Happy Thanksgiving...

Have  a safe and happy day.

~~Linda~~

The table is set.

Let the cooking begin.

We have SO much to be thankful for.

Hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one.

Happy Thanksgiving...

~~Linda~~

Have a happy and safe

Thanksgiving!!

~~Linda~~

Hoping for the happiest of Thanksgivings for everyone.

~~Linda~~

The photo above, is the view of the sunrise from our daughter's back porch.  

The view back in February, when they moved in.

This is Kansas.

And Saturday, when we were out on a VERY much smaller 

Wine and Wildflower tour, Kansas was about to be hit with severe weather.

On our way home from dinner, we got a message from our daughter.  They had gathered up the kids and dogs, and were headed for the Methodist Church...to the storm shelter that is there.
They have no basement, at their house.

Power was out all over the area, but we could still get texts....for a while.

Very early on Sunday morning, we got the message that they were back home, and safe.

The dawn brought the reality of what had happened around them.
The fire chief, and sheriff were making rounds, to check on the status of the community.
And, letting people know just what had happened....that THREE tornadoes had touched down around them....one moving on to Wichita, doing more damage.

That building you see in the photo above, is a barn that is about 150 yards from their porch.
Half of it is gone.  A house to the left of the photo, is completely gone.  The people there hid in the basement and are ok...except, of course, their house is gone.

All together, in this small town of 400+ people, 25 homes were badly damaged....13 made unliveable, or completely gone.  A farm nearby, where the people made their living from growing hogs, is gone...house, barns, hogs...everything.  Two of the students in our granddaughter's class, lost their homes.

Thankfully, here in this small town, there were few injuries...and, those were minor.
The warning system worked.  Everyone got to safety.

You won't hear about these losses on the national television...or maybe, not even local.
The communities out there are too small....and, there were no deaths.

We are very grateful that our daughter and family are safe.
So close...too close.

We're praying for those who lost their homes, and businesses.
And, for those in Oklahoma, whose families didn't fare as well.

These storms are violent reminders of how powerful Nature is.
It's something we're wise to never forget.

Stay Safe...
~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 30!~~


Today is the final day of the
30 day challenge of thanksgiving.


Thanks Cat, for challenging us to stop and take notice
of the things that make our lives full and happy.

I will admit, it has been a challenge to post every day.



It's not the final day of giving thanks, however.
Every day is a day for thanks-giving.

I have so many blessings:

I'm married to a good man,
with a good sense of humor.

I have some really great kids.

I have six beautiful grandchildren.

I have a loving family.

I have fun, loving friends.

I live in a beautiful place.

I get to enjoy God's beauty & God's love.

Life is truly good...


I recently saw a quote:

"What if you woke up today 
with only the things
you thanked 
God 
for yesterday?" 


I did...
~~Linda~~

 

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 29~~

Today, I'm thankful to be fortunate enough to travel.

For us, Life really is a Trip.

Alaskan Cruise, 2008

It's especially nice with family...

Mount Rushmore, 2010

We're very fortunate to be able to see many interesting places.

We know how lucky we are, to have such a great family and such great friends.

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.

A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

When I saw that our several thermometers said it was 28 degrees at 10:30 last night,

I got out there and covered up our newest plant.

Glad I did.

The day dawned crisp and clear....and, COLD....22 degrees!

 

 

Heavy frost covered the fairway across the street.

We had moved several containers into the garage during the day. 

Cold winds aren't the best thing for our tropicals.

I saved the remains of the Bougainvillea.

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 27~~

Today, I'm thankful for a sunny, quiet Sunday.

It's always good to have a day off....especially, after a busy, busy week.

Yesterday was rainy...we got almost an inch and a half of rain....and, cooled off.
In fact, today, it's cold and windy...a great day to stay inside and get inside things going.

November is winding down and the busy, busy time of December is looming.

It's good to have a day to take a deep breath and recharge.

Hope you're getting to do just what you want, today.

~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.

A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

Today, I'm thankful to live in a small town.

It makes it easier to

Shop Local~~Shop Small.

Today is Small Business Saturday.

Buy just one thing from one of your local small businesses.

 I have LOTS of shops I can visit, here in Wimberley. 

Every little bit helps keep money in your community

and helps small businesses stay alive.

~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 25~~

Today, I'm thankful we got to witness history.

source
To those who are not sports fans...or, at least, not from Texas....
you might not know about the big rivalry between

The University of Texas
and
Texas A&M University.

This rivalry is so strong, both schools' fight songs mention the other school.

They've been playing a football game at Thanksgiving for a long time.
Last night was game #118....and, maybe the last.

Petty differrences have caused A&M to leave their conference and move on.
Maybe cooler heads will prevail, and they'll work a game into the schedule.
But, not for many years....schedules are set years in advance.

So, for the coming years...maybe, forever...
the Aggies
will have to live with the final score, of possibly the final game.

Texas 27~~A&M 25

SO...

Texas Fight, Texas Fight
and goodbye to A&M

I'm thankful we won.
~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 24~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 23~~


Today...a day early...I'm thankful
to be married
to my best friend.


Corny, I know.
But, we really are friends.

And, we've been married since
November 24, 1965.

That's a long time...

So...

Happy Anniversary, Mr. P.
~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 22~~


Today, I'm thankful for my yard swing.

It was a surprise for me, back in the spring.

It's a nice quiet place to sit....to start the day, with a cup of coffee...
or to end the day, with a glass of wine.

Sit, and swing, and think....

We have several places to sit and enjoy this place.
Each gives a different viewpoint.
There're all good views to us.

~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 21~~

Today, I'm thankful for our rain barrels.


It doesn't take a lot of rain, to fill a rain barrel.  That's good....we haven't had a lot of rain, lately.

We're going to add more of these.  It makes a big difference having this extra water,
when you're trying to keep things alive.


And, they make a comfy place to hang out.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.

A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

The bed in the island that the circular drive makes.

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 19~~


Today, I'm thankful for my new oven.


This is what we had, when we moved in.
I took this picture on one of our tours through the house, prior to buying.
No push buttons here.  Turn a knob for the microwave.  Hope the oven gets warm in time.

We redid a lot of things here.
I stripped the cabinets.  Ones you can't see here, were green.
I stripped wallpaper off, and textured and painted.
I put in a new tile backsplash.
We had granite countertops, a new sink and a new cooktop installed.

But, the micro/oven worked.  So, we waited.
We decided we could just use this vintage model.

This week...we had this installed.

You'll notice it's shorter than the old one.  Gives me a shelf under it.
We just need to finish it out.
The new technology doesn't require as thick insulation.

New and shiny...we've moved into the twenty-first century.
Just in time for the holidays.

There'll be some bakin' goin' here!
Everybody's thankful.

~~Linda~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 18~~


Today, I'm thankful for my kids.


We have two kids....a girl and a boy.

They're great kids.  They married two other great kids.
Together, they all gave us six grandkids....who are also great!

Our boy is the oldest.


Today is his birthday.

Happy Birthday, Rob
~~Mother~~

Cat, at The Whimsical Gardener, has challenged us to a 30 Day Challenge of Thanksgiving.
A post a day, for 30 days, to celebrate the things we are thankful for, in our lives.

~~Day 17~~


Today, I'm thankful for our trees.


I worried all summer about the trees.  It was so hot, and so dry.
Our water restrictions still won't let us use sprinklers or lay soaker hoses on the grass.
So, even the ones in our yard don't get any drinks.

But, they're hanging in there....the Cedar Elms, giving us some fall color.

Of course, that 'fall color' is all over the deck....
and the porch...and the driveway.

I sweep them up everyday, and haul them over to the compost bin.
I don't like blowers.  But, I have one.  They're about the only way to get leaves
out of rock.

It's some extra work in the fall.  And then, the Live Oaks drop their leaves in the spring.
But, I wouldn't want to get rid of one single tree.

Besides....it's good exercise.  Right?

~~Linda~~