Give Thanks Day 1

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. So every day until Thanksgiving, I'm going to give thanks for something in my life.

Today, it's my family. God blessed me with the most fantastic, loving, loyal family on the planet. We may be a disfunctional mix of steps and halves and full bloods, but we work. My mom died when I was 3 years old. My little sister and I were raised by my dad.  He married my step mom when I was like 8yo, and that brought my two step sisters, and they brought their two half sisters.  We also have a half sister from my dad before he met my real mom.

This leaves me with six amazing sisters. My parents have siblings. Many many siblings. I've got a slew of aunts and uncles and cousins around the country. And they are all amazing too.

Growing up, we had family meals each night. Our Easters and Thankgsgivings and Christmases are a flood of happy, warm memories, with a celebration of good food, laughter, games, church and pretty lights.

My family is something I cherish.

I grew up with friends who didnt have the same childhood I had. Either they were raised by a single parent who didnt try as hard as they could. Their unorganized homes smelling of stale cigarettes and burnt food, with dim, ugly lighting.

I feel so lucky at the family I come from. They are good people who gave me every opportunity to succeed and be happy.  And because of them, I am.  Lord thank you for my family.

Duck, Duck... Goose?

Are you guys sick of reading about dogs? 

Aussies?

I talk about them... quite often.  I won't apologize.  But I will change the subject.

Would you rather talk about....

Duck?

Duck?


Goose?

Llama?

Eeore?


I really loved the Eeore. But he was kind of mean to the other donkeys in the paddock.

I'm not a Llama fan either. But this guy was so beautiful I couldn't help snapping his picture.

And who woulda thunk that birds could photograph so beautifully?

There, you happy?  No dogs!

Oh.  Well except at the top...

I never said I was perfect!

October North

Last month Red and I took a weekend off from our lives and headed north with my sister and her man.
It was during a time when my anxiety was getting the better of me and I needed some time with no responsibilities, no phone, no computer and no schedule. We relaxed in the sun, the boys went fishing while Jenny and I went paddle boating and to see some of the town. Wine and campfires and dogs running around their little gypsy camp type property in one of the most beautiful areas by the MN/WI border.

It was just what I needed.

This photo almost hurts my eyes.  Its the sun coming to set on Poplar Lake.


It was crystal clear.


On another note, does my dog kind of look like a deer?