Ten Things I'm Thankful For ~ Snowy white

 

Ten!

Just ten for today. 

Only ten? 

Oh my. Only ten then...

It's officially winter now, but it was still yet autumn for most of this blog post! Winter is here though, it sure is here... 

These are the days of preparing for the slower, more mellow months ahead, something that keeps us mindful each day in our home. A natural tendency to hunker down, keep warm, gather round the hearth with a good book, and enjoy quieter times spent with family, are all well worth looking forward to. For me too, I would add, preserving the family archival memories because for a brief timing, life slows down just a tad to become more project minded and forge forth with new and interesting photography fun.

For this "Ten Things", may I now present a belated autumn post, one that has been resting in my draft folder for some time. There is so much to be thankful for each and every single day! Yes, if one doesn't find the blessings in any given day, how discouraging can that be, and how overwhelming to a poor soul can that escalate into something worse. 

Are you a grateful person? Then, where's your list of thankful things resting?  In your heart, or on paper?

Here then, is my continuously random, often strange to others, list of thankful things I've serendipitously decided to share for today. 

- 1 - I'm thankful for our first winter snow. 

It's a snowing kind of day! Actually, the photo above captured our first snow of the season, about a month ago now, that offered an accumulation of 1.5 feet of the cold, white, fluffy stuff. We were loving it, and then, just like that, it was gone again. But, not for long.

2 - I'm thankful for the trail walking, the ones suitable for public usage which surround us geographically. 

Through my weekly hiking group sojourns, I've been thrilled to discover even more interesting trails every year that aren't far from our home. 

 Often we will revisit these same trails, and take our dogs with us to enjoy nature at its best, hoping we don't encounter any wildlife along the way at odd times during the year, and stay quite clear of designated hunting seasons, when the locals to fill their freezers for upcoming seasons. 

The photos above show two very different scenes, one in autumn, and the other during our first snow this year. In winter, the trails soon become snowmobile highways, some thousands of miles of them that attach one to another, leading to towns and cities along the way.  

- 3 - I'm thankful for our new double bag holder that attaches to our John Deere lawn tractor. It sure become helpful this year for leaf clearing and getting our bags stuffed for the township's compost pickup. 

 shortly before the leaves began to turn colors...

Both last year and this, the leaf pickup has arrived too early in the season, so we're thinking of contacting our local municipal hall and requesting they push this date forward another week or so, mostly due to have still so many leaves on the trees when the pickup occurred. Moving the one pickup date offered to the community forward, would assist all in continued bagging. 

a few of the yearly many...and then some

The solution for us of course, was having to continue unloading the remaining multimillion loads (smiling) through our forest trails to spread them out evenly there away from our home. Sounds ideal for a solution no doubt to most folks, however having piles of rotting leaves allows a perfect environment for mosquito filled homes come springtime. Anything to avoid more bugs is a great idea.

- 4 - I'm thankful for the very last lawn mowing day in autumn until the spring when the lawn tractor gets all washed up and ready for winter storage. Those rows of mowing tire marks are still there! 

To glance from our windows and note the green hues in our grass, compared to the summer's yellowy drought, remains a picturesque view. Another plus? We are able once again to view through our forest now that the leaves are down, into the deepest depths of our property. Imaginations don't seem to soar so mightily now for what might lay back there at dusk.

- 5 - I'm thankful for my new spice drawer. Yes, I ditched the entire idea of replacing the spice jars to the depths of the back of our spice cupboard, mostly due to the fact that even with stacking one on another, there was just too much wasted space in front, and the temptation of increased eventual clutter in front of those nicely labeled jars. I so wanted to find what I needed quickly, at a glance, so I found another solution.

The whole purpose of organizing the spice cupboard anyway, was to encourage manageability of the spices. My solution to the situation was a gained cupboard for other food storage items, and instead I made room and loaded up a drawer with all those lovely labeled spice bottles, now quite literally, at the tip of my fingers.

- 6 - I'm thankful for signs of autumn filling our days, and the warmth of the fireplace for cozy family moments. Our little grandbaby discovered the dancing flames near to her, and once more we've come to realize we really, really don't have a child proof home. 

Everyone continues to be very extremely cautious over her whereabouts, it's just with the approach of winter, the fireplaces are one more thing to watch out for with her more greater mobility activities.

- 7 - I'm thankful for a son who has decided smiling for the camera is a better trade with mom, for fear that I would continue posting his staunch looking poker face photos instead. He said he looks good with a big smile in his photos, maturity is blossoming. 

This is a great photo of him with the delicious looking autumn coloring behind him, and that lovely smile is something else. Keep it up son! Loving it! 

- 8 - I'm thankful for quiet beginnings to our day, for those gentle morning routines in our kitchen where everyone tends to gravitate together. 

I'm thankful for the permanent keeper photos displaying all these home-filled scenes of autumn, in the beauty that exists a step away outside of our doors, as well as the color infused autumn decor our younger daughter felt led to produce one fine early fall day for all to enjoy.

P.S. Did you notice the glass doors above? Yes, once more they match, because one had to have the seal replaced before winter. 

- 9 - I'm thankful for so many great community events local to our home, and yet this year it seemed way too early to participate on the sidelines of the famous Santa parade. 

The premise for this yearly family friendly event is to hopefully host it well before snow comes, and provide less chill for the stamina of crowds waiting patiently along the miles of the parade route. Yes, miles! 

It's such a fun, fun, fun parade, beginning early at 6:30pm. for children of all ages to become filled with awe over the multitudes of lights and sounds, complete with a countdown to the lighting of the town center's Christmas tree, and spectacular skies filled (with better fireworks than any other time of year) at evening's end.  Entire families walk away with smiles on their faces, and cheery hearts.

 

 

So many entries were included from the community at large, allowing all ages to participate in this incredibly well attended parade. It's actually thoughtful to begin it so early, before the snows and the beginning of Advent anyway, where one can sift through the dress up box and don a Santa hat, leaving no one else in town to wonder about sanity measures in early November. teehee... We really enjoyed it again this year, and happy a few of us went.

- 10 - I'm thankful for our small community library system and cookies! The friendly ladies know us all by name, place holds on books we haven't even ordered yet, knowing our interests and just in case we'd like to check them out. As well, they are spearheading some incredible biweekly activities for various age groups to sign up and take part in. 

 

Cookie decorating was the class this night for teens/parents, and what a fun class it was! Our daughter couldn't wait to sign both of us up, and a friend accompanied the two of us. Now, I can see how this will propel us into the wonderful world of cookie decorating at home, something so very useful and creative to do with our drawer filled with cookie cutters. There's so much fun laying ahead, yes indeed folks, we can't wait to begin.

....................................

Here you have one more blog post coming forward from the archives of my draft folder. I'm happy to have one more well intended glimpse into our thankful things posted. Yay! 

While reading this post, did your mind flash back a couple months to your own autumn family memories? Well, why not offer a belated post. I hear it's in fashion to be late these days, well, for blog posts like mine today. ...smiling... We are nearing a brand new, glossy and prospective new year, but have heart because this present one is not yet over. 

Blog on! I'm off to my draft folder again, so stay tuned for more to come. 

Warning though; I may end up going backwards with my blogging, just to ensure the next blog hardcover family keepsake book includes all the blogs in the right year.

Blessings friends;

Renee

From our home, to yours this winter....