Grateful for Pumpkins

I am grateful for the pumpkins growing in my yard.  I didn't think the pumpkins would make it since I discovered squash bugs on the plants.  I thought it was a losing battle as I tried to eliminate the bugs with dilated dish detergent sprayed on them, imitation vanilla sprayed on to confuse the bugs and just looked for the bugs on the plants and killing them and their eggs and still there were more bugs.  But those pumpkins outgrew the bugs and there are four pumpkins on the vine I planted.  One is big enough right now to eat if it were orange, but the other three are small still.  The weather has been good though and we have another week of 90 degree weather with no frost in sight.  To me it is so exciting to see plants grow.  Fall is a wonderful time of year with nice weather and produce ripening in the garden.  I am so grateful for this time of year.

Grateful for Mormon Musings: Part 3: Mormons and the Edict, "You Can't Date Until You're 16"

I came across this post and realized how grateful I am for the counsel not to date until you're 16. I tried to teach this in my family and they all waited until 16 or later to date. I appreciate the insight in this post of why waiting until 16 to date is such good advice. I am grateful to have my actions validated by well thought out posts like this.

Mormon Musings: Part 3: Mormons and the Edict, "You Can't Date Until You're 16"

Grateful for a Clean Garbage Cart

 

Today I am grateful for a clean garbage cart.  Over the weekend one of my neighbors decided to do some painting.  After finishing painting my neighbor deposited the empty paint cans and the used paint brush in my garbage cart.  The neighbor also used a couple of the wooden slats from my chain link gate as paint stirring sticks.  There was a clump of white paint and a patch of green paint dumped on the ground close to my fence.  Some white and green paint was also flung on the fence and cement along the back of my yard.  My garbage cart was also splattered with white and green paint, and inside the paintbrush was stuck to the bottom of my cart.  I work for the Utilities in our town, so when I went to work I told my supervisor what had happened.  Today the garbage crew picked up my multi-colored garbage cart and steam cleaned it.  When they brought it back it looked almost new again.  So today I am very grateful to my supervisor and the garbage crew for a clean garbage cart.

Grateful for a Tenacious Plant

 

This little plant showed up all on its own.  I don't know where it came from.  I haven't seen other plants like it close around.  It sprouted in the crack between the cement step and sidewalk.  It seemed so determined to live with very little soil and only the little bit of rainfall we get.  I couldn't uproot it.  As the flowers opened I saw its beauty, and I decided to take a picture of it.  I am grateful for the symbolism I saw in this little plant being able to grow in the conditions it was growing in.  Sometimes things seem really hard like the cement all around this plant.  Sometimes it seems there is a lack in our lives like the lack of soil and of water for this plant.  Yet we still can grow and can produce something beautiful.  I am glad I took this picture so I can always remember to keep trying even in the most difficult of circumstances.  I am grateful for this tenacious plant

Grateful for a Home to Live In

A home is to live in is a basic need.  I am very grateful to have a home to live in.  When I was young we had just a four room house.  We didn't have an indoor bathroom.  When I was around nine years old my dad added onto the house.  It was exciting to have an indoor bathroom and to have a new bedroom.  Leaving home I lived in apartments and a dorm room.  It was wonderful to buy a home after my first daughter was born.  It was only a two bedroom home, but it was nice to have a home.  Today I am still very grateful to have a home to live in.  Some people are homeless and sleep in tents or on the street somewhere.  Homes truly are a blessing, and I am grateful for my home.

Grateful for Fractal Art

I read about fractal art and saw some amazing pictures.  I downloaded apophysis and created some designs myself.  There are some amazing beautiful designs.  With them I have been able to create unique cards.  Sometimes the things you stumble across can be a wonderful blessing in your life.

Grateful for a Friend's Peaches

I love late summer and autumn.  The temperatures start getting cooler.  Plants in the garden start growing better because of the coolness.  Fruits and produce are starting to ripen.  My friend has a wonderful peach tree.  She isn't here right now and has asked me to us what peaches I can and to share them with others.  I am very grateful for her peaches.  They are sweet and juicy and so flavorful and good.  I have made some wonderful jam, plan to dry some of the peaches, and I've eaten a lot of fresh ones just as they are.  Today I am very grateful for my friend's peaches.

Grateful for Those Who Are Willing to Defend our Country

Today is September 11 many memorials were held today remembering the tragedy that happened nine years ago.  In our town the flags were flying at half mast.  At the airport helicopters were being used to train young soldiers.  As I watched them, I felt grateful that they are willing to fight to defend our country.  It is wonderful that they are willing to risk their lives in defending our country.  A few years ago a young man from our town was killed in Iraq.  Just a couple of months ago another young man from our town was caught in an explosion and lost both of his legs.  It would be a wonderful world if we could eliminate war.  Until that day, I am grateful for those who are willing to give their all in defending our country.

Grateful for Insects

I am not really fond of insects.  Sometimes they are so scary looking.  They also cause problems like eating your food or spreading disease.  When I saw this praying mantis I was reminded not all bugs are bad.  Some of them are of help to us by eating other bugs that destroy things.  Sometimes even the things we don't think we want are the very things that will help us and bless our lives.

Grateful for Flowers

I am grateful for flowers.  I love to see flowers bloom.  The first crocus blooming through snow is such a delight.  The tulips, daffodils and other springtime flowers bring hope for the coming growing season.  The blossom covered fruit trees are so beautiful to see.  As the year goes on irises, gladiolas, lilies, tiger lilies and other flowers provide so much color.  Later in the summer marigolds and sunflowers are plentiful. 

Flowers add so much beauty to the world.  When someone give you flowers it truly uplifts your spirits.  A bouquet of flowers can say I love you or thank you or thinking of you or I'm sorry.  A friend gave me a bouquet of mixed flowers that she grew herself when I was recovering from injuries from an accident.  I've wanted to be like her and be able to give flowers that I've grown myself.  Unfortunately I don't have her ability and skill.  Still I do have some pretty marigolds and sunflowers growing outside.  I am grateful for how much joy flowers bring into our lives.

Grateful for Water

 

I am so grateful for water.  Drinking water is a wonderful thing.  You feel energized and refreshed after drinking water.  I am so grateful to have water to drink.  I am grateful to have water to take a shower with.  Warm showers feel so good.  I went for three months without a shower while recovering in the hospital from serious injuries.  When I could shower again it was a wonderful feeling, and now I truly appreciate being able to take showers.  Fresh clean clothes are wonderful and I appreciate having the water to wash them.  Water adds a lot of beauty to the earth too.  I am very grateful that we are blessed with water and that I have access to plenty of water in my life.

Grateful for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

I grew up listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Sunday mornings.  As we would get ready for church we would listen to "Music and the Spoken Word".  With YouTube.com now I can pull up a video and listen to a song by the Tabernacle Choir whenever I want to.  I really enjoy their music.  I am grateful I got to listen to one of their rehearsals, and to attend one of their Christmas concerts, and then to hear them perform in the Special Events Center in Reno when they were traveling.   I do feel inspired and more motivated after listening to their music.  I am very grateful for beautiful inspiring music like theirs.

I'm Grateful for Growing Plants

I love this time of year when the plants I planted earlier are really starting to produce now.  My strawberries are blooming and setting on fruit again.  I enjoyed some strawberries in May and June, but it is nice now that there has been some cooler weather to see more strawberries.  Today I had a few raspberries to eat also.  I picked Swiss chard for supper.  Yesterday I had okra for supper.  I finally found a red tomato.  It seems like the tomatoes have taken a long time to ripen this year.  I have three watermelons growing.  It will be a while before they are ready to eat, and I can hardly wait for them to be ripen.  I'm not an expert gardener, but I do like to see the plants grow.  Many plants don't make it, but the ones that do are very rewarding.  I am very grateful for any thing I have been able to grow in my garden. 

The Blessing of Bees

This morning as I was watering the sunflowers around my home, there were several bees flying from one flower to the nest.  They were so busy gathering pollen that they paid no attention to me.  I got my camera and tried to capture some pictures. 
When I was young I didn't really like bees.  I knew what it felt like to be stung by a bee from personal experience.  I didn't want to be stung again.  I learned the hard way that a bee can sting you, even if it is dead, if you touch it's stinger.  I did like the honey that the beekeeper gave us in payment for letting the bees live on our farm.
Today, because of the decrease in the number of bees, I am grateful when I see bees.  I am so glad to see them going from flower to flower.  I still don't want to be stung, but I am grateful for bees.