Monday, November 26, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful

How quickly the time flies during the last three months of the year!
It seems as though when there is more to do, there is less time to accomplish everything, but giving thanks should never be one of those things to let slide by. The thoughts and the prayers have been there, but wrapping them up for a Ten Things of Thankful post hosted by Kristi Brierley has been slow going after the company left. 




1. Cozy, lightweight down-filled duvet. Some people like heavy blankets, and that was me as a child sleeping under several layers of wool blankets. Now a lightweight duvet feels better on these old bones.

2. Wood. We enjoy the look and smell of wood inside our home. There is just something comforting in being able to see knots in the boards and to see the grain of the wood.

3. The sound of the wind rushing by outside when one is safely gathered inside one's home.

4. Tears of someone when she received a gift that was lovingly made with by a group of friends.

5. The tight clasp of my mother's hand on mine that reminds me of how I might have grasped my mother's hand when I was very young. Life comes full circle and may it never be unbroken.

6. Eyes with which to see and to be seen.

7. Occasions that bring families and friends together. Sometimes it is a holiday. Other times it is a memorial service followed by what is like a reunion of sorts. Other events might include birthday parties, planned times to serve someone, or vacationing together. 

8. Honest, heartfelt communication.

9. A jar full of written memories. Last week I opened up a jar of memories about me written by one of my daughters when she was in college. How time goes by, and how easily the tears came as I reread these.

10. Vic and for the person he is and the couple we are.

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful

It has been a beautiful week here in our area, and because of that I think my energy levels rose to the occasion. That is something for which I am thankful. In a few more days we will have part of our family here to visit before, during and after Thanksgiving, and that is yet another thankful item. 

I have a few photos to share for my post for the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Kristi Brierley of Thankful Me. I'm looking forward to seeing what others share this week. Click the link and you will be able to read their posts too. Better still, give some thought to what you are thankful for and write your own post and then link up. This blog hop Thanksgiving table welcomes all who want to join.



1. "We jobs," although more like "he jobs" and not always "wee jobs." With sunshine and seeing more leaves on the ground than still on the trees, we decided to clean the gutters on the house. The picture shows my husband cleaning the gutters on the back side of the house. I did a little helping, but he manned the hose. The front side requires using a ladder, and again he had the harder part of the job, but it did require both of us to get that part done. "We" also cleaned some of the windows. It is nice to be able to get a clearer view from the inside again.

Having gutters fairly near the ground
makes for easier cleaning.


2. Shrub beds wearing their new fall coat. Although there are still some leaves falling, the time was right to get a load of bark dust. We are thankful for the crew which came and quickly did what we are not able to do. Vic spent a good portion of the morning using his tractor to dump the bark dust near the various areas. The crew did the raking, etc. They were using a wheelbarrow, and he knew it would be much quicker for him to use his tractor to get it to some of the beds.


Even as the bark dust was being spread, a
few maples leaves were anxious to adorn
the ground.

3. Trees decked out in cones.

Pine cones 

I believe these are spruce cones.

4. Color of plants and of blossoms.

This looks a little like a barberry
bush which couldn't decide
which color it liked best.

This pink rose blooming in the
middle of November looks
beautiful with the backdrop
of the weathered fence.

This assortment of shrubs and trees
displaying various fall colors caught my eye.

5. Surprise discoveries. Years ago Vic purchased a little coffee plant for an indoor plant. It has had its ups and downs, and came near dying at times, but I finally found the right spot for it after moving it several times. As I was turning the plant just a tad the other day, I saw what appeared to be a couple of coffee beans in the making. 

Ripening coffee beans

6. Creative inventions. When I was at a quilting bee this week, one of the women showed us the needle threader that I believe was made by her grandfather. He made it out of the lid of a tin can. It is considerably sturdier than the little thin needle threaders that one can buy. This one is well suited for threading yarn through the eye of a needle. As is quoted in the well-known proverb, Necessity is the mother of invention.

Needle threader made from the
lid of a tin can

7. Senior discount, finally! For years I have enjoyed using senior discounts, when I remember to mention it. Most businesses do not ask if a person is eligible for the discount. When I took our car in to be serviced this week I was asked if I wanted the senior discount! (My immediate thought was, "What, you mean you have a senior discount?") We have had some fairly expensive work done there on occasion, and never once did I see in print, nor did anyone mention that the senior discount was an option. Now on the other hand, I suppose that I should feel good about the fact I didn't look like a senior before now. LOL Besides the senior discount, my punch card was filled, so part of the work done that day was free!

8. The Supreme Court. After watching the documentary, RBG this week, I came away with a greater appreciation for the Supreme Court of our country. One of the things that I felt most appreciative of was seeing how the members can be on opposite sides of a situation but still be civil and even friends with one another! We need more of this kind of behavior.

9. Protein lunchboxes. Because of the diet I am on, it is very difficult to eat out. This week I found myself between errands and unable to go home to eat. I stopped at a little health food store where I sometimes shop to see if just by chance they might have something in their deli area that I could eat. I was very happy to see that they had protein lunchboxes available. Everything in the box was exactly what I could eat!

10. The many ways people all over are reaching out to help friends and strangers in their hour of need. It is heartwarming and faith promoting.


Saturday, November 10, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful

Today I am going to deviate somewhat from my usual numbering of my gratitudes. After all our host of the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, Kristi Brierley, is really more interested in people taking time to think about those things for which they are thankful. Please consider taking part in this blog hop, whether it just be a line or two, or ten or more. Click the link above to share your post.

Because putting thoughts into writing have a way of  solidifying things in our minds, as well as giving us a place to return and remember as we read our thoughts of yesterdays and yesteryears, whether it be reviewing pages in our journals or reading our blog entries, who knows what impact the written word will have in our own life or in the lives of others. Just do it.




The most recent article I read about bells ringing was about the wave of bells that will be taking place in Canada on Sunday evening at dusk in remembrance of the armistice of WW1 100 years ago. The news of the war ending was spread via church bells ringing. I can just imaging what a joyful sound that must have been at that time. I am thankful for all who have served and who have made sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy.

There are times when there is a monkey wrench that gets thrown in our everyday tasks causing us to take much more time doing a relatively simple task. This week I was thankful that when I balanced the checkbook, all went smooth as glass. There were no debit card entries that I'd forgotten to enter and no mathematical errors. Yeah!

I'm not sure how I missed hearing about a 200-year-old tradition in Georgetown, Delaware called Return Day, but what a brilliant custom this is that seems to bring a degree of unity to the community on a day that more often than not ends up a day of discord in other places. Anything that brings peace and unity is something to be celebrated.

As I was driving homeward one day this week, a red tail hawk did a dive-bomb across the three lanes of the southbound traffic. He was so focused on his intended meal awaiting him in the median strip that he literally crashed into the cement barrier. I'm not sure if he snatched his prey beforehand. I appreciate these lessons we learn from observing the actions of wildlife. Maybe if he had considered all his options, he might have chosen a different course of action. 

There are many "firsts" to explore. Today I watched my first ever webinar. It proved to be extremely helpful, and I know I am going to be viewing it more than once in order to understand more of the information that was presented. (It was for practitioners as well as other interested parties.) The Q & A after the presentation was just as helpful. I am thankful for those who share their knowledge.

Silence invigorates me and I need time to be alone with my thoughts, time to observe, and time to be still. Others are invigorated and reenergized by action, loud activities and being in large group settings. While I can enjoy that for a little while, there comes a time when it is no longer as enjoyable. I am not saying that one is better than the other, just that what is enjoyable for one isn't always what suits the other. Silence is golden, and I am thankful for some golden moments in my golden years.

Some years our Christmas cacti are blooming by Thanksgiving or sooner. Today I can see the beginning of some buds, but I don't know if they will be blooming by Thanksgiving. They may living up to their name this year. Either way, I am thankful to see indications that their flowers will brighten our home sooner or later. Just another lesson in patience. Life is oft' a waiting game.

I am thankful for the thoughts and prayers of others and for kindness and offers of help.

This time of year flickers return to our little hillside area and at times to our house instead of our trees. I am thankful to be able to hear when they begin to peck on the house, so I can go shoo them away! Fortunately we don't have to contend with the problem this homeowner has.




Vic and I are a team, one that works together and shares the load. Getting older does indeed require teamwork, and I am thankful for the many ways he helps out and keeps life enjoyable. Besides, he is just fun to be around!

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Six Sentence Stories - Knee

With the cue given to us by Denise Farley of the Girlie on the Edge's Blog at her blog hop, I decided to use the plural form of this word because of a childhood memory it prompted. With the beautiful fall sunny day here as I am writing, the setting of my SSS seems a little out of place. Actually, there were several ideas that came to mind for using the prompt, but I'll save them for another time. Click the link to see what form of the prompt was used in the other Six Sentence Stories - Knee.





The down-pouring rain seemed to bounce off the puddles which had filled the many deep potholes in what had  been a smooth graveled lane in the summer.

When she’d walked over the first wooden bridge on the lane, she noticed that the creek water was slapping the underside of the boards and was the highest she had ever seen it.

She felt the sting of the rain against her bare legs and she wished that her jacket was longer so her skirt would stay dry. Her red and blue plaid, woolen-fringed headscarf was now completely soaked. 

During most of her walk home from school it had been just lightly sprinkling, not pouring like it was now, and had been most of the last few weeks.

At the final wooden bridge now undetectable under the rushing waters, she was met by her father wearing high rubber boots up to his knees ready to seemingly walk on water to assist her in making it safely home.



Source



Monday, November 5, 2018

Ten Things of Thankful

With Thanksgiving arriving later this month in our country, people often consider all those things for which they are especially grateful. On the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Kristi Brierley each week, we have an opportunity to keep thankfulness in mind every week, write a post and link up where others of like mindedness will be linking their posts. Even if you don't write a post and join us, we hope reading our comments will stir your thoughts toward your own blessings. Be sure to click the link and see what others are sharing.




1. Pain-free days. For the last six years I have been on a medication that has kept me pain free from pain in the connective tissues of my back. The cause of the pain is believed to be Myofascial Pain Syndrome. After years of flare ups of pain, the doctor put me on a medication that was discovered to help subdue the pain. The medication had been created to treat something completely different. To me it was like a miracle drug to be free of the pain. For whatever reason, the drug no longer works for me and the pain has resumed. The doctor is slowly weaning me off the first medication while gradually having me take low amounts of the new one. Apparently medications after continued use can sometimes no long do what they were intended to do. I am so grateful that during the past six years I haven't had flare-ups of that particular pain.

2. Sunshine. 1)During this time of the year the rays of sun shine through the windows of our home and strike certain areas that don't see the sunshine at other times. It is a good thing because otherwise I might not ever see the cobwebs on vaulted ceilings, and remove my quite naturalist Halloween decorations. 2)Sunshine this time of year makes all the fall colors of nature's landscape look so vibrant. 





3. Live online classes. Today I registered for an online class being held this coming Saturday. This is the first time I have done this kind of thing, but I hope it will give me a better understanding of SIBO.

4. Someone offering to do something I'd offered to do for her. When I made an offer to help someone it was with the hope that the pain flareup would have subsided by the time I needed to do the errand. When I discovered that just because one day might be a good day, it didn't mean I could count on the following day to be good, she relieved me of having to do the task. I appreciate her being so understanding.

5. Sharing and caring friends. One day a couple of friends came to visit, and during our conversation about possible reasons my  pain medication might not be working, they each shared a personal experience that caused me make an appointment to see my doctor and explain what was going on. While discussing health issues isn't always the most entertaining topic, sometimes sharing and caring friends and provide helpful insights.

6. Appreciation for the complexities of how the human body functions or doesn't.

7. Music as a source of distraction from physical pain. One day when I'd driven up to visit with my mom in the nursing center, my back pain had increased in intensity, so by the time I was making the 40 minute trip home, I wondered about a way to distract my mind from the pain. I began singing and humming hymns, one after another. The ride was much more enjoyable and truly did divert my thoughts from the pain.

Has music ever been used to help divert your mind during a surgical procedure or to distract you from pain?

Just listen to the following for a minute or two. If you click the link it will explain more about the sound. Is this a relaxing sound to you? Just wondering. . .






8. Serendipitous occasions, or God is in the details of our lives. I had enjoyed the singing/humming mentioned in #7 so much that I thought how wonderful it would be if the church class I would be attending that afternoon could just be an hour of singing hymns about the topic being addressed that day. Imagine my surprise when during one of the classes I attended, the teacher said she was going to do something a little different from the way she normal would teach the class. She asked for a number of people to choose a favorite hymn and a line from it that addressed the subject of the lesson. As a class we sang one verse from each of the hymns that had been mentioned! She no doubt had planned her lesson sooner than the thought that had crossed my mind, but maybe not. . .

Have you had a serendipitous happening recently?

9. My jade plant is growing! This might not seem like much to some people, but I have over watered a number of jades over the years and apparently just drowned them. This time around I have not even been watering my jade when the soil appeared dry to me. I wait several weeks before giving it the tiniest bit of moisture. This is a tiny little plant, but the leaves are looking healthy, not mushy at all. LOL

10. My husband and our family. They are always in my thoughts and prayers and they mean the world to me.