2016 - A Simple, Ordinary Life


Maple trees with brilliant yellow and orange fall leaves

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver... Psalm 12:6 NIV



I am thankful to the Lord, my God, for:


- God's blessings
- family near and far
- a new baby born into our family this week
- long-standing friendships and new friends too
- our home that keeps us warm and dry
- the return of my missing barn cat
- fuzzy winter coats and whiskery horse muzzles
- free mulch and compost material (fallen leaves)
- a warm coat and gloves
- cooler, seasonal weather
- that the Lord is in control
- a quiet country life
- still-blooming roses
- the hammering of a pileated woodpecker
- the smell of a newly-opened bale of hay
- His love for me
- Jesus' sacrifice for me, even me
- the Holy Spirit that guides me
- my husband
- our children, our sons-in-law and daughter-in-law, and our grandchildren
- time
- quiet
- falling leaves
- foggy mornings
- the earthy, smoky smell of autumn
- leaves beginning to change and to fall
- a few hummingbirds still at the feeders
- finishing my county fair project
- a successful compost pile
- gathering seeds from my own garden
- a weekend away with hubby
- a friend who did my chores
- morning fog in a valley
- a pink and cream sunrise
- finding a surprise melon
- technology that allows us to keep in close contact with our family
- our youngest daughter's birthday
- and the woman she has grown up to be
- the changing of the seasons
- a mug of hot cocoa
- apples
- a good rain and a cool day
- working in the garden
- migrating Monarch butterflies
- autumn color
- fresh hay in the barn
- rain
- leaves beginning to change color
- and falling to the ground to provide compost material
- cooler mornings
- the county fair is over
- my animals at home all survived while I was at the fair
- I didn't lose my temper
- I didn't get overheated or dehydrated
- rain
- a blessed, quiet Sabbath
- overnight rain
- dinner with our kids
- seeing old friends
- fallen leaves on the ground
- cooler temperatures
- still harvesting squash and peppers
- cardinals at the bird feeders
- wild ducks on our pond
- autumn
- being able to spend a week with our oldest daughter and her family
- lunch with our son and daughter-in-law
- the friends I've made online
- long-time friends
- the power of prayer
- several days of slightly cooler weather
- songbirds at the feeders
- autumn on the horizon
- a sweet breeze on a hot day
- raindrops
- sweet tea
- hummingbirds
- my horse's soft muzzle
- the loyalty in my dog Pete's eyes
- summer rain
- a hot compost pile
- bees in the garden
- fresh laundry
- air conditioning
- our granddaughter's summer visit
- a "not as hot" week
- sightseeing
- baby butternut squashes on the vine
- a bit of rain to green up the grass
- our wedding anniversary
- fragrant roses
- yellow squash on the vines
- children and loose teeth
- recovery from an eye procedure
- an unexpected rain storm
- delicious, sun-ripened tomatoes
- cheerful wild sunflowers
- greeting neighbors in town
- our grandchildren
- our children and their spouses
- our extended family
- learning from others
- an inch of rain
- catching up on a bunch of little projects
- the abundance of flowers in the herb/flower garden
- a symphony of cicadas, woodpeckers and song birds
- the squash taking off in the garden
- the wild laugh of a pileated woodpecker in the woods
- the oak trees that keep the barnyard cool in the morning while I work
- dinner with an old friend who was passing through town
- birthdays and anniversaries
- helpful neighbors
- a day with family
- a cool whiff of wind on a hot summer day
- the first red cherry tomato, eaten in the garden
- a meal of homegrown veggies
- a dozen brown eggs in the nest box
- Christ's sacrifice for me
- a stretch of sunny, dry days
- progress in the garden
- fresh eggs, warm from the nests
- fragrant roses
- our son's birthday
- lots of rain that:
- waters the garden and
- provides plenty of grass for the horses
- cool days to work outside
- family coming to help with a project
- fragrant petunias
- brown eggs warm from the nest
- our little orchard heavy with immature fruit
- lots of rain for the garden
- memories of my mother
- my children and grandchildren
- two brand-new ducklings in the duck coop
- roses in profusion
- blue skies and sunshine
- Jesus Christ Who gave His life for me
- those who gave their lives for our country
- wild-growing plantain to relieve the itch of mosquito bites
- rain to water the garden
- wildflowers
- the smell of newly-mown grass
- pots of flowers at the front steps
- my horse napping in the sunshine
- tiny sprouts in the garden
- a cardinal at the bird feeder
- safety from the weather
- green everywhere
- comical roadrunners
- frog song
- petunias
- the call of the whippoorwill
- new chicks
- the horses in their summer-slick coats
- golden sunrises 
- warm eggs in the nest box
- mornings on horseback
- rain
- roses and irises
- sprouts in the garden
- hens singing the egg song
- cardinals at the bird feeder
- bird song in the morning
- the wild geese at our pond
- a day of calm winds
- smokeless skies
- fresh eggs in the nest box
- sunshine and blue skies
- reminiscing
- prayer
- new seedlings
- the ability to be flexible
- the power of prayer
- grace from others
- new friends and
- longtime friends
- redbud trees in bloom
- frog song and spring birds
- clover
- time spent in the garden
- thunderstorms
- hugging our visiting grandsons
- shedding horses
- sunny, warm days in late winter
- flowers that can withstand light frost
- children's books
- the Lord's plans for us
- rain
- a new job in the family
- Ella's fuzzy winter coat, now beginning to shed
- eggs
- our neighbor's tiny calves in the pasture
- two young deer crossing the road
- daffodils and azaleas
- marshmallow clouds
- freshly-laid eggs
- the love of God
- my husband
- our children and their spouses
- our grandchildren
- good friends
- rounding the last bend in the road and seeing "home"
- signs of coming spring
- an answered prayer
- longer days
- gorgeous sunsets
- a warm and sunny weekend
- a mockingbird in the dead oak tree
- birds at the feeders
- finishing a project
- another birthday
- catching the hen that slipped out the chicken coop door
- the support of family and friends
- a volunteer who has gone way above and beyond
- a red-tailed hawk on a fencepost
- a big flock of birds chirping in the junipers
- the laugh of a pileated woodpecker
- our pullets' first egg
- my rooster crowing to announce the morning
- a long V of geese
- hubby making brownies
- visiting the chickens each day and having a daily "conversation" with them
- the cats keeping me company when I walk down the hill to feed the horses
- the smell of horses and hay
- pine trees frosted with snow
- joys that several friends have shared with me
- a cardinal in the apple tree so brilliantly-red that it seemed to glow in the sunshine
- watching a huge blue heron fly low across the road in front of our car
- cherry pie
- a blank calendar ahead of us
- "good enough" health


Silver Sunday

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, 
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is 
excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. 
Philippians 4:8 NIV


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