grateful, day 8...Shutterfly

1. I'm grateful for Shutterfly.
I am sure most of you have heard of Shutterfly, the online source for all your photography prints, photo books, cards and gifts. It's getting to be that time of year where I start thinking about creating Christmas cards so I started checking out Shutterfly's designs for this year. On this link to their Christmas photo cards, I immediately spotted this beautiful Starlight Snowflakes card in the 1st row of page 1.It is striking with a family photo but I usually create my cards with nature photos unless there has been a big family event to share that year. What do you think of this version with a woodpecker?I found two more cards I love on page 4 of this link to their Christmas stationery cards. Paper Snowflakes is on row one and it is a folded greeting card with room for more inside photos and text.It is great looking with that family photo but I think it is gorgeous with a living spruce tree adorned with nature's ornaments.Staying on that same page 4 - row 4, is Tree Topper Red.
It is a perfect layout for my annual bird's Christmas tree photo.2. I am grateful for technology - it is actually quite fun to sit in the comfort of my recliner and play with my photos in these various cards and other projects. In this digital era we can do almost anything with our photos so very different from my first camera where you had to fill up the roll of film, bring it to the store and pick it up in a week.
I have made several Shutterfly photo books already on my garden, an ABC book of my whole extended family, of Emily,and my kids's wedding albums.The books are excellent quality and make great gifts. Since I have already done photo books as Christmas gifts in the past, this year I am thinking of creating a garden photo calender. Shutterfly has several wall, desk & poster styles at their Photo Calenders link. I'm thinking a customized wall calendar with everyone's birthdays and anniversaries is a great gift idea - what do you think?3. I am really grateful for Shutterfly's offer to all bloggers!
Did you know that if you are a blogger and you write a blog post showcasing Shutterfly's wonderful products you will receive 50 free holiday cards? That is one heck of a holiday gift in my opinion especially since I am familiar with their quality products and not afraid to recommend them.
Check out their offer HERE at this link. * Bloggers are eligible to receive 50 holiday cards. Free cards are for 5×7 folded or flat stationery cards. Offer ends December 31, 2010. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply.

grateful, day 7...steeple Sunday

Holy Trinity Episcopal church, Luverne, MN. This church was built in 1891 of Sioux Quartzite, a rock that was quarried locally.

It was placed on the National Register of Historical Buildings in 1975.
One piece of modern construction on the beautiful building is the handicap accessiblty ramp.

Just down the block from this historic church is the Rock County Courthouse also built from locally quarried Sioux Quartzite in 1888 and renovated in 1988 at a cost of $1 million.
The Sioux Quartzite quarry where the rock for these buildings came from is now part of Blue Mounds State Park. The Blue Mounds Interpretive Center is built into the side wall of the former quarry.
It is the former home of author Frederick Manfred.
The home is literally built onto the quartzite wall with odd room projections and stairwells...
The restroom was no exception.

1. I'm grateful that I live in a country with freedom of speech and religion.
2. I'm grateful that J & I are fortunate enough to be able to afford cycles and enjoy our excursions out and about in our beautiful state, discovering steeples, parks and more history than we ever expected.
3. I'm grateful for chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries :)

grateful, day 6...

1. I'm grateful for a day of gorgeous weather.
I spent the whole day outside working on projects and by mid afternoon I didn't even need my coat! Pretty unusual for November 5th!

2. I'm grateful for a surprise visit from my nephew, Kyle, today.
It was great to see him stop in - we shared a few laughs, which are always good for the soul.

3. I'm grateful for leftovers - after my busy day I am too tired to cook, too tired to go out and when you live out in the country in the middle of nowhere there is no such thing as takeout or delivery.

grateful, day 5...

1. I am grateful for the flock of pine siskins that arrived this week.
It is fun to watch their energy while flitting about and their shows of jealousy in the feeder tray.

2. I am grateful for the Love between Brittany and Matt, we will be celebrating their wedding with them tonight (our 7th since June).

3. I am grateful for the color "blaze orange" - lots of our friends will be out hunting this weekend and the orange safety coats, vests and hats make it a little safer for those participating.


Have a great weekend all!

grateful, day 4...

I had a busy day today so didn't have time to take any photos. These are from one of my trips to Duluth in October. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd photos were taken on Seven Bridges Road.

1. I am grateful for rainbows...don't they brighten your mood anytime you see one?
This rainbow was taken at sunset from Canal Park in Duluth.
2. I'm grateful for beautiful sunsets.
Sunset behind the Duluth lift bridge.
3. I'm grateful that my friend's husband was called back to work. It was a long layoff and they handled it with grace but it is a wonderful relief to be employed again.

grateful, day 3...

1. I'm grateful for early morning quiet. The time of day when it is quite dark, the moon is out and the sun is just starting to light up the horizon. A perfect time to reflect on all that is good in life.

2. I'm grateful for my backyard bird visitors. Some are colorful, some are plain and brown...but they all bring me joy with their daily antics at the feeders.

3. Today, I am most grateful that I got my lens on my good camera working again. I had put it away in October and had been using my purse sized camera but there is no comparision in photo quality. I consulted with a reputable camera guy and he told me to clean off the contacts on the lens with an eraser - and it worked!






Every day I put out a cup of peanuts in the shell for the bluejays. I like to hide them in different spots and see how long it takes them to find them. Lately, I think they are out watching for me as I barely get back in the house and they start arriving for a quick grab and go.

grateful day 2...

1. I'm grateful for mild weather the last 4 days so I could get my gardens cleaned up for winter.

While cleaning out the wildflower garden I discovered this little guy, I'm not too excited about the width of his stripe though. According to legend, the wider the stripe the harder the winter, Yikes!

2. I'm grateful for my daughter-in-law, Tammy, who came out today on her day off to help me get some office work done so that I could be finishing up in the gardens this afternoon. Thanks Tammy!

I know there is a quote that says "may all your weeds be wildflowers" but when I found more weeds than wildflowers in the wildflower garden I decided it was time to downsize. Today, I cleaned out the garden and moved the retaining wall in behind the arbor. Next spring we'll till the back end and plant grass.

3. I'm grateful for Advil, my old muscles aren't used to all the work they have been doing the last few days. I feel like a I should be using a walker tonight :)

Ruger surveying the cleaned out garden and giving his approval to the downsizing.


Thanks for all participating in the 3 gratefuls challenge. They are so fun to read.

gratitude...

November is a month of gratitude with a national holiday to celebrate "giving thanks" or Thanksgiving. It is a time to be thankful for all we are blessed with throughout the year and to celebrate those blessings together with family, friends and a giant meal. I like to give thanks every day of the year - not only for the big things in my life but the little unexpected surprises in each day. My daughter, Jayme, and I challenged each other to spend the year 2009 writing down 3 things we are grateful for each day and even on the most boring and mundane days there were small little happenings which we were grateful for. She even made me this frame that hangs in my dining room as a reminder to always (3 times) remember to write them down in my daily planner.

I challenge you, all my readers, to do it for the month of November. Do it for yourselves - discover the little unexpected things to be grateful for in each and every day - once in a while throw in a "big" thing as I am about to do on today's number 1. On the days I am able to blog this month, I will list 3 things and if you would like, I would love it if you shared your 3 with me in the comments. Don't feel obligated and if they are personal I understand, if you only have one I understand - hearing other's share little "gratefuls" allows one to look beyond what they usually see to discover new ways to be grateful in our everyday lives. Even on our worst days look for the blessings to be grateful for - as we walked out of the hospital on the day we lost Ethan we read a quote on a church sign that was definitely a "grateful", too personal to share here but one that gave us hope.

Today, I am grateful for...
1. Benjamin and Alexis, who came last night with their parents trick or treating, who are so loved and cared for as their childhood has been interrupted by first their mom's serious illness 3 years ago and now their dad's. I am grateful for modern medicine and one of the best clinics in the nation being in our home state of MN, to direct Justin's medical care and our faith in God so that their daddy will always be there for them.

It's sort of frivolous to follow that "biggie" with 2 small but that is what the challenge is all about.
2. I am grateful for my husband's trail camera. It is so fun when he switches the memory cards and we see a 100 or so photos of local deer strolling about at all hours of the day.
The nighttime infrared shots are not as clear or in color but who knew they locked antlers at 2:29 am or nursed at 10:37 pm.
One 3 minute time span shows 3 bucks meeting, the biggest one trying to chase away the smaller two and more antler wrestling.

3. This one is really bad but today I am also grateful for some leftover trick or treat candy so that I could enjoy a good piece of chocolate with my coffee while composing this post.

It doesn't count as one of the 3 gratefuls because it is an every day given, but I am also very grateful for all who come and read my blog - it doesn't matter if you comment or not, just that it provides you with some enjoyment or a reason to keep coming back. When the counter stops increasing is when I stop blogging and where else would I show all those photos I take :) I am truly grateful.