Happy Thanksgiving .....a gratitude special

Yesterday I spent all afternoon playing in chocolate and creating some of the things I have seen on Pinterest.
I would really love it if all my grandchildren lived close by because I have some need inside to create which spills over into these food related items and I think little kids get a kick out of them (or maybe it's just this big kid who does). But alas, the grandkids don't live nearby, but, I do have the blessing of having married a man with aunts, uncles, cousins, and a brother who has two sons with wives and children who do live nearby so I now have victims.
After spending the day concocting, Bob and I went over the river and through the woods (really) to deliver our goodies and have short visits with family. Always a good thing. After arriving home my little dog was with me in the kitchen and was being particularly cute. I told her how grateful I was to have her. I also had to tell her that I couldn't believe that I would ever being saying this to a dog because all of my adult life until Bob I have mostly had cats. It's all Bob's fault I must say. He came with Abby the pitbull and we have since acquired Tika the Boston terrorist.
Right after telling Tika how grateful I was to have her in my life she asked to go outdoors to go potty. Now she is supposed to stay in her yard and not wander out to any of the pastures but wander she did and when she came in I then had to tell her she had been a bad dog. A blessing and a pain in the butt all rolled into one! But wait, isn't that how most blessings are ???? Think about it. Something happens, sometimes not so wonderful and then a good thing comes from it....voila', a blessing. Personally, I love just the blessing part if I could have it without the trouble, but it is just like the thought that if you never knew darkness, you would not appreciate having light so much as you do.

On this day we set aside to give thanks, I have the usual things to be thankful for and yet so much more. Some of it I can't even put into words. It is just felt in my heart. I am not alone in this, as people all over the United States are feeling as I do at this moment. Maybe they are not as sentimental as I am, maybe more so. Some will be alone and for many, gatherings of family and friends, great food, great times, great love.....Gratitude. There will also be the flip side, those in darkness for whatever reason that feel as though they have nothing to give thanks for. I send them my prayers and hope that even the tiniest prick of light enters, gives them hope and provides a blessing to be thankful for.

So how much thankfulness is enough? Whatever it is for you, just like taking a plate of seconds...have just a bit more. It's good for you!!

In everything give thanks.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Most days

Most every day I wake up, have a little coffee (okay..maybe a lot), log onto the computer, check e-mails, and see what's happening on Facebook. Thoughts roll through my head about a lot of subjects and I quite frequently have my blog thoughts rolling around being composed and then....I get busy and forget to come here and share them.

What's up with that???

Since the beginning of this New Year I have had a month of love where I posted every day on Facebook and I couldn't manage to get myself here. I had a fun time though and went through a bunch of good music and great thoughts and quotes. March flew by, Easter came and went and I even celebrated another birthday. I've had a ton of fun these past many months. It started with Melina (a grand niece) coming to help close the barn on most Sunday evenings. Occasionally, Melina's brother Dre and/or a friend comes with her as well as one or both parents. I love sharing the horse experience. Then I started doing art projects with Melina and Dre once in awhile and the next thing I know I'm doing them with the other nephew's children every week and I'm loving it. Being infused with the energy, the lovingness, and the fun of all the kids and their parents is just beyond cool. I wish my own children lived closer so I could share all this fun with the grandchildren. I will be sharing all the art projects we have done and will do but I'm doing that on my other blog....emeraldheartproductions.com.

Today, I need to keep this short and simple. I am still working on spring cleaning. I cannot believe it is taking this long, but I hope to be done soon. I have been in just about every cupboard and drawer in the world it seems. I have dusted, vacuumed, steamed,and wiped just about every thing in the house. I have also sorted and culled items for a yard sale or donation. Today I am going to help my friend Kim out at her store as she is in the process of moving her home life. The birds and the horses still fill my days and don't forget my other buddies Abby, Tika, and Zoe.

Next time my mind starts composing I'll try to get it here. You'll be the first to know.
Have a great day.

My darling husband...

I love the fact that my husband and I have a few of our own individual interests, but then we have so many more in kind.

One of the great things about living in the country so to speak and living on a horse farm is the other creatures that live so close. I love the little cotton tail bunnies I come across in the spring to the summer, but all year round I have birds. There are always crows. As annoying as the cawing can be at times, they are also quite interesting to watch. How they gather in huge groups is also tremendously interesting. My husband and I have observed several murder of crows while driving around in the past several months that have stretched a half mile long and seemed to have several thousands.

There are also plenty of robins, a few jays, an occasional woodpecker, barn swallows, chickadees (one of my favorites) a hawk or two, fly by geese, ducks, herons, eagles, and a flock of red winged blackbirds.

My all time favorite though is the hummingbirds that have stayed all year round for the last two years. They are charming to say the least and they have endeared themselves to me by the visits they pay me especially when I am out in the yard for any length of time.

The real reason for this post though, is how darling and wonderful my husband is when it comes to indulging my birds. You may recall a few posts in the past about him helping me to rescue some birds and the things he has done to save them. This time though, he was just so cute I wanted to just kiss him (well, kiss him more since I always want to kiss him). He showed me a picture of a birdhouse that he e-mailed from his work to his personal email; it was made from a simple wood frame that covered a boot that was nailed to the frame which was intended to be the actual house for the bird(s). The next thing I know, we are taking a trip to Value Village to search for a pair of boots. What he found, instead of say a work boot or hiking boot was a pair of children's rain boots that looked like a bumble bee. Too cute.

As soon as we arrived home he set about making the birdhouse and seeking a place to put it. One boot he just wedged in the tree after placing some hay and horse hair in it, but the other one is well thought out. He even included a dish to catch water.

One of the trees that is fairly close to the house lost a branch recently so as he was pulling that down, he installed the potential new bird condo in a place easily seen from the window right by my computer. He is just too adorable and thoughtful.  I am wishing one of my little chickadees will take up residence and I really wish I could afford some kind of camera to keep an eye on it so I could observe what goes on constantly......but that's not going to happen. I would really feel most fortunate if my hummingbird friend that was watching Bob install the house would take up residence. I can pray!!!!!!!!!

Since spring is just around the corner, I am hoping it won't be long until I see little heads poking out of the boot cuff and it better not be the starlings that wanted in the kitchen fan vent last year.