It’s November, and I have found that I am grateful for my own personal quiet reflections before the holidays begin. Most of the harvest is complete, and it was fun to watch the big combines out in the field kicking up dust and getting the job done. Friends and family pulled together to complete all the acres.

One of my favorite parts of harvest season these days is seeing all the photos on social media of young families spending time together in the combines. Little smiling faces gathered at the feet of fathers, uncles and grandfathers, wrapped in blankets, reading books and enjoying precious moments together during the busiest time of year. These are the kinds of memories that stay with us, becoming part of the traditions we carry from one generation to the next. For many years, fathers, grandfathers and uncles sacrificed long hours away from their families to provide for them. Nowadays, combines are a bit roomier, with all their fancy technology and even heat, making room for little ones to experience a way of life that has been passed down for generations. Meanwhile, the moms enjoy a little break to prepare their homes for the holidays and plan that big Thanksgiving meal we all look forward to. Soon, the fields will grow quiet, and everyone will enjoy a well-deserved rest before the work of another planting season begins.

It is important to take some time to reflect and ponder, so let us enjoy a little relaxation for a moment. There is something peaceful about sipping freshly brewed tea beside the glow of a Christmas tree, stockings hung with care, and an old, worn, leather-bound book resting in hand. One of my recent favorite pastimes has been searching for vintage books, some of which date back more than a hundred years. Known as antiquarian book hunting, this hobby has opened a wonderful world for me through a collection of works ranging from history and government to humanities and classical literature. Perhaps one of the most fascinating parts is wondering about the people who held these very same books generations ago, the lives they lived, and the stories they have left behind.

Among my favorites is an old history textbook written by George Payne Quackenbos, titled History of the United States. My copy is over 150 years old. It’s small for an educational book but filled with delightful descriptions of American history, from Native cultures to our founding fathers.

Reading through its pages makes me think about our own area and the thousands of years of history that have unfolded here. What I find particularly beautiful is that, century after century, so many individuals have shared similar hopes and dreams for their families and the generations to follow. From the Native peoples who first called this area home to those who came long after, each generation has worked to provide for their families, cultivate the fields and build communities larger than themselves. Though the times have changed, there is something meaningful about knowing that so many before us have shared the same hopes, struggles, and desire to leave something worthwhile for those who come after them.

I also recently thrifted a Nancy Drew novel I fondly remember from childhood, along with a collection of poetry from the English Tudor era. Another favorite, Representative Men by Ralph Waldo Emerson, explores the lives of six influential historical figures and offers an interesting reflection on greatness. 

Year after year, we ponder our contributions and wonder if they have been enough. The seasons come and go, we gather with family and friends around the table, sharing a meal and giving thanks for the blessings found in each season of our toil.

And that is peaceful.

I wanted to share a little piece of Indiana history with an old-fashioned Hoosier favorite: sugar cream pie. Dating back to the early years of our state, this humble dessert has found its place at family tables for generations. There is something wonderful about knowing that nearly two centuries later, we can still enjoy a dessert much like the ones our ancestors prepared for their own families. May it bring a little warmth and nostalgia to your own Thanksgiving gathering.

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends.

Sugar Pie – 1854

Published in the Ohio Cultivator, Ladies’ Department

Original 1854 recipe

“Cover your pan with good paste, spread over it a layer of sweet butter, then sugar enough to cover the bottom; then pour in a half pint of rich cream, in which a table spoonful of flour has been first stirred, and it is ready for the oven.”

That’s the entire recipe. No oven temperature, no baking time and no precise measurements for the butter or sugar. It gives us a lovely glimpse of 19th-century cooking, when recipes often assumed the reader already knew how to prepare a pie.

To make this recipe in today’s measurements...

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

2 tablespoons softened butter

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup heavy cream (the original half-pint)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Line a pie plate with the pastry crust.

3. Spread the softened butter across the bottom.

4. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the butter.

5. Whisk the flour into the cream until smooth.

6. Pour the cream mixture over the sugar.

7. Bake approximately 40-50 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges with a slight wobble in the center.

8. Cool completely and refrigerate until firm before serving.

The sugar and butter quantities, temperature and baking time are modern estimates, so this version may need adjustment.