Ten Things of Thankful

Ten Things of Thankful

1.  Ripening blueberries.  Gardening has taken a back seat the past couple of years, so it is amazing that there is a crop at all.  There are some other bushes next to the two which are producing, but since the deer seemed to do quite a good job of pruning the tender new growth, we likely will see very few berries on those bushes this year.  We were given these plants about 35 years ago.  I'm not sure how long blueberry plants live, but I'm thinking this is a long life for them. They are taller than me, so I mostly reach up and through, but not too much down.  This works just fine for where I am in my recovery from my back surgery.

2.  Beautiful sounds.  I love waking up to the chirping of birds, although I think some of them are "night owls."  Four o'clock in the morning seems a bit too early.  The sounds of the different birds chirping throughout the day is delightful, and I'm thankful that there is the kind of habitat here where they like to be.

Another sound I enjoy immensely is hearing my aging mother laugh.  I'm glad that there are still things that people say to her that cause her to laugh.

3.  Learning new things.  This week I learned some more things about using my camera and also how to put a watermark on my photos using iPhoto.   I had been told I'd probably need another application to do that, but with some googling, I learned how to do it without needing another application. (See http://www.ehow.com/how_8744932_embed-watermarks-digital-photo-mac.html.) Yeah!

Thank you to all those who are posting things on their blogs about how to blog.   With their help, I hope to keep learning new skills in this area.

4.  Enjoyable movies.  My husband and I watched a couple of movies this week that we both really liked.  Today I decided to read what reviewers had said about these movies.  One movie in particular didn't have very good reviews, BUT those who had made comments on Amazon gave it a much higher rating.  I'm glad we hadn't seen the reviews by those who do that for a living, because we might have missed out on a movie we both really liked.  One movie is called, The Cobbler, and the other is called Northern Borders, in case anyone is interested.

5.  Finding exactly what I needed.  Somehow the strap on my camera bag broke this week.  I thought perhaps I could just go find the kind of strap I needed, but I wasn't successful.  Today I went to one of my favorite thrift stores and found what appeared to be a brand new, or possibly never used, camera bag.  It was just the size I needed and is actually better than the one I had. The price was right too.

Ten Things of Thankful6.  Fans.  The northwest has been heating up this past week, and more hot weather is on the docket for this coming week.  I've never really enjoyed hot weather.  Temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees would suit me just fine, but I really enjoy the changing of the seasons.  I guess I'd better not complain about a little heat in the high 90's.  We do not have an air-conditioned home, and most of the time we really don't need air conditioning.  Our earth sheltered home keeps our home fairly comfortable most of the year.  When we get a couple of weeks of hot weather, things do begin to heat up inside, and we drag out a fan.  At times like these I'm thankful to have a fan!

7.  Those who respond to emergencies.  There have been a number of highway accidents, house fires, and field and forest fires lately.  Those who respond to these emergencies often put their own lives in danger.  I am thankful for all that they do.

8.  Bamboo wind chimes.  My husband doesn't like the sound of tingling wind chimes, but he does like the sound of bamboo wind chimes.  So do I.  There is something so calming in listening to them.

9.  To live in a country where we are free to choose.  I believe we are responsible for the choices we make and that sometimes making good choices can be challenging and quite difficult.  Freedom is a very precious thing for which I am thankful.  I think we must always remember each person is free to choose his/her own path in life, even if we might not understand that path.

10. Reconnecting with friends and making new friends.  Friendships can be nourished by a visit, a phone call, a letter, or an invitation to do something together.  I'm thankful for the many ways to reach out to others and the ways others reach out to me.