Thankful Me

  A railroad switch point on the tracks at the Golden Spike National Historic Park There is a lot I don't know. I don't know who will lead the United States for the next four years (at the time I'm composing this post, that hasn't been determined yet.) I don't know when covid cases will stop rising in my state and start decreasing. I don't know how challenging situations will turn out. There is much uncertainty in life. Living in limbo-land is hard. It's emotionally exhausting. It can be immobilizing. My body seems to think chocolate is the answer, but I know that isn't a long-term solution. What do I need in times like these? I need to REMEMBER . 1. R esilience. People are resilient. I am resilient. I'm thankful for resilience. 2. " E ach Life That Touches Ours for Good." So many people, both those I know in "real life," and those I have only met virtually, have taught me, encouraged me, and been examples to me. I'm thankful ...

  A yellow-orange sunset behind mountains, as viewed from my front porch. Red geraniums in white planter boxes line the porch rail. I'm thankful for: 1. Beautiful sunsets. 2. Snowfall. 3. Friends. 4. Flowers. 5.Online shopping. 6. Easy returns. 7. Organized rooms. 8. Prayer. 9. Family. 10. John. What are your ten things this week? Joining me this week: IThrive3:20 The Prolific Pulse messymimi's meanderings A season and a time Artistic Mystic Soul the Wakefield Doctrine Backsies Is What There Is Not Her Headache You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  A mixed bouquet of pink and purple flowers sits on a round table Last weekend, I celebrated another birthday. I think the earth moves around the sun faster and faster each year, but I can't prove it. Before another minute goes by, let me share my Ten Things of Thankful list for this week. I'm thankful for family: A birthday dinner with my daughter Birthday calls/texts from family members Beautiful flowers from my children A Facetime call with grandchildren. (My grandson repeated three words the entire time: "I am three!" At one point, I told him I would call him Groot.😉)  Drexel and his laid-back nature (The following video shows Drexel on the floor, while the robotic vacuum repeatedly runs into him and starts up his hind leg and tail. Drexel never gets up.) John and his engineering skills. Yesterday, the bishopric of our ward (church congregation) drove around the neighborhood and (taking care to observe covid recommendations) passed out doughnuts to everyone. Eac...

  Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, as viewed from an overlook I apologize for not commenting on your blog posts this past week; John and I took a vacation to Yellowstone National Park, leaving behind our computers and, to a large extent, cell phone service. We escaped the outside world and just spent time in nature. Though we have friends near Yellowstone (who we love to visit) we made this trip just about us, so please forgive us if we were nearby and didn't stop by. The crowds were minimal (though we did mask up whenever we passed someone on the trails) and we spent our days hiking, taking photos, and watching geysers erupt. Today, we are back home and back to work, and, in the case of my computer, back to old shenanigans like not letting me import my photos. (I was able to add the above photo by using blogger on my phone, but that isn't my preferred method.) I want to write about Yellowstone and have photos I want to share, but will leave that for another...

  Drexel the yellow lab intently watching Russell M. Nelson on the TV during General Conference. John's and my feet are visible in the photo, as we are sitting in reclining seats.  Last weekend was General Conference, which was a welcome break from everything stressful going on in the world. The messages were timely and both calmed my spirit and inspired me to do better. Before I share some of the things I heard, though, I have to first share Drexel's good news.  When General Conference started, I snapped the above photo of Drexel intently watching the proceedings, and sent it out in a quick tweet. A few days after conference ended, I was scrolling through Facebook, and saw a link to this ldsliving.com article . Imagine my surprise when I saw my tweet featured! Good boy, Drexel!  When my friend, who some of you may know as Ivy or Zoe, saw that photo she made some improvements to it. I'm thankful for her friendship. Same photo as above, with a speech bubble above my ...

  Jesus Christ stands in an crowd of kneeling worshippers, with the caption "Peace be unto you."  source In last week's post, I expressed gratitude for some things that hadn't actually happened yet, but that I hoped would soon. This week, I'm thankful that some of those things have happened--and I'm still holding out hope that the others will. In addition, I'm thankful in advance for other events.  To revisit last's week's anticipatory items: My air purifier was repaired, the company sent it back to me, and I'm thankful for clean air. The car wash company accepted responsibility for the accident, have authorized a check to be written to the repair company, and I'm thankful I have an appointment scheduled for the new bumper to be installed. The shop did get the van repaired, though not in time for me to renew the tags before the end of September. However, I'm thankful that the state of Utah offers a temporary registration for only $6 whi...

  The shadow of a newly-planted oak creates shade on a hillside If Google is to be believed, there is a Chinese proverb that says, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." We planted some trees this week, and while it will be nice in future years when they are full grown, I am thankful for the beauty and shade they already add to the yard.  Like trees, a thankful heart grows over time, but is something to celebrate even in its early development.  The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, started by Lizzi in 2013, has provided an opportunity for me to reflect weekly on what I am thankful for in my life. Big things, little things, things that weren't necessarily great, but were better than they could have been--all those things count. Over time, this regular exercise shows me that situations and circumstances change, but there really is always something to be thankful for. When storms arise, those silver linings in the clouds are visible, i...

  The front cover of the children's book, "NOTHING ever happens on MY BLOCK" shows a sulking child sitting on the curb, with a fireman and a robber behind him I've mentioned the children's book Nothing ever happens on My Block in a previous Ten Things of Thankful post . In the book, a child complains that nothing ever happens on his block. Meanwhile, in the background, a whole lot of things are happening. In 2020, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, it felt like everyone was isolated in their own homes doing quiet things while the world raged on. It was as if all the excitement was happening outside, but inside remained calm. It still feels like the world is raging on, but (wearing a face mask and observing all recommendations) I'm not quite as isolated as I was in spring. I still don't get out much, though, and even when I do, it's often to use curbside pick-up at the store, so all-in-all, I lead a pretty basic (yet satisfying) life. This wee...

an antique typewriter It's time again for another Six Sentence Story. Each week, Denise posts a prompt word and invites all to compose a story in only six sentences based on the prompt. This week, my inspiration came as I was dealing with the abundance of pears from my tree. The prompt word this week: kettle. Be sure to go to Denise's blog to check out the other entries. I'm always impressed by the talent of the other writers, and by the diversity of stories each word inspires.  *************************************** Standing at the kitchen sink, her sharpest paring knife in hand, and with a bushel box of pears at her side, her thoughts turned to the past: how many years had she been an active participant (let alone captive witness) to the event that was about to unfold yet again? The air was muggy due to the heat of late summer and the big kettle of boiling water on the stove. Though it always seemed like so much work , the act of preparing the fruit, ladling it careful...

  On a blue, raindrop-splattered background is the image of four people standing under a red umbrella with a heart on it, and the caption: Thankful Me living life with a thankful heart I started this blog years ago, and after some deliberation, decided upon the name "Thankful Me." I didn't think I was a stunning example of gratitude; I thought that by labeling my blog (and by extension, myself) as such, I would be more conscious of my attitude each day--a little less Complaining Me, and a little more Thankful Me. I've been blogging for over 9 years now, and I am more Thankful Me than I was at the beginning, but I also recognize that my gut reaction is not always one of gratitude. However, I've also learned that with time, I can usually work my way into a thankful state of mind. (This is the spot where I shamelessly plug the blog hop that Lizzi started, Josie Two Shoes carried on, and I currently have the pleasure of hosting with some wonderful co-hosts: the Ten ...

  Photo: In a cloud-filled sky, the sun rises over the mountains Every day, it seems there is more evidence that 2020 is one strange year. It's not "just" the pandemic; Mother Nature has also had a heyday, with extreme weather and related events. This week, my dad took some very eerie photos from his yard. Because of nearby fires, everything had a reddish-orange glow. It hurts my heart to hear of the destruction in the beautiful areas where I grew up, and it would be easy to get discouraged because I can't do anything about it. However, as I have learned over the years, there are ways to find peace in stressful situations.  1. I'm thankful for a change of pace. We have been doing a really good job of staying home over the past months, but on Monday, we decided to not spend the day doing yard work, but instead, we drove to the Great Salt Lake to see the Spiral Jetty. We left early enough that there was really only one other family there when we arrived, and not too...

  A harvest of beets, carrots, potatoes, and onions  Although I have come to love summer once again, I have always loved fall. As a child, I loved the excitement of back-to-school time. There was something so satisfying about checking off the required school supplies from the list, and the new clothes and shoes were waiting so patiently for the first day to arrive, so I could wear them. The air developed a crisp coolness, and soon it would be the holiday season.  I don't have new school supplies, nor do I have a new outfit in my closet, but I still love autumn. As an adult, September brings harvest time. I have been enjoying the bounty of the garden, and am taking mental note of what worked and what didn't, in preparation for next planting season. The temperatures are beginning the roller-coaster ride of changing seasons, and soon enough we will be celebrating holidays. One of those holidays, of course, is Thanksgiving, and what better way to prepare than to reflect back ...

  An antique typewriter Each week, Denise at Girlie on the Edge blog posts a prompt word and invites bloggers to come up with a Six Sentence Story. It's a fun challenge for writers, and a delight for readers. Go over to her blog to read what others have written, and feel free to post your own story, too! This week's prompt: twist. ********************************* The kids who moved in next door were big kids--much older than her 3-year-old self--but they might be fun to play with, and as they were coming towards her, the idea of them being new friends seemed at least possible. She was rather shy, but she understood the basics of making friends, so when those neighbors crowded all around her and asked her what her name was, she didn't hesitate to answer.  She thought she had spoken loudly enough, but apparently her shyness got the best of her, because they didn't seem to have heard her.  "Twisty?" they asked, and recognizing she needed to be even louder, she ...