 Dear Neighbor, This week my update is going to be a bit early in favor of celebrating Thanksgiving. Linda and I extend our best wishes to you and your family as we pause to celebrate this important holiday. Historians continue to debate the origins of this holiday. Some associate it with the Plymouth Colony settlers and the Wampanoag Native Americans in November of 1621. Others suggest an early time much further south on the continent. Spanish settlers shared a festive meal with the native Timucuan people in 1565 at the settlement of St. Augustine. The Thanksgiving holiday illuminates two critically important human qualities: the ability to share and to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy. Whether it’s a traditional gathering and meal, or simply a smile and a kind word to a stranger, please don’t hesitate to share. We have certainly endured some unsettling events this past year. The Thanksgiving holiday is an opportunity to thank those around us for their support and patience as we navigated the challenges of this past year. It is also a reminder, as each of our individual religious beliefs may dictate, to give thanks to a greater power that has blessed us with the world we live in. For us here in the great Northland, the end of November also marks the transition from fall to winter. While the ice has not yet safely captured our lakes and we don’t have the snow necessary to break out the snowmobiles, skies and snowshoes, the winter recreation season is about to begin. As always, be safe and thoughtful as we embrace the many winter activities that will soon be possible. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Aitkin’s world-famous fish house parade is returning after a one-year COVID-19 related hiatus. The day after Thanksgiving, November 26th the parade starts at 1 p.m. sharp. It begins at the Aitkin County Fairgrounds and proceeds south down to the U.S. Post Office. Line up begins at 11 a.m. at the fairgrounds, if you are up to it, please join us for this unique Minnesota event. Until next week, enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. Sincerely, Dale |