Close
Close

Receive “Word for the Day” each day in your inbox

See our Privacy Policy

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Menu Gratefulness Donate

Gratitude Lounge

Welcome! We are glad you are here. This is an open space where everyone belongs, and everyone is welcome. Please introduce yourself as you feel comfortable and join in sharing your experience of grateful living. To get started you might reflect upon questions such as these: What am I grateful for? What is grateful living inspiring me to do? What are some blessings in my life (including ones in disguise)? How am I being supported right now? What connects me to wonder, awe, or a sense of the sacred? You are welcome to include images and links for videos to illustrate your reflections.

  • pkr

    “Naked Ladies”, for all the flower lovers, Rabbit & all here. ❤️🌸

    • Mica

      Thanks, pkr – I remember a church woman who told about how shocked her young grandson was when she pointed out ‘naked ladies’ to him. They’re a great flower, aren’t they, especially because the flowers stand alone after the leaves have died back. 🙂

    • Holly in Ohio

      Thank you pkr! Those are GORGEOUS! 🤗

  • Holly in Ohio

    Thinking of our caregivers… I thought this was lovely.

  • Mica

    Cool quote again this morn. I pasted it high up in my gratefulness doc. The quotes in my doc aren’t in chronological order now – I add the ones I like somewhere into the doc, depending on how much I like them 🙂
    Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. THICH NHAT HANH

  • Holly in Ohio

    Tonight I saw a news article on PBS that made me happy. Here is my hero of the week: a young man who is working to save a species, educate folk, and he’s doing it in a fun way. Enjoy!

  • Yram

    Thank you all for the comments. I am so happy for the connection. The flower tour is amazing.

    • Holly in Ohio

      I’m glad you are here enjoying it, too! I’m smiling big over here after reading your comment! 😁
      Wasn’t that a great idea of Rabbit’s?

  • Rabbit

    Let’s stop and visit another hydrangea. This one is for the friends who like them green. This one turns whiter as the season moves along. Flower season is moving fast up here in Michigan.

    • pkr

      Thank you Rabbit, I love hydrangeas. Beautiful 😊

    • Holly in Ohio

      One of my favorite white flower bushes is the very old fashioned Spirea. I wish I had room to put one in. They remind me of my childhood. I love them when they are shaggy and unpruned! Their flowers are past right now or I would take a picture of my neighbor’s one. I grabbed this from an article about propigating them on Gardener’s Path.

      • Rabbit

        Oh, yes I like them too. Did not notice them much or at all this year. They speak childhood to me too. Have you heard people call them Bridal Wreath?

        • Holly in Ohio

          No I haven’t, but they would be so lovely in a bridal wreath! I think… in my memory… they are in bloom in June and July. 🙂

      • Mica

        Spirea! The name is familiar to me, but the flower clusters remind me of Lantana. The web hasn’t yet let me know if the 2 are different or not. Lantana can be fairly small. My favorites are the red-orange-yellow ones, but they don’t thrive on my balcony. 😐

        • Holly in Ohio

          It might be too warm for Spirea where you are. It says “zones 4-8.” Here is a close up of the flower clusters.

          • Rabbit

            We are certainly having warmer seasons in Michigan. I hear the zones may change.

          • Mica

            Thanks – yes, flowers similar to Lantana but in more irregular clusters.

  • Rabbit

    Today the garden tour makes a stop to see hydrangeas.

    • lotus blossom

      lovely hydrangeas, Rabbit. thank you.

    • Holly in Ohio
      Thank you, Rabbit. 🥰 You are doing all of us such a wonderful service! I feel like I am receiving flowers every day! It is a wonderful pick-me-up. ❤ I haven't had a chance to get out with my camera, yet, to take pictures of flowers. Yesterday we drove one son to Columbus, moved him in, and checked on the others who went down with a car and a UHaul and were moving in, too, then we drove back home at about 5. It was a long, very hot drive, both times. There had been three accidents slowin...

      Thank you, Rabbit. 🥰 You are doing all of us such a wonderful service!
      I feel like I am receiving flowers every day! It is a wonderful pick-me-up. ❤

      I haven’t had a chance to get out with my camera, yet, to take pictures of flowers. Yesterday we drove one son to Columbus, moved him in, and checked on the others who went down with a car and a UHaul and were moving in, too, then we drove back home at about 5. It was a long, very hot drive, both times. There had been three accidents slowing down and stopping traffic, and the traffic was especially heavy with everyone returning to O.S.U. and it being a main shipping route. At one point driving south it took us an hour to go six miles. On the way back, we saw the other direction at a stand still behind the recovery crews and a huge crane, and we decided to “measure” how far cars were backed up. It went for 12 miles! We were so lucky not to get slowed down as much as if we had gone later, and I had thoughtfully packed a large container of ice and water and wrapped it up in a polar fleece and it stayed cool and refreshing the entire day!

      Today we had a plumbing issue at home and some cleaning to do. We got that sorted, though! So everything is all right The kids are fine and we’ve been checking in with them. The day was filled with domestic duties, and sheets drying on the clothesline in the breeze. Now we get to relax for a wee bit and enjoy the evening. 🌇

      Read More
      • Rabbit

        Ice huh? We had a power outage a couple days ago. We went and bought extra ice for the frig and freezer but the outage lasted so long we had to replace almost everything in the refrigerator. Always something.

        • Holly in Ohio

          Awh! I hear power outages are expected to happen more frequently. Have you heard of a Zeer Pot? It would help you save some stuff like milk and keep it cool, without ice, just with water. You can build one or several easily.. It is a clay pot, inside of a larger clay pot, with river rock or gravel in between, and an old pot lid for the smaller pot. It works by evaporation. I can give you a link to instructions if you would like it.

          • Holly in Ohio

            (In response to Mica’s post below)
            My dad was also Navy, and piloted a PBY in the Pacific.

          • Mica

            Yes, my dad was in WWII Navy radio engineer.

          • Holly in Ohio
            I think you have to plug the holes in each pot for this, otherwise it is pretty straight forward to make. We try to make it a rule when our power goes out not to open the freezer at all. We found that way we can keep the frozen food safe for about eight hours, as our freezer is always full and the frozen stuff helps keep it cold for a long time if we don't open it.. We try to plan what we need in the fridge for the day, and then open the fridge for seconds to grab the milk and anything else we w...

            I think you have to plug the holes in each pot for this, otherwise it is pretty straight forward to make. We try to make it a rule when our power goes out not to open the freezer at all. We found that way we can keep the frozen food safe for about eight hours, as our freezer is always full and the frozen stuff helps keep it cold for a long time if we don’t open it.. We try to plan what we need in the fridge for the day, and then open the fridge for seconds to grab the milk and anything else we want as quickly as we can. Then we rinse our largest thermos with cold tap water so it is cool, and pour milk into it, and then we leave the fridge closed until the power is on. That usually works. 🤞

            Like minds, Mica!

            Read More
          • Mica

            I have an old camping cooler and quite a few ice pack things in my freezer, so I can go for a while ok. Our power was out for about a day after our first rain last fall – they were spraying water on sparking or flaming power poles outside my building. I just kept the freezer closed, and nothing got too warm. PG&E deals with electrical problems after things break, which happens a lot with the first rains 🙁

          • Rabbit

            Wow! That is new to me. Will have to look into this more affordable option. Many people in our neighborhood have whole house generators but it is a big investment especially since we should be thinking about downsizing or no upstairs.

          • Holly in Ohio

            I forgot to say, it works by evaporation. You pour water onto the gravel, and renew with water as needed.

      • Rabbit

        Oh my goodness, what a couple days you have had Holly. Glad it is all behind you. I think a drive to the grocery store is long. I have a friend who once told me anything she did involved problem solving and I completely agree. The trouble is after you solve one another one comes along wanting to be solved. It gives us purpose. 🥰

        • Mica

          I was in utero when Hiroshima was bombed. My birthday is in December too 🙂

        • Mica

          I’m pretty old, Rabbit! My granddaughters are 12 and 15, and I’m a few yrs older than one might expect from their ages. Turning green with age is a funny concept, even for flowers. I look forward to seeing hydrangeas again – hopefully this week 🙂

          • Rabbit

            I am a Christmas baby 73 years ago. Yes, green means youth to me. Did I say it backwards? 🤔🐇

        • Holly in Ohio

          That is so true! (What Rabbit said, I mean, Lol).

      • Mica

        6 mph – Ugh, dear Holly! 😐

        • Holly in Ohio

          When we were stuck in traffic… we have a car with a black interior and no air conditioning… there is something in my head that just realizes I can’t do anything about it, so I just let go, and then everything is okay. Cameron relaxed, too. We listened to music, we talked. Maybe there is a lesson there in how to have patience?

          • Rabbit

            Oh, a big great lesson. Do you remember when you were a girl the saying? Patience is a virture and virtue is a grace. Both of these together make a very pretty face face. Imagine saying this to a boy. Ha ha! I think I thought of that because of a book I am reading set in 1951-1961 so far.

          • Mica

            Holly, that’s wonderful! I started reading the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, because it was the most interesting thing within arm’s reach, and it’s all about ‘restraint and modifications of the mindstuff’ 🙂

    • Mica

      The different colors on hydrangeas are fun, Rabbit 🙂 I think it might be because the acid level of the flowers changes as they get older

      • Mary

        Years ago I heard that if the soil is acidic hydrangeas will be pink, if alkaline they will be blue. But now I think hydrangeas are either bred to be pink or blue and soil acidity doesn’t matter.

        • Mica
          Yes, it makes sense that hydrangeas come in different colors. Indeed the web says: Hydrangeas are available in pink, purple, blue, white, and green across several species. Some species change color based on the pH in the soil. Acidic soils will lead some to turn blue, while an alkaline soil will cause your Hydrangeas to bloom pink. And with aging: All hydrangea blooms turn different colors as they age. The most common color for pink and blue hydrangeas to turn is green (especially in the South w...

          Yes, it makes sense that hydrangeas come in different colors.
          Indeed the web says: Hydrangeas are available in pink, purple, blue, white, and green across several species. Some species change color based on the pH in the soil. Acidic soils will lead some to turn blue, while an alkaline soil will cause your Hydrangeas to bloom pink.
          And with aging: All hydrangea blooms turn different colors as they age. The most common color for pink and blue hydrangeas to turn is green (especially in the South where climates are hot and humid). After the blooms turn green, they may pick up shades of pink and burgundy.
          Green! I’ll look for that 🙂

          Read More
          • Rabbit

            The ones I see in the fall in Michigan are a variety named Limelight or similar so I think they are intended to be green. I laughed at changing color with age. You all sound younger than me but the age spots and new freckles make you think you are changing color. 😂😎

    • Mary

      I love hydrangeas. Lovely

  • Mike S

    Greetings everyone. I hope you all are doing well. Here’s a photo of my wife Maggie. and I. next year we will celebrate 30 years of happy marriage.💕☺️

    • Holly in Ohio

      Wonderful!
      YOu make a lovely couple! 😃

    • lotus blossom

      congratulations on your 30th, Mike and Maggie. beautiful photo!

    • Mary

      Nice picture, Mike!
      Maybe I’ll get brave and post one of my husband and myself.

    • Palm

      Good to see you again, dear Mike and to “meet” your lovely wife. Thank you for this picture and congratulations to both of you.

    • Rabbit

      You are a lovely couple. Enjoy each minute together. I was inspired by the gratefulness word for the day today. It seemed about love.

    • Anna

      Your wife and you are wonderful Mike! Congratulations and best wishes as your anniversary approaches. Thanks for sharing!

  • Mica

    A quilt for Rabbit

    • Rabbit

      Thank you Mica. It is pretty and eye catching. My husband likes the geometric quilts and I tend to the picture. They are all lovely. Such an accomplishment too. I like the dolly. Thanks for including her. I was just talking to my neighbor about my childhood dolls. Maybe I will post a picture of them.

      • Mica

        She’s Patricia, named after my mother’s Patricia and given to me in 1950 after which my mother put her Patricia into our coal furnace. I was going to donate her [Patricia, not my mother!] to a thrift store, but I read a book about emotional suffering from climate change worries, and it recommended having something comforting around you.
        And, Rabbit, I replied about the quilt to Michele below 🙂

    • Michele

      this reminds me of the old arcade game Q*bert:)

      • Mica
        They’re Escher-inspired blocks, Michele – I took a quilting zoom class from Karen Combs for making quilt tops with a 3D look, but the pattern was too complex for me, and my corners didn’t meet, so I simplified it to this. Indeed, I see the same pattern when I search ‘Q*bert' 🙂 I’m not mentioning the search engine I used, because this site gets lots of spam and they often filter posts that mention that search engine, as a kind Gratefulness person informed me when I complained that I ...

        They’re Escher-inspired blocks, Michele – I took a quilting zoom class from Karen Combs for making quilt tops with a 3D look, but the pattern was too complex for me, and my corners didn’t meet, so I simplified it to this. Indeed, I see the same pattern when I search ‘Q*bert’ 🙂
        I’m not mentioning the search engine I used, because this site gets lots of spam and they often filter posts that mention that search engine, as a kind Gratefulness person informed me when I complained that I repeatedly failed to post one of my posts 😐

        Read More
    • Holly in Ohio

      Oh my gosh, Mica! What an amazing quilt!!!! 😃

  • Rabbit

    Here is a quote from my collection.

    • Holly in Ohio

      This is a wonderful quote, Rabbit. I certainly have ‘blunders and absurdities’ in my days, so this speaks to me. 🙂

    • Palm

      Dear Rabbit, I love this quote, I was trying to repeat it to my daughter the other day and could not remember the author. Now, here it is! Thank you

      • Rabbit

        Don’t you love it when these kinds of things happen? Thank you for letting me know. 💕

        • Palm

          Yes, I do love it when these kind of things happen! 🌸❣️

  • Mica

    You are an incredible mystery that you will never figure out. To be this mystery consciously is the greatest joy.” ~ Adyashanti
    This is the quote that my ‘gratefulness’ doc was originally named for!

  • Ose

    Greetings to you, dear friends. Some peaceful impression of yesterday´s beauty for you. Enjoy!

    • lotus blossom

      so very serene, Ose. thank you.

    • Palm

      Beautiful, dear Ose, thank you.

    • Mary

      Such beautiful sky and water, Ose. And lovely reflections.
      Such a treat to see! Thank you Ose! 🧡🧡🧡

      • Ose

        Happy that you also enjoy the beauty of natures glowing in stillness! It was a beautiful moment.

    • Holly in Ohio

      That is so beautiful Ose! 🤗

      I hope you had a wonderful day today!

      • Ose

        Yes I had, dear Holly! It was an evening together with some friends and sharing dinner sitting in a restaurant directly at this lovely waterside, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Thank you for your reply and concern, dear friend.

    • Anna

      This helps me slow down, calm my thoughts, relax, start my vacation.
      Thank you dear Ose, for offering a paradigm for my holidays.
      And good night to everyone here.

      • Ose

        Wishing you happy and recreational holidays, dear Anna, that you really may relax from the very demanding time accompanying your mother. When my brother in law was so sick with the same disease, I could sometimes jump in so that my sister could have a day off, and covering only one or two days already were really demanding sometimes. I pull off all hats for your engagement with your mother and your loyalty and , yes, love for her. Wishing you strength and a peaceful heart, my dear friend.

        • Anna

          Thank you dear Ose, you are always so kind. I am so happy to see you here, and to read you words.

    • Butterfly

      Thank you, Ose, your picture made me take a deep breath 😊

      • Ose

        Me too 🙂 Thank you, dear gentle soul.

      • Mica

        Your reply made me take a deep breath, Butterfly – I was just admiring and enjoying Ose’s beautiful photo, but the deep breath adds a lot 🙂

        • Ose

          Thank you for your reply, dear Mica.🌸

        • Mary

          Yes Butterfly, like Mica, your reply made me take a deep breath as well!

  • Sinda

    Good morning!!!
    Tea on the sill, skincare.
    Manifesting crystals for free on YouTube. Anything I want.
    I hope you dream of anything you want for free
    Read books alongside of each other
    Let thunderstorms rock your source
    Play with makeup, male or female
    Rouge

    • Mary

      Lovely! I’m going to feed my cats and then have some tea too. I love my morning tea.
      Play with make up. I love the play part. I play with paint and other art materials. When I do art, that is.
      How many of us will play today?! 😊

    • Holly in Ohio

      That reads like a poem, Sinda. Such happy thoughts! Good morning!

  • Holly in Ohio
    I'm so proud of my 'kids,' ages 20, 22, and 25, for being practical. They are all moving to Columbus (for O.S.U.) and getting their first apartments, and they are only too happy to get hand-me-downs to set up their households, so we shopped our house! It is helping me to downsize, and helped them with their budgets! For months I've been going through cupboards and pulling out extra baking dishes, pots and pans, linens, chopping boards, fixed up our old electric teakettle, refinished a dresser.....

    I’m so proud of my ‘kids,’ ages 20, 22, and 25, for being practical. They are all moving to Columbus (for O.S.U.) and getting their first apartments, and they are only too happy to get hand-me-downs to set up their households, so we shopped our house! It is helping me to downsize, and helped them with their budgets! For months I’ve been going through cupboards and pulling out extra baking dishes, pots and pans, linens, chopping boards, fixed up our old electric teakettle, refinished a dresser… anything I could find that would be useful to them that my husband and I will no longer need. If it was on their “needs” list and I didn’t have it, we went shopping at thrift stores first, where we found a toaster and other things. They were all thoughtful and they didn’t want to have in their apartments more than they really needed and would use, and they don’t mind if it isn’t new. I did find or make a few new things, too, and I hope still to make some cloth napkins. I’m pleased that they aren’t a frivolous lot! Today, boxes and boxes of stuff are going into the U-Haul, and I have never felt so satisfied to declutter in my life! I’m on my way to downsizing and they are happy and I am very happy. 😄 Here is the teakettle, after replacing the filter, regluing the top with heat tolerant glue, and cleaning it up! It works well!

    Read More
    • Sinda

      Wonderful, I went to OSU for art, worked there for tuition, I loved Columbus, made so many friends

      • Holly in Ohio

        My daughter Louise will be studying art there, too! She is quite talented and made it to the national semi-finals in the Scholastic competition. 🙂 How nice to know you went before her! 🌻

    • Mary

      This sounds wonderful Holly. I’m happy for anyone to take things I no longer need or want, but to have your children bring your lovingly used household and kitchen items into their new homes is a whole new level of wonderful! And how great that they will be living with and nearby each other! All so lovely and heartwarming to hear! ❤️❤️❤️

    • Rabbit

      Are they triplets?

      • Holly in Ohio
        hahaha.. no! My kids came with my husband and emigrated with him almost 12 years ago. Perhaps because of that and because I encouraged it, they are close, as far as siblings go. Two of them have decided to get an apartment together, the other one is getting an apartment with a friend not far away, and two are transferring to Ohio State University, which is why they are all going to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow! But even up here, they hang out together a lot. Their dad and I feel more comfortable wit...

        hahaha.. no! My kids came with my husband and emigrated with him almost 12 years ago. Perhaps because of that and because I encouraged it, they are close, as far as siblings go. Two of them have decided to get an apartment together, the other one is getting an apartment with a friend not far away, and two are transferring to Ohio State University, which is why they are all going to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow! But even up here, they hang out together a lot. Their dad and I feel more comfortable with them moving together, because we know they will look out for eachother, and we are only a couple of hours away, too. We had nothing to do with this plan! They came up with it! 😄

        Read More
        • Rabbit
          That is really a lovely story. My family has never been close, so when I hear a story like this, it is always a wonder to me. The individual flowers making a beautiful garden. That downsizing of "stuff" sounds pretty great too. We have too much stuff in a house way too big for us at our ages. Every time I clean I long for my previous smaller houses and shorter driveway in the winter. I went to Smucker's once on a business trip and I was amazed that there was much less snow than we had in Michiga...

          That is really a lovely story. My family has never been close, so when I hear a story like this, it is always a wonder to me. The individual flowers making a beautiful garden.
          That downsizing of “stuff” sounds pretty great too. We have too much stuff in a house way too big for us at our ages. Every time I clean I long for my previous smaller houses and shorter driveway in the winter. I went to Smucker’s once on a business trip and I was amazed that there was much less snow than we had in Michigan.

          Read More
          • Holly in Ohio
            In Columbus, yes, they have less snow. Up here by Lake Erie we have Lake Effect. I'm on the edge of it so I don't get much more, but east of Cleveland they get dumps of snow! My family growing up was not close either, Rabbit. My brother didn't speak to anyone for years. I worked at communicating with him, and we have a better relationship now... not close, but friendly. We can make new families with long term friends, Rabbit. Here is a picture of snow at my house. Maybe this image will co...

            In Columbus, yes, they have less snow. Up here by Lake Erie we have Lake Effect. I’m on the edge of it so I don’t get much more, but east of Cleveland they get dumps of snow!

            My family growing up was not close either, Rabbit. My brother didn’t speak to anyone for years. I worked at communicating with him, and we have a better relationship now… not close, but friendly. We can make new families with long term friends, Rabbit.

            Here is a picture of snow at my house. Maybe this image will cool us off today!

            Read More
    • Mica

      Those tea kettles are great. It’s wonderful to have a home for your stuff! I’m moving stuff around, what with Rudi’s arrival, but don’t have anyone who wants it. With Brownie’s demise, I have a number of old pot holders and dish towels from his extensive bedding, but do people want that kind of old stuff?? Such good news about your ‘kids,’ Holly! 🙂 🙂 🙂 = 3 kids

      • Mary

        Any animal shelter would probably love to have bedding materials.

        • Mica

          Thanks for the suggestion, Mary – we quilters make cat beds for our local animal shelters. The one I made is too small for my very big cat, so I think I’ll donate it.

      • Holly in Ohio
        We have a very local "free cycle" type facebook page for our community, where people are often listing free things. I listed my old boxspring on it and someone came to pick it up. It feels a bit safer with it being just for our town. Our community center also accepts things and they have a free table where people go in to the free food pantry, and if your items can be used in the kitchen again, I know women's shelters need things for women and their children starting over. They will take most us...

        We have a very local “free cycle” type facebook page for our community, where people are often listing free things. I listed my old boxspring on it and someone came to pick it up. It feels a bit safer with it being just for our town. Our community center also accepts things and they have a free table where people go in to the free food pantry, and if your items can be used in the kitchen again, I know women’s shelters need things for women and their children starting over. They will take most useful household items, bedding, and toys. I hope that gave you a few ideas. There are also some charities such as Easter Seals that do a curbside pickup about once a month, and you just call them for them to stop at your home the next time they are driving through. You could probably get together with some neighbors for that. They usually sell things to raise funds.

        Read More
    • lotus blossom

      i am cheering them on, Holly. what an adventure. and to be so proud of them and part of the process of this move. wow. you are linked together by the sharing of these gifts. decluttering may be a natural process but it has spiritual implications i believe. the clearing out of space. it is a good feeling. celebrating their frugality!!

      • Holly in Ohio

        I’m celebrating low impact living, too. It feels like I’m passing the Olympic torch, lol. 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

  • Rabbit

    Would someone please tell me how to post the little emojis?

    • Mica

      Yes! I use https://getemoji.com/ like Holly does 🙂 but usually I’m too lazy to do anything except paste the colon with the straight line or one of the parentheses = 😐 🙂 🙁

      • Rabbit

        That you Mica. 💻 I had a boss that liked to say, “Brain surgery is easy if you know how to do it.” 👩‍⚕️

        • Mica

          Fun! That reminds me, Rabbit, of “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do [something] 🙂

      • Rabbit

        The lines are classic. Thank you. 🙂

    • Holly in Ohio
      Sure, Rabbit! There are a couple of ways of doing it. If you have a Windows system, try holding down your window key and then pressing the period key. It takes a moment but you should have a window pop up where you can select things like: 🐰🐇 Another way you can do it is there are many websites where you can "cut and paste" emoji. One of them is https://getemoji.com/ The cut and paste should also work if you have a Mac. I know there are other ways of doing it when you have a Mac, but...

      Sure, Rabbit! There are a couple of ways of doing it. If you have a Windows system, try holding down your window key and then pressing the period key. It takes a moment but you should have a window pop up where you can select things like: 🐰🐇

      Another way you can do it is there are many websites where you can “cut and paste” emoji. One of them is
      https://getemoji.com/

      The cut and paste should also work if you have a Mac. I know there are other ways of doing it when you have a Mac, but perhaps someone else can answer that.

      Read More
      • Rabbit

        Just tried the Windows way too. 💕💕 That is even better. Thanks so much!

      • Rabbit

        Thank you. Hopefully you will see one soon. 🙂

      • Mica

        🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛😘😁💕👍Wow! Thanks, Holly! My gmail has easy emojis but I didn’t know about these Windows ones 😉

        • Holly in Ohio

          How is 🐱 today? Has he come out from under the 🛏?

          • Holly in Ohio

            I’m so glad he is doing better! 😊
            It will get better from here, I think!

          • Mica

            Wonderful! He was a social butterfly this morn and came out this afternoon too – 2 beds now – mine and the spare bed 🙂
            He has a flower fountain and it seemed like he drank about as much out of it just now as he has drunk all week, more or less 🙂
            It’s a bummer that cats can’t be trusted to drink enough. My friends have to inject water under the skin of their old cats 🙁

  • Rabbit

    Today’s stop on the garden tour is at my friend Carol’s house. These daises come from a clump that we gave her. Amazing how nature can begin again. A metaphor for us.

  • Anna

    This is for Palm: my answer to your reply is in a wrong place, I don’t know why it is right below Mary’s post. 😊

    • Palm

      Dear Anna, that’s ok 😊 I got your answer, and I wanted to say it was interesting to know more about lake Como, thank you, friend

  • Mary

    Hi Pilgrim. Just wanted you to know that I responded to a response of yours about memories of August way down below. ♥️
    Mary

    • Pilgrim

      Hi Mary, Thank you! I’m glad you pointed me to your message … answered below!

  • Mary
    It’s Tuesday evening, so I made it in time for Prayer Tuesday. 🙂 I really don’t pray much anymore. I think I mentioned this sometime back that I have been having a bit of a dry spell in my spirituality. But I can be grateful and that may be a form of prayer. I’ll try my own grateful list. * I am grateful for rain after so much heat. I can hear the rain pouring down outside in a very electrical storm. It stormed like this last night too. * I’m grateful for my little cat family, Elizabe...

    It’s Tuesday evening, so I made it in time for Prayer Tuesday. 🙂
    I really don’t pray much anymore. I think I mentioned this sometime back that I have been having a bit of a dry spell in my spirituality. But I can be grateful and that may be a form of prayer. I’ll try my own grateful list.
    * I am grateful for rain after so much heat. I can hear the rain
    pouring down outside in a very electrical storm. It stormed like this last night too.
    * I’m grateful for my little cat family, Elizabeth Anne, mother kitty, Coco her Siamese daughter and her son Bert, my wonderful puff of light orange fur. The kittens, over a year old now, are still running and chasing each other around the house as though they are small kittens, only now they are big and make quite a rumpus! But they are cute and funny and make my husband and I laugh all the time.
    * I’m also grateful for cold water on hot days
    * and of course air conditioning.
    Okay, ending list.
    I was interested to read about your self care Holly.
    I’m learning to speak more kindly to myself, and correct myself when I slip.
    I went out with my younger sister today. We had a good talk about family life during childhood and we talked about Jean, our youngest sister who died in February of this year. Her 59th birthday would have been the the second week of August.
    So I’m having the family over this Sunday. It will be good to gather as a family in honor of Jean’s birthday.
    I pray that all of us grow in our ability to give ourselves loving self care, so that we can care for ourselves, while at the same time giving love and care to one another.
    Blessings, love, serenity, and peace to all. ♥️♥️♥️
    Mary

    Read More
    • lotus blossom

      beautiful, Mary. i enjoyed reading your gratefulness list.

    • Palm

      Dear Mary, to me your posts are prayers.. thank you for sharing your gratefulness. Kittens are a joy, my daughter discovered yesterday that Entropy loves being put in a box, we had a lot of play and laughter together too.. I like giving him kisses, something I can’t do with my daughter because she dislikes them…
      Love and blessings to you, Mary and all ❤️

      • Anna

        Thank you, a big hug dear Palm!
        Yes, I took the photo on the last trip with my husband and my friends. We went hiking along Lago di Como on a path called “Green Way”. Como is a tourist city mainly for Northern Europe and the United States, so the English language is used.
        Before the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Russians also went there.

      • Mary
        Dear Palm, cats and boxes!😆 They are funny little creatures. My 2 one year old kittens have been fighting over a small box for the last few days. The smaller Siamese, Coco, gets into it and then the bigger orange boy, Bert, starts batting at her until she gets out. Then he tries to get in but he’s too big to fit, so he smashes himself into it the best he can. He will stay about 10 minutes, then gets out because I don’t think he really enjoys being so smashed in. So then she gets back in. ...

        Dear Palm, cats and boxes!😆
        They are funny little creatures. My 2 one year old kittens have been fighting over a small box for the last few days. The smaller Siamese, Coco, gets into it and then the bigger orange boy, Bert, starts batting at her until she gets out. Then he tries to get in but he’s too big to fit, so he smashes himself into it the best he can. He will stay about 10 minutes, then gets out because I don’t think he really enjoys being so smashed in. So then she gets back in. This has been going on for days. Oh my! I give my cats kisses too. They make me laugh so much!
        Sending love to you Palm. ♥️
        Mary

        Read More
        • Palm

          Dear Mary, that is so funny 😀😻 Love to you ❤️ from Palm

        • Holly in Ohio
          😂 Thank you for that, Mary! Many years ago I had two cats 'accidentally.' My first one went missing, and an unknown cat that met the description was left on our front porch! Then after three weeks we found our first one. But the new one was twice as long and twice as heavy! We had a little carpeted cat den that the little one liked. Not to be put out, the big one had to try everything his "big sister" did. Only he didn't fit. So we would often find him with his front half in the den, and h...

          😂 Thank you for that, Mary!
          Many years ago I had two cats ‘accidentally.’ My first one went missing, and an unknown cat that met the description was left on our front porch! Then after three weeks we found our first one. But the new one was twice as long and twice as heavy! We had a little carpeted cat den that the little one liked. Not to be put out, the big one had to try everything his “big sister” did. Only he didn’t fit. So we would often find him with his front half in the den, and his rear half sticking out. He looked quite silly! 😂 Did he know he wasn’t completely in it?

          Read More
          • Mary

            So funny! I’m picturing this, and chuckling to myself. 😸😸

      • Palm

        I am glad you will have a family gathering to remember your dear sister. That will be special. The birthday of my daughter’s former teacher would have also been in August and I have been thinking how to honour her. I also like Holly’s idea of doing something she liked. I am also thinking of contacting a common friend

        • Mary

          Doing both or either would be so lovely. ♥️

    • Mica

      Warm wishes to you, Mary – your cat’s offspring were both a Siamese and a light orange cat?? Thanks for sharing – cat shares entertain me much more now that Rudi lives with me. Be kind to yourself 🙂

      • Mary

        The Siamese looks completely Siamese but she is of course a mix, because her mother has no noticeable Siamese in her. I recently found out that occasionally cats from the same litter can have different fathers. It seems to me that may be the case with my kittens. They are opposites in personality and looks.
        How are things going with Rudi?

        • Mica

          Nicely, thank you, Mary – he’s fun to interact with, and I’m starting to get comfortable with his dietary needs and meager eating. I like the idea of your cat having kittens with different fathers. That sounds like a likely explanation 😉

    • Holly in Ohio
      I love your happy list for today, Mary.These days may of us are appreciating the gift of rain, something we no longer take for granted. I can picture your kittens wrestling with eachother! 🐱 What a wonderful appreciation of your life in these moments! I have lost my mother, my father, and my sister. I try to honor their birthdays by doing something they enjoyed doing. It makes the memory a little softer and sweeter. My sister's birthday is in July. She loved the ballet, violin, opera, medici...

      I love your happy list for today, Mary.These days may of us are appreciating the gift of rain, something we no longer take for granted. I can picture your kittens wrestling with eachother! 🐱 What a wonderful appreciation of your life in these moments!
      I have lost my mother, my father, and my sister. I try to honor their birthdays by doing something they enjoyed doing. It makes the memory a little softer and sweeter. My sister’s birthday is in July. She loved the ballet, violin, opera, medicine and nursing, Paris, travel and other cultures, Julia Child, and Agatha Christie. I usually celebrate her memory by making a recipe out of my Julia Child cookbook, or reading or viewing an Agatha Christie mystery. It is low key, but she feels closer to me, with this quiet little ritual. I hope your get together is filled with more sweet than sorrow, but if sorrow comes, you have at least the sweetness of family together. ❤

      Read More
      • Mary
        Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response, Holly. I love your idea of celebrating loved ones by doing things they enjoyed in their lifetime. I had not thought about doing that, but will remember this as I celebrate Jean’s life with family on Sunday and on her birthday. It all feels so raw now. Yes the kittens are hilarious. Animals can bring so much joy! I hope your self care journey is going well. I know that you are wise and conscious of your feelings and triggers. I agree that sup...

        Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response, Holly. I love your idea of celebrating loved ones by doing things they enjoyed in their lifetime. I had not thought about doing that, but will remember this as I celebrate Jean’s life with family on Sunday and on her birthday.
        It all feels so raw now.

        Yes the kittens are hilarious. Animals can bring so much joy!
        I hope your self care journey is going well. I know that you are wise and conscious of your feelings and triggers. I agree that support on this website can be so helpful! Help like this can make all the difference.
        Sending love to you my friend, 😸🥰🙋🏻‍♀️
        Mary

        Read More
    • Anna
      Thank you Mary, for your meditation on Prayer Tuesday. My holidays begin next Monday and I plan to enjoy everything I have in those times. First of all, I will take care of myself, because I have to be with my mother for a while and her Alzheimer's has worsened. It's a real challenge for me, it's hard to admit that she is so sick. At the same time, her way of being is a constant reminder of what negatively impacted my childhood and youth, so I often lose patience with her and know I can be mo...

      Thank you Mary, for your meditation on Prayer Tuesday.
      My holidays begin next Monday and I plan to enjoy everything I have in those times.
      First of all, I will take care of myself, because I have to be with my mother for a while and her Alzheimer’s has worsened.
      It’s a real challenge for me, it’s hard to admit that she is so sick. At the same time, her way of being is a constant reminder of what negatively impacted my childhood and youth, so I often lose patience with her and know I can be more adorable.
      Yet she is always here, beside me, and always with me and my husband. When we are home, she immediately leaves her house and comes to us, always asking and asking and asking about the time of day, the day of the week, and messing with her own thoughts. Without my husband I would not be able to live up to this commitment. This is a grace.
      I have health problems and a doctor told me I have a lot to put up with ….
      Anyway, dear Mary, I love my surroundings, my husband, my children, my friends my life, and in the midst of these troubled times and in this arid spiritual time, in the midst of this grueling drought, when i take a trip, when i drive to my work places i am always amazed by the sky, the mountains, the lovely people …
      How could I deny the wonder that surrounds me, look at my picture below, Mary, what do you think?
      A big hug to you and all my friends here.

      Read More
      • Palm
        Dear Anna, the image is breathtaking, I guess is Lago di Como, I’ve heard it is so beautiful... Thank you for your last answer to me, I didn’t know what progressive lenses meant, so I looked it up.. I’m glad you found the right solution. I continue doing medical check ups. Today, I was at the dentist/ friend of the village for the first time, I am grateful, he is so competent and kind. Like our friends, I wish you patience and grace with you mom. I have a neighbour who is in a similar ...

        Dear Anna, the image is breathtaking, I guess is Lago di Como, I’ve heard it is so beautiful…
        Thank you for your last answer to me, I didn’t know what progressive lenses meant, so I looked it up.. I’m glad you found the right solution. I continue doing medical check ups. Today, I was at the dentist/ friend of the village for the first time, I am grateful, he is so competent and kind.
        Like our friends, I wish you patience and grace with you mom. I have a neighbour who is in a similar situation, so I can understand.
        You have holidays, at last!
        A big hug to you, Anna

        Read More
      • Mica

        Oh dear Anna – do be kind to yourself as you interact with your mother!! Do forgive yourself for losing patience with her! My friend Anna lives with her 90-yr-old mother, which is a dreadful burden for her, so I have a tiny idea of what you’re going through when your mother is around. Hugs to you {{{{Anna}}}}

      • Mary
        Anna, the scenery in your picture is amazing! I enlarged it to full screen on my iPad and enjoyed looking at it all the more. The mountains, the water, the trees, the architecture, and the lovely clay rooftops of homes. This is truly an amazing place to live. It reminds me of a painting from the Renaissance. Thanks so much for posting this picture. It is a joy to see! I am so sorry for all the heart ache you are going through with your Mom. I can imagine what a jumble of conflicting feel...

        Anna, the scenery in your picture is amazing! I enlarged it to full screen on my iPad and enjoyed looking at it all the more. The mountains, the water, the trees, the architecture, and the lovely clay rooftops of homes. This is truly an amazing place to live. It reminds me of a painting from the Renaissance. Thanks so much for posting this picture. It is a joy to see!

        I am so sorry for all the heart ache you are going through with your Mom. I can imagine what a jumble of conflicting feelings I would feel if I were in your situation. To me the hardest part would be the way your Mom comes over as soon as you get home. Will your husband sit with her for maybe an hour at a time and let you have some time to yourself? Can your sons do this for you? Your sisters? I am really feeling this for you Anna. I pray that you will continue to be given grace, and help, as you continue on this journey. One day at a time. Also is there a support group you could join for care givers or others in your situation?

        Sorry to hear about your health problems. Doctors can be very unhelpful, and unskilled in dealing with the feelings of their patients. It seems my problems with my hip and now my knee are caused by arthritis. So I will continue with physical therapy, exercise, and other things that I hear of that can be helpful.

        I am excited for your holiday coming up next week. Your grateful attitude about so many things will carry you through any hardships you are going through. Such a gorgeous magical place that you live in!!! It looks Ike a place of fairy tales. Enjoy your holiday!!
        Sending so much love to you Anna ♥️♥️♥️
        Mary

        Read More
      • Holly in Ohio

        A gorgeous photo, Anna.

        I can imagine how trying your situation is with your mother. Please be forgiving of yourself of losing patience, and don’t neglect caring for your own needs. Patience is a very difficult art! Sending love to you, Anna. ❤❤❤❤❤

      • Kate

        Anna, my heart is with you. My dear husband passed away a year ago from Lewy Body Dementia. There were some very rough days, where my patience was thin, I was exhausted, and didn’t really know how to go on. I leaned on my son, daughter, son-in-law, and dear friends. Somehow we all made it through it. Prayers for you on this journey.

        • Mary

          I am sorry to hear what you had to go through with your dear husband, Kate. I can imagine that it must have felt like too much for a person to bear. Thankfully you had friends and loved ones to help you get through.
          Sending love♥️
          Mary

        • Anna

          Thank you, dear Kate, from my heart.

      • Anna

        Stop being a glass, become a lake!
        I will meditate on this article…it perfectly fits…

  • Rabbit

    Two bunnies greet us on today’s garden tour.

This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A.

DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png

© 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living

Website by Briteweb

0

Your Cart