Being Thankful :Billy Graham

Tonight we sat in our living room and were moved by thirty uninterrupted inspiring minutes of the ideals of  Billy Graham.  We both came to the conclusion that Billy Graham has never wavered from his same message. For six decades he has believed in forgiveness and the significance of the cross.  He said, 'With all my heart I want to leave you with the truth that He loves you and wants to forgive you of your sins."  My grandmother heard the same message with her black and white television in her house many years ago that we heard today. He delivered the message of hope we all needed to hear.

Being Thankful: Billy Collins, A Table, and a Poem

I  Ask You 

by Billy Collins

What scene would I want to be enveloped in

more than this one,

an ordinary night at the kitchen table,

floral wallpaper pressing in,

white cabinets full of glass,

the telephone silent,

a pen tilted back in my hand?

It gives me time to think

about all that is going on outside--

leaves gathering in corners,

lichen greening the high grey rocks,

while over the dunes the world sails on,

huge, ocean-going, history bubbling in its wake.

But beyond this table

there is nothing that I need,

not even a job that would allow me to row to work,

or a coffee-colored Aston Martin DB4

with cracked green leather seats.

No, it's all here,

the clear ovals of a glass of water,

a small crate of oranges, a book on Stalin,

not to mention the odd snarling fish

in a frame on the wall,

and the way these three candles--

each a different height--

are singing in perfect harmony.

So forgive me

if I lower my head now and listen

to the short bass candle as he takes a solo

while my heart

thrums under my shirt--

frog at the edge of a pond--

and my thoughts fly off to a province

made of one enormous sky

and about a million empty branches.

Being Thankful: Flowers and More Flowers

Today I am thankful for the beauty of flowers. I woke up to our first snowfall today and knew that the days of picking fresh flowers had probably come to an end for this year. Tonight I reviewed photo images of bouquets I had created this year from garden flowers. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy.

Being Thankful: Home, Hearth, and Soup

Today I am thankful for home, hearth, and soup. On parent conference days at school we put in a twelve hour shift with conferences ending at 7:00 p.m.

I was thankful to see the porch light of home as I drove down our dark country road and excited as two dogs ran out to greet me and a sweet husband was there to carry in my bag.
I was also thankful for a cozy,warm fire that greeted me as I entered the house from the cold night.
I was most thankful for the delicious, warm Mexican Cheese Soup JEJ had prepared in the crock pot for my late dinner. It really hit the spot!

Being Thankful: Maples, Mountain Ash, Native Grasses

 Today I am thankful for maples, mountain ash, and native grasses. While others 

around us were experiencing the first snowfall,we bathed in the lovely sunshine 

and spectacular colors of early November in our gardens. Enjoy.

Being Thankful: The Three Months of Autumn

 The three things I am thankful for today are September, October, and November.



September always represents new beginnings for me. New school year, new school supplies, new planner, new school shoes, and new energy to teach and learn for another year. With the changing light there are also new, different kinds of sunsets in September.


I have shared many reasons already on this blog about why I love October. October represents the beginning of a slower season in our gardening year. Less work, more appreciation of the beauty around us. I am thankful for outdoor fires, leaves turning, and quieter times sitting on the porch.


November is that month that naturally eases us into our winter hibernation period. Shorter days, less strenuous work in the gardens, more time for reading, writing, and resting. It also provides lots of time for counting the blessings of Thanksgiving and first snow.