thankful for giving thanks

I hope your preparations are going well,

and you are enjoying your thanksgiving holiday

I am thankful for this day of giving thanks

- a day to take a step back - reflect

-enjoy good food and family.

Have a wonderful thanksgiving,

however you choose to celebrate!

I am joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday

Photo-challenge #22 flowers

thankful thursday - thanksgiving and family

Flowers in my window

in my usual Monday morning bleary-eyed state,

I chatted with my commuter train friends.

One mentioned getting ready for Thanksgiving - next week

Me: Nooooo - it's not next week!

Commuter friends smile - exchange glances - nod

Me (insistent): But it can't be! Don't we have two more weekends?

(there may have been a teensy bit of whining, there)

Commuter stranger in the next seat looks up from her laptop: No - it's next week

Me: sigh - I haven't even thought about food yet...

So, yes - Thanksgiving is next week

- and I am thankful for that

The shopping and meal preparation will get done

- and the table set

I am looking forward to dinner and a few extra days with my family.

(and our annual tractor parade - it's a Vermont thing)

I am joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday

Thanks for dropping in!

Photo challenge #20 - Bokeh

photo challenge #19 - shoes

Ummmm - yeah - about that photo challenge...
I left off with week 18 - "week off"

which, as it turns out - I truly excel at.

- I've done that prompt repeatedly for - oh, I don't know, lots of weeks...

So - in the spirit of keep on keeping on...
my prompt for this week - shoes

- or rather, a giant pile of ski boots

- Okay, so I'm really not much of a "shoe" person...

Driving down the road, this mound of boots,
(which is much larger than this photo suggests)
is one of those things that make me go "hmmmmm"

A friend once told me about visiting the shop next to this pile o' boots,

hoping to have a buckle repaired on her favorite ski boots.
The clerk explained that the newer boots no longer used the same buckle
- about to turn her away when he ran out to this pile -
and voila - a replacement buckle was found.

So - yeah - that is all I know about this mountain of boots,
except that every time I drive by, I kinda, sorta, wanta throw my old ones on top.

next up - Bokeh

Thanks for dropping in - I wish you a wonderful day!

acadia sunrise

The quiet beauty of an Acadia sunrise

Last summer I created my bucket list of National Parks.

Excited to get started, Greg and I headed to Acadia National Park with our new puppy

for a weekend of camping.

I am not much of a camper, and even less of a morning person,

but this Acadia sunrise is one I will remember for many years to come.

(and the cup of coffee, afterwards, at the dog friendly Coffee Hound Coffee Bar

in Bar Harbor was pretty great, too)

I am thankful for every day the sun rises,

the beauty of our National Parks,

and quiet moments like this.

I am joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday

I hope you have a wonderful day!

scene and story - october

man and his dog

Many years ago, riding in the car -

Greg, Maggie, and our old labrador, Lacey -

 - singing to the tunes on the radio (well, probably not Lacey)

"Now wait a minute Chester, you know, I'm a peaceful man"

--

Maggie: Chester! - we should name our next dog Chester

Greg: - Yes - the perfect name for a lab!

--

"Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free"...

(The Weight by The Band)

--

So, we waited several years, and finally have another dog -

always remembering about Chester

And now, October's scene and story is about Greg and our long awaited pup, Chessie -

hiking on a beautiful Vermont October day.
We're both smitten...

October - also - has been all about the fate of my blog

I know - it's been a long time since my last post...

I have lots of excuses -

too little time - lack of inspiration - poor internet connection...

yes - all of the above

- and -

none of the above

I am having an identity crisis of the blogging variety

- and yet, I am missing the creative outlet and interaction with my blog friends

In an email exchange, Sarah - Paisley Rain Boots,

gave me some fantastic advice:

"I guess my questions to you are what do you enjoy photographing?...

Looking back at the photographs you have taken in the last two years, 

pick out 3-5 favorites and really study them, why do you like them? 

Was it the subject, the light, the lines, the mood?"

This project is turning out to be both enlightening and fun -
(which I will share in a later post)

but also confirms for me that "away for the weekend" has run its course

so as I work towards my next project,

I plan to just keep on keeping on

Have you ever felt disconnected from your blog?

Thoughts? ideas?

I would love to hear from you!

I am joining Sarah and Leon for Scene and Story