November 7th: I Am Thankful for Communion

"Each time you drink this cup, remember me. What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and your actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt." 1 Corinthians 11:26 The Message
 I love Communion Sunday at Garden Valley Church. Today Communion was especially moving. Pastor Shane proceeded this with a sermon on the question "What is Communion?" The point that resonated  with me was him emphasizing that "communion is sharing our faith." As our very full church sat shoulder to shoulder today singing "Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees" and Shane raising his small communion glass in honor of Jesus, it was sharing of the faith. I am thankful for communion.

November 6th: I Am Thankful for Bouquets

Bouquets of flowers always cheer me up. I feel most fortunate when I have flowers I can arrange from my own garden. When I can't I try to find some that will add color and beauty to my surroundings. There is something about a mixture of blossoms, scents, and colors that bring the sunshine in on a cloudy day. I am thankful I have figured out how much flowers help my well-being. I am also thankful I have flowers available to create bouquets.  Here are some of my favorite bouquets from the last year. The one at the top is from today... the flowers  had to be purchased!

November 5th: I Am Thankful for The Absence of Jack Frost

 What a treat to come home November 5th and find cat mint blooming, new buds on roses, and many alyssum plants filling the walk with a fragrant aroma. It creates a nice contrast to have blooming flowers next to golden leaves that have already turned.

I have flower boxes still blooming away and the ground is soft enough to plant bulbs. Thanks Jack Frost for being late this year!

November 4th: I am Thankful for Billy Collins

 When I have had a long day which involves school work, teaching, and conferences with parents I love to come home and read poetry. The shorter text of poetry works well for me when my brain is worn out. Tonight I read Billy Collins. He always strikes a chord with me. I shared recently with elementary children my first reading experiences. I did learn with Dick, Jane, Sally and Spot. I love his message here. Sometimes we do forget to look.

           First Reader

I can see them standing politely on the wide pages
that I was still learning to turn
Jane in a blue jumper, Dick with his crayon brown hair,
playing with a ball or exploring the cosmos
of the backyard, unaware they are the first characters,
the boy and the girl who begin fiction.

Beyond the simple illustration of their neighborhood
the other protagonists were waiting in a huddle:
frightening Heathcliff, frightened Pip, Nick Adams
carrying a fishing rod, Emma Bovary riding into Rouen.

But I would read about the perfect boy and his sister
even before I would read about Adam and Eve, garden and gate,
and before I heard the name Gutenberg, the type
of their simple talk was moving into my focusing eyes.

It was always Saturday and he and she
were always pointing at something and shouting “Look!”
pointing at the dog, the bicycle, or at their father
as he pushed a hand mower over the lawn,
waving at aproned Mother framed in the kitchen doorway,
pointing toward the sky, pointing at each other.

They wanted us to look but we had looked already
and seen the shaded lawn, the wagon, the postman.
We had seen the dog, walked, watered and fed the animal,
and now it was time to discover the infinite, clicking
permutations of the alphabet’s small and capital letters.
Alphabetical ourselves in the rows of classroom desks,
we were forgetting how to look, learning how to read.

from Sailing Alone Around the Room, copyright 2001 by Billy Collins

November 3rd: I Am Thankful for Annie

We have two dogs and both will get mention this month, but today I am thankful for Annie, my springer spaniel. Annie is different than any other dog I/we have had. She loves attention, but also likes quiet time in her own space for long periods of time. Sometimes I think that describes me!
 Annie is like my first springer Nikki in that she is very intuitive to my feelings. She can get all shook up when she sees I am upset. Fortunately I haven't had a meltdown recently because I think it is hard on her!  That ends up being the best thing for both of us.

 She is very obsessive. She is obsessive about squirrels in trees, kittens that join the family, and whether that is JEJ coming in through the door. She is also a comedian dog that makes you laugh. She talks to us like she has so much to say, but it does sound funny. Any time she finds an old, dirty toy outside or an empty plastic container she carries it to her favorite couch , then rolls on it. Over and over again!

Annie loves to cuddle up with me on the bed when we squeeze in a nap, she has a habit of holding out her paw for reassurance, and she loves, loves, loves her sister Shelby and all the cats. She is a terrific dog and I am glad she is mine!

November 2nd: I am Thankful for The Harvest

 Every day I get to enjoy the fruits of our harvest. Whether I grab potatoes in cold storage for dinner, open a jar of canned tomatoes for a sauce, find a bag of shredded up zucchini for bread, or peel apples for a pie, our harvest provides us with bountiful choices of food.