2020 - Gratitude Day #28 - The Change of Seasons

 

Gratitude Day #28

Today I am grateful for the change of seasons.

We get everything in Ohio. I have sweltered. I have frozen. However, every single season has something so beautiful to offer us.

Springtime takes my breath away! The green that emerges on the lawns, the fields, and the trees is a green that we see no other time of year. It's fresh and vibrant and reaches toward the sky. The flowers are just beginning to emerge. The critters are happy and scurrying around.

Summertime takes my breath away! There is a laid-back feel to summertime, when the living is easy. I may be one of the few, but I could hardly wait until the school year was over and our kids could just enjoy childhood. I suppose I should have had them working, and cleaning, and doing all of the things that we needed to get done. But, more often than not, I would say, "Come on, let's go!" I would fill up the gas tank after loading apples, peanut butter, cookies, and whatever else we had...and, we would go get lost. We traveled on every back road I could find. When Kerry had the day off, we threw him in the van, too.

Autumn takes my breath away! There is something about "all is safely gathered in". We can learn a lot through watching the animals as they also get ready to wind down. In our house, it was preparation time for us as we dehydrated and froze and canned food, stocked up on needed supplies, filled up the fuel tank, readied the vehicles, and got ready to nestle in. The drives we took to see the resplendent colors still leave me in awe. I love driving through falling leaves as they swirl around, and I love walking and hearing their crunch under my shoes.

Winter takes my breath away! I love being hunkered down with a pot of soup bubbling away on the stove. At this stage of my life, I love not having to go out if I don't want to or need to. I love the clean and fresh, pure snow before it gets all mushy. I know that wintertime is not a favorite of everyone, particularly if you work as a letter carrier like Mr. Kerry did. But, I think how much the farmers depend on a good snowfall to replenish stores for the summer crops.

It would be difficult for me to live where there was no change every few months. I'm okay with change. I love rain beating against the windows and spring breezes carrying the fragrance of my lilac tree through the living room windows.

I love living in an area where we have the joyful experience of sweet smelling springtimes, playful summertimes, the crunch of autumn, and hunkering down for the winter cold.

It would be difficult for me to live where it is either cold and dark, or warm and balmy all the time. I have experienced a sampling of that when:

1. We visited Russia. The sun didn't come up until 9:00 am, and by 4:00 pm, it was pitch black again. That would make for a very long night.

2. I have visited my sisters several times in the winter when they owned homes in Florida. No...I don't think I could get used to a hot Christmas or a decorated palm tree. We were also in Mexico during late fall/early winter. Christmas decorations were out, and I was sweating.

Now, this is me. I am pure Ohioan, so I am used to the change in seasons. I look forward to it. They each have their beauty, and their aggravating times, too.

I can find good in just about everything I see, because that is what I look for. Mom told me if I look for bad, I will certainly find it. If I look for good, there's plenty more of that.

So, tonight I am nestled in my warm home with a blanket on my lap, a candle burning close by, a computer on my lap, and a husband softly snoring. We are awaiting a storm that should arrive sometime Monday; but we are safely gathered in.

It's a perfect evening.

2019 - Gratitude Month #26 - The Seasns

Gratitude Day #26

Today I am grateful for the change of seasons.

We get everything in Ohio. I have sweltered. I have frozen. However, every single season has something so beautiful to offer us.

Springtime takes my breath away! The green that emerges on the lawns, the fields, and the trees is a green that we see no other time of year. It's fresh and vibrant and reaches toward the sky. The flowers are just beginning to emerge. The critters are happy and scurrying around.

Summertime takes my breath away! There is a laid-back feel to summertime, when the living is easy. I may be one of the few, but I could hardly wait until the school year was over and our kids could just enjoy childhood. I suppose I should have had them working, and cleaning, and doing all of the things that we needed to get done. But, more often than not, I would say, "Come on, let's go!" I would fill up the gas tank after loading apples, peanut butter, cookies, and whatever else we had...and, we would go get lost. We traveled on every back road I could find. When Kerry had the day off, we threw him in the van, too.

Autumn takes my breath away! There is something about "all is safely gathered in". We can learn a lot through watching the animals as they also get ready to wind down. In our house, it was preparation time for us as we dehydrated and froze and canned food, stocked up on needed supplies, filled up the fuel tank, readied the vehicles, and got ready to nestle in. The drives we took to see the resplendent colors still leave me in awe. I love driving through falling leaves as they swirl around, and I love walking and hearing their crunch under my shoes.

Winter takes my breath away! I love being hunkered down with a pot of soup bubbling away on the stove. At this stage of my life, I love not having to go out if I don't want to or need to. I love the clean and fresh, pure snow before it gets all mushy. I know that wintertime is not a favorite of everyone, particularly if you work as a letter carrier like Mr. Kerry did. But, I think how much the farmers depend on a good snowfall to replenish stores for the summer crops.

It would be difficult for me to live where there was no change every few months. I'm okay with change. I love rain beating against the windows and spring breezes carrying the fragrance of my lilac tree through the living room windows.

So, we are now getting ready for strong winds tomorrow, and snow will be here before we know it. And, I will be burrowed in my genealogy room researching those who have gone on, smelling whatever is in the crock pot, grateful for my 64th winter.

Gratitude Day #28 - 2018 - The Four Seasons

Gratitude Day #28

Today I am grateful for the four seasons.

No, not the singing group. Well yes, I do like them. But, that's not what I'm talking about.

I love living in an area where we have the joyful experience of sweet smelling springtimes, playful summertimes, the crunch of autumn, and hunkering down for the winter cold.

It would be difficult for me to live where it is either cold and dark, or warm and balmy all the time. I have experienced a sampling of that when:

1. We visited Russia. The sun didn't come up until 9:00 am, and by 4:00 pm, it was pitch black again. That would make for a very long night.

2. I have visited my sisters several times in the winter when they owned homes in Florida. No...I don't think I could get used to a hot Christmas or a decorated palm tree. We were also in Mexico during late fall/early winter. Christmas decorations were out, and I was sweating.

Now, this is me. I am pure Ohioan, so I am used to the change in seasons. I look forward to it. They each have their beauty, and their aggravating times, too.

I love springtime in Ohio -- because there is a "greening" of the fields and the woodlands that is not duplicated at any other time of the year. It is fresh and vibrant, and brings the earth alive. The songbirds wake us up as we begin sleeping with our windows open.

I love summertime in Ohio -- because Ohio is a playground. There are lakes and streams, hills to hike, trails to explore, and the sound of tree frogs and cicadas that sing us to sleep at night.

I love autumn in Ohio -- because the hills and the forests look like they're ablaze! Oh, they are so beautiful! And, when I walk through our yard, or at local parks, or even just out to our mailbox, there is that beautiful crunch under our boots as the earth is being put to sleep again.

I love winter in Ohio -- because we live in the country, and our snow is "clean". I can't stand dirty, black snow from scads of traffic. I love the smells of winter; the pine boughs, the candles burning, good food that is simmering on the stove or baking in the oven. Nestling down under blankets with a good book is one of my deepest joys.

I can find good in just about everything I see, because that is what I look for. Mom told me if I look for bad, I will certainly find it. If I look for good, there's plenty more of that.

So, tonight I am nestled in my warm home with a blanket on my lap, a candle burning close by, a computer on my lap, and a husband softly snoring. He will leave shortly for the Family History Center while I nurse broken toes.

It's a perfect evening.