Giving Thanks

I'm feeling a lot of gratitude these days - for the ability and the means to travel and learn, for the technology to share our experiences with friends and family, and for those friends and family who share our blessings and are blessings to us. That includes all of you, my virtual friends.  

We were fortunate to have returned in time to see some lingering autumn beauty in our yard when we got back home.  I took these photos last week.

We got the patio cleaned up after all of the cedar debris stopped dropping, and I cleaned out a couple of pots and added some interest for the winter. 

I bought the golden euonymous shrub and the pansy.  The rest came from our own nursery. 

That bush that looks like acuba is really just branches stuck in a container of water in a pot.  It can be swapped out as needed.

Tom's little bonsai grove was looking good.

There is more subtle color in the entry garden.

Today some of this color still lingers.  Maybe this weekend it will finally be time for a final leaf raking on the lawn.  

Our daughter and grand kids are celebrating Thanksgiving with their Colorado family.  Tom and I and Jake will be driving south to my sister's house to join all of her kids and grand kids, as well as my other sister and her husband.  We are so thankful for family to share this day with.

Today I baked pies to take: berry, pecan/hazelnut, and two traditional pumpkins pies, 

 while Tom worked outside in the balmy, dry 60° day (we are between rain storms) to get a start on the outdoor Christmas lights. 

 It looks like we will need to replace a string of lights on the bottom of the boxwood tree on the left.  There's always some reason to have to go back to the hardware store. 

I think we're breaking a rule by having our lights up and on before Thanksgiving, but with so much darkness these days, we welcome their brightness, and so we're doing it anyway!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!  Oh, and Go Seahawks!