The breaking waves dashed high,
On a stern and rock-bound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;
And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er,
When a band of exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.
Not as the conqueror comes,
They, the true-hearted came;
Not with the roll of the stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of fame;
Not as the flying come,
In silence and in fear . . .
They shook the depths of the desert gloom
With their hymns of lofty cheer.
Amidst the storm they sang,
And the stars heard, and the sea;
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang
To the anthem of the free!
The ocean eagle soared
From his nest by the white wave's foam;
And the rocking pines of the forest roared . . .
This was their welcome home!
There were men with hoary hair
Amidst that pilgrim band:
Why had they come to wither there,
Away from their childhood's land?
There was woman's fearless eye,
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow serenely high,
And the fiery heart of youth.
Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Pam on Pinterest
What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? . . .
They sought a faith's pure shrine!
Ay, call it holy ground,
The soil where first they trod.
They have left unstained what there they found . . .
Freedom to worship God.
~Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793-1835) English Poet
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
To all of my Canadian family and friends, a very Happy Thanksgiving!
May your day be blessed beyond measure!
We are off to some friends today to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. I am in charge of desserts. I am looking forward to it. I have not really had the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving over here in the UK in the time I've been here. I've always been working for the most part on both the Canadian and the American Thanksgiving holidays. This year I will get to celebrate it with a fellow Canadian, which will mean all the difference in the world and I am truly grateful for that.
Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Cinnamon Roasted Parsnip and Lemon Goat's Cheese Tarts.
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