Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether sharing a meal with a few, or feeding an army, may your holiday be filled with the family and friends that keep us ever thankful.

“Chef With Thanksgiving Menu, a Norman Rockwell painting, appeared on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post published November 28, 1942. An alternate title for the illustration is Thanksgiving Day Blues. This painting was Rockwell’s seventh cover for The Post in 1942. This was also Rockwell’s 211th cover illustration out of 322 Rockwell painted for the Post. Rockwell’s career with the Post spanned 47 years, from his first cover illustration, Boy With Baby Carriage, in 1916 to his last, Portrait of John F. Kennedy, in 1963. The location of the original oil on canvas painting is unknown.”

“As picturesque as a nice Thanksgiving dinner may be, a lot of hard work goes into making such a feast. Rockwell captured the after effects of such hard work in someone who just prepared a meal much larger than the average person ever will. In front of a solid gold background, sits an Army chef in his all white uniform. We see him wiggling his toes in surprisingly clean white socks, with both his empty boots and unshod feet resting on a large silver spoon. A dishtowel slung over one shoulder, a mug in one hand and a cigarette in the other hand make it clear he plans to stay seated a while. His slouched posture and bleary-eyed expression make perfect sense after taking a closer look at the Thanksgiving menu posted behind him – he just finished serving 137 men a meal with a list of entrees almost as big as he is.”

Quotes by Keith McDonald and Melinda Walker respectively.