"Thanksgiving and Abraham Lincoln"

We have President Abraham Lincoln to thank for declaring Thanksgiving (first celebrated at Plymouth in 1621) a national holiday to be observed annually on the last Thursday of November. Thanksgiving, in the President's words, would be "acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."

The first national observance took place about a week after The President delivered the Gettysburg Address in November 1863.

And . . . it is said that Abraham Lincoln was the first President to pardon a Thanksgiving turkey.

November 1863 was quite an historic month!

Today we're shopping, cooking, cleaning, travelling . . . prepping for tomorrow, the big day. I have much to be thankful for this year, including your visits today, and throughout this bicentennial year. Thank you!

In remembrance of Thanksgiving 1863, we present the text of President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. I'm struck by the beautiful prose, imagery and reverent tone of his words:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the everwatchful providence of almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION

(Issued on OCTOBER 3, 1863)

"146 Years Ago Today"

On this day, 146 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a 272-word address at the dedication of The Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The President arrived at the burial ground on horseback (a chestnut bay) as part of a procession that included members his cabinet, dignitaries, townspeople and war widows. It was a long day for the President. He joined the procession at 9:30 A.M. and made his "dedicatory remarks" in the afternoon, during a ceremony that featured, among other things, prayers, musical offerings and a two-hour oration by former Secretary of State Edward Everett.

One segment of Ken Burns' 11-hour The Civil War documentary (1990) continues to haunt me after all these years. Episode 5 (there are nine altogether) ends with Sam Waterston reciting the Gettysburg Address, with the Ashokan Farewell playing in the background. Waterston's recitation is a voiceover -- on screen we see actual photos from the Civil War battlefield. I was moved to tears hearing the profound beauty of Lincoln's words, as the period photos flashed across the screen.

This Lincoln montage features the musical soundtrack of Burns' The Civil War. The beautiful Ashokan Farewell, composed and performed by Jay Ungar, is a fitting backdrop for a recitation of the Gettysburg Address on this day.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

~Abraham Lincoln

"Veterans Day -- Remembering"

A few minutes ago, at 11 A.M., a parade started up Fifth Avenue, in commemoration of Veterans Day. On this 11th day of the 11th month, and at the 11th hour -- we remember and honor the men and women who serve our country.

If you stroll through Riverside Park south of 96th Street (where Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks finally meet at the end of You've Got Mail), you'll see a white marble structure looming from above. I call it my little Acropolis, since it reminds me of the Parthenon perched atop the steep hill in Athens.

That's The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Monument, dedicated to the soldiers and sailors who served during the Civil War. It's a beautifully-situated monument; from the promenade one sees sweeping views of the Hudson River. At night, the lights of George Washington Bridge twinkle in the distance. A perfect place to take a moment to remember.

With gratitude, I thank the Veterans who have served this country with courage and honor.

"Abraham Lincoln: Thoughtful Orator"

Just popping in to say a quick hello and verify that I am still here. These last weeks have been a whirlwind of work, deadlines, family obligations and dealing with all manner of surprises. I'm catching my breath today, and taking care of business around the office -- happy to write a few words here.

The "272 Words" chart is almost finished, and scheduled for release in a few weeks -- to coincide with the November 19th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address.

If you're in the New York area this winter, please drop in on this exhibit "Lincoln and New York," at The New York Historical Society. It runs through March 25, 2010. I haven't seen the exhibit yet, but it's on the calendar for December, and I can't wait. And dig this on-line depiction of Lincoln's popularity among the press -- it brings new meaning to the term "political roller coaster."

Cooper Union, where Lincoln delivered one of his great speeches, is also a good place to visit while in NYC. It places you smack-dab in the Village, not far from one of my favorite restaurants, The Gotham Bar and Grill. It's not on the "cheap eats" list, but why not splurge once in a while . . . right?

Apres-Halloween Observation: I was surprised to note that not one trick-or-treater came to my door dressed as Abraham Lincoln. Seems like a perfect costume -- after all, a three-foot-long stovepipe hat holds a lot of candy. Anyone dressed as Lincoln would have gotten my entire collection of candy! Well, there's always next year. See you soon . . .

"Whatever you are, be a good one" ~Abraham Lincoln

It's been a while since my last post, and pundits might find it hard to believe that I've been involved in none of the following activities:

(A) A two-week stint on ABC's Wife Swap.

(B) Building a balloon that looks like a Salvador Dali Jiffy Pop container, filling it with helium and then sending it off into the wild blue . . . oh, yes, and then, not being quite sure whether someone is on board.

(C) Filling in as starting pitcher for the New York Yankees in the post-season.

I eschewed all of the above opportunities for some real excitement -- to stay home and work on the chart for "272 Words."

As was the case with this sampler when I stitched it earlier this year -- I totally underestimated the time involved in preparing this chart. Eek! My goal is to have the chart ready in time for the November anniversary of President Lincoln's delivery of the Gettysburg Address. That's the plan.

One crossword-related note . . . if you get tomorrow's Sunday New York Times, (Oct. 18) take a stab at the crossword puzzle in the magazine section. For newspapers that publish in syndication, the puzzle is titled "Ahead of the Curve." It was written by yours truly, in honor of an entity that is near and dear to many of our hearts.

And now, back to the matter at hand . . the chart. I hope the starting pitcher in tonight's Yankees/Angels game, A.J. Burnett, isn't too miffed by my bowing out of post-season play. I'll watch the proceedings on TV, while working on the chart. Until next time . . ciao!

"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille . . . "

Scorecards. These days we're deluged with every imaginable stat involving football, baseball, tennis, golf. The U.S. Tennis Open, college football, the NFL season, the World Series. Stats, stats, stats. The first cool breeze of autumn is accompanied by a confluence of sporting events and stats!

And so, in keeping with the spirit of the season, we present official stats of "272 Words," the Lincoln Bicentennial Sampler, direct from the commentators' booth at The Stitching Network:

"272 Words"

Stitch Count: 349 Stitches Wide x 375 Stitches in Height

Fabric: 32-count Lambswool from Wichelt Imports

Thread: The Gentle Art

Design Size: 21-1/2"W by 23-1/4"H

Framed Size: 29"W x 30-1/2"H

Frame Info: Professionally Framed at Where Victoria's Angels Stitch (more info to come)

It's tough to capture the true color of the linen in photos. To get a closeup of the frame in the top photo, I notice (sigh) that the fabric appears much lighter than it really is. Lambswool is one of my preferred "light" fabrics - it's a creamy color, but free of intensely-yellow undertones . . . like the color of freshly-whipped buttercream frosting. Lakeside Linens makes a beautiful creamy fabric color called "Magnolia." It's a little lighter, but in the same tonal family. 28-count Magnolia linen was used in this dog sampler.

My mailbox contains some questions about the blog photos -- where are they taken and with what type of camera? Is there special propping? I use a Canon PowerShot A510. The propping usually consists of a few height-adjustable music stands and foam core covered with lace curtains. Through trial and error, I discovered that the best photos occur in "artist's light" -- the clear eastern light of the morning sun. My living room windows face east and this (below) is the home-spun setup. Nothing fancy! Except for cropping, the photos are untouched and designed to show the actual features of the needlework, for good or for ill.

And that wraps up this edition of "Stitch Talk." Tune in next time for an action-packed play-by-play of chart making (!). See you at the next tailgate . . .

~ Quotation by Mary Ann Evans, aka George Eliot

In 1860, Mary Ann Evans published The Mill on the Floss under the pen name, George Eliot. In the same year, Dickens published his first installment of Great Expectations.

Interesting people were born in 1860: William Jennings Bryan, Gustav Mahler, Anton Chekhov and Lizzie Borden.

In 1860 golfer Willie Park won the first British Open (or "The Open") golf tournament in Ayrshire, Scotland.

And in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected 16th President of the United States. By his own account, Lincoln had left politics in his younger years, but found his way back into the political game. He endured financial problems, depression, the death of a child -- and yet managed to fulfill the uniquely challenging duties of his Presidency.

Lincoln's contemporary, writer Mary Ann Evans, published her novels (Silas Marner, Adam Bede, etc.) as "George Eliot." In the 19th century, many women used male names to ensure that their work be taken seriously. Even Joanne Rowling, as late as in the 1990s, was discouraged from using her "female" name, lest boys not take to her Harry Potter book. Her publishers suggested a name change . . . J.K. Rowling.

I hope that the publishing industry has finally evolved - that if Joanne Rowling were starting out today, editors wouldn't find it necessary to de-feminize her byline.

I've always loved Mary Ann Evans' quote: "It is never too late to be what you might have been."

These words seem especially appropriate this week, at the start of a new school year. Living in a university neighborhood, I always feel energized when students return to campus -- bright-eyed, hopeful, prepared for take-off. I bought a brand-new 5-subject binder today. I'm not enrolled in classes . . . it's just nice to start off with a clean slate.

It's time to start writing the chart for "272 Words." If you're planning on making charted designs, don't follow my example -- please! The gory truth is: I stitched this piece without a detailed chart, mostly eyeballing my way across the linen, fast and loose. Ideally, one should plot a chart and stitch from it.

Now I feel like Sherlock Holmes with the magnifying glass, poring over the sampler, counting stitches and spaces. The Case of the Uncharted Design. ;)

Thank you kindly for taking the time to visit last week. I am deeply grateful for your comments, which have energized me through the next phase of this journey.