Submitted by ~L
Wiser men than me have noted that a good adage in living a successful life is to never stop learning. One of the more fascinating lessons, to me at least, is the realization that sometimes, the younger ones among us can teach us a few things. I just experienced one on the Monday of Thanksgiving week.
I’m in my early 60’s, and being the youngest of 4 children, am the last one left in my nuclear family. My next oldest sibling was a brother five years my senior, who was lost during the height of the Corona fearmongering in March of 2020, due to a short battle with cancer. Mom, Dad, and the other two siblings are long gone, but I still count myself blessed. Many friends.
Out of the four kids from our nuclear family, the brother who passed in ’20 had 3 children. His oldest son invited me over to enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner Monday. It was scheduled earlier than usual, as he is planning to take his wife and 2 daughters across the State to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his inlaws. His Mom, my sister-in-law was there, too. Loved.
We had a great meal Monday night. Unusual, in that instead of turkey, he cooked a beef tenderloin, and secured some zip sauce from a local establishment, which is an unbelievably delicious enhancer to beef and pork entrees. All the other fixins were the typical fare.
What also made it unusual in my mind was, with the cost of food in general nowadays, and beef tenderloin in particular, it was a rare treat, but one realization was that my nephew can afford to supply that.
I have a moderate circle of friends, and they are starting to enjoy grandparent status. Their mid-30 something kids are, for the most part, knocking it out of the park with their careers and financial success. Six figure incomes. Dual incomes, so affordability of life’s pleasures is satisfactory.
And, they are having children of their own, in a crazy world, so I commend them for that courage. My deceased brother’s four grandkids held a special, special place in his heart, and were the main reason he was sad as he spiraled further into deteriorating health, before passing. He is missed.
We had 15 people at the dinner. Six small children, and nine adults. One of the older kids, aged 12, was asked to say grace before the meal. He did an exceptional job of it, for one so young.
So what’s the point of the story?
Rosenthorn, Bud.
Rose & Thorn, & Bud.
When the main course of dinner was almost done, before desserts were served, my nephew who hosted the affair suggested that everyone seated around the dinner table engage in telling the rest of the guests three things.
In the past day or week, tell us all what their:
rose was; their thorn was, and what their bud is.
This was an exercise in sharing gratitude that I’d never experienced before.
To wit, a rose was something beautiful, admirable, or enjoyable that we have recently experienced. Tell it to all who are present. Celebrate it.
A thorn was something irritating, moderately painful, or objectionable that we have had to accept and deal with recently. Report that, too.
A bud is something we have coming up, something pleasurable or enjoyable that we are looking forward to experiencing.
I took the ‘bud’ as a sign of a part of a plant that will most likely bloom into something beautiful or enjoyable a little later. So, we look upon that with sweet anticipation. Tell the crowd what you’re looking forward to soon.
The small kids all reported simple, small, cute things as their rose, thorn, and buds. Still, it was good to see the outgoing ones participate.
Out of the mouths of babes, and all that.
As the tales moved around the table, from person to person, it was interesting to hear about other’s pleasures, challenges, and future plans.
Nothing too major or elaborate; just simple thoughts, on a moment’s notice of improvisational conversation.
As I’ve grown older, gratitude and counting our blessings has become a healthy focus, within a world upside down, and a constant swirl of things around us that compete for our attention, potentially affecting our spirits negatively. Gratitude expressed keeps the gates of generosity open, too.
So, to see my extended family which is essentially my older brother’s nuclear family express simple things to be thankful for, + share their individual irritations or challenges, and then something they are looking forward to…was special.
It’s an exercise in sharing, placing proper focus, while together as a family, sometimes covering at least 3 if not 4 generations of kin, in an atmosphere of hopefully love, with only a small portion of playful jabs or criticisms. Friends in attendance are considered extended family and are welcome.
As most know, the holidays are ripe opportunities to discuss current events, which can devolve into heated arguments among associates, in total opposition to the reason for the season. I would encourage all to resist the urge, however difficult it is. Don’t be that guy or gal. Just a suggestion. You do you, though.
We shouldn’t forget that Thanksgiving is a time of harvest, and to express gratitude for the abundance we are able to share among some of our closest friends. One way to consider that, even in the midst of lack, is to remember that there will always be people that have things way worse than us as individuals. We would do well to keep that in mind. Often.
Likewise, Christmas ought to be a time of wonderful sharing, in small simple ways and actions of love that don’t have to involve what the merchants suggest, in terms of materialistic baubles, neckties that will never be worn, or slippers we wouldn’t be caught wearing anywhere in front of other people. You get the gist of the priorities suggested.
Out of respect for those who celebrate a different holiday in late December, the suggestions still apply, for those who with which we have some semblances of common ground.
Christmas is also an excellent time to suggest Rose, Thorn, & Bud to your guests seated around the dinner table, in my humble opinion.
Another aspect of it is, we stop focusing on ourselves for a while, and listen to other people in our spheres of life, to get examples of what they are experiencing. Forgiveness has a place during such times of celebration, too.
I’ll close with another adage.
Every rose has a thorn.
The challenges and waves will keep coming, however much time we have left on the planet. Keep the focus where it belongs. Nobody is guaranteed a future, and certainly not one free of troubles and irritations.
I’d advise friends to seize the day, count your blessings, share your struggles with someone close who cares, and have some good things in your life to look forward to. Teach that to your children and grandchildren, if you haven’t already. Then periodically remind them of the lesson.
If you don’t keep adding wood to the fire of encouragement, the embers will extinguish, and the warmth will soon be gone.
Wishing you and yours the happiest of Thanksgiving celebrations,
in this 2023 Anno Domini.
And if you believe in Him, or any other Source of All that is Good, spend a solo moment of appreciation for all you’ve been given.
Even the challenging irritations.
For within those, if sought, there is something Good to be found, or that shall emerge.
It may take some time to be revealed. Perhaps never, in this life.
Try to recall an event in your life that initially caused you pain or anger,
but later evolved into a blessing that enhanced your life tremendously.
Personally, some of my best friends I initially thought were jerks. You?
Remember lessons such as these. And may Peace be with you.
A relevant music video, below.
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Hat tip to the author.
This was a beautiful article, and I plan to use the Rose, Thorn and Bud as a guideline for life and plan to try to illustrate it to my children/ grandchildren.
Thank you!
We all have much to be thankful for.
Be grateful often.
And try to forgive.
Life is too bloody LONG to be hateful, angry, and resentful.
Smile more, seethe less.
But ammo up anyway.
always appreciate your input, Arteest, regardless the topic.
Go Avs!
But, for &kit,
Go Bolts!, too.
Hell, I’ll even throw a bone to RiNS, too.
Go Habs!
Shinny.
It’s in my blood.
For me, Stevie’s workin’ on it.
Hopefully, the winged wheelers will return to contention soon,
for the prize of Lord Stanley.
I’d like to expand on the theme in this post and comment thread.
Bear with me, if you would.
I spent the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving with my neighbors, starting first with dinner out, at a new restaurant close by.
Afterwards, the 5 of us out to a couple pubs in our area.
Both sets of neighbors are mid-30’s couples, similar to my nephew and his wife, and my neice and her husband.
Professionals, in various lines of work, but doing well.
When these kids moved in, I welcomed them to the neighborhood, by introducing myself and giving them a housewarming gift of wine or a couple of rare, longneck beers not easily obtained.
We frequently stop to chat, when noticing them outdoors.
Both neighbors have dogs, who I have befriended, and give treats to as often as possible. That always brings a smile to my face. The dogs have better personalities than some humans I’ve met.
As neighbors, we occasionally get together, over BBQ’s, drinks, small bonfires, and general socializiing, whether indoors or out.
It’s a good relationship, that has grown because someone reached out, in a spirit of friendship, generosity, and sharing.
Since then, we have tried to extend the neighborhood group to newbies who have moved in close by on our street, with moderate success.
Most of us find our comfort zones with people of like mind and similar age, but, those parameters can be broadened.
As a 60-something older guy, the younger neighbors have become close, and the group friendship has flourished, over the course of about 4-5 years. It’s a good vibe.
Hell, we even have a name for our core group of neighbors, and have added another 30-something young bachelor Doctor.
If one lives in a metropolitan area, the opportunities for this type of neighbor friendships are there, but might not always bear fruit.
Even out in the sticks; in the country, where neighbors are few and far between, I believe it’s important to establish a few close friends who will help you if you’re ever in a time of need.
Reach out, and have the courage to get to know some of those who live close by, besides your family and distant friends.
We learn to filter out those who’s ideoligies conflict with yours, and to cultivate stronger friendships with those who’s integrity and values align with ours, to find common ground for bonding.
Good Luck, with these kind of endeavors.
Going it alone with minimal resources can be a hard row to hoe.
From there, watch, as the garden grows into an abundant field.
Don’t forget to pull the weeds, and frequently water those plants you’ve placed in fertile ground. Don’t block the sunshine needed.
An abundant harvest awaits, for those who put in the effort.
Scroll down, and read the comment from Soup. That’s a similar type of good.
Interesting idea, L.
Want to share your roses, thorns and buds, L? It might make for an interesting thread. Some will be a little shallow (probably me) and others will wax philosophical.
I have to do a few things and make breakfast. I’ll get back to you.
Sure, Bear.
My rose was my extended family inviting me to their early T’giving holiday meal.
I told them I no longer have parents or siblings in my life, so they should cherish theirs, and I was grateful that I am considered a key part of their family, as Uncle & Gruncle.
My thorn was earlier in the day, having had to find a new DDS, as my former one retired.
I found a good one, but still, without dental insurance, I had to shell out > $400 for an exam, full set of X-rays, and a cleaning. But, tis money well spent, IMO. More to come.
My bud I’m looking forward to is getting together with friends to watch their alma mater play a college rival on the Friday after Thanksgiving LIVE, at our local NFL stadium.
One guy I’ve known for 56 years.
The other two I’ve known for 50 years.
We still get together on a regular basis, typically in the warm months to go golfing.
Edit / Adds: Share yours, MC…of the top of your head.
Thanks, Joe. Appreciate your words.
Well, taking the Rose part literally as something I recently saw as beautiful, we were in Indian Shores, FL the first part of Nov for a week. Had a condo on the beach so we could watch the sun set into the Gulf every day and each day was a Kaleidoscope of color. I guess if you live there you can take it for granted but landlocked in MO it was just lovely.
My thorn is realizing that getting old REALLY isn’t for pussies.
My bud is watching my teenage grandchildren turn into adults. 13, 17 and the oldest will be 19 in January. It’s quite something to behold. Also, my hubby has wanted to see Glacier Natl Park for a long time. So next summer we are headed that way. I’m hoping to keep the arthritis as bay and build up my walking stamina so I can do at least some shorter hikes.
I hope more people will chime in later. It’s a nice break from all the doom.
MC,
When you visit GNP this summer, 2 things to make your trip more interesting:
Spend a Sunday afternoon attending Chuck Baldwin’s Liberty Fellowship
Give a heads up to meet up, I live less than an hour from GNP.
Blessings,
R49
It’s a big area. I’m not sure how close we will be from where we are staying but more on that when the time is closer.
Glacier Nat’l Park is my home away from home. It’s an incredibly special place. Hope you love it as much as I do.
I will let you know, Abby. It was on my husbands bucket list. But not mine. I’m always drawn to tropical or any warm area even in the summer.
I passed through Glacier on the way to AK 45 years ago. Did some great hiking. It’s where I learned to catch fish with the hands using the tickle and grab method. Couldn’t get them to bite for nothing.
Tickle & grab method, huh? I feel like there’s a joke in there…
No joke. Touching the trouts stomach puts them asleep. You then grab and throw them on shore. They hide under banks and logs. You approach quietly with hands from behind. After a while I could just grab. You need a good grip though.
Oh my. Is it getting hot in here?
LOL. ~You’re a hoot, AA.
I thought the second week in Sept. was a good time for the Montana visit in 2012. Stayed at Star Meadows Ranger Station camp. Never saw the headless forest Ranger however.
We planned to drive back down to Kalispell and attend a service at Liberty. I got tied up with trout fishing earlier that morning and the time slipped by.
NW Montana is awesome. Visited GNP. Flathead Lake appeared to be filling up with lake houses however.
Sept. weather was perfect. Temps got down mid 20’s. Just a tiny bit of snow. At that time of the year after Labor Day I guess it’s called the crowds had gone back home. Star Meadows , awesome place to stay!
Made the reservation one year ahead of time for Star Meadows. This place will accommodate total I guess 14 people indoors. With the equestrian camp spots for RVs I can only guess some “festivals” have occurred. My wife and I had the whole thing to ourselves. Not being “greedy”, just awesome. Water is drawn from a hand pump well so no indoor plumbing but a very doable out house. Highly recommended and I’m from Texas.
Mary,
Have you tried Boron for your arthritis? It has made a huge difference with me, have arthritis in my hands (so far nowhere else) and taking 6 mg a day with food has reduced the swelling and pain about 75%.
If I forget to take it a couple three days in a row, my hands remind me. Then the swelling/pain reduction happens again. It has been at least five years of tremendous relief.
Lots of research to back it up.
Thanks, I will try it. Any particular brand you prefer, Mark? I’ve had to resort to taking Meloxicam and I would rather not, if I could find something natural that works. I already take curcumin with black pepper and glucosamine/chondroitin with MSM. It doesn’t seem to help much.
Mary,
This is the 3rd time I am trying to post this???
(I have posted this before about Boron but it has been years).
My left hand arthritis got so bad I couldn’t make a fist…and for a man who still had a lighting left at my advanced age…and still hit a heavy bag to keep all the muscle memory I became depressed.
Now, I was injured in the left hand at that spot working on an oil rig in 1975 throwing lead tong by a striking blow. It was one of the reasons I decided to find another path to making my living.
So the research was on as the swelling and pain grew with the decades…doctors (I went to two) were useless.
When I found what is below I immediately did other wide and deep research and it supported it. When I decided to try Boron this is what I did.
I discovered 20 mg a day is the safe limit you should take to be safe…so I did 18 mg a day for a week…then 12mg a day for a week…then 6 mg a day after that.
By the end of the first five or six weeks I was so excited at the results I ran up to my wife and showed her how much the swelling in the lump behind my thumb had gone down…and how I could flex a fist with minor discomfort.
The borax conspiracy: how the arthritis cure has been stopped
You may not be able to imagine that borax, this humble insecticide and laundry detergent, has the potential of singlehandedly bringing down our entire economic system. But you do not need to worry, the danger has been recognised and the necessary steps are already being taken to defuse the situation. I will start with the basics and you will understand what I mean as the story unfolds.
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral commonly mined from dried salt lakes, and is the source of other manufactured boron compounds. The main deposits are in California and Turkey. Chemical names are sodium tetraborate decahydrate, disodium tetraborate decahydrate, or simply sodium borate. This means it contains four atoms of boron as its central feature combined with two sodium atoms and ten molecules (or sometimes less) of crystallisation water – decahydrate means 10 water molecules, pentahydrate 5, and anhydrate or anhydrous borax means no crystallisation water; chemically it is all the same.
https://www.nexusnewsfeed.com/article/consciousness/the-borax-conspiracy-how-the-arthritis-cure-has-been-stopped
I will also state this…and my wife will back me up.
Boron – Increases Testosteron and Works in Small Doses
I did a little research on it and read a lot of reviews on amazon. While a few people said it didn’t help a lot said it did. I wish I had tried it sooner. I’m left handed (except for large motor skills) and my left hand has really been bothering me. I’m going to give it a try. I don’t really need testosterone…lol but apparently it helps women balance their hormones, too.
Some people complained of acne, which would seem to indicate they were taking too much of it.
Mary,
Check this out as well.
Good luck with it…Boron had and has a big impact on my quality of life.
Dr. Lin says: “Boron may not be needed in the supplemental form, it’s only needed only in trace amounts. Sufficient boron can be found good food sources of boron. Also, it’s rare that you would have a boron deficiency. Of the trace minerals your body needs, selenium deficiency is far more common. Selenium supplementation makes a lot more sense for your health and yet, so take this into consideration before taking a boron supplement”.
He mentions a good food source for boron is brazil nuts, which are one of the highest sources of selenium. Not sure what the interplay between boron and selenium might be, but will say that autopsy studies in 2020 showed frequent absence of zinc and selenium. More reading needed on boron.
Those with thyroid issues likely know all about selenium supplementation and how Vit. E reinforces the selenium.
Thanks for the tips.
Great stuff. Never heard of the Boron cure. A great read. No arthritis, but it’s also good for teeth and Candida.
Mark,
thanks so much for the Boron info! At 63, bone rot is making my life miserable, I’ll definitely research it.
Only drugs I use are tobacco, alcohol and coffee!
Peace, L.
You bet L…Boron has worked significantly for me….and I have proven it to myself with controlled experiments…every time I stopped taking it my arthritis flared back up…and once re-started it was reduced back to a low level.
The Conspiracy explained to stop it from being used in the link I sent to Mary in Australia by Big Pharma and the government (the usual suspects) is what got me started in researching then using it.
Worth a try anyway. I’ve been taking turmeric daily for about six months. Who knows it works. Some days are better than others for the hands and wrists. I’ve had pain in one knee for about six months. The orthopedic only said when it gets to the point the pain intensifies he will gladly do a knee replacement. I’m not anxious for any type of surgery however.
That’s not Guns & Roses, that’s Poison.
LEGGs ditched an ad campaign playing off the band name.. it was gonna be called “Runs n Hoses”
They had a hair band and everything.
I was just checking all the comments that the band is “Poison” not GnR to see if anyone around my age noticed that too. Thanks good article though
mark Buddy,
I don’t know who who you are…NEW?…my down vote but I did not post this comment…
I have been using ‘mark’ here since 2015…
There is also a Mark here.
FYI.
To be fair, the youtube poster labeled it, not L
Thx for clarifying that. I thought of doing it, but din’t want to nitpick it.
~BTW…I sure hope your hip is healing up better this time, than the original.
That’s another area where so far, I’ve been blessed…a good healing and PT, with no problems cropping up. Wishing the same for you, on this go round. You’ve endured enough, too. Keep exercising. Motion is Lotion.
Most people have no trouble with hip replacements. I just got unlucky, that’s all. After 3 surgeries on that side, it’s quite a bit more challenging, especially after not using it at all during the entire summer. I’m going to finally start rehab maybe next week if I can get scheduled.
Extremely thoughtful post. Very timely so thank you for that.
Rose: I can’t attend the in-laws family Thanksgiving dinner due to a current health issue, and neither can my son, as I was the ride, who is temporarily living with me since September when he finally was able to come home from being in Thailand for 5 years. Blessings to a good fren who graciously helped to fund his plane ticket back to the east coast. My daughter also will not attend as she doesn’t want to be without her brother and mother that day. So it’s the three of us after not being alone together for a few years for the Christmas nor Thanksgiving.
Thorn: The state of the world.
Bud: Health issue is clearing up so a Christmas gathering with the in-laws is anticipated. Since my daughter works very close to me so she and her brother are able to see each more than they ever have.
Your post ~L is truly a loving essay. You seem to always look at a glass half full. Carry on trooper. 😘
We home taught our four sons and over the years I would find books at sales, a lot of books. I picked up a book from 1897 for 25 cents back in the late 90’s called the Golden Gleanings of Poetry and Song – the BEST book filled with, of course, poems and songs. This article reminded me of the poem – “There Is No Rose Without a Thorn”. It fits with the spirit of the article to a degree. I like the rose, thorn, bud idea and will introduce that this year, though we usually share our blessings each year, and more so lately on a daily basis to keep a balanced perspective with all the hell happening around us. Hope some find a blessing in this.
‘THERE is no rose without a thorn!’ Who has not found this true, And known that griefs, of gladness born, Our footsteps still pursue?
That in the grandest harmony The strangest discords rise; The brightest bow we only trace Upon the darkest skies?
No thornless rose! So, more and more, Our pleasant hopes are laid Where waves this sable legend o’er A still, sepulchral shade.
But Faith and Love, with angel-might, Break up life’s dismal tomb, Transmuting into golden light The words of leaden gloom.
Reversing all this funeral pall, White raiment they disclose; Their happy song floats full and long, ‘No thorn without a rose!’
‘No shadow, but its sister light Not far away must burn! No weary night, but morning bright Shall follow in its turn.
‘No chilly snow, but safe below A million buds are sleeping; No wintry days, but fair spring rays Are swiftly onward sweeping.
‘With fiercest glare of summer air Comes fullest leafy shade; And ruddy fruit bends every shoot Because the blossoms fade.
‘No note of sorrow, but shall melt In sweetest chord unguessed; No labour all too pressing felt, But ends in quiet rest.
‘No sigh, but from the harps above Soft echoing tones shall win; No heart-wound, but the Lord of Love Shall pour His comfort in.
‘No withered hope, while loving best Thy Father’s chosen way; No anxious care, for He will bear Thy burdens every day.
‘Thy claim to rest on Jesu’s breast All weariness shall be, And pain thy portal to His heart Of boundless sympathy.
‘No conflict, but the King’s own hand Shall end the glorious strife; No death, but leads thee to the land Of everlasting life.’
Sweet seraph voices, Faith and Love! Sing on within our hearts This strain of music from above, Till we have learnt our parts;
Until we see your alchemy On all that years disclose, And, taught by you, still find it true, ‘No thorn without a rose!’
–Frances Ridley Havergal from LIFE MOSAIC
Thanks for that. My grandchildren are the emotional center of my now fairly long (77 yrs) life. I’m in other respects somewhat jaded and a bit cynical, but I found this inspiring and will adopt it for future events.
I really enjoyed this article. My husband and I hit the ground running last February and bought 6 Nubian dairy goats, two does were expecting babies “soon”.
So 4 days later, in the middle of some huge serious rain storm, one has her kids. The shelter was close to the house so I could keep an eye on them. I noticed a very small head in the straw.
We dressed and ran out in the storm to find two baby goats, one warm and safe in the straw, one in a freezing cold puddle of water. We lost her, I named her Promise and buried her on our land. Sweet Baby James,(James Taylor song) is a big, beautiful 10 month old buck who placed 2nd at a September buck show.
That day feels like my rose and thorn. We are breeding now for spring babies and plan to sell goats milk and eggs. This is my bud.
We put in some fruit trees and berry bushes. We have one beehive that seems ok now but spring will tell the tale. We some chickens laying eggs and some pretty turkeys.
Every day we feed and milk two times. We are tired a lot, sometimes sore. Extra projects are taking longer than I thought they would to complete.
I am very grateful to have this farm and the animals. It’s not easy but it isn’t that hard either. It’s constant. The milk is really nice to make goat cheese. Love the fresh eggs.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, may you be blessed.
Nice post, ~L.
Happy Thanksgiving..
And to you and yours, nkit. Kindly say Hello for me.
Think about you both often, for what you have had to endure.
Praying and hoping that things improve for you.
If there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate. You know how.
Reach out. You’re not imposing.
~Peace, brudder.
Wonderful thread L.
My parents and younger sister have all gone home also. It is a melancholy reality at Thanksgiving…but I have countless roses…and many buds…no major thorns at this time, at least worth mentioning.
Oh, come on and play, Mark. Name at least one thing of each just for fun. I gotta get back up and do some more chores. I still have to rest for a bit after walking around the house for an hour or so. It’s actually not so much my legs but my dang feet. So I’m down for about 30 minutes and running around for about an hour or so.
Mary Ok…ok…ok…
1. ROSE: My almost two year old long haired male Weiner dog who has become the love of my long and historic dog love life.
The dog of your old age can rise to the level of dog love never known during the waste of the Yout on the young!
2. THORN: The distance in-between my daughter, grandson, and son in law. We get together quarterly…and most of the time here. They are in the busy years, a real power couple, and I am a gentleman farmer (ok a farmer) (ok I live rural) (ok I’m a defiant paranoid prepper living on a compound with more ammo then most police departments).
3. GRATITUDE: That I am still alive and living my dream 4th quarter with energy and health.
(Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4)
🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the laugh!
“ok I’m a defiant paranoid prepper living on a compound with more ammo then most police departments).
Epic!
~I’d say your focus is where it needs to be, at this stage of our game, mann. kudos.
I play Roses & Thorns often with the kids I’m around. It’s fun & it’s good for them, really anyone.
ROSE – Received this gift recently. Can’t wait to dig in. The pictures are GORGEOUS.
THORN – Do I really need to say it out loud??
BUD – Family time during the holidays. We really know how to do it right. It’s an experience like nothing else when we are all gathered. Very grateful I was born into the family God chose for me.
Abs, when I witnessed it Monday, my nephew started with the little kids, and it seemed like it was a teaching moment for his young daughters that they had done before. My niece’s two sons were familiar with the concept, too. Doesn’t surprise me that, as a home schooling teacher, you knew about this.
If possible, post some of the pics from the book. Intrigued. ~L
I learned about this game in a cook book that I read about 7 years ago. I thought it was such a good idea and decided to try it. Kids love it, even if they act moody about it – which sometimes happens with teenagers. But it gets them thinking, and smiling…and knowing that they are not alone with their thorns.
I’ll try to find some pics online…not sure if they are available.
Is this one?
Yes! That is one of them. Thank you.
This link seems appropriate to include in the thread.
Might be a good one to forward to a young adult male in his mid 20’s who may need direction.
Scroll down the list of offerings on AOM’s post on this topic. Some good stuff there, IMO.
Articles to read and podcasts to listen to.
This post below was embedded into that one. It is long, but one of the most rewarding and beneficial articles I’ve read all year:
Very cool, L. When my offspring were young, I started a Thanksgiving tradition whereby everyone would share a few gratitudes before the meal. Then, on New Year’s, we would toast sparkling grape juice and share our hoped-for objectives for that year.
But I really like the rose, thorn, and bud idea and I know my bride of 30+ years will love it too. It’s a done deal!
Thanks for sharing.
Rose: Family, friends, health all better than I deserve. Material assets, comfortable
Thorn: Probaly went Galt a little too soon (2011). A few unexpected setbacks since 2018 (and amplified by Covid), rising expenses, cash flow challenges.
Rose: An assumed financial obligation (on behalf of another) may be resolved this year or next at the latest.
~L – What a great post and such a wonderful diversion from the doom porn we seem to be bombarded with from all sites. One year at Thanksgiving, I asked each person to tell about something they were grateful for. As you said, the little ones were quite simplistic (my dog, my bicycle, etc.) and the response from the older grands and kids were quite thoughtful. I’m sure there were lots of eyes watering by the time we got around the rather large circle of people holding hands.
My rose – Getting the outside of my house painted without any major incidents.
My thorn – Having the oldest daughter leave our house 4 days early to go home take care of her son who is having serious mental issues.
My bud – Having a dozen people gather around our table Thursday for chicken, dressing, rib roast, etc.
Peace, Brother
😌 I don’t have any words of wisdom. Only prayer.
Yep.
That’s rough.
Thanks, MC. That is all we can do because he is an adult and refuses to get treatment.
Would love to be a fly on the wall…or on the roast beast…
Still have a few slices left, if you want to stop by this evening for leftovers. I could not believe the 5) 20 something grandsons did not finish it off. Lots of chicken left to go along with the best cornbread dressing made by my beautiful wife.
Hope your turkey day was the best for you and yours, my friend.
https://zipsauce.com/
“In 1620 Plymouth Plantation was founded with a system of communal property rights. Food and supplies were held in common and then distributed based on “equality” and “need” as determined by Plantation officials. People received the same rations whether or not they contributed to producing the food, and residents were forbidden from producing their own food. Governor William Bradford, in his 1647 history, Of Plymouth Plantation, wrote that this system “was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort.” The problem was that “young men, that were most able and fit for labour, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense.” Because of the poor incentives, little food was produced.
Faced with potential starvation in the spring of 1623, the colony decided to implement a new economic system. Every family was assigned a private parcel of land. They could then keep all they grew for themselves, but now they alone were responsible for feeding themselves. While not a complete private property system, the move away from communal ownership had dramatic results.”
And soon? Everything old will be new again!
Happy Thanksgiving to all potential Savages.
* maybe a nice pan-sauce if You’re gonna overcook it. Else? salt 0n a perfectly aged piece of dead steer
One Method:
nice add. T/y.
Opening the link reveals the exact brand of zip that I buy and use.
It’s excellent with grilled burgers, too. Use like a french dip au jus.
If serving a beef T-loin, it’s vital to trim out all sinew and most of the fat in prep.
For those who don’t know it, it’s a very lean cut of beef, from which we get filet mignon, and should always be served rare or medium rare at most. Grilled is best, IMO.
Over cooking it to medium well only really appeases folks who aren’t big fans of red meat, in my experience. Zip sauce enhances the flavor like a steak sauce, if desired, and will help in saving some tenderloin that is cooked through to medium well, with no pink visible.
Unlike a Delmonico or a ribeye that is well marbled, where the fat offers moist bites with mouth watering taste. Especially grass fed beef, the likes of which HSF probably offers.
But be advised. It is expensive as hell; especially grass fed cuts.
If only cooking for 2-4, the better way to go would be just grill a few 6-9 oz. filets.
1.50 to 1.75 inch thick is best. Master a meat temp thermometer.
Sides of garlic mashed, grilled brussel sprouts with bacon bits & a good quality vinagrette, & sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan. Add 2 or 3 shrimp scampi or skewer-grilled, plus a glass of dry red, and it’s a meal fit for royalty. Substitutions OK, where desired.
You can do it. And, deserve it, every once in a while.
Thank you for a wonderful post. Kudos to you.
Rose — My immediate family is healthy and happy.
Thorn — Fucking leaves. We’re in the time of the year where they just never seem to stop falling.
Bud — Looking forward to Christmas gathering with my non-insane extended family members. No vaxxtards invited.
I concur. We have silver maples that grow like weeds in my neighborhood.
In the spring, the small brown buds fall, and any rainfall makes them bleed any concrete a rust color, like on the driveway.
In the early summer, the helicopters come down, the seedlings for new maples. Those don’t rake up easy, vacuum up easy, or get sucked up easily with a mulching mower, and they clog gutters. I left in soil or mulch beds, they quickly germinate and tiny maples will sprout up within a month or two.
Come fall, the leaves look good with the change of colors, but damn.
If your house is surrounded by large number of leaf dropping trees, the sheer volume of gathering them up can be a major thorn-in-the-ass-task for the older folks.
My bud: every afternoon I take a walk and encounter all kinds of people walking their dogs. To me, “dog people” are the best, if for no other reason than they care. The world could use a lot more of that.
That one went over the fence and made a nice walk into home plate. Thanks L, I’m going to introduce this to the family Thursday night.
L
Nicely done. thank you.
~L – What a beautiful and thought provoking post. So sorry you lost your nuclear family, but glad you were able to spend time with the kids. They do have a lot to teach us, and we have a lot to learn from them.
As of now, here are mine.
Rose: Thanks for another day (always). Finding like-minded people (hint, it’s here) in a world where friends and family say I’m insane, because I don’t follow the narrative.
Thorn: Family and friends who say I’m insane when bringing up an alternative view. I’m a thorn too though as I refuse to bow to the narrative.
Bud: Finding common ground with family and friends. Also looking forward to what I can learn from my nieces and nephews this Thanksgiving.
Hope you have fun at the game and Happy Thanksgiving.
Thx, Leah. If you’ll be traveling for Thanksgiving, have a safe journey to and from your destination.
You added a good caution advisory here. . . Try not to be someone’s thorn they mention at dinner time, if Rose, Thorn, & Bud is played.
“Their mid-30 something kids are, for the most part, knocking it out of the park with their careers and financial success. Six figure incomes. Dual incomes, so affordability of life’s pleasures is satisfactory.
And, they are having children of their own …”
I was thinking, where does such still regularly happen, in the Western world these days:
Six figures, dual incomes, and kids?
Probably a deeply religious family circle – just like the regular [Orthodox Christian] family here in Russia.
Great reminder, L. Thanks for sharing this!
Reading this, I realize how extraordinarily lucky I am. I am one of nine siblings, all alive and none who will see sixty again, and I am not even sure of the precise number of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews I have. 30-something, I would say. I have never had an operation of any sort, spent a night in a hospital, or broken a bone. Of course, I have had many setbacks in life, and my marriage failed, which still causes me pain 20 years later. No one gets through this life without taking a few hits. But I have been spared a lot of the worst kind of grief, for which I am thankful. Clearly, the roses far outnumber the thorns in my life. We say in my family that after you turn 70, no one can say you died young. I think that if I dropped dead tomorrow, I would have no complaints.
“A life well lived, with few regrets”
A good way to set sail toward a gorgeous sunset.
Awesome. I am the youngest of 11 siblings. at 65. All are still kicking. Quite shocking as a few have drunk their share and then some. The nieces and nephews and greats are probably closer to 100 than 50. I wake up feeling great everyday. Life is good.
Rose: my restored eyesight.
Four months ago (on the day of my 79th birthday) I had cataract surgery. Prior to the surgery my right eye was tested at 20-80 and my left eye was tested at 20-40 which is the cutoff point for obtaining a driver’s license. I was told that at the rate my eyesight was deteriorating I would not pass the eye test to renew my driver’s license. How would I be able to continue to live alone out in the country where I love to be if I were to lose my driver’s license? There was this feeling that the walls of life were beginning to close in on me. Fortunately, there was the option of surgery.
The plan was to do the bad right eye first and the left eye a couple weeks later. So, the right eye was done and Just prior to doing the surgery on the left eye they again tested my eyesight. Now to put thing is some perspective, if my new and improved right eye tested at let say 20-25 that would have been considered a success that the doctor and I would have been pleased with, but that’s not what happened. But before I get to that, let me mention that an interesting thing happened to my left eye, where it was previously testing at 20-40 it now was testing at just between 20-25 and 20-30, and because of that, the decision was made to put off doing the surgery on that left eye since that level of sight would be considered a success after surgery anyway. Ok back to the right eye, it was now testing at 20-15, prior to that time I didn’t even know there was even such a thing as 20-15 eyesight. WOW!!
The world around me that had become dull and blurry is now bright and much more colorful and crystal clear. Every morning after making coffee I’ll step outside and spend some time just looking around in absolute amazement at how beautiful everything is and with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I’m able to live where I do and see it to enjoy it.
Thorn: Everything in the world seems to be headed in the wrong direction, I don’t need to elaborate, you already know.
Bud: I’m where I want to be, and life is good.
In 2019 I moved away from the ‘Big City’ where I lived most of my working adult life and moved out to the country. I grew up in the country and I’ve always considered myself a ‘Country Boy’ so now that I’m retired, I’m able to live out the rest of my life on these 20 acres in an area of gentle rolling hills with lots of oak and pine trees, creeks, and meadows. Also, I am what you would call a ‘Tool Guy’ and there is a large workshop on this property. I have so many projects that I’m working on, it’s what I enjoy doing. I’m where I want to be, doing what I like to do, life is good.
Just awesome thanks. I went Blueberry picking with my brother, his cataracts were getting bad, and He was wearing blue blocker sunglasses. I looked into his container and he hadn’t found any after 30 minutes and they were everywhere. I was are you blind. Take off them glasses. He was able to see them then. It was a good laugh. But he did get his eyes done and could see perfect right away.
I can relate, ASIG, sort of.
For two years, I gimped around with a bum hip joint, thinking and hoping the pain would go away, and it would improve. Finally had a new prosthetic surgery done, and have been a new man, back to enjoying using my legs for walking, cycling, & golfing again, but now it’s pain free.
But, getting eyesight restored is probably a lot more gratifying. That’s great news. Yes!
“I once was blind, but I can see clearly now” …is a story in the bible, of a miraculous healing.
Well, now that I think about it, there’s the story too, of the paralytic who gets to walk again, over at Zebedee’s house, the father of James and John. Indeed, a healed body function is quite the blessing, if fortunate enough to be granted that. Congratulations.
Funny story, John, too.
G”n”R,every rose has a thorn?!
That would actually be Poison,just saying…….
Scroll through the comments above, Pepe.
Arthur beat ya to it.
But, like MC said, twasn’t me that titled it, James.
Was just the one I pulled & posted from YT.
Tough crowd.
Sticklers for accuracy on the musical artists / song originators. Damn.
Bah. It’s all good. Don’t OD on turkey, Prepper Cat.
Great read! Yesterday I was out getting victuals for today’s event, and I was approaching my truck to put the items away, I noticed the guy parked next to me loading up his SUV with items. We exchanged pleasantries and as I was l putting a large brisket into my truck, he says, “So, having a cow turkey?” I laughed at that, and then engaged with him in a 15 minute conversation about our lives. His name was Dan. Total stranger. Made my day. I think that’s a spice of life that is missing in our shredded culture, engaging in honest, compassionate conversation.
Thanks L.
As Crosby, Stills and Nash sang long ago, life is for learning…And for me, that’s one of the great joys in life…Many Thanks to all the contributors and readers of BP, and a happy 2024!