Fall Bulbs

For our area and others where the ground has not frozen solid, it is bulb planting season. I love planting fall bulbs. It is an inexpensive way to fill in areas of your flower beds especially in the spring time. I always make sure to plant a variety of early, mid and late spring bulbs. This will keep the blooms coming until the summer flower season starts. Now is a great time to get them. The selection time is not as great here but what is left if 50-75% off. Although this is thought of as a fall activity you can plant bulbs until the ground freezes solid. 

Friendship

One of the many blessings in life are good friends. Today, I am thankful for all of them. A good friend is irreplaceable and invaluable. Good and bad times are shared together. Doing things together is always a pleasure. A truly good friend will also tell you in a nice way when your path is truly going the wrong direction. I am truly blessed by different friendships and cherish each one that I have.

Election Day

Today is election day here in the USA. I was always taught and feel very strongly that it is our civic duty to  vote. There are many countries that do not have the freedom to choose who leads their country, states and local governments. We do so go vote today.  

Disasters

Three events in the past week have reminded me how quickly lives can be drastically changed and how unimportant that "things" really are in this world. Late Monday afternoon, we received a phone call that my cousin, Mike, had been in a serious work accident. He had been pinned suddenly by a 2 ton machine at work. He was in surgery and they did not know if he would survive. This started my week. Along with this we all have seen images of the massive destruction of places in the northeast from Superstorm Sandy. On Saturday, Mary and I were driving around looking at some nearby hiking locations around where she attends college. The day was rainy and since we were close to West Liberty we decided to go check the little town out. What we found there was overwhelming. They had a tornado go through their downtown area in March of this year. There is nothing left of what used to be a typically, quaint small town. Even 7 months later the destruction is very evident.

All three of these incidents brought home the point to me how quickly loved ones and things can be taken away and lives changed forever. My cousin not only survived the surgery but is doing well. He has a long recovery ahead of him and his prognosis is good. People are picking up their lives and starting over in the northeast. People in West Liberty continue to go on every day and rebuild their town. These three events grouped together for me this week has reminded me in a big way of  how people versus things need to be the priority in my life.

Count Your Blessing Month

Here in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving during the month of November. A couple of years ago, this idea was suggested to me by a friend on facebook. I have tried to make it a tradition ever since. I call this "Count My Blessings" month. Each day of November from now until Thanksgiving (November 22 this year), I write on facebook one different thing that I am thankful for. I find that in my busy life that I get so wrapped in my daily busyness I forget to stop and remember the many blessings that I have. If you are not a facebook fan, find another way to share this. Do it as a family each evening at dinner time, find a friend and do it together on a daily basis or start a blessings jar. I am always reminded how truly blessed that I am in my life.