Music

I'm grateful for music.

I've spent quite a lot of time lately listening to music, and thinking about how much music has been a part of my life.  I like to listen to classical music in the car while I drive, and I tend to drive at least several hours each week these days to visit various family members.  We do have a very good local classical music station, and that is my preferred station most days.   I love classical music, especially strings and piano.  My dear Mother was a musician.  Of course I heard her practice and play on occasion, but most of my growing up years she was always quite busy tending us children and taking care of a busy farm household, but she listened to the radio, or her record collection, or her children practicing their own instruments while she worked.

I did take piano lessons for most of my elementary and high school years, and played the flute in the Junior HS Band,  I enjoyed participating in a musical group, and love listening to my own children perform.  I did listen to the radio and bought a few record albums as a teenager, but I never was one to build a big collection of popular music.  I would rather spend my money on books.    While in college I learned to enjoy some good ole country music too, and I've always been pretty easy going about letting others choose the music we listen to when in group settings.  I also enjoy  and gain comfort strength from Hymns and other religious music.   But when I'm alone, and traveling, I find that I prefer the classical music.  It calms my soul.  It brings me peace,

I'm grateful for music.

Sunshine

Hooray for Sunshine! I'm grateful for sunshine!  I'm grateful that I was able to sit and soak up the sun during my lunch break today.

 According to this recent research conducted by three professors at Brigham Young University, the amount of time between sunrise and sunset is the weather variable that matters most. It matters more than the weather, than pollution, or even the temperature. .I've always known this deep down inside!! Hooray for sunshine!! I'm grateful for sunshine!! Get out and soak up the rays!

 Sunshine matters a lot to mental health; temperature, pollution, rain not so much

Halloween Candy

Today I'm grateful for leftover Halloween Candy.  I may not have been quite so grateful on Halloween night when I realized how very much I had over-bought, but tonight it is nice to have a variety of munchie treats to choose from.

 DH bought some to take to his work to dish up to the kids of co-workers, and then called me Halloween morning to warn me that he had also accidently grabbed several bags that I had left out on the dining room table.   Worried that I wouldn't have enough for both the trunk or treat activity at the church parking lot, I stopped off at the drug store on my way home from work and bought several more large bags.  Needless to say, we had plenty, enough, and even more.   Many of the neighborhood kids made the rounds of the parking lot several times, and I'm sure that one of my sweet young friends stopped by our trunk at least six or seven times.  (No names will be named, to protect the guilty.  I love that girl in spite of her sweet tooth.)

I have tucked some away for later, taken some to work to share, and we still have a nice sized container sitting out for us to munch on.

Now, if I can only exercise a bit of restraint!  I do love me some chocolate!

Freedom and Peace

Granted, this year has seen plenty of craziness in our country, but I am very grateful to be living in this country where we do have freedoms and a level of peace and safety that is unheard of in so many other places and time periods.  

I am forever grateful for Freedom and Peace.

Come Unto Me

A few days ago DD1 and I were able to attend the wedding of one of my nephews,   We had a bit of time between the actual wedding itself and the wedding luncheon, so we took some time to explore  (I should say wander, as I do know the area well) a bit of the downtown area near the LDS Temple where the wedding was held.   We toured a garden area that DD1 had not ever had the chance to see, and then we spent a few peaceful minutes resting and reflecting in the presence of the Christus statue.  

I have now placed a poster of this photo in a prominent place in my bedroom as a reminder of the peace that faith in our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, can bring

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.  

D&C 19:23

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, it is a little bit early to be wishing myself a happy birthday, but my bright and shiny new birthday present arrived this past weekend!  Complete with a sparkly bow or two!

It took several shopping trips over the course of several months to finally get this gift to happen.  We have had two different stoves during the past twenty five years and put a lot of wear and tear on them both, switching them out several times.   Our GE oven was still going strong, but we've been down to one working burner for longer than I want to admit, and it's time.   I didn't want anything fancy, just a good dependable electric stove that hopefully will last us for another decade or two.  I no longer cook for as many since the kids are mostly gone, but I do still like to fix a good meal on occasion and would bake a lot more if the body was better able to handle the end result of that creative activity.  

At any rate, we're grateful for the new stove.   We just used the microwave on Saturday and went to Grandma's for dinner yesterday.  Now, it's time to fix dinner, but do I really want to spoil the perfectly clean, shiny newness?   

Garden Produce

So old Jack Frost stopped by our place last week, so the beans and squash and peppers are now done for the year.   Here is our last harvest of those tender hearted vegetables, along with a bucket with about 12 lbs of grapes.

 We had a nice dinner with squash and green beans, and then turned the grapes into about 3 1/2 quarts of juice.  Hopefully tomorrow most of the juice will be made into jelly.   We still have tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and peas that survived the mild frost, so look forward to more harvest to come!

For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves.
D&C 104:17

And agian, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man--Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.
D&C 80:10,11