Tea and Thoughts on a Tuesday Morning

I’m sitting here at my computer on this lovely Tuesday morning with a cup of tea just reading the news and updates of the day, visiting the web sites I visit each morning, and watching out my big den window as the neighborhood wakes up with curious critters (the birds and squirrels, not the neighbors) going about their important activities…..not that much different than most mornings……and I find myself thinking about all the joys in my life……again, not so different than most mornings…….but, this morning, I realized I haven’t done a good old fashioned brain dump in a while!!! For those of you who are new to my blog, that is what the original intent was when I started it, oh so many years ago. It all started as an outlet for my thoughts……a place where I could just write whatever was on my mind and convey stories about what was going on in my life in a creative way – hence, the blog title, “Kim’s Thoughts”, and the tag line, “Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down”! It has naturally evolved over the years to be an outlet for my adventures, movie reviews, community cheerleading, and most recently as a place to exhibit my increasing passion for photography! That’s OK……it continues on in a slightly different direction, but the same original intent…..share my thoughts on my life and the things around me…..and I like what it has become and look forward to how it will evolve even more going forward! But, I find that I don’t just get on here and babble so much anymore……no photos, no adventures, just what is rattling around in my head ready to be dumped out to make room for new thoughts to start rattling around in there!!! So, here goes…..

First off…..it is November (don’t get me started on how I feel about it being November, already – where the heck did the year go?)! November is the month that proudly brings us the Thanksgiving holiday! A holiday specifically designed to remind us to be thankful for our many blessings! It is a great holiday – one of my favorites – family time, the height of the autumn season with all its beauty, and the food is frickin’ awesome!!! But, do we (should we) really need a holiday to remind us to be thankful? I enjoy reading the Facebook posts from people who do the “30 days of Thanks” posts – you know, where they write one thing they are thankful for every day throughout the month. I participated in it a couple of years ago, but found that after the first week or so, I struggled with coming up with new things to write each day…..so, I threw in some satire here and there to break up the sentimental posts and it kind of lost the spirit of the whole thing! So, I haven’t done it since……but, that doesn’t stop me from really enjoying reading the posts from those who do!

Nope – I don’t need November to remind me that I am so very blessed…….I get a solid dose of reminders every morning as I sit here at my computer looking out at the world around me……or sitting in my living room with a good book and notice how serene and comfortable I am in the silence in the home I love and my dog by my side……or out walking around my yard looking at the beautiful flowers blooming all around my house……or, mostly, when I get to spend time with my family whenever I want to – even if we don’t do anything important or structured – in fact, especially then!!! Over the past few months, I’ve started ending all my private prayers with the comment, “…with your help and grace, may I be truly grateful…”. I started that because I was in deep reflection one day and thought how just telling God thank you for the blessings he has bestowed upon me just didn’t seem like “enough”…..it seemed too cookie cutter and almost like I did think it was “enough”. But, I know that I have a long way to go to be truly grateful and to fully appreciate this amazing life and the people – family and friends – that I have in it! So…..I ask for His grace in getting there!!!

What do I see out my den window right now? Um……not much! Hahaha! I took the trash to the road this morning and filled the bird feeders, which includes two hanging dishes that I heap up with unsalted, shelled peanuts for the blue jays and squirrels. By the time I got back in the house and looked out, there was a flock of blue jays, three squirrels, and even a cardinal all swarming in to get their share! The blue jays swoop in and fly off to store their bounty for later and come back for more! The squirrels take advantage of what gets knocked or dropped onto the ground – some take them to another spot in the yard to bury their treasure and some run off to another location to store it! The cardinal perched on the tree at the other end of the island and waited until everyone else was off storing their treats to sneak in and grab one while none of the bullies were there to warn him off! I so enjoy the blue jays – and other birds, too, but especially the blue jays – they bring color and entertainment to my mornings! I’m so glad they hang around through the winter……I haven’t been a winter feeder in the past, but plan to be this winter – I hope they continue to make my yard a frequent stop on their rounds of all the feeders in the neighborhood! I also get a kick out of watching the squirrels…….they work so hard to try to reach the bowls (until the blue jays make it easy for them by dropping some of the peanuts) and hang on the Shepard hooks to get a treat…..then, they work in a frenzy to bury them in the yard and fluff up the grass to make it so no one else will find them…..then, they go back – likely nervous that someone might have discovered their hiding place – dig it back up and bury it a few feet away in another spot……then, do it all again a little while later!!! But, right now, the dishes are empty — the critters cleaned them out in a matter of a few minutes….only leaving the feeders with the sunflower seeds to sustain them until I refill and give them something to get excited about, again!

I know I said earlier that brain dumps don’t usually have any photos, but I couldn’t resist this one…….I took this last night during one of my quiet times sitting in my living room reading a good book with Megan snoring at my side! I decided it was a good night to enjoy a glass of wine while I read, so I opened a bottle I’ve had in the fridge for a while – a nice plum wine from one of my favorite local wineries – The Winery at Marjim Manor! The lights were out in the dining room and when I looked at the bottle and the glass on my kitchen bar, I just knew that I had to put my Kindle with them for a photo – one that perfectly conveys the mood of the evening…..the house was silent (except for Megan’s snoring), most of it was dark, and I was so comfortable, peaceful, and blessed! And, I’m really enjoying the book I’m currently reading……the fourth in a series that I’ve found quite delightful – the “Rather” series by C.A. Belmond, which included “A Rather Lovely Inheritance”, “A Rather Curious Engagement”, “A Rather Charming Invitation”, and finally, “A Rather Remarkable Homecoming”. I like a good literary wonder as much as the next reader, but I really enjoy these delightful summer type reads that are quick and fun and just plain entertaining! I mostly like Barbara Delinsky, Liane Moriarty, Darcie Chan, and others that write stories like theirs. But, I also have enjoyed reading more thoughtful books, such as “The Nightingale” and “11/22/63”. When I was younger, I read a lot! Then, life started to get full and I read less……then, I went back to school and earned three degrees back to back attending classes full time while working full time……and found that reading for school and work was all I could manage…….and it was a long time before I wanted to read anything when I was done with those several years!!! But, once I retired, I promised myself I would return to reading for pleasure……and I’ve kept that promise and find it to be one of my many joys in life!!! One day, maybe I’ll write those children’s books or that novel I’ve dreamed of writing……but, until then, I’ll enjoy the writings of others with a cup of tea or a glass of wine……and I’ll keep blogging – it may not win me a Pulitzer or writer of the year awards, but it gives me pleasure……and I don’t have to follow the literary and grammar rules – my blog, my rules – I can write just the way it comes out my finger tips!!!

Aaahhh……the blue jays are back…….guess they decided to enjoy some sunflower seeds, now that the peanuts are all gone! 🙂

Since it is November……..for real……..I guess it is time I start thinking about getting started on Christmas shopping – maybe I will manage to get done before the last minute for the first time in a few years!!! (yeah…..and, if you believe that one, I have some great ocean front property in Kansas I’ll sell ya cheap!) This morning wasn’t frosty, but yesterday was……so, the weather is turning and winter will be upon us, soon! I hate the thoughts of snow in our near future, but also look forward to it, in that “nostalgic-winter wonderland-oh how beautiful from the comfort of my den window” kind of way! I’ve heard reports that we’re in for another brutal winter like the last two years and I’ve heard reports that we’re in for a mild winter……time will tell which psychics are better at predicting this type of thing. I only hope that whatever comes our way is manageable and we stay warm and safe!

That’s what’s on my mind, this morning…….so….in closing…..I thought I’d share one of my all time favorite Thanksgiving related videos – ENJOY!!!