November Musings

Lisa at Lisa's Yarns has been doing "The 10 Days of Thanksgiving." I've been thinking about a few things I'm pretty grateful for right now. Little big things, and big little things. I'll probably have lots more, but for now...

There are still leaves on the trees and they're quite beautiful on this sunny mid-November morning. This will post later in the week, but as I write it, it is November 12. Generally we lose all our leaves before Halloween.

These fall photos were actually taken last weekend -- November 5 and 6, but the trees still look much the same, despite some wind and yes, our first snow.

I wish I had photos of the snow that hit two days ago -- big puffy flakes that look like ivory flakes stuck together into lacy globs. It was short-lived, and given that I'm no snow bunny, I was grateful. Nonetheless, it was lovely.

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In another week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, Kevin will be home from Atlanta where he has been for the past six months on his internship. It's interesting, because when he went off to college at 18, we can't say we missed him all that much! He had a lot of growing up to do, and we noticed a huge change by the time he came home for that first Christmas.

In recent years, after transferring to MSU, we've seen him much more frequently, so his departure in June was a lot harder than we imagined, with only one quick visit from him. (And frankly, that happened at a coffee shop when he was visiting the wonderful Miss Molly!)

Greg will be home, too. He lives much closer, though we still don't see him all that often. I'm really looking forward to having us together.

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Gypsy is doing well and if I didn't know he had kidney disease and have to give him his IV every week, I'd think he was just a lively, huggy-bear cat with a huge appetite and a penchant for naps.

We've taken to doing bedtime snacks in bed, when I toss a piece of his dry food somewhere (in the dark) on the bed and he jumps to find it. While he's doing that, I stash a piece of food under the extra pillow. After he's finished his romping, he burrows to find the pieces of food that are hidden. It took two times doing that and prompting him to the pillow to get him to realize that this was a viable option. Now he often goes there first!

I'm pleased his treatments seem to be working so well. I just hope they keep on for a very long time.

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I'm very grateful that I remembered to get some homely tasks I tend to forget taken care of. Things like calling the plumber to turn off the water at the cottage (this could be a bad one if forgotten!) or getting the gutter-cleaner out here.

My art room is relatively in order -- there are a few more things to put away after my sale and the rapid creation phase leading up to it, but I love my new desk and just being in this room!

And finally (more or less) cleaning up the guest room (thanks to Cousin Bonnie for visiting; it was a great motivator!).

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There is much more... more walks, more travels to review and anticipate, more gatherings to celebrate and enjoy, more holidays to plan for.

But these are a start! I leave you with a word to "muse" upon:

One of my favorites.