Ten Things of Thankful

Ten Things of Thankful is a blog hop that I have been participating in off and on for about four years now. It has proven to be a healthy way of viewing the world around me and how I am connected to it and the people in it. Kristi of Thankful Me is the host of  Ten Things of Thankful. New participants to this blog hop are always welcome as you will see when you click the link. That link will also enable you to see what items of gratitude others are sharing this week.

1. Checked off an item off my bucket list 

For many years I have been saying one of these days I want to take a watercolor painting class. This week I signed up for a beginning class at one of the senior centers and the next day began learning some of the basics.

2. Beautiful parks

One day this week I walked around a park and took photos of flowers after having had a particularly depressing visit with my mom when it seemed her Alzheimer’s had the upper hand. Thankfully during the next visit I had her back for a few minutes when she smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

A close up of a camellia bush with
three beautiful white blossoms
 with pink stripes on the petals

3. Country roads

There are plenty of these around where we live. I walked about four miles on a hilly road yesterday. Going uphill enabled me to get my heart rate up a little.

A sloping hillside with oak trees in the
distance at the edge of a green pasture
and clouds ranging from white to varying
degrees of blue and gray above

4. Exercise gained from doing a little yard work 

With all the rain we have had and with the temperatures warming up somewhat, the grass and the weeds were flourishing. I was careful not to overdo and limited myself to just a half-hour of bending, stretching and reaching. It was a beautiful day for being outside. It got up to 78 degrees that day, the only day in April in the 70's and the fifth day of 70 degrees or above in 2019.

5. Flowers

Our orchid is blooming again and the poinsettia that I thought died has decided it wants to live. Although typically neither are usually considered as Easter flowers, the idea of living again seems appropriate for the season.

White orchid with multiple magenta dots
covering the petals

6. Blog posts about Easter 

This blog post, The Not So Innocent Bystander on the Via Dolorosa posted by Paul,  made me think about the time leading up to the crucifixion of  the Savior. . . in a slightly different way. Thank you Paul for your thoughtful insight.

7. Gatherings of friends and families and the joy it brings

8. Reaching goals 

A friend ran in the Boston Marathon again this week which is quite an accomplishment considering the fact that a few years back she didn't know if she would ever be able to run again.

Congratulations to our granddaughter who is beginning her first job in her chosen career after years of hard work and study.

9. My husband and his kindness to me and to others

Six Sentence Stories - Point

It will be interesting to see the different directions writers go this week with the prompt word for the blog hop Six Sentence Stories - Point. Denise of Girlie on the Edge's Blog repeatedly comes up with just the right cue to keep us engaged in this little writing escapade. Click the link to read some more stories written in only six sentences. Are you thinking about venturing into the blog hop world? This is an easy one to test the waters.

Get up on that stool right now young man. Here, put this on and not a peep out of you, John Dunn!

Mary regretted having screamed when he had pulled a little too hard on one of her blond braids. She kind of liked him sometimes, but other times he was a pest.

As John sat on the stool he wished he could turn the dunce cap he was wearing into a conical cap like those worn by John Duns Scotus and the Dunsmen. He wondered what it would have been like to put on the wizard-like cap with a point on top that supposedly could draw down power to the brain and increase your intelligence.

Ten Things of Thankful

When I reflect on all that I have learned and experienced since my oldest daughter suggested that I should create a blog and try writing a post each week on this Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, I am almost speechless, but not yet. 

It is time to link up again. Every week I do a bit of soul searching just to consider what is making me feel thankful. That is a such a good feeling, whether it is just a smidgen or a humongous feeling of indebtedness. To take time to acknowledge those feelings makes a difference in one's life, and maybe, just maybe, will make a difference in some small way in the life of one who reads your post. 

I'm going to link this post to the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Kristi of Thankful Me. Click the link to discover the other thankful items being shared by those participating in this blog hop.

 

1. Fields of yellow flowers that reminded me of my grandmother

This week I saw a field of yellow flowers in bloom. It brought back memories of my folks taking my paternal grandmother on drives to see the beautiful bright yellow flowers growing in the fields at the base of the purple hillsides. Seeing the mustard in bloom always brought her so much joy. I thought the yellow flowers I saw this week must be mustard, but I found out that this field was actually planted with purple top turnips being grown for the seed. (Are there any flowers that always remind you of a certain person, or an experience that you have had?) 

A field of purple top turnips in bloom,
the yellow flowers creating a dividing
 line between the gray clouds above
and the gray pavement in the foreground. 

2. Anna's hummingbirds

These beautiful little hummingbirds are a delight to behold and from the looks of this interaction they might feel a little beholding to one another as they completely ignore the downpour of rain.

Male (facing the viewer) and female
 Anna's hummingbirds above
a feeder

3. A lizard soaking up some sunshine

My plan had been to sneak out and try taking some photos of the hummingbirds, but I decided to do that at another time since there was a lizard right there on the side of the house looking very surprised to see me. The lighting was too bright to really get the kind of photo I wanted, but I just couldn't pass up such a willing subject.

A lizard on warm cedar shakes

4. Sand bags and those who rescue

There has been a lot of rain descending from the skies above the western part of our state this week, so much so that many areas have experienced flooding from rising rivers and streams causing roads to be closed and damage to businesses, homes and vehicles. There have been many who have put in long hours trying to keep people safe and to rescue others. Although we have been safe in our residence and have been able to travel where we needed to go, that has not been the case for others.

5. Vision and perspective
This past weekend I was able to watch all the sessions of the General Conference that was broadcast worldwide. I always look forward to listening to the messages that are shared. Two speakers spoke a little about eyes in the same session of conference. (The talks that the speakers give are not discussed with one another ahead of time.)

When I was in the fifth grade, a man who was blind brought his seeing-eye dog with him to our little two-room school and talked about what it was like to be blind and what he was able to accomplish in spite of what some thought was a handicap. Somewhere around that same time, my paternal grandmother had to have one of her eyes removed. I do not know the exact reason, but I think she may have had a tumor. For many years there was a school for the blind in our city, and some of our children were involved in helping there. I have always felt that having eyes and my sight is a  wonderful blessing.

This talk given by Elder Mathias Held, a member of the Quorum of the 70 spoke about how having two eyes gives us another perspective producing a three-dimensional image of our surroundings. He then compared that to how we have been given two sources of information through our physical and spiritual capacities and what happens when these two perspectives are combined in our souls. Very thought provoking. Click here to watch or read his talk.

6. A beautiful sunny afternoon to drive to the temple

One of the spires on the
Portland Oregon Temple

7. Tulips in bloom

I have been waiting for this soggy part of the country to dry out a bit before I venture out to trod the paths in the lovely tulips gardens north of here. In the meantime I snapped a photo of some that were blooming by the temple.

Red tulips surrounded by
a ground cover of small white
blossoms

8. Words of consolation

Sometimes words of consolation may come from the mouth of a friend or even a stranger. Other times it may stand out as a message just for you as you are reading lines in a book you are currently reading. There are occasions when a line from a song will seemingly speak to you. Yesterday I was reading a few passages from the Old Testament. I just picked up the book and flipped it open. It happened to open to Psalms. I just started reading and when I came to Psalms 138:8 I knew why I'd been guided to this page. (What words have jumped right off the page and into your heart in such a way that you knew it was a message just for you?)

"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:"

9. A delay not of my choosing

Have you ever had something happen that made you just shake your head trying to make sense of it all? After leaving the temple yesterday, my car was acting strangely. For some reason the dashboard lights didn't come on, but the car was running. After about a block I pulled into a parking lot, turned off the car, waited a bit, then turned the car back on. There still weren't any lights displayed on the dashboard. Again I turned off the car, but this time resorted to what I always do when I don't know what to do. . .pray. I turned on the car. The lighting on the dashboard was back to normal. I proceeded on my way, and just a few miles down the freeway I came upon a wreck. There was  a police car there, but no tow truck yet. I am thankful for that delay which was not of my choosing. 

10. Those who are brave
One of our granddaughters has lived with mental illness and took a brave step this week. She wanted her mother to write her story in hopes it might help someone else. The mother is the host this blog hop and shared the story on her blog, Thankful Me.

A woman in a parking lot today who was visibly struggling to walk into a store refused any offers of help, such as grabbing my arm, or taking a cart someone brought to her. She seemed to be reaffirming to herself and others how physically strong she was and how she needed to do this by herself. She appreciated the offers of help, but wanted to walk just that far without any kind of assistance

There isn't a day goes by but which I see men and women braving the elements because they have no place which they can call their home, nor a job to earn the money they need to sustain themselves.

There are those who have bravely walked away from habits that could have completely destroyed them and their families. It is difficult to break habits and it sometimes takes a long time, but it is worth the effort it takes to create a happy family. 

What might be relatively easy for one person can take an impressive amount of courage and resolve for another to accomplish.  

An extra thankful for my husband who makes life so enjoyable!

Six Sentence Stories - Contest

Little tales can become big ones, but there are times when big stories can be turned into little ones. Trying to keep things to the point when there is so much to say can be a challenge some may not want to attempt whether it is in writing or in conversation, but if you are up to the challenge write your story in six sentences on your blog and link up to Six Sentence Stories - Contest. Oh, "contest" is the cue word this week. Try to sneak that word into your story. Denise of Girlie on the Edge's Blog is the host for this fun blog hop.

Well I may have grown up on a farm, but I still don’t think it is my job to promote this among the boys in our district. What will those wisenheimers in Manhattan think of next! 

Since there is no local organization who wants to take this on, it is designated to me, the county school superintendent, to find farmers’ boys between twelve and eighteen to plant and grow corn. 

It looks like I may be making more home visits than usual, since some of those boys stopped attending school to help out at home while others decided to hop a train for parts unknown.

The higher ups must be planning a lollapalooza of a corn growing contest. Take a look at this poster: Wanted: Ten Thousand Boys to Enter This Contest.

Ten Things of Thankful

Are you ready? It is link up time to the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop hosted by Kristi of Thankful Me. I've been feeling thankful all week, so I think I can do this. If you have felt grateful off and on during the past week, jot those thoughts down on your own blog and link up, but just on the chance you don't have a blog, never fear. When you click here, you can just write your thankful items in the comments section at the bottom of Kristi's page.

1. New tastes for my palate

While waiting to get new tires put on the car, I walked to a nearby restaurant that serves Lao-Thai food. I just wanted enough to satisfy my hunger, but not a full-blown meal. One of the appetizers, satay chicken served with peanut sauce and a side of sticky rice, sounded like it might be just right. It was very tasty.

2. Getting new tires for our car and the helpful salesman 

He did an excellent job of explaining the different features of tires that would fit on our car. I ended up getting tires that might not give me quite as good mileage, but which would provide better traction when traveling in the snow and rain.

3. Mom was able to manage part of her meal time by herself rather than needing assistance.

Mom was able to hold a spoon and eat some of her pureed meal by herself. I was so surprised to see that she was able to do this. It has been a long while since I have seen her doing that. In general during that visit with her she seemed more alert, at least for a while. So it is in the world of Alzheimer's where people fade in and out. Since she is in the late stage of this disease, being able to see a few moments of lucidity lifted my spirits.

4. Flowering plum and cherry trees in full bloom

I believe these trees lining this cemetery
are very old flowering plum trees.

5. Babies and memories

This week I wrote a StoryWorth story about my own birth as had been told to me by my mother at different times during my life. I loved thinking about what it must have been like for her to give birth during the WW2 era and how different her hospital stay was compared to my own when our children were born.

Later in the week, I attended a baby shower, and I thought back to all the baby shower cards mom had saved when I was born.

Very old gift card to go with baby gift for me

6. Terminology

While listening to the radio, or perhaps a podcast this week, I was impressed by a term I had not heard. It is "task saturated" or in other words, a fancy way of saying "I'm swamped!" (I am well aware that I am showing my age. :-)

7. Youtube plus instruction manual

In this case, I needed both in order to achieve the best results while hemming a couple pair of denim pants. I wasn't satisfied with how the first pair turned out. Since I was expecting the end result to not only be functional, but to look perfect, I knew I was going to have to resort to Youtube before working on the second pair. I found what I needed, but then turned to the instruction manual for my machine to see if my machine even had such a button that would allow the presser foot to sew easily up and over a very thick seam. I was in luck!

The little black button at the back of the
presser foot is not just decorative when
sewing over thick denim seams.

8. Something that made us feel the beat

When my husband was listening to some music by a singer we enjoy, he came across this. John McCutcheon at about 18 minutes into the video demonstrates hambone. Are you ready to give it a try?

9. Oregon Grape

This is our state flower and this time of year it is in full bloom around our place. Do you think your state flower should be another flower, or do you like the one your state chose?

Oregon Grape with holly-like
leaves and clusters of yellow
blossoms

10. My husband who knows what music makes my head turn and for his recollections being put into writing that make me love him even more.

Six Sentence Stories - Type

Today my goal is to not only write a story in six sentences, but to keep it short, or at least shorter than some I have written. There are all types of writers, just like there used to be several different kinds of typewriters. I'll am linking my post to the blog hop hosted by Denise of Girlie on the Edge's Blog. Click here to read more posts written by other writers for Six Sentence Stories - Type. If you have a blog, but have never participated in a blog hop, this is an easy one to enter. Hope to see you linking up.

Are you fast, I mean really fast? The other one just upped and left without even an explanation. 

I’ll be back in 15 minutes, so I can run it over to the vice chairman. I’m depending on you.

After pushing the button on the recorder, she positioned her fingers above the keys and was all set to type. She heard the tape begin to turn, but before she even heard the first word, there was a strange sounding click and then dead silence.

Ten Things of Thankful

There are weeks when the "ten things of thankful" don't add up to ten and others when a blogger has way more than ten. Whatever may be the case, there is a spot saved just for you to join in with this blog hop hosted by Kristi of Thankful Me and you are not held exactly to the number 10. As it turns out, I do have ten this week, and most other weeks, but that is just me. I will be linking my post as usual to Ten Things of Thankful. If you click here you will be able to click on the sites of others who have shared a TToT post.

1. Knowing when and what to question

I caught a huge error on a statement I received. After my phone call to get some clarification about it and my still not understanding how that could be correct, they did some further checking into the matter. Instead of having to pay over a thousand dollars, I will not have to make payment and will receive instead a bit of a refund because I had been overcharged. Phew!

An amount indicated by an accountant on a line of our tax return didn't seem correct considering the records I had submitted. A phone call quickly took care of that matter.

2. Discovery

One of the ways people can find the names of children born to ancestors is by checking to see the names of children included on some census records for the family. Sometimes children are born and die between census years, and if no mention is made of them in family records, i.e. Bible, journals, letters etc., they may not be known by future generations. This week I found the name of a little girl who passed away between census years, and other than the mention of her in a tiny article in a newspaper, there seems to be no other record of her existence. (When her birth certificate. . . if there is one . . . becomes public information, there would be proof.) There is no mention in the article as to her age when she died, but she would have been under 10 and most likely under two, based on the years the other children were born.

3. The unexpected scenes that bring a smile

These made me smile this week: Seeing a young woman wearing a beautiful flower printed dress sitting on a riding mower mowing her yard; seeing a young girl, perhaps six years old, in a restaurant where we were eating, smile ever so sweetly at us when she saw my husband pass me something he wanted me to taste.

4. Nature and spring at the coast

Being able to witness Swallowtail butterflies flitting from flower to flower and then “spiraling upward” together and  seeing a couple of birds behaving similarly was a reminder that it is unquestionably springtime.

Whales are headed north along the Oregon coast and we were able to see quite a few of them spouting just off shore.

Whales were sited spouting near a large
congregation of murres (The murres appear
as white specks in the photo.)
Unfortunately, I didn't get capture the
spouting.

We were delighted to be able to listen to the calls of peregrine falcons to see proof that they are intent on making sure that there will be a next generation.

Bald eagles 

Bald eagle resting in a tree near
the ocean before being pestered by a crow
dive bombing him

Elk grazing in green pastures

5. Being places at the right time

There was one thing I needed to buy at an outlet store this weekend, but then I decided that it made more sense to buy two. (Thanks to the clerk who pointed out that they were having a special two-day sale and how it really made sense to buy more because in this instance I would end up spending less.) The total came to almost $50. The clerk then told me that if I my total purchase came to $100, I would be entitled to 50% off the total purchase. (All the items are sold at discounted prices  and some were on clearance before the 50% discount of the total order, so WIN WIN.) I added a couple of clearance items to bring my total to $105 and my actual cost to just over $50.  Since this store was out of town, I had not been aware of the sale.

6. Those who are able to consider the possibilities

One day this past week I visited the place I lived during most of my school years. Imagine my surprise upon learning that the barn where I had milked the cow, and fed the hogs, chickens, and rabbits was now being remodeled into a home! 

That barn has quite a history because before it was used as a barn it was a very large prune dryer. It was built between 1922 and 1923. It was built on a hillside, so one half of it is actually two stories high, plus there was a loft above the tunnels where the plums were dried. 

I am grateful that I was taken on a tour to see the progress that is being made to eventually turn the barn into a beautiful home. 

My dad standing with the barn
(once a prune dryer)
in the background (1953)

7. "Now's the time" occasions

Whether it is now time to get (fill in the blank) fixed, or is now the time to stop at that little antique store you have driven past for years, and thought about going into and never did, maybe now is the time. We had a now is the time week!

8. A prayer answered 

I am thankful for the times I am aware of prayers being answered. My belief is that they are always answered, but sometimes the answer is no, or not yet. Maybe there are things I, or others (if I am praying for someone), still need to learn or do before the prayer will be answered. Sometimes the prayer is answered slightly differently than one expects.

9. New knowledge to me

Years ago I would have needed to drive over an hour to another town to research my state's newspaper morgues. One of the universities had a large collection. It was a challenge that I never attempted then. This week I learned that by clicking this link I could access those newspapers online. Now I am anxious to find out if other states have such online repositories of the newspapers in their states.

10. Conversations that lead to a better understanding of what people feel, how they interpret the world around them and their own experiences PLUS the places and occasions that allow for that openness of mind and thought