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Sunday, November 27, 2011

A Short List

I spent a great deal of time driving this last week; well, to be honest, BC spent a great deal of time driving while I sat in the front seat and did the "mom smacking hand thing" behind me whenever the pups got too rowdy in the back.  We trekked down the coast and into the central valley to spend our time with BC's family, playing Apples to Apples, talking about Chinese skin analysis, and running the dogs in the back forty.  The weather was temperamental but the wood stove cranked and we fell into home.
The Oaks...
This is Pure Joy
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All that to say, Thanksgiving may have passed in a gentle flurry of homemade cranberry sauce and bread pudding, but I still have gratitude to give.
Valley Gifts
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So today, as I watch the clouds roll in and the furnace grunts and lurches, I am thankful:
for two fully functioning hands
for espresso
for living with the redwoods
for the love of the best man I know
for whiskers that tickle my face in the morning
for copious houseplants
for a clear mammagram (just got the most recent results last week!!!)
for beasts who make me laugh day in and out
for T, C, J, K, A, M, you know who you are
for a studio
for families who honestly love each other
for letters in the mail
for sheepskin boots
for communities across the globe who inspire and encourage me
for pomegranates
and for you.
SO much for you my friends.
I am grateful.
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An Autumnal Cascade

13 comments:

pencilfox said...

oh, amen and amen to ALL of your post!

the gentle scenes captured by your eye armed my alaska heart this chilly day. especially the heart leaf and sancho's wild joy.

so happy for your good mammogram results.
so happy you have friends who support you.
so happy to know you....

xx

pencilfox said...

p.s. did i say "ARMed my heart"??
i meant WARMED my heart, but arming it with the armour of your posting seems quite appropriate, also.
[smile]

UmberDove said...

heehee, I liked ARMED my heart. Because truly, we do arm our hearts, no? Not always with steel and bricks, but with gentleness and kindness. You've been on my mind too Fox; I think we may feel the same tides up and down this Pacific ocean.

AND, I'm happy to know you too!

Unknown said...

happy for your clean bill of health that is amazing news! sounds like a wonderful time of relaxation. lucky one you are!

Lindy said...

I love your beautiful list of things to be thankful for. You really have a way with words.

nancycreations said...

Looks like everyone had fun I know the one is a boxer what is the other one I really couldn't tell in the picture if it was a dobie or a rotty it looks alot like my daisy mae, my daughter has a boxer when my two dogs go to the farm they all hang out together and have a blast. see ya nancy

Allisunny S. said...

Oh my dear dove friend.
Your list is lovely
and I am grateful for it and you.

Loving you from afar,
a

Anonymous said...

beautiful....the central valley (!) never looked so good.

Cat said...

beautiful you!

love and light

candacemorris said...

I am honored by you, and the company you keep me in. Missing you, I feel so far away.

Nichole said...

Thank you so much for this post. As the days get darker, my thoughts tend to get darker, and I forget the good things. This reminded me of how much I have to be grateful for. Thanks for helping me out of my valley.

The Noisy Plume said...

xx

Lindy said...

Hi Kelly,
Here is the link to my blog where I used your beautiful piece of writing about metaphors of flight. Thanks again. Lindy

http://piggywhistles.blogspot.com/2011/11/metaphors-of-flight.html