Saturday, June 10, 2017

Ten Things of Thankful

There are times when the things we do during a week don't automatically speak gratitude to our minds. The experiences of our day-to-day lives just seem a little mundane, or perhaps those things happening in our world cast a shadow that blocks out the kind of light that lifts up our spirits. Whatever the case may be, I had to think a little harder to come up with a list for my Ten Things of Thankful post this time, but I did it! Josie Two Shoes is the administrator for this blog hop and would be happy to have you visit her site to read the other Ten Things of Thankful posts. Just click the link to get to her site.




1. Variety. When I was young, there were very few varieties of fruits and vegetables sold in stores other than what was grown in the area one was living. With the advent of better transportation systems, refrigerated vehicles, and the ability to deliver items quicker, more fresh fruits and vegetables could be enjoyed by many people. Still, on the mainland of the United States of America people eat mostly Cavendish bananas, a dessert variety, although there are more than 1,000 varieties of bananas worldwide. There are 7,500 varieties of apples in the world, but in my area we might see a dozen different varieties in the grocery stores. Doesn't this just make you want to travel more and experience these different tasting fruits? Did you know that some bananas have the taste of apples, and some have the taste of strawberries?

2. Decluttering. I mentioned this last week, but this week I'm grateful that I have been sticking with doing this, and have even felt excitement in doing this. Some items that I've discarded this week have included old Christmas cards, with the exception of special letters and photographs included with them, old artificial flowers, cardboard boxes we didn't need to save for other purposes, old pens without refill options, dried up play dough, junk mail, old phone books, and more. It is kind of like a treasure hunt trying to spot the next item(s) to discard, recycle, or donate.

3. Ophthalmologists. Once a year I see my ophthalmologist, but I called to see if I could be seen a few months early to verify what my dermatologist diagnosed as some rosacea in one of my eyes. I didn't want to continue a medication if that isn't what it really is. The ophthalmologist confirmed the diagnosis. This is a new condition for me as of this year. Fortunately I just have the subtype 1 rosacea at times on my face which just makes me look like I am blushing. The ocular rosacea makes my eye feel dry or as if it has been scratched, but the antibiotic is helping the eye. The prescription medication for my face is helping also. The main thing to do for this condition is to just use sunscreen, wear sunglasses, and protect myself from the sun by wearing long sleeves, broad brimmed hats, etc.

4. Feeding the hungry. Although the missionaries for my church do not beg for meals, they really do not need to. The members take turns inviting them to their homes once a day to eat a meal with them. The missionaries and their families pay for their own mission expenses, but members, who are able, help defray some of their food expenses  by sharing their own meals with them, usually the main meal for the day. We had that opportunity this past week. The two missionaries are going to return this coming week and do a bit of service for us, in the way of helping us with some needed weeding. The forecast for the day they are scheduled to come is for sunshine, unlike today which was filled with heavy downpours.

5. Gift shopping. There was a time when shopping trips were kind of exciting, but at this stage in my life I really just want to find the items and return home fairly quickly. This was a week for shopping for a baby gifts for a couple of new babies, and a birthday gift for a granddaughter. Although finding one of the gifts took a little longer than expected, I did enjoy seeing some newer items on the shelves. I also needed to do a special order for some clothing items for my Mom at the beginning of the week and talked to an especially helpful person on the other end of the line. To my amazement I received the completed order today in the mail! She had mentioned that it might take up to four weeks for the order to arrive.

6. Sometimes changes in plans are not always a bad thing. The zoo trip we had hoped to reschedule for this past week had to be cancelled due to rain, but we ended up watching the direct broadcast of the senate hearing on that day which is actually something we had wanted to see. We were able to watch and hear for ourselves and not have to rely on hearing newscasts or reading news articles about what was said or not said. As for Nora, the polar bear, it looks like we will still have a few months to see her before she moves to the zoo in Salt Lake City.

7. Words written in the past which still have great meaning.


Sir Walter Scott quotation from Marmion

8. Gazes of creatures


Blacktail doe just gazing at me standing by the door.

9. Sturdy oaks

Oak trees lining our lane
10. Energy. I'm thankful that my energy level seemed to be on a high this past week. 

Lastly I am thankful for my husband, family and other readers of this blog. 

12 comments:

  1. My mother often shared that quote with us as children. The lesson - be honest. Your photos are lovely, the oak trees incredible. Thanks for sharing. You found lots of things to be thankful for this week. It is in the everyday things that gratitude has the most effect, I think. Interesting info about the variety of bananas and apples. Strawberry-banana is a flavor combination I see a lot. I'd like to taste a banana that has strawberry notes. Have a good week, Pat.

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    1. It seems that honesty has gotten a bit diluted, or a lot diluted in the world today. When my Mother was in school, they were required to memorize poems and recite them. Although that wasn't a part of my schooling, I did memorize certain scriptures in Sunday School, and later as an adult. Although recalling things that I once memorized is a bit difficult for me to do verbatim, I do remember the gist of the message, which is probably more important than the actual memorization.
      I've seen yogurt with combined strawberry-banana flavors.
      I hope you have a good week too. Enjoy that granddaughter. :-)

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  2. I am thankful for fruit and ophthalmologists too.

    :-)

    I watched the senate hearing in my hotel room as I was packing to leave Whitehorse. I will never forget where I was when that was on.

    This list is a good one, but I understand it being hard some weeks. Hope it's easier come next week.

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    1. It is interesting how we remember the exact place we were when certain events happen. I remember where I was when I learned President Kennedy had been shot.

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  3. Lovely photos as always, Pat. I'm getting better at adapting to last minute change. It used to make me anxious if plans changed at the last minute, but I'm able to embrace it more now and wonder what new things will happen!

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    1. Being able to adapt to change without the change putting one into stress mode is important. It took me quite a while to get to that point in my life.
      Glad you enjoyed the photos.

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  4. Isn't it amazing how we can feel kind of "blah" about coming up with a list of thankfuls and then once we set down to do it we remember all kinds of things that were good about our week? Often the small things, like clothing for your mother arriving earlier than anticipated, or the beautiful gaze of a deer, are the best! I always find myself wondering what creatures think when they are observing us.

    I loved your thoughts of the variety of food we have never tasted and probably will never will have opportunity to do so. I love to try new things when we travel to other places! I can't help be awed but the incredible diversity of God's creation!

    You are doing wonderfully with your decluttering project. I am making a little progress and was happy to locate a couple things I had long since misplaced. I also laugh at some of the things I've saved (or just neglected to get rid of) that had no real value in being kept, just taking up space and collecting dust!

    I am grateful that the opthamologist was able to confirm the diagnosis, leaving you feeling more sure that was what was going on, and I am thankful medication is helping. I live with dry eyes, a dry mouth, and skin sensitive to sun, so I stay covered and pale and I'm ok with that. I don't enjoy the hot sun here very much anyway.

    Feeding the missionary teams is such a kind thing to do, not only providing them with food but also with the comfort of a family atmosphere. It is nice they can return the favor by helping with your weeding.

    Shopping is not my favorite thing at all. Like you, I go to get what I need and I come home. I do not window shop, I don't enjoy crowds, and I avoid the temptation to buy things I can live fine without. I probably walk thru our mall here twice a year at most. I love Amazon shopping from the comfort of home, it has spoiled me. :-)

    Watching the Senate hearings was a good thing in that you know you have the information first hand, it seems that our media can distort things so badly, and what you read from source to source varies greatly. I would much rather make up my own mind than have someone try to direct my beliefs.

    I hope you still get to see Nora the polar bear, they are my favorite as they glide through water effortlessly, and look so happy in that environment!

    It is no secret that I love quotations and I agree that there is often much wisdom to be found it what was written by intelligent people of long ago. This quotation about deceit is most certainly true, what a mess we can make for ourselves if we go that route!

    Huge oak trees are amazing, I think of them as grandfather spirits sheltering us! Yours are so beautiful, and they provide wonderful shade.

    Extra energy, what a blessing that is!! It feels so good to find yourself motivated to do more and enjoy doing it, I pray that it continues to stay with you this week! XOXO



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    1. With a couple of daughters going through a major decluttering this summer, I thought I would follow their example, even though I am not moving.
      I rarely go to the malls. Stores can come and go in the malls before I even know they had been there. :-)

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  5. "...cardboard boxes we didn't need to save for other purposes, old pens without refill options, dried up play dough, junk mail, old phone books,"...
    I have a drawer in where there have to be 15 pens. (In my defense, they are bundled with a rubber band....couple of phone books, too.)
    Good to have the ophthalmologist confirm and establish that the treatment is the correct one. I'm one those people (a clark, lol) who, having some sort of malady, gets the most relief from simply knowing what it (the ache/pain/rash/whatever) is, to know that it is a specific thing, rather than an unknown (and therefore unpredictable) condition.
    Good photo of the deer. They are not so calm around here, at least in terms of posing for photos. Funny, since they can be a risk when driving (especially mornings and evenings), whenever I see a deer, I immediately look around for the others... who invariably bound away into the woods.
    Energy is an interesting topic, been thinking a lot about energy levels, not the 'I didn't sleep well last night, energy issues' but more the ... "oh, I didn't realize everyone was in such a rush" energy issues (lol)

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    1. Yes, I am one of those that prefers to know exactly what the malady might be. I'd rather face it square on.
      On our curvy, hilly roads we have to be especially watchful for the rest of the herd of deer to follow the one crossing the road. Often they are completely hidden among the trees and brush along the road.
      I pulled an old rubber band off of something this morning. It had already broken, so I just peeled off the pieces and wadded it up into what felt like a little dab of putty. :-)
      It takes me a lot longer to accomplish things now than it once did, and it kind of wears me out to be around super high energy people now for very long.

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  6. 1. There was a banana plantation near us when we lived in Ventura. I'm not a big fan of bananas, but they had one variety that was only about 4 inches long, and that was more than enough banana for me!
    2. I've been trying to declutter for ages, but my husband never wants to turn loose of anything. Very frustrating! Sometimes I just have to slip stuff out of the house, and he never notices it's gone.
    3. That sounds like it could be itchy and painful. Hope its better soon.
    8. We have white-tailed deer.

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    1. I have never seen a banana plantation, although I have seen some of those small bananas like you described in some stores here. The ones I have seen have kind of a reddish peel.
      The rosacea for me isn't itchy. When I get the rash on my face, it just feels hot. When it is in the eye, it kind of hurts like a scratched dry eye might feel.
      The Columbian white-tailed deer in Oregon is no longer an endangered species, but is a threatened species. In our area we just see the black-tailed deer.

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