Thankful Thoughts on a Tuesday.

Grandmother used to say "April showers bring May flowers." It's a song, don't cha know 😊

Already the Spring rains have sprouted some early flowers. These pretty purple crocus are right in our front yard. The daffodils along the back sidewalk are about six inches so far and a few have blossoms growing.

Today I'm thankful for:

• Spring Peeper frogs
• Grass turning green
• Friends and family
• Kitty-cats that curl up in your lap and fall asleep purring
• Puppy dogs that play nice with kitties
• Windows open to the fresh air
• Sunshine breaking through rain clouds
• Final chemo treatments
• Remission
• Ibuprofen
• Sit-coms
• Word games

Sweet dreams, friend. May you have many blessings to count as you fall to sleep.

Thankful Thoughts - November 5, 2013

We were fortunate this past week to happen upon some bargains at the South Bradford Fruit Market. In their eagerness to put the season behind them, they slashed prices on their remaining stock. To the winter store of food that has been put up over the summer the following have been added:
 

• 4 giant heads of Cabbage (purchased for $1 each)
• 40+ Green Peppers ($4 for the lot)
• 2 Butternut Squash
• 2 Carnival Acorn Squash
• 4 Acorn Squash
• 5 Buttercup Squash
• 10 pounds of Potatoes ($4-5 ... can't remember)
• 10 pounds of Honey Crisp Apples ($1 a pound)

The squash were in a box - $7 for all of them. What great bargains.

PLUS...

Thankful Thoughts - October 29, 2013

The wood stove was down to a few coals this morning when we rose to greet the day. We threw a few pieces of kindling on the coals plus some small pieces of cherry and left the door slightly ajar. By the time we had retrieved the newspaper and walked the perimeter it was a raging inferno. perhaps inferno is stretching it a bit, but a fire is a fire none-the-less.

No frost this morning to scrape off the windshield. Which means there are a few extra minutes I get to spend with you, dear reader.

Yesterday I received an email response from Ella Elephant's Auntie.

Thankful Thoughts - May 7, 2013

Today I'm thankful that Spring has sprung. In no uncertain terms. Seventy plus degree weather has had everyone out enjoying Mother Nature. This old lady has learned to appreciate the nice days when they appear. No regrets! Right?!

 The flowers to the left are called "Red Trillium". Trillium erectum according to Wikipedia. They are one of the constant spring flowers all along this Appalachian Mountain range.

Looks like we might get a frost in the next week. The apples and pears are just starting to bud. We lost the whole crop last year because of the frost. The year before (when I moved back home) was the most beautiful and full I have ever seen. Apples literally dripping off the trees. What an abundance! With the economy as it is it sure would be nice to see another bountiful harvest like that one.


As long as the weather holds I'll be outside catching up on painting projects. Quilting is on hold for the time being, but I'll be posting about a couple past projects. Namely a Blue Jean Quilt made from used blue jeans. Took a bit of planning for that one. Will also show some other past projects (hobo bag, stuffed baby toys, etc). In the meantime hope y'all have a great evening. Give thanks for the Sun (Son?) tomorrow morning when you wake. Another day of living!

Thankful Thoughts - April 23, 2013

This morning started out quite brisk. Frost had painted the grass white and the blades arched under the weight of the frigid water. In the predawn hours the birds were squawking and tweeting their morning welcomes from branches barely budding with new growth. Year long residents of those same branches followed our movements with keen interest as they waited for the magical feeder to re-appear on its hook.



A few days ago two Northern Flickers were worm hunting with the Robins in the front lawn. Purple house finches have joined the group at the feeder which includes Juncos, Black-Capped Chickadees, Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Goldfinches and the ever-present-and-just-getting-fatter Mourning Doves. The Blue Jays seem to have found other feeding grounds.

I took the day off. I mean - I've been unemployed for a little over a year now. Usually I'm driving myself crazy trying to find work. There are a couple dozen sites I look at every week. Trolling for work. Plus I research. Plus I try to work on at least one craft per day (usually more). Write at least one post for this blog.

Today I went for a few walks. Talked to my daughter. Leafed through some quilting books -- for fun. Played with the dog. And looked around me. On April 23rd (today) it is 70 degrees outside.WOW. Spring has really arrived.

Tonight when I took down the magic birdfeeder and locked it in the shed (there's a local bear) I was barefoot. In April. In Pennsylvania. The birds did a re-peat of their morning performance. Bandit and I watched them from the warm side of the screen door long enough for me to see a bird gliding into one of the Arborvitae border that are lined up like sentinals guarding the neighboring property. The sun faded from rose to purple to deep blue twilight.

This morning I was thankful for my Carhartt jacket. Tonight I'm thankful for ears to hear and eyes to see all the bounty around me. It must be fun to be a bird and glide through the air.

Can you see anything beautiful near you? Enjoy your evening.

Thankful Thoughts on a Tuesday

A while back I had remarked to my son, "Great weather if you're a goose". (You know - just being a smarty-pants.) He said, "What in the world are you talking about?" I went on to explain that the snow was floating slowly to the ground, but that the flakes were the size of goose down - really big and fluffy. We're having a repeat, only it's not just floating down - it's swirling up and down and all around like it's dancing to a minuet. My kids call this one of my mom-ism's; at least they listen to me when I talk (usually).



Even though the last two sticky buns are calling my name from the refrigerator, I'm dining on Progresso Vegetable Classics Minestrone today in keeping with that nasty it's almost swimsuit time diet. I'm eating the whole can though. A big ol' 200 calories! Yup. I'm sure before the end of the day one of those little buns are going to be headed for my hips, but for now I'm resolved to be good. lol I did however put a generous dollop of homemade 'hot sauce' in the soup [recipe here.] It'll clear out your sinuses!

While I was opening the can I noticed the Box Top$ for Education coupon and wondered if the schools in this area took advantage of this program. I remember Gran used to save all of the labels from Red & White soup and give them to the school. I don't remember if it was the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts that came around and picked them up. She's just say "put them in the drawer with the rest of them". I remember we always had crackers with our soup to make the meal s-t-r-e-t-c-h further. Did your family do that? We had Ritz crackers or townhouse crackers. Sometimes Gran would splurge and we'd have chick-n-biscuit crackers. For the tomato soup we always had oyster crackers.

Isn't the memory a funny thing? We remember some things in our life in such vivid detail and other things, eh -- not so much.

Today I'm thankful that I have happy memories and for the simple ability to remember them. Some people have Alzheimer's; some have never known love.

I'm grateful for being inside a house warmed by cherry logs while watching goose-down snowflakes drifting around outside my window. Some people are homeless.

I'm grateful for vegetable soup out of a can...even though my homemade tastes better. Some people will go to sleep hungry.

I'm thankful for friends and family that telephone out of the blue just to chat about the weather. Some people don't have friends and family and feel all alone in the world.

I'm thankful for having a new day to celebrate life.

Do yourself a favor: Smile. And pass it on.

Kool and the Gang sing Celebration