grateful, day 30...

Welcome to the final grateful post as November comes to a close. I hope those that participated looked for all the little things in life to be grateful for - I did it each and every day though I didn't always get a chance to post and my journal "gratefuls" didn't really match the ones I put here for public viewing :)

1. I'm grateful to be safe and warm in my home today as the weather outside is nasty!

We had snow overnight and today the winds are blowing, reducing visibility and creating cold windchill temperatures.
I decided to photograph the birdhouses on the clematis trellis and took the above shot first. When I aimed my camera at the second house I spotted something...do you see it?
2. I'm grateful for spotting this little female downy woodpecker housed in the decorative birdhouse!

I imagine she is seeking shelter from the winds but staying close to the feeders today.
I've never spotted a woodpecker in a birdhouse before.
All of the above photos were edited to become lighter but in reality this is what it really looks like outside as I look to the east towards my neighbors yard and grove 1/2 mile away. I just heard on the news we got 8" of snow last night but the winds have blown it off the open fields already.
Same photo edited and lightened since you can't really see the grove on the first shot. You can also see all the snowflecks on my lens in the edited version.

On Thursday, my sister & bil are coming to Minnesota from their home in California for a long weekend of family gatherings. While they visit MN frequently they haven't come during a winter for over 30 years as our weather is too unpredictable and the 2 1/2 hour drive from the airport to our area is not always in the best road conditions. Another sister has nicknamed her a "California Cupcake" because "L" has lost her hearty Minnesota winter blood after living out of state all this time - in fact they are not allowed to complain it is cold in CA during the winter :)

3. Today, I am most grateful that my sister and brother-in-law are coming to visit from California and my brother and sister-in-law are also coming from Texas. I looked up the 7 day weather forecast and driving should be okay - just bring your warm coats! In gratefulness, we promise not to call you cupcakes :)

Today 11/30/2010 Hi: 20° Lo: 6°
Colder...windy...cloudy. Snow likely in the morning... Then a slight chance of snow in the afternoon. Areas of blowing and drifting snow through the day. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs around 20. Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 45 mph. Chance of snow 70 percent. Night - Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy. Lows around 5 above. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph.

Wednesday 12/1/2010 Hi: 18° Lo: 9°
Partly cloudy. Highs 15 to 20. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Night - Mostly cloudy. Lows around 10 above. Northwest winds 5 mph.

Thursday 12/2/2010 Hi: 19° Lo: 11°
Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs around 20. Northwest winds 5 mph. Night - Partly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10.

Friday 12/3/2010 Hi: 25° Lo: 20°
Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the afternoon. Highs 20 to 25. Night - Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Lows around 20.

Saturday 12/4/2010 Hi: 22° Lo: 6°
Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Highs 20 to 25. Night - Mostly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10.

Sunday 12/5/2010 Hi: 11° Lo: 5°
Mostly cloudy. Lows 5 to 10. Highs around 15. Night - Mostly cloudy. Lows zero to 5 above zero.

Monday 12/6/2010 Hi: 12° Lo: 5°
Mostly cloudy. Lows zero to 5 above zero.

grateful, day 29...

A cute little female nuthatch posed for me on Saturday, but today the birds were wet & cold. First we had rain...
then freezing rain turning to snow...
and now the NW winds have picked up and we are in a winter storm warning.

1. I'm most grateful today for a safe trip home on icy roads after giving my husband a ride to pick up a truck.

2. I'm grateful for the joy holiday decorations and lights give me - Tonight as the snow is blowing outside, the cabin lights are on and it is a beautiful sight I have missed since last December.

3. I'm grateful for turkey leftovers - I know everyone else is sick of them but we didn't have our turkey until yesterday :)

grateful, day 28...steeple Sunday

Though the steeple itself wasn't that spectactular I love stone buildings so I stopped to photograph this church in August for steeple Sundays.
The detail in the front window was really gorgeous...
on Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Barnesville, MN.
I'm not sure if this cornerstone reflects the building being built in 1898 or in 1938.


1. I'm grateful to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving once again today with Jeff's family where I know there will be lots of good food and conversations.

2. I'm grateful for alarm clocks...though ours had to go off several times before I had the alertness needed to crawl out of bed and get the turkey in the oven at 5 am.

3. I especially grateful for a wonderful little girl named Alexis who is celebrating her 6th birthday today!

grateful, day 26...

1. I'm grateful for spending a quiet holiday with Nathan & Tammy yesterday. We missed Jayme & Scott but knew they were having a wonderful day with Scott's family.
What is this squirrel up to?
He found a way to get to the corn left for Santa's reindeer and the bluejays.
He sees me at the window and makes a run for it...

ending with a flying leap towards the gazebo.
2. I'm grateful for online shopping, I can't believe that people actually get up to shop when the stores opened for Black Friday at 3 & 4 am...while I was warm and snuggled in my comfy bed.

I really enjoy watching the little chickadees...
and the juncos or "snowbirds" as my dad called them. Has anyone else noticed that more and more of them are taking on brown coloring?

3. I'm grateful for spotting a fox sparrow under the feeder pole today. They are usually only here during spring and fall migration so it is very unusual to see one this late in the season.

grateful, day 25...Happy Thanksgiving!

Today, I wish all who come to read this post a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. May your day be blessed with family, friends and great food...
1. I am grateful that yesterday's predicted ice storm turned into a windy day with a small amount of snow.
2. I'm grateful for a safe travels for those I know who traveled to family today.
3. I'm grateful that we are home and warm in our own house today as it was -1 below zero this am. The birds at the feeders were all fluffed up for warmth including this pine siskin.
I'm grateful that those pesky house sparrows are happy eating the cheap corn screenings rather than the expensive sunflower seeds!

grateful, day 22...mosaic Monday edition

1. I'm grateful that both Jayme & I drove home safely after Minnesota's ice storm this weekend.

Jayme & I spent a weekend in the Twin Cities and woke up Sunday am to the great ice storm that caused 430+ accidents statewide. We waited until noon when the temps reached 32 degrees so that the major roadways would melt before heading home. She drives 2 1/2 hours north and me, 2 hours west and we both had great roads until we got closer to home and got on the county roads. I was not so lucky when I got home and went out to feed the birds and went flying off the back steps and landed on my back - but I am VERY grateful nothing was broken! The rock fountain will be shut off and the lines blown out tonight as it is starting to freeze up as well.
2. I'm grateful for a fun time shopping with Jayme and our blogging friend, Barb, of Foley's Follies who drove up with her sisters from Iowa. We had a great time hunting out bargains and Barb got 2 of the biggest ones :) Kind of funny that we all chose to wear gray that day...

Where else but Minnesota would you see someone having a real snowman in the back of their truck?
3. I'm grateful for the birds and critters that make life interesting.

Squirrel and bluejay antics are quite hilarious to watch some days!

grateful, day 17...

1. I'm grateful that my blog readers are patient with me when I don't blog for a few days :)
I have been so busy I haven't had time to pick up the camera since last Friday, but I finally realized today that I don't have to have a current photo to post in order to blog. This one is from October.

2. I'm VERY grateful that when I logged on to post today's entry, I had hit the 100 followers mark! Wow!!

3. I'm grateful for sisters...I have four of them and today is my sister, Laura's birthday. Happy Birthday Laura!

grateful, day 13...

1. I'm grateful for reading this quote today on a local church sign. "If we pause to think - we have cause to thank"
2. I'm grateful for an unexpected surprise in the mail today.
3. I'm grateful today's snow is already melted.

grateful, day 12...

1. I'm grateful that the first predicted snowstorm of MN is going to miss my area of the state.

2. I'm grateful for the last campfire of the season. It was a chilly afternoon as I got the fish tank cleaned out and filled and emptied the pond of plants so hopefully I can catch my fish this weekend. I cleaned up all the sticks around the lawn and had a last campfire - it was mesmerizing to watch the flames.
3. I'm grateful that just a few minutes ago the western sky also looked like it was in flames.

grateful, day 11...

1. I'm grateful for all veterans - past and present.
2. I'm grateful for sunshine after a day of rain yesterday.
3. I'm grateful for a day off - no mail and no bank means a day off for me :)

grateful, day 10...the wordless Wednesday version

grateful, day 9...

1. I'm grateful for November temperatures that are 20 degrees above our normal averages.
I know being grateful for this beautiful weather our state is experiencing sounds like a rerun of last week's "gratefuls" but it is truly wonderful to be outside enjoying the weather without a coat. Today is forecast to be in the upper 60's and might set a record for this date. It is all supposed to change by Thursday so I will be outside every minute I can until then.

2. I'm grateful that Jeff cleaned out my dryer vents and put a new cover/guard on the outside of our house.
Did you know a mouse can crawl up your dryer vent? Yup, first I had a hole in my lint screen filter and several days later I had a nicely fluffed and dried dead mouse in my load of towels. I'm not depending on the open/close vents anymore there is now a rodent guard surrounding them :)
3. I'm grateful for having enough food to eat when I know many in the world do not.
In our November church newsletter our Pastor shared 2 additional lines to the common table prayer.
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest
and let these gifts to us be blest.
And may there be a goodly share
On every table everywhere, Amen.
The above bluejay photo is cropped and enlarged from the grateful, day 3 post. I never noticed until now that he actually had 2 peanuts shoved in his mouth - I think I would choke having a peanut shell that far back in my throat.