Sunday, November 11, 2012

Thankful-Veteran's Day Edition

For several years I was a member of a national veteran service organization and my daughter was involved in their junior group.  We were blessed to have been able to do many things and attend our annual state conferences with our Junior group.  One of those trips took us to the Air Force Museum here in Dayton.  We were doing a self guided tour and working our way through the WWII section when we stumbled upon a elderly gentleman who was mesmerized by a plane.  He stood stoically looking up at an airplane,  I wish I had paid more attention to what kind of plane it was.As we approached him and the plane the girls were chatty and loud exuberant which broke his attention long enough to look over our group and a large smile erupted across his face before he turned his attention back to the plane. 

One of the girls asked a question about the seat located in the glass covered nose of the airplane and before I knew it a frail voice began from the elderly man in response to her question.  It turns out that was 'his' plane hanging there in that museum and his job during the war was sitting in that seat and aiming the big guns.  He began to reminisce and as his eyes glazed over he began to tell us of his downing over Germany and his eventual capture and life as a POW, he called his fellow soldiers by name as if we would know them.  His voice quivered once or twice and there were several long pauses as he appeared to get lost in his own memories but the girls seem to hang onto each word and cheered when he told them of his release and all the while his gaze never left the plane. 

The younger girls were getting restless so we thanked him for answering her question and the girls thanked him for his service and we made our way towards the giftshop for Astronaut Ice Cream.  As the rest of our group finally met up with us the girls all began to retell the story of the hero they just met and it made me so happy to know he made an impression on them.  I know he did on me. 

Thank You random Vet at Wright Pat that day, thank you to my husband, thank you to the men and women who serve in any uniform...Thank you for your service an sacrifice so we can continue to live as we do.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

More Thankfulness

Now I know why I've never done any of these 30 day (insert thing) blog or Facebook  things...I get distracted too easily and although I intend to post the time just slips away from me.  I have taken a picture almost every day but I haven't gone that extra mile to actually post it.  However...this is MY blog and I can make the rules so I am, I'm posting a few things at once that have touched me over the last few days.  

 This summer I made a herb drying rack made from and old wooden frame that I stapled a piece of screen into and hung by hooks I put in each corner.  I've been drying herbs on it all summer and I pulled that last of my Tarragon and Lemon Thyme.  I still have Basil drying on the bottom so I had to put it in a box...on my rack.  I'm thankful that my Mom cooked with fresh herbs and spices and I learned to appreciate how they enhance food.  I wish I had paid more attention. 


A local grocery store had two great buys this week, one of them was squash for $ .19 lb and the other was pork sirloin roasts for $1 lb.  I love a great bargain and I'm thankful we had some extra cash to stock up.  We went and bought 3 roasts and 2 acorn, 2 butternut and 2 buttercup squash and spent less then $20, 17 and some change.  The impressive thing is what we saved, $43.03!  After walking to the car we decided to go back for more so I ran back in and picked up 4 more roasts and a few more squashes.  I spent another $21 and saved $45.75.


 

What the hell as I thinking buying all this squash!!??   I cut two of each in half and roasted them.  We ate half a buttercup squash for dinner that night which was yummy and I packed the rest up for the freezer!  

Thankful I have the space to freeze it all
 

Saved $88.00!

 Last weekend was the annual changing of the closet, you know out with the winter clothes and the summer stuff gets put away.  A horrid horrid chore and hopefully one day when I grow up and I'm rich and famous I'll have a closet big enough for everything!  Underneath a pile-o-stuff on the top shelf I found my old scrapbook and in there was a copy of my High School paper, that I and my horse Stormcloud were on the front cover of.  WOW what a flood of memories!

I'm thankful that my Mom went the extra mile to provide me with the best friend a teenage girl could have...a horse.

Friday, November 2, 2012

November Thankfulness-11/1

The blogosphere as well as my Facebook page is being blown up with those joining in 30 days of Thankfulness and although I don't normally follow these trends I figured this time I would...you know, since the intent of this blog was to help me to become more thankful and grateful.  I haven't done a very good job of it so this just may be a kick start for me.  

I won't be posting the normal "I'm thankful for my parents, spouse, kids etc..." because those are a given for me, although I could probably do a better job of showing it.  I will be posting things that make me stop, and take a breath to prolong the moment or capture the image in my mind.  If I'm lucky enough I'll be able to capture the image with a camera as well.

I should have posted this yesterday but I couldn't get it done in time so I'm cheating already...just pretend this was posted on the 1st.  


One of the chores that nobody likes to do is bringing the trash bin around back after trash pick-up day.  I don't know why, it is just overlooked often so when I went to do the dreaded chore on Wednesday evening I was rewarded with this beauty!


Late afternoon sun is beautiful on this flower
  Three solid days of rain from the effects of hurricane Sandy and 2 inches of snow couldn't stop this daisy from blooming.  

 

 It's striking orange, pick colors stopped me in my tracks and reminded me that Mother Nature is truly spectacular and I am blessed.