Orange You Glad - Missoula, Montana

Such outrageous orangey-ness 
amidst our morning meeting feast!

With US Thanksgiving on the horizon,
 timing is ripe to ponder how you might complete
 the thanks-focused phrase: 
"Orange you glad for ________________________?"

(And the above text link provides a few orangey knock-knock jokes to test how thankful your family is to gather together....)

Spoons - Corvallis, Montana

Who knew that spoons could be dangerous?
Or that what I'd be most thankful for post-holiday dinner was not leftovers but the old world craftsmanship of Thomasville furniture - which solidly held when The Best Husband Ever flung most of the entire 6 feet of himself across the length of the extended dining table to (successfully) snatch the last spoon of the second round?
(Which proves your grandma knew what she was talking about when she admonished you can't go wrong over the long haul by investing in quality furniture and clothes.
And it also proves that we're rather serious about our party games.
There was talk of a Spoons Champion travelling trophy for the next gathering...)

Giving Thanks - Corvallis, Montana

Today, I am thankful for nachynka on my plate - and even more so for the brothers who baked it and brought it from the Great White North!

Holiday Cheer....? - Missoula, Montana

Oh, the indignity!

To his credit, Maestro was a very forbearing feline model for varied costumes, under the supervision of my youngest niece, during the pie course of our early Thanksgiving gathering. (Yes, the reindeer was only the beginning....)

Gotta love a good cat!

Mindful of Heavy Lifting, Missoula, Montana

"Angels do the heavy lifting in God's eternal purpose & must not be taken lightly."

- Philip Comfort/ Daniel Partner, "One Year Book of Poetry", in commentary for poem "To St. Michael the Archangel", by Henry Constable (1562-1613)

Sometimes we forget we are not unaided, and we become discouraged, bitter, perhaps angry.
But remembering and being thankful breeds courage and - hopefully, eventually - joy.

Interesting - encouragement and courage, it seems, can both begin with gratitude.

So, be courageous, starting new on this day set aside for giving thanks.
(I hope you, too, can jump-start your for-this-I-am-greatful list with something as inspiring as, "turkey and my brother-in-law's fabulous stuffing.")