Ten Things of Thankful

It has been a memorable week with things for which to be grateful. This week is different in that it leads up to Memorial Day in the United States this coming Monday when we remember those who lost their lives while serving in the U. S. military. The sacrifices made by the families of those who have served in the military is one that should not to be forgotten either. 

Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not allows us a space to share those things that remind us of all there is to remember that make us feel a sense of thankfulness. I'll be linking up to the blog hop Ten Things of Thankful which she hosts. 

Pixabay

1. Announcements and accompanying photos via texts that express the delight of all

There is a Golden Retriever puppy in our extended family! Their first Golden Retriever lived a wonderful long life. Life  just wasn't the same without having a dog in the home, so now there is another of these wonderful pets in their lives.

2. During some more strong winds this week another widow maker fell (a smaller one this time) and it it didn’t land on the lane this week, so that was another plus!

3. Being gifted a rhododendron that another family no longer wanted because it had grown too big for the space where it was been planted

4. Feeling thankful to the person who dug the shrub mentioned in #3 and called us to see if we would be interested in having the plant

5. Knowledge and experiences shared by others and being able to attend a function that allowed me to listen and learn not only from the speaker but from other attendees' experiences

The topic addressed was based on part of the scripture in  Matthew 19:19 in the New Testament. Often much is said about the importance of loving one’s neighbors and how in adhering to that admonition the importance of remembering how important it is to take care of oneself often gets forgotten.

6. For repeated promptings to contact someone about a request made in a FB post while at the same time thinking her need probably had already been addressed by someone else 

I was glad the promptings kept coming to me and that I finally did what was needed. The important message here is that sometimes you might be the only one who has what is needed at a given time and are the only “one” who can help.

7. Seeing a Western Tanager come to our outside water fountain just for a few seconds as I was preparing this post

They are beautiful birds, but rarely come up to the fountain. This was the first one I had seen this spring on our property, and wouldn't  you know it, my camera was in the other room.

8. Phone call with good news

A doctor I have been waiting to see will be able to see me the middle of June rather than the later scheduled date.

9. Finding out that a historical fiction novel about WW2 that I have wanted to read is available on Audible 

10. Hugs and all the benefits they bring and for Vic, my favorite hugger

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Ten Things of Thankful

Sometimes these Ten Things of Thankful come easily and quickly, but don't worry if sometimes they don't. Although the link opens on Thursday, there are several days allowed for participants to link their posts to the blog hop. Thank you Dyanne (Backsies Is What There Is Not) for hosting each week. What are you thankful for this week, or anytime for that matter?

Western Wild Rose

Not so thankul for the black clouds in the sky and accompanying strong winds that gave the trees a massive shaking for probably no longer than 15 minutes on Wednesday because the arborists can’t come until June and we still have widow makers hanging from a lot of the trees due to the ice storm back in February

But very thankful that

No one was hurt Thursday morning when a huge widow maker fell partly on the lane and partly on our hillside 

Oak widow maker

The  limb didn’t fall on Wednesday when our yard guy was using a weed eater on the same area of the hillside

That drivers of two vehicles were able to navigate safely up and down the lane that morning before the sudden descent of the limb

That the neighbors coming down the hill after the limb had fallen were able to pull over enough to allow them to get their Bobcat and shove the limb completely off the lane (We were not even aware the limb had fallen until about an hour later.)

That one of the arborists is now going to be able to come the middle of June instead of toward the end of June 

Other thankful items this week

Eyes to see and the laughter that  comes when I see it after years of it staring right at me

Hidden face in floor tile

 

In an attempt to find the exact date of an event that had happened, I searched a couple of my journals from years ago. I knew the month, and the approximate year, so it was easy to verify the date. What I had forgotten was that I had written a poem about what had happened and shared it in my journal. This is what was special about finding the poem. When I read the poem, I immediately thought of a family member who might be strengthened by reading it this week. From the response of the recipient, I knew it was a poem I was meant to share.

Gifts, cards, and thoughts that keep on giving. Over a period of years my FIL had a tradition he and one of his brothers shared. There was one Christmas card that was exchanged every year between them. One year one brother was the sender of the card, and the next year the other brother sent the same card back to my FIL, but in a new envelope. I suspect there was a letter from the sender that was included with the card each Christmas. I thought of my FIL this week when I received a thank you card and a $20 bill from a friend for picking up her mail for several weeks when she was gone on a trip. Her note to me in the card was, “You are worth it.” I was surprised about receiving money for doing this for her. When I objected to receiving the money, she seemed to pause and then asked me if I remembered giving her a $20 bill once and telling her she was worth it. She too had objected. Ah, the light bulb came on. I shared the story about my FIL and told her not to be surprised when the $20 comes back to her at some point in the future. 🙂

Being able to stream a high school school musical performed in another state when we are not able to attend in person

Learning that people we care about and hadn’t been able to reach are okay

 

For Vic and this song from The Big Fish broadway musical

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Six Sentence Stories - Rivalry

It is time for another six. Denise of Girlie On The Edge's Blog, and host of the blog hop to which I am linking this post is waiting for us to write and link up our stories written in only six sentences and of course using the cue word for the week. Click the link and you will be able to read the creative endeavors of other writers of this ilk. Six Sentence Stories - Rivalry.

Pixabay

They had been good friends until it had become apparent they no longer saw eye to eye on a life and death matter.

Both considered the other’s point of view irrational and not based on fact.

The peaceful common ground that had once existed between them was now filled with potholes waiting to ensnare and strangle all the tender tendrils that had once bound them together no matter what.

Their rivalry and the complexities of it needed intervention, but neither saw the need and felt it would be a costly useless endeavor, so instead one went by herself to the beach to find solace and the other hiked and conversed with a like-minded friend on mountain trails.

Years elapsed, as did their memories for the most part, except for the precious friendship they each remembered having way back when.

Gone were the times of strife and misunderstandings. . .gone. . .gone. . .gone.

Ten Things of Thankful

Truly I am still thankful, truly I am. On this day 41 years ago Mt. St. Helens erupted. It was a day that many in the Northwest part of this nation will always remember. I am thankful that we were not close enough to reap the death and destruction that came when the volcano blew its top, although some of its very fine ashes did make their way into our vicinity that year.

This list of ten is finally being posted and linked to the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not.

Lilac blossom

1. Discovering and having a poisonous plant removed before it blossomed and spread its seeds

2. Mother’s Day and birthday celebration surprises combined into one tremendous gathering

3. Delicious meals prepared by loving hands

4. Awaited appointments finally scheduled and in the queue

5. Movies and books that make me search to know more about history

6. More COVID-19 vaccines available to more adults and students

7. Listening to grown children read aloud and laugh as they shared excerpts from my journal entries which included statements made by them when they were little (Note: They did have my permission to read my journal.)

8. Beautiful works of art on flower petals

Oregon iris

9. Purple pine cones shaped like a corsages

Purple pine cones

10. Vic and his ability to not give any indication to me of impending surprise visits from our children

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