to extract money from just about anything. One way to break that cycle is to just choose 
to do something different.

When I used to visit my parents’ home for annual Thanksgiving gatherings, I disliked the loud arguing 
and banter, the loud TV in the background, and the way everyone (including me) ate so much that we 
had stomach aches! I felt that Thanksgiving should be about something more than all that. I changed 
that by simply no longer attending, and then visiting my parents the following day with a quiet meal. It 
took my parents a few years to get used to my changes, but eventually they did.

 These days, most holidays have a whole host of diverse symbols, and Thanksgiving is no different. And 
like most modern holidays, their real meanings are now nearly-hopelessly obscured by the massive 
commercialism. Nevertheless, despite the tide that is against us, we can always choose to do something 
different. Holidays are our holy days where we ought to take the time to reflect upon the deeper meanings. 
By so doing, we are not necessarily “saving” the holiday, but we are saving ourselves. As we work 
to discover the original history and meanings of each holiday, we wake up our minds and discover a 
neglected world hidden in plain sight.

Pet of the Week

 
Apple Pie is a 7-year-old lab mix who’s the epitome of a 
“professional family dog.” Apple Pie is a sweet, polite boy 
who’s thriving in a foster home. The foster family reports that 
he’s completely house-trained, walks beautifully on a leash, 
and has impeccable manners! He loves accompanying kids 
on their walk to school, then settling down for naps on rugs 
in their rooms to keep them company.

 In the backyard, Apple Pie has a blast burying toys, 
sunbathing, and playing with a senior chihuahua buddy. His 
favorite treats include hot dogs, and after putting on some 
much-needed weight, he’s looking extra handsome with his 
shiny coat after a recent bath.

 Apple Pie is the perfect companion and is ready to bring 
love, loyalty, and laughter to a new forever family. Come meet him this handsome boy-
you’ll instantly fall in love!

 Apple Pie and all other pets over five years old have their adoption fees waived throughout 
November in celebration of Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month!The normal adoption fee for 
dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate 
vaccines. 

 Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, 
adoption appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30 and can be scheduled online. 
View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA 
Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for 
your pet. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email.


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