Ten Things of Thankful

Although there has been plenty of news around the world this week, as there is every week, this is a time for me to reflect upon a few things for which I am thankful.  Kudos to Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not, for hosting this blog hop where we can share our list of ten (or fewer or more) each week. I am linking my post to Ten Things of Thankful.  

An abundance of fuchsia blossoms
like feelings of gratitude are beautiful
to behold

1. The thin cloud cover that kept the forecasted triple digit high temperatures for the past couple of days from being realized

2. The sound of very distant thunder claps early one evening

3. Waking up one morning and discovering that it rained during the night!

4. The smell that is in the air after it has rained after so many dry hot days

5. The discovery that the distant orange light seeming to flicker through the the trees off in the distance late one evening was not the beginning of a fire in the dry country neighborhood but instead was most likely a type of outdoor lighting

6. A couple of large slices of a delicious homemade peach pie delivered to us by someone we know in the neighborhood

7. An unexpected surprising experience while doing some watering of plants outside

8. A poem created from the above mentioned life experience

The vole wasn’t expecting the water

And she wasn’t expecting the vole

It was a surprise to them both

So the vermin leapt toward its goal

Like a miniature low-flying Hindenburg balloon

Trying to escape the vermin monsoon

9. Being able to share in the happiness loved ones are feeling upon hearing good news

10. Not having to coax the robot vacuum to its docking place when the battery was getting low (It is learning.)

Vic and being able to live out our lives together

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Six Sentence Stories - Distraction

The phone is ringing again as you try to ignore its insistence while you finish shampooing your baby’s silky blonD haIr.

The winnerS of the cake decorating contest you entered are beginning to be announced when you have to whisk away your crying toddler still holding Tightly to the now empty container of the spilled milkshake bought for the two of you to shaRe.

A line is loudly blurted out by your son in the preschool play when he Couldn’t remember his line, so he made one up.

While your friend is wearing his favorite hunting boots, it becomes The spot to mark by your pup.

The oldest Is going to tend the younger siblings and the house is neat and tidy when you leave for a meeting, but when an acquaintance who has never been in your house brings you home and helps take things in from the car, the scene greeting yOu both is your living room disguised as a fort built with all the creativity children can muster to delay checking the chore chart.

As you sing the lullaby and stare deeply into the eyes of your child you pause when for moment you feel you have seen into his soul and kNow his heart.

Denise of Girlie On The Edge's Blog is the host of the Six Sentence Stories-Distraction blog hop. Every Sunday there is a new cue that she reveals. On Wednesday at 6:00 pm ET the link goes live until late Saturday evening. Would you like to give this writing challenge a try? We hope you will.

Ten Things of Thankful

If one looks around, there are often things for which one could feel grateful, but the trouble is sometimes other things in life seem to push aside what is right there in front of us and blind our view of the minute as well as the stupendous rewards of being alive. If you are having one of those times when the blinders are keeping you from seeing and remembering, I hope that you will be blessed with those louvers being moved so that you can take in those scenes, perhaps even memories from your past, that will help you see and feel what is there to lift your spirits and bring a sense of gratitude. 

Thanks to Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not, for hosting the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop so we can have a way to quickly share with others our reflections on gratefulness this week.

Oregon swallowtail butterfly

1. Health issues for both of us are less alarming now and may actually put me on the right track for figuring out a puzzling health challenge I have had

2. Water for the thirsty creatures

Although this large tub of water draws a lot of birds to it, this time of the year, especially during these higher temperatures, we also have a steady stream of deer coming for fresh water. 

Doe and her spotted fawn

3. A neighbor’s offer of fresh vegetables from her abundant garden

Fresh chard from the garden is one of my favorite vegetables! Do you like to eat chard?

4. A friend dropping by to visit for a little while

5. Problem solving how to get a better night’s rest when wearing a CPAP mask

I found a way to quiet the sound of the hose rubbing  against the headboard and causing me to wake up at night numerous times. The hose now hangs over an extension on the pole lamp beside the bed. I wrapped an old washcloth over the extension so there is no sound if the hose moves.  It is so nice to have a good night’s rest.

6. A grown nephew who had chosen to not get the COVID vaccine was released from the hospital after having to spend five days there because he was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia is now able (fortunately) to continue healing at home.

Note: There is no need to comment on this one, as there are probably varying positions by readers about the importance of getting the vaccine or not getting it. 

7. How three or more sources are better than just one or two when it comes to discovering the truth of a matter

After wondering about what a census taker wrote for my grandfather’s occupation in 1910, I did some research and discovered a 1911 city directory that gave the correct information.  The census information gave his employment as being with the Federal Express Co. Just for further proof I found articles about the history of the Federal Express Company which showed that the company didn’t exist in 1910 or 1911. The United States Express Company did and was shown as my grandfather’s employer in the 1911 directory. In 1914 the United States Express Company ceased operation due to the Parcel Post Law. Scroll down to Automobiles in this link to see how packages began to be delivered in the United States after 1913.

8. Thanks to someone’s comment on FB, I too know how to make the curser on my computer screen appear larger long enough for me to find it. (In case you have been wondering how to do that, just shake the mouse.)

9. Oregon swallowtail butterfly poses

Every year I look forward to when our butterfly bush is in bloom, because that is when we see the return of the Oregon swallowtail butterflies. Often one of the tails has broken from all that flitting from one blossom to the another, but today was my lucky day, and this beautiful butterfly was willing to stick around long enough for me to get several photos of it in different positions.

Oregon swallowtail butterfly

Oregon swallowtail butterfly

10. Staying in touch with family and friends through the good news and the bad news  

Extra thankful that we could celebrate Vic's 80th birthday!!!

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Ten Things of Thankful

This past week has passed quickly. It seems like I was just here, but maybe that is because life hasn't slowed down a bit. What are you thankful for this week? I am thankful for LIFE, so I will share a few of the thoughts that came to mind to post to the blog hop Ten Things of Thankful hosted by Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not.

1. A grandson’s timely arrival just in time to help me deal with a unanticipated error reading on our washing machine and the need for the late night removal of a whole load of suds and the task of hand wringing as many suds as possible from the load of wet towels

An out-of-focus image of
an off-balance washer 
filled with LOTS of suds

2. The EMTs who arrived quickly when I called 911 and were able to reassure us that my husband had not had a stroke and their advice that he be seen by a doctor and ophthalmologist as soon as possible in order to get answers as to why he suddenly loss all vision in one eye, only to have it return to normal in a few minutes (Note: Lab results are pending and and an ultra sound is scheduled for tomorrow.)

3. Little by little a lessening of the gopher population which will hopefully result in a less hole-filled terrain in front of our house (Thanks, Vic)

4. A splash of color, albeit on a weed, in front of an eyesore of debris left over from the ice storm earlier this year

Thistle blossom

5. Being able to watch a British drama film based on the life of Harry Hallowes

6. Perspective and the value of zooming in on something and other times zooming out in order to get a broader understanding

7. Finished listening to another partly listened to Audible book (I am sometimes guilty of starting a book and not completing it, because another one may seem more interesting at the time.)

8. Humor that comes from either not hearing correctly or hearing, but thinking the word said was something else (What was actually said was pariah when describing a character in a movie he’d watched, but what I heard was piranha! My very surprised look and the question that followed brought laughter for both of us. Laughter in the midst of trials is a welcomed thing!

9. Connecting with family near and far via phone calls, texts and emails

10. Vic and his presence in my life 

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Ten Things of Thankful

 Last week I'd hoped to link up to this blog hop, Ten Things of Thankful, hosted by Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not, but with all my wishing it just didn't seem to be a possibility. There are times in life when we don't live up to the expectations of others or even ourselves, but that doesn't mean we have to give up trying, so here I am again. The good thing was I actually did make a list last week, so the thoughts were there, they just didn't get shared so others could read them. Perhaps you have done something similar. What does your Ten Things of Thankful list look like this week?

Oregon Swallowtail butterfly
on a butterfly bush

1. That I didn’t try to walk through a screen door again like I did the week before causing me to pop out the lens of my glasses and bending the frames

2. That the mechanics that removed some dead mice and the nests they made in our car during those incredibly hot days we had did a fantastic job of locating and removing them from areas I couldn’t access and then cleaned our car and disinfected it 

NOTE TO MICE: When it is 117° F outside, going inside a car that is parked in an unshaded area is a deadly decision to make.

3. An enjoyable visit with our son and his daughters at our home over the July 4th weekend

4. Granddaughters being willing to do some things for us that are difficult to do at this point in our lives (hand weeding and washing the solar panels)

5. Being able to play a game of Scrabble with our son, even though we both thought the letters we were getting were probably the worst we had ever drawn and was a Scrabble game not worth remembering

6. Being able to schedule an appointment sooner than later in order to try to get some answers

7. Vic’s out-patient surgery on one of his knees went well, so maybe he can put off the knee replacement surgery for a while and in the meantime be able to move around more freely and enjoy life more fully.

8. When all the medical supplies and kits on hand are missing the two items that you hadn’t even considered as items to have included in case of emergency and you remember a friend who is a nurse who is able to come at a moment’s notice

9. Anticipating a visit from one of our college age grandsons  who is coming tonight

10. Safe travel for loved ones especially when traveling in places with extreme heat

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Ten Things of Thankful

Apparently June was waiting for summer to arrive to show us what it has in store for us. Ready or not, there is no turning back now. 

For now, I am going to share my thoughts about some things for which I am grateful. Dyanne of Backsies Is What There Is Not is the host of a blog hop called Ten Things of Thankful which is a wonderful place to plant some seeds of happiness which is what one feels after acknowledging the good, the beautiful, the awe inspiring, or the humorous moments that make you smile, etc. The make up of those ten things may vary from week to week or they may be things constant in your life, but the important thing is to recognize and express gratitude. Click the Ten Things of Thankful link to see what others are expressing this week, write your own TTOT on your blog and link up if you want. 

1. Saw a beautiful four point deer with antlers covered with velvet (Apparently the identification of a four point is not the same in certain parts of the country.) By the time I grabbed my phone to snap a photo he was gone. The first horns that appear are just a two single horns referred to as spikes. The deer had grown two horns branching off of each spike and looked like the deer on June 1 in the video below. I imagine he will be looking for a tree or trees to rub his horns on in the fall to remove the velvet. Nice for the deer, but not so nice for the trees.

2. Learning that masks are sometimes helpful for those wanting to capture a short range photo of an animal (in this case a doe) who is used to seeing human faces, but is totally confused at the sight of a human wearing a mask

She took the let’s wait and see approach to see if she could determine if she (or whatever that is that kind of looks like a human) was friend or foe. Meantime it allowed me not only to get my phone out of my purse on the front seat of the car where I had left it with the intention of unloading the groceries from the back of the car first. (I had put on my mask when I got out of the car, rather than risking dropping it while carrying in the groceries.) Grocery unloading was delayed while the doe just stared at me and allowed me to take a couple of snapshots of her. Note: When I saw the buck mentioned in #1, I was inside and he was walking quickly across the property and not looking at me. There was no time to try confusing him by me putting on a mask.

Doe confused by seeing me
wearing a mask

3. On a full-moon night this week I heard the sound of two great horned owls calling to one another. We have heard great horned owls before, but never this close to our home. One sounded like it was in one of the big oak trees on the lane, and the other in possibly a fir tree on the property below ours. I loved listening to them. When they stopped calling one another, I tried playing the calls on an online site which was perfect until the site included some of the warning calls. My hope was that perhaps I could bring the owls back with the sounds, but hearing the distress sounds probably sent them flying off to far away places. HaHa. It was a great idea, until it wasn’t.

4. Some of the cooler days we have had most of the week, which a month ago I would have considered hot, now have made my TTOT list. With the knowledge of the forecast for this weekend, I am feeling grateful for the temperatures earlier this week that caused us to turn on the AC, because Sunday the latest forecast is for 115° F which is unheard of in this part of the state. Like many things, it is all relative.

5. This time of year I am once again grateful for light weight water hoses. They make outdoor work so much easier.

6. Being able to snack on a few fresh blueberries from the bushes we have before the heat puts a sudden stop to that because the berries in whatever state of ripening burn very quickly

7. The entertainment that watching the flight patterns of hummingbirds brings to me, especially when they are vying for the hummingbird feeders in the early evening hours

8. Shade for people and for animals on hot days 

A grove of banyon trees offered great
shade on one of our trips years ago

9. Water, food and clean air which is so vital for life

10. Talented musicians

And last but not least, for Vic and our family and friends who have enriched my life in so many ways

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Six Sentence Stories - Season

Summer has arrived and the heat is on to link up to a weekly blog hop hosted by Denise of Girlie On The Edge’s Blog. What a befitting prompt she has given all the participatory writers this week. By the way, this blog hop is open to beginning as well as very seasoned writers. Take a peek at some of the other Six Sentence Stories - Season. 

The link stays open until late Saturday night, so there is still time to compose a story using only six sentences and share your story.

Pixabay

Like a flash in the black of night, it was over, yet there seemed no way to move forward without both retreating cautiously at first. 

The barbed words were brief but searing and had pushed one forward and the other back, widening the season of discontentment they hadn’t even realized was encroaching and ready to pounce.

Each grabbing hold of the nearest rope, one slippery and stretchy and the other tightly woven and strong, which exacerbated the differences that were brewing and fermented whatever remained of their relationship.

Eventually whispered words. . .let go, just let go. . .seemingly coming from out of thin air, blew away some of the pain, and the dolor began to depart and pride was replaced by humility and a clearer view of what had taken place and why.

A melding of differences brought with it a commonality and revelatory understanding of themselves and each other that was needed to move forward.

Carefully she folded the paper and returned it to where it had been, buried between some unidentified sepia photos of a young couple and an assortment of embroidered hankies topped by a little sachet filled with rose scented potpourri inside what had once been a stationery box.