Peter Muise recounts the hardier pies of yore, so tough that all the pies New England wives made could be stored in the root cellar - without a tin - for weeks: Read more.

One outraged citizen pounds out a 311 complaint about conditions in the North End today: Read more.

Thebostonlol spotted a big rafter crossing the plains of Franklin Park today.

Dimas also spotted some free birds, in Brighton: Read more.

Don't.

But if you do, the city has some guidelines to try to reduce your risk, like no more than 10 people, make people bring their own food and drink, don't let people take masks off except when they're eating, open all the windows, and, well, seriously, all this stuff should be second hand by now, but click the link for more details.

Boston.com reports that Mike Dukakis is no longer asking people to drop off their Thanksgiving turkey carcasses at his Brookline home.

On Nov. 10, 1783, just ten months after British diplomats signed the Treaty of Paris, which recognized an independent United States, Massachusetts Gov. John Hancock issued a proclamation declaring "a day of Thanksgiving" on Dec. 11: Read more.

The Quincy House hotel, at the corner of Brattle Place and Brattle Square, had this cover printed for its Thanksgiving dinner in 1899 (from the New York Public Library collection). Read more.

Tracy Strauss found the Destiny's Child of turkeys in Harvard Square today.

The Berkshire Eagle reports:

LEE - Because they couldn't find a dump open in Great Barrington, two youths threw a load of refuse down a Stockbridge hillside on Thanksgiving Day.

Saturday, Richard J. Robbins, 19, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Arlo Guthrie, 18, of Howard Beach N.Y., each paid a fine of $25 in Lee District Court after pleading guilty of illegally disposing of rubbish. ...