On being Thankful

Thank you for all the lovely comments you left on my last post, I am really thankful to all who come here to read.  I have been reflecting over the past week over those things that I have been grateful for this year.  It is hard to remember what you were doing more than a month or so ago, so I am glad that I keep a diary that helps me to look back at the past year.  Here are some of the things that I have been grateful for this year:

My family, the adventures we have had together, for our continuing good health, for the laughter and tears we have shared together.

My friends both in real life and online, for the support and friendship that is so freely given.

The beautiful countryside right on my doorstep and further afield that we have spent many days out enjoying.

Home educating my children, words cannot express how grateful I am that I have the legal right to and that we can continue to afford to do this year after year.

Our Monday home ed group where we have celebrated, walked, created and enjoyed so many wonderful hours together.

People who give their time freely to support the education and learning of my children, from Cameron's Archery club, to the organisation supporting us through the Arts Award, to volunteers in the many museums we have visited over the year, to other home educating families who organise activities for all to enjoy.

Having a place to call home which is warm and safe, when so many in the world do not.

My lovely neighbours amongst whom we feel like we are part of a community who look out for each other.

What have you been grateful for this year?

Gratitudes

It has been a long time since I have written a gratitude post.  I used to write them most Sundays, joining with a fellow blogger, a lovely tradition reflecting on the week and to find gratitude in the every day.  Taking the time to reflect and slow down can be difficult in the busyness of life, especially as we head into the build up to Christmas.  If you want to join me, please post a link to your post in the comments below.

Appreciating the joy and beauty of the every day ordinary.

This month I have been grateful for...

...amazing friends who have supported me when I have been unwell

...a wonderful holiday and the hospitality of our friends

...our wood burning stove and a good supply of seasoned wood

...making new connections with a lovely family

...nourishing learning alongside a dear friend

...my local farmers market

...a beautiful Martinmas celebration with friends

...the generosity of gifts for Cameron's birthday from friends and family 

...the beautiful colours of Autumn

...inspiring museum workshops  

...time to rest 

...the volunteers who run the Archery club that Cameron is part of

...the gorgeous light on cold and frosty mornings

...time to talk to my Mum on the phone 

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I will do a monthly gratitude post and you would be most welcome to join me. The next one will be on Sunday 15 December.

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...an afternoon of knitting and drinking tea with friends

...being able to watch my daughter deep in imaginary play - creating a pancake cafe with the back of a chair, a fire tool, a glue stick, a play pig sty, a glass jar and some homemade paper.

...foraging - it was blackberries this week

...my wonderful community for finding Cameron when he was lost and looking after him until they found me.

...blue skies

...my nearest town which is full of small local shops

...nature in all its beauty

...washing dried outside

...wild yeasts to make bread

...a safe place to call home

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...my healthy seedlings growing in the polytunnel

...being able to prevent mice attacking and eating my seedlings

...wonderful bloggers

...finding a post about homemade toothpaste this week, a recipe that I will be giving a try

...a wet walk to find bluebells which were beautiful but we did get very wet in the process!

...the lovely singing group we go to

...sleep

...pausing and reflecting

...time for creating and crafting

...cooking alongside my youngest

...a fun evening with friends

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...sleep

...a good book and time to read it

...a new washing machine

...sunshine to dry my mountains of washing, which piled up when I had no machine

...an interesting conversation with a red squirrel ranger

...wonderful words of support from this lovely blogger just when I needed them

...saying no to a meet up and getting support and understanding

...a quiet day at home to recharge

...a fun day out on trains

...spring flowers

...seedlings growing in my polytunnel

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...a friend popping in for a few hours, she is moving back to the area with her family and we are really looking forward to having them nearby again.

...a wonderful, sunny, afternoon with friends exploring a local nature reserve.

...finding three cast iron pans in a charity shop.

...my neighbour looking after my children one evening (my husband was away) so that I could go to the theatre, I haven't been for years!

...time with my youngest sowing seeds in the polytunnel.

...a morning and shared lunch with friends playing and chatting.

...a quiet day at home.

...my husband returning to us safely after being away.

...finding balance in our weeks between quiet time at home and busy time out and about.

...lighter evenings and slightly warmer days

...buds everywhere....

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...baking with my youngest

...a wonderful afternoon

...an exciting, adventurous walk with friends

...buying milk direct from a local farm to make my yogurt and soft cheese

...friends coming over for play and chat

...wood to light a fire on the occasional cold day

...sleep

...the wonderful help in my local shops

...reading time before I go to sleep

...self seaded salad leaves in my polytunnel

...free hot water from our solar panels on sunny days

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...sunshine

...meals with friends

...a good book to read and time to read it

...a free museum

...finding more beautiful walks near to where we live

...the library

...sewing time

...the green haze of spring

...my husband returning safely to us after time away

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...more dry weather

...a wonderful walk with friends

...time in the garden

...the dry weather allowing the soil in my garden in dry out a little, it is very saturated

...primroses and crocuses flowering in my garden

...a friend offering to look after the children for a couple of hours

...smiles first thing in the morning

...a wonderful giveaway on its way, still can't quite believe it

...a spring declutter following some much needed DIY

....secondhand books

...my children's health

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...drier days

...blue sky

...spring flowers

...washing drying in a day

...the smell of washing dried outside

...catching up with a friend I have not seen for a few months

...an afternoon bike ride

...a wonderful lunchtime brass concert

...finding an unopened box of makedo in a charity shop

...finding inner peace and calm after a difficult few weeks

...the lady in our local bookshop reading a book to my youngest whilst I chose a book with my eldest

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...a spring feel in the air

...drier days

...blue in the sky

...catching up with friends

...last minute arrangements

...a wonderful book and time to read it

...my children's good health

...my husband collecting wood for next winter

...a quiet hour in a bird hide
Taryn

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful

This week I have been grateful for...

...meals cooked for me

...peace

...a restful week

...some lovely days out with my children and my parents

...time with my family

...a safe drive home

...a safe place to call home

...my husband fixing the problem with our flue which meant we could not light the wood burning stove the week before we went away

...free wood from a neighbour whose tree came down in a recent storm, into our garden!

...secondhand bookshops

...a bag of clothes from my sister in law for my eldest

Gratitudes

Joining in Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...our singing group

...a lovely day out with friends

...a restful day at home

...surviving the very high winds we had one night

...a neighbour coming to check on me after the storm as he knew I was on my own with the children

...a gap in the weather which enabled me to drive safely to visit family

...a beautiful warm spring day

...a weekend with my whole family, come together to celebrate my mums birthday

...a wonderful meal out with my family

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...dry days

...winter sun

...the delicate and wonderful snowdrops

...our singing group starting again after a break while our friends moved house

...a lovely walk in the winter sunshine

...a restful day at home

...a friend coming to our house for a play

...my husband returning home safely to us after a week away

...a request from friends to join them for a day out next week

...beautiful music

...wonderful books to read from the library, free!

Gratitudes

Joining with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...friends who let us stay with them for a few days

...food cooked for us

...two lovely days out with friends

...the lovely adults at the places we visited who took the time to explain things to my children and answer their questions

...a dry hour to spend in the garden

...a warm fire now the temperatures have dropped

...having the time to make a birthday present at the beginning of the week in case I didn't have time at the end, which was the case

...a lovely birthday party

...a chance to talk with friends

...reading time just before going to sleep

...making my favourite pie and the children enjoying it this time, I haven't made it for ages and they haven't liked it the last few times

...homemade cheese

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...our singing group starting up again, my youngest loves this

...a lovely birthday party for a friend of the children

...time for sewing

...catching up with some friends we had not seen for weeks

...salad leaves from the polytunnel

...a clean and tidy house

...support when I needed it

...an afternoon in a bookshop

...help when looking for something I needed in a shop

...reading time before bed

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...dry days

...homemade cheese

...quiet and gentle days

...a lovely afternoon with our home ed group

...sewing and creating time

...my husband collecting wood for next winter

...a walk in the woods

...music

...good books

...our local library

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...my local farmers market

...sunshine

...blue skies after so many weeks of grey heaviness

...finding veggies in my garden still growing despite the ground being saturated

...sleep

...catching up with friends we had not seen for months

...a bike ride

...several walks in the dry

...my local swimming pool having a swimming session that fits in perfectly with our trip into town, we usually have the pool to ourselves

...a wonderful meal cooked by the Explorer Scout unit I help out with

...a few new knitting projects

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition.

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...a beautiful hyacinth, a gift from a friend, brightening up our table on these dark dreich days we are having,

...celebrating the new year with friends a tradition that has lasted many years and hopefully many more years to come,

...sharing food and conversations for three days with these friends,

...walks in the rain, we needed the fresh air,

...a decluttered and tidy kitchen,

...a phone call with my mum,

...an invitation to join a friend to celebrate her birthday,

...the faces of my friends when they opened their me made presents,

...a safe and warm home

Gratitudes

Joining in with Taryn for her heartfelt Sunday tradition

A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful.

This week I have been grateful for...

...time spent with my family

...lovely thoughtful presents

...surviving the stormy weather

...a break in the grey weather

...a lovely walk

...rest

...calm

...a warm fire

...a really good book