The Gift of Thankfulness

Yawns

Oh, pardon me.

Speaking of yawning, one of the things I'm thankful for are naps pretty much when I please. Okay, on some days. But being retired does have that advantage when you have a day at home. The rush, rush, rush, to get things done on  your off time disappears to a large extent after retirement.

I'm talking about thankfulness today because tomorrow I will be a wee bit too busy to blog and on Thursday I'll be even busier cooking, eating, cleaning up and sitting by the fire playing cards and games to blog. And I figure most of you who are American will be too busy to read.

So, things I'm thankful for after the Christ, family, friends, pets, home, etc.:

For these four pieces of tape on my back that helped me to get a little of my life return to normal. And to the gal who wouldn't take "there's nothing you can do but take meds" for an answer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Anna!

Yesterday I went over to mourn, once again, more poor tomatoes that were still green on the vine. I would have petted them, but I was afraid it would knock them off the vine, and I'm hopeful for a blush to appear. I know, I know. Ain't gonna happen. But as I glanced down at my feet, I saw a tomato peeking out from the leaves. It was nestled there, almost completely covered up! And it had a blush!  Tah-da! One more mater for the season that will ripen to fullness and goodness. It has turned even more on my counter, scooched in amongst it's brethren that are further along. Thankful!

I'm thankful for that big old buck I wrote about a few days ago that I got to see close up. 

I'm thankful for the kits I saw (fox) playing in the high grass. 

I'm thankful for the baby raccoons I saw up in the tree, still young enough to be curious to stop and look at us when we stopped the car to peer at them.

I'm thankful for the long fall we've had, the big moon it brought, the beautiful sunsets the fires brought, and the cold snap that made my Japanese Maple look on fire, itself. 

I'm thankful for the mama fox we fed a few year back, and thankful that we got to watch her go from sickly looking to fat with a shiny coat. 

I'm thankful for the strutting tom turkey and his hens.

 I'm thankful for the mama bob white quail pretending she was hurt by the side of the road so her babies could go running into the brush safely. 

I'm thankful for the grouse we saw crossing our road like they owned the place.

I'm thankful to watch blue birds nest and raise those squawking babies. I'm thankful that the red tailed hawk can't get to them, but I'm thankful for him, too. 

I'm thankful for red birds, gold finches, Scarlett Tanagers, Rose Breasted Grossbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and all the little brown, grey and non-descript birds that happily eat our seed. 

I'm thankful I've seen a bobcat on the edge of the wood at dusk, waiting to hunt. 

I'm thankful I've seen a mountain lion (twice) streak across the road in front of me. 

I'm thankful I've seen a bear up close, her triplets trailing behind.

I'm thankful for all the turtles we've rescued, all the bullfrogs and toads we've raised in our yard, and the king snake that lives on our lower porch.

I guess I could have said I'm thankful for nature. But if you just imagine for a second all that I've named, and feel the wonder of it all, you'll be thankful, too.

Oh, yeah. I'm thankful for every single one of you, too.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving day.