I am thankful for the inspiration I find on social media.
I know for a lot of people, social media brings feelings of envy. If someone you follow makes you feel this way, I encourage you to take a break from following that person (or persons) and follow those that make you feel inspired.
I have found such inspiration from so many people (especially women). It has made me wonder what talents people have that I see on a regular basis that are not always apparent. Someone may have a great talent for home decor or cooking that I might never know if they didn’t share it online. Someone may be really good at taking her children to experience things in her surrounding area. Someone may have a talent for growing a garden from cuttings and seeds that she has collected.
A few accounts I am loving lately on Instagram:
Terry Winters: He has a beautiful formal garden with some elements that remind me of my design, but he’s gardening on a larger scale.
Moss and Stone Floral Design: I’m loving Brigitte’s arrangements. I love that social media gives us the chance to see the work of professionals.
Lucy the Flower Hunter: I don’t know whether I love Lucy Hunter’s floral arrangements or her storytelling skills more. She recently published a book, The Flower Hunter.
Anya the Garden Fairy. She has lots of practical advice for growing a garden from cuttings, collected and saved seeds, and more.
What are you thankful for today?
I am thankful for the lovely breezy day here, temperature is lovely, air smells good and I have chances to take two walks with my dog!
When thinking about what I would be thankful for on this posting, (I plan ahead), I also am thankful for the talents of others, though in a slightly different way. I am thankful for those professionals who can do and enjoy doing things I don’t know how to do or don’t wish to for myself: car repairs, advanced tax filing, real estate minutia, keeping stores stocked and shelves loaded, beauticians, physical therapists, insurance agents, snow plow drivers, blog managers, and many many others.
I’m glad you posted the lovely zinnia photos. In flower language, zinnias are “thoughts of absent friends.” A wonderful presence in a garden.
I am grateful that my parents are coming over this afternoon to do some holiday baking. Literally a dream come true!
Lea
I’m thankful for sunny days in winter. In Minnesota, anything can happen weather-wise this time of year. (We still talk about the great Halloween blizzard of 1991. Every year they mention it on the news programs.) This year in southern Minnesota the leaves have fallen and the wind is blowing. But there is no snow and the grass is still green. And the sun is glorious. I love it.
I an thankful for a beautiful autumnal day, to do some much needed garden work. Grateful for the inspiration and knowledge you share with us.
I am thankful that I met my husband and started dating him so young (18 and 19, though we didn’t get married til five years later). It’s allowed us to “grow up together” – we’ve never had completely separate adult lives, and we’ve developed many of our current interests together, which I feel has been really good for the two of us in forming a strong foundation for a joyful and supportive marriage. And I’m just glad I got to know him for those “extra” years! My parents didn’t get married until their mid-thirties. I feel so lucky to have had an “extra” decade plus of my husband!
Yesterday I was grateful that my husband was successful in reducing our cable bill to the price it was before the increase that showed up this month. It was only $7 but that’s a lot in our family budget!
Today I’m grateful for my sewing machine. It was very busy yesterday and it’s going to be very busy all week. It’s one of my favorite “servant girls.” (from Proverbs 31).
I am thankful for the all day drizzle aka farmers soaker rain. I am thankful that when I emptied a container of cake flour, a dozen eggs, and a jar of raisins that Hubby cracked the joke we were going to starve. Not as I have those items in the pantry to refill the containers in the kitchen and I am thankful for that. I am thankful that Hubby was willing to go dig out the tiger oak table my late husband gave me for a wedding present, clean it up (we had gave it to a child with several children who are now grown and she put it in storage then gave it back) and bring it in so we would have a table big enough to have serving dishes on the table for the holiday.
I am thankful for this blog , your family Brandy that understands, those that comment.
I am thankful we live in a world we can share wisdom.
Blessed be.
I’m super thankful that the respiratory illness my baby has isn’t covid (got a negative test, yay), and that even if it’s spreading to others in my family, I know it’s not covid. It’s never fun when kids are sick, especially multiple kids at once, and with adults starting to get ill too, but I’m just soooo thankful it’s not covid!
I am thankful for the neighborhood I grew up in; friendly people who cared about each other and all the children. We had neighbors on each side that were wonderful. One couple had no children but when their relatives came a couple times a year she would invite us over to go up in their attic and try on old clothes over ours and come outside to show everyone. They would make over us and tell us to try on more. She also invited us to tea and cookies in her living room every once in a while to talk. We felt so grown up. I never knew until later that when my Dad had to go back to work for a while in the fall that he really parked nearby and walked to their house where our Christmas gifts were and they helped him put things together.
The other neighbors were known for their donut parties in the fall and everyone in the neighborhood was invited to come for donuts and apple cider. He made the donuts and she or one of their grown sons served the drinks. They were older and I wondered how they had the energy to do that from around 6-11:00 P. M. after work. As we got older we helped clean up. It was the one night everyone stayed up late.
I have a picture that is a treasure. A neighbor told everyone he saw for two weeks to come on a certain date for ice cream. He took the picture of all of us at that time sitting on a wall with the ice cream cups. I think he was more excited than we were. A couple of us were the grown children then. I learned many other things about the joys and sorrows of some of the neighbors that made me understand and appreciate them even more. Anytime I run into anyone whether older or younger before we part someone usually says what a wonderful neighborhood we grew up in.
I am also thankful that my parents chose the lot they did. They had to wait until last to build their house as the lot was large and level so the building equipment was stored there. We were mid way on the street at the top of a large hill that was great to snow sled down when it snowed. We knew everyone and our house was the gathering place of the children for the last four of us. My Mom and Dad never minded. Mom said if everyone was in our yard or in front of the house she knew where we were.
Since we are homebound at this time, I am grateful more stores will deliver groceries to us nowadays and for the hardworking courriers. And, especially, I am grateful to hear mom say “I’m HUNGRY” and basically demand more food when she decided the Banquet Swiss Steak frozen dinner I had served was not up to her standards except for the potatoes and the diced apples.
I am thankful for the time and nice weather for a much needed afternoon working in the yard as a family. As I push mowed it was a joy to watch my children rake leaves and dive into the piles. They also played hide-n-seek. That put a smile on my face. They helped restack our wood pile and put the leaves into the garden.
I am so thankful to be married to such a kind, faith filled man.
I am thankful for being able to spend the day having fun with my husband to celebrate his 69th birthday.
I am thankful that the rain has eased up for long enough for us to get two loads of laundry washed and dried on the clothesline outside without using the dryer, that we were able to use the solar power we produce to run the washing machine, put on two loaves of bread in our bread making machines and vacuum without using grid power 🙂 .
Grateful also that our rainwater tanks that operate most of our country home are full to overflowing with the lovely rain we have received so I could wash not only our clothing but also some of the curtains in the home to freshen them up. More rain is forecast to fill the rainwater tanks up again with the water I have used so far.
oh how wonderful that you have gotten some rain!
Thank you Brandy we are very happy and everything is so green with all the lovely star jasmine in bloom 🙂 . Hope you get some good rain there too so you can turn the garden watering off for a while.
They’re expecting a dry winter this year. I’m glad we are using so much less water with the new design.
I am thankful that I had a birthday yesterday and friends celebrated with me. One took me to lunch, then one took me to dinner and then another took me lunch today. I felt very blessed by them.
I am grateful for the autumn sunlight streaming in the windows. The leaves are beautiful blazing colours outside and the temperature will be dropping this week which is good for the garden.
I am grateful I had the time to put up my Christmas tree and some decorations. I bought a tub of new ornaments on sale at Michael’s for my tree and also added some prisms from my parent’s chandelier. I turn on Christmas music and enjoy the process. And I always feel my deceased father close to me when I set up the Christmas tree. He loved the lights and the music, as do I.
I am thankful for the time to indulge in crafting, which I find so fun and relaxing, but I know not everyone has that luxury.
Oh thank you, Brandy! What a gift to have a new inspiration. Here’s one I’ve been enjoying – http://likemotherlikedaughter.org/ Leila’s library project has given me lots of new book ideas with my children.
I’m grateful for youtube. It’s a mixed bag for sure, understatement of the year, but it has also given me some great treasures like the Netherlands Bach Society videos, Numberblocks, and wreath making videos.
And thank you for the recommendation of this blog. Looks like something I will enjoy. Peace!
Thank you for the wonderful post Brandy.
I am grateful my children seem to have a natural ability for math. I struggled with math as a child and home educating them has improved my skills. I wish I had learned math in this way but am glad to strengthen my skills now. You can always learn and understand more.