Frozen

South on Queen Anne Ave

My poor mint and rosemary...will they survive?

Sledder

North on Queen Anne Ave

The fountain by the 3-way stop and Chase Bank

THANKSgiving

In the past I haven't been one to typically come up with a list of the things I am thankful for specifically for Thanksgiving because it seems a bit contrived and cheesy. With that said being grateful and remembering my blessings is something I am trying to work on so this is a good opportunity. In no particular order and mostly reflecting this fall, here are some of the things I am thankful for...

• A birthday where facebook makes it easy for so many people that have touched my life through the years to wish me a happy birthday. Really all the thoughtful happy birthdays coming in any form.
• Getting to teach little "T" how to make and throw a snowball for the first time
• Really good friends
• My home haven on Queen Anne
• Discovering gardening and learning how things grow on my deck (found some good books for container veggie gardening)

• Moonpie living long enough for me to get home and all he taught me. Plus my mom being here with me when he was ready to die.

• Now having a geriatric kitty that uses the litterbox at least 90% of the time due to a fantastic new vet, Dr. Lora Schuldt (http://www.catsexclusive.com/). Woohoo!!

• My health for sure (being sick for over a week really brings this one home)
• The church and how it brings me closer to God
• Getting to dress up and dance
• Crazy herd of siblings
• My fantastic parents who really are some of my best friends

• And snow days!

Birthday Gift of Snow

I woke up this morning to a beautiful snowy landscape. Very unusual for late November on my birthday in urban Seattle. It was the perfect gift. I am not entirely certain why snow makes me so happy or maybe it is just a multitude of reasons. The smell in the air, the crunch, squeak, or silence of the snow under my feet telling me what kind of snow it is at this moment, how it swirls around me in an embrace. Or maybe its lightness to the touch and how it flutters from the sky or swirls in the wind, and how its beautiful whiteness reflects brightness from grey skies. It makes me happy just to look at it. It was a great birthday gift from God.

So on the 36th year since my birth, I start this blog with no specific objective and with the name of this year's greatest birthday present.