Saturday, February 17, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful

What an emotional week this has been, but now it is time to take a deep breath and consider some thoughts I have about being thankful. I'm sharing these as a post that I am linking to the Josie Two Shoes blog hop Ten Things of Thankful

This blog hop started off with people listing or sharing in whatever form they desired ten things for which they were grateful each week, but as time has gone by, it has become a little more lax as to the exact number and style of the post. Photos are okay to share, or not, depending on one's mood at the moment. Just click the link and discover the wide variety of posts on this topic. We are also given from Thursday evening (shortly after midnight Central Time) to Tuesday evening to post. That is a very generous amount time.






This part of the country, and in the coming week more of the rest of the country, will be experiencing what is referred to as Winter Storm Oliver. Beginning tonight there will be a lot of snow falling in the Cascades. The ski lifts were shut down earlier today. It is not unusual to have snow in the mountains, but it has been a while since we have had snow this late in February and the beginning of March. I'm thankful we have snow chains, as the forecast is that there will likely be snow in the higher elevations around some of the valley cities and possibly on the valley floor beginning tomorrow. The other word that is being mentioned is possible ICE.

My husband and I were able to vicariously enjoy a friend's trip to Brazil where he visited the Pantanal, which is the world's largest freshwater wetland. He was nice enough to share many of photos of the colorful birds which reside there with a group of fellow birders. 
Some birds which live in the Pantanal are shown in the first half of this YouTube video. Click the link to watch. I am thankful for friends who share their talents and travel adventures. I am also thankful for beautiful places in the world which are refuges to so many creatures. Stopping by a favorite dessert deli on the way home to get a couple of pieces of cake to take with us. It was too near closing time to eat it there.

I got together for lunch with a couple of friends. We had Chinese food this time. It is always fun to chat and listen with friends while enjoying good food. 

Our son was able to travel to be with us and go with us to a memorial service for his former Scout leader who also had been his Bishop for a while when he was growing up. Our son and another former Scout in the troop had been asked to speak at the service and to be pallbearers. This Scout leader was a veteran and had served in the Marines and his uniform was displayed at the services. Our son wore his own Navy uniform to the services.

Some of the deer have discovered that our solar panels make a nice lean-to for shelter from the rain, and now I suppose from the anticipated snow. I was able to snap a  photo of one leaving the structure one sunny day. I'm thankful that the solar panels are multi-functional.


Deer exiting from beneath the solar panels positioned on the ground behind the house

With the approaching lower temperatures and not looking forward to the colder days, I am thankful for memories of places where I was able to feel warm. 


  • high up in the hay loft among bales of hay while holding warm kittens
  • standing in front of a wood stove which was burning oak logs
  • taking a break from stacking wood when I was a kid and sitting among a pile of old newspapers (There was a good reason why newspapers and magazines were used as insulation in some older homes before the availability of insulation as we know it now.)
  • as a child, being nice and warm at night under several layers of woolen quilts made by my maternal grandmother

This is a woolen patchwork quilt that was on my bed when I was growing up and was made by my maternal grandmother. The quilt is draped over a chair to display for the photo. The quilt blocks are six-inch square pieces in some solid colors while other blocks are plaid materials. There are solid colors of red, blue, black, green, tan, and brown. The plaids are mostly lighter blue and tan in a small plaid on white. She used whatever wool scraps she could buy at thrift stores or would cut up woolen clothes that had little resale value to make the quilts.
  • sitting in our loft under cozy afghans while reading a book and enjoying the rays of sunshine on my face
  • sitting closely together to stay warm on a evening hayride
  • dancing with my future husband





Have a great week ahead and remember to be thankful for the good things that are happening in your life.







16 comments:

  1. I love your closing line, pat. So often we get consumed with all the negativity that is around us. We also need to look at the positive. I hope you all stay safe during the snowy weather.

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    1. That is what I love about the TTOT blog hop. It is a great way to focus on the positive things, events, and people in our lives.
      Thanks. I hope to stay safe too.

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  2. I'm with Meta. Focus on the good things. Love the photo of you and Vic, warm and beautiful times. There are so many beautiful places in this world and sharing them with friends, whether in real life or through photography is a wonderful thing. Dessert deli? That sounds interesting. Stay warm and endure the snow.

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    1. The dessert deli was actually described in a local paper as a gourmet cake shop, but they also sell soups, sandwiches, and salads. The owner of this delightful little place is also the author of a well known book about New York, specifically the Manhattan area. https://www.amazon.com/Gerry-Franks-Where-Find-Regular/dp/1879333287/ref=dp_ob_title_bk?dpID=51yrVcSpg7L&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=detail
      He also is the judge at the Oregon State Fair each year of the Chocolate Layer Cakes. He has been doing it for years.
      That is the goal, to stay warm and endure any inconveniences caused by the snow and ice.

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  3. Ahhhh....staying close on a hayride "for warmth". That brings back sweet memories.
    Stay safe in the snow storm. It feels like winter and spring are arm wrestling for the weather here! A couple days will be so cold, then the sun comes out and warmths things up for a few days, and then a cold wind blows through. I don't think the changes have helped people fighting colds and flu bugs.

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    1. Your description of the seasons arm wrestling is a good one. The sun slipping in and out can be quite deceiving, especially if one thinks sun means warmer weather. Brrrr.

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  4. I didn't know the storm had a name, but it is supposed to start snowing here tonight and through tomorrow. We can certainly use some precipitation. Hope you don't get black ice, though.

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    1. I didn't realize that there was a name for the storm either until I saw an article about it. It makes me wonder if this a new thing, or if others have had names too, besides the named hurricanes.
      I thought perhaps you had snow this morning too, but maybe it was just the SLC area that did.
      Black ice, or freezing rain that makes the roads hazardous, either one I do not want.

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  5. wow... what an excellent TToT*

    *kinda had everything, people, places and things but, more, it had a realness... a view into a life (pieces and parts of life and family, tradition and love)... I repeat, 'wow'

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    1. Thanks, Clark.
      It was that kind of a post, a little of this and a little of that.

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  6. Wonderful list of thankfuls. That is a beautiful quilt.

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    1. Thank you.
      The quilt is very warm. The bottom appears to be a wool army blanket. I don't know if it has lining in it too.

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  7. LOVE LOVE LOVE the photo of you and your husband dancing!
    I guess your winter storm Oliver might be the reason we have freezing rain right now! I got home from work in the nick of time!
    When I was really young, my great aunt worked in an appliance store in the tiny town where she lived. It had a coal stove in the back room for heat (there may have been an electric heater in the "showroom"). There weren't many customers on any given day, so my great aunt sat in front of the coal stove in a rocking chair and watched her soap operas. I loved visiting her there and sitting in her lap in the old rocking chair.
    I'm sorry for your son's loss in the death of his former Scout leader. How nice that he was able to be a part of the funeral service.

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    1. Thanks, Dyanne. I remember that dance because it had a roaring 20's theme, and thanks to being able to sew, I was able to buy some fabric and quickly sew a dress for the event.
      Love reading your memory of being in your sitting on your great aunt's lap in the old rocking chair in front of the coal stove where she worked.
      It was sad to see the former Scout leader pass, but the past few years have not been pleasant ones for him due to the loss of memory. He was a great leader and man.

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  8. Everything about the weather w're having around here lately is wrong. It is February and people seem so thrilled it is raining instead of snowing. Not me.

    Love your list, featuring memories of how you stay warm and have always done.

    They used to have quilting parties at my great aunt's house and my grandmother made us quilts. Lovely treasures.

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    1. Quilting is still a big thing for many in this state. I've done a little quilting, but not anywhere near to the extent others have done. I love seeing all the quilts at quilting fairs.
      We need the snow in the mountains, but I am not fond of having it much in our area because of having to drive in it. Usually when we get snow it doesn't last very many days.

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