Thursday, July 29, 2021

Gratitude #54

Welcome to my post where I reflect on the past month's moments for which I'm grateful. You can hop over to Not Afraid of Color, LeeAnna's blog where you will find a group of us who write these posts. It is not a closed group, so if you want to sometimes or regularly scribble down things you like or love for which you are grateful, feel free to link up and share!

1. I am grateful that Canada has made history this month, appointing an Inuk Governor General, Mary Simon. She was sworn in on Monday, and in her speech she said, "I have heard from Canadians who describe a renewed sense of possibility for our country and hope that I can bring people together." Here is a great article (the image below is from it) about her and the hopes many have. I did not know that Ottawa has the largest population of Inuit people outside of the North! 

2. I am grateful for my Manduka yoga mat. It's seen many many yoga practices, both taught and taken, and is just as good as the day I purchased it. It was worth it to buy the most expensive one they had. I had tried a less expensive one, but it didn't hold up at all.

3. I am grateful for people who share tips, things they've tried, things they've learned, techniques, online. I have an 'embarrassment of basil' this year, so much that I've actually had to cut some and leave it to break down on the lawn. However, MacGyver found this site that gives three great ways to preserve it. I am ecstatic that drying it was so simple and worked so well. No more packages of dried basil will be bought this winter. I did freeze some too and it worked well.


4. I like this post on Instagram.

5. I am grateful to those adults at the table who have gotten vaccinated. Grateful to those who have done it 
even if they had some trepidation, because they had aging parents, or family (kids, husbands, etc) with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions, so that they keep these loved ones safe. I am grateful that here in Ontario there is still a mask mandate and everyone just adheres to it; it's become the norm.

6. I am so grateful that as of this morning, Xena is heartworm free! I am grateful that we've found such a good vet, that I went for that second opinion with Rocco, last year, when our vet of nearly eight years just kept prescribing antibiotics instead of looking deeper...  This new-to-us, but not to the profession, vet suspected prostate cancer within minutes of examining Rocco. 
Now we wait for another two weeks or so, keeping Xena quiet, and then we can start taking her on walks. She's had to be in resting mode these past two months so that her body can absorb the dead worms in her bloodstream.  Heart worms do not get pooped out like intestinal worms, so their dying bodies can cause serious, even fatal, complications if she exerts herself. She is definitely settling in and we are seeing her personality emerge as she feels more at home here with us. There has been a bit of progress with Bella this past week, but it's very very slow going much to our dismay. I'm grateful that Xena has gained a good amount of weight! She's 58 pounds now.


7. I am grateful for AC. And a pool. And a pool chair. And good books. Gosh, I've read seven books this month! Highlights would be of course the two by Louise Penny. I'm slowly catching up to real time with her books. Glass Houses was gripping. Still in Québec, still in the Montreal and the Eastern Townships, was another book by Joanna Goodman, The Home For Unwanted Girls. Heartbreaking, and based on fact, it took over my headspace and even my dreams. I expect we will see books in a similar vein in about 15-20 years when we start to learn what really went on with the children stolen from parents at the US/Mexico border under that former so-called president. Children are like animals. They have no voice. Others must speak for them. 

8. I'm grateful for my gardens, for the potatoes I've grown, the tomatoes I'll be able to slice into any day now (gives me a thrill to see them ripening on the vines out there), and the flowers. I have had great success once again with dahlias, and oh MY, are they stunners. I'm grateful for MacGyver who has such good vision as well in planning, cultivating, and taking care of the gardens.




Our little oasis


9. I am grateful for Bella, as always. Brave pussycat in the face of barking, lunging Xena. Patient girl, relegated to me moving her around from basement to main floor to upstairs, and gates or closed doors protecting her.

10. I am so grateful for good quilting friends, who made my Let Your Star Shine pattern. And who made it within a day of my sending them it as a little extra thank you for participating in my fifth annual QAL. Tish made TWO!

Clockwise from top left: Carol @quiltschmilt; the next two are Tish @tishnwonderland; and the bottom left is Wendy @piecefulwendy

The pattern is available in my Etsy shop!

12 comments:

  1. Having a positive, thankful spirit makes every day seem that much brighter! Thank you for sharing your "grateul moments"! Your flowers and oasis are SO beautiful, and well-kept. And 3 cheers for Xena - I'm sure that she'll appreciate being able to resume an active life again!

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  2. Have you made pesto? You can freeze it in those little mini muffin tins. It's great for dropping into spaghetti sauce, soups, etc., and easy to do. Those dahlia are amazing. Xena and Bella - I hope they get along someday - they are both beautiful!

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  3. So much to like in your posts every month, Sandra! I'm so glad Xena is doing better. Your flowers are beautiful! I, too, am thankful for books and cool breezes from fans (no AC here!) and people who've been vaccinated. I do like your meme about how we are nature and we forget that. I agree!

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  4. Ooh - fun likes. The flowers are beautiful. Yay for Xena. Love that wuzzy Bella.

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  5. How nice to hear that Xena is doing so much better. Beautiful gardens!

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  6. Your dahlias are gorgeous. Mine were planted late due to the screwy weather. There's one bud so far. How wonderful that Xena is done with her treatments and near being able to resume a normal life. That should be much easier on you and Macgyver as well.
    Pat

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  7. A post & hearing so much news in your grateful selections. Hope both the dogs do well now & your garden is gorgeous. I've pulled fabric for my star, but haven't started it yet due to trying to keep up with my Bedding Plants QAL & wonky i'net connections due to high winds damaging some phone towers. Have a great weekend, take care, stay safe & hugs.

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  8. So fun to read your grateful post each month! My tomatoes are just beginning to ripen! Thanks too, for the link about drying basil! I’ll do that! Pesto is good! I really like it, but have fresh dried-by-me will be wonderful too!

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  9. Oh, lucky you, making your way through Louise Penny's books! I have often wished I could go back and read them all again, for the first time. And you'll be ready when her newest comes out later this month!! But then...the wait for the next trip to Three Pines. (You'll note I'm already sad about that, and the new book isn't even here yet. As we know, that is how brilliant and delicious her books are.) Once again, such happy news about Xena. A good reminder to be diligent about heart worm medication -- I know that doesn't apply in your situation, but for so many people, heart worm disease seemed unlikely, but with climate change, there is really no "safe" place any more. We have to protect our dogs; they trust us to do that.

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  10. What a lovely backyard space. Gorgeous and peaceful.

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  11. I always enjoy reading these posts, Sandra :) You list so many wonderful and varied things! Yay for Xena and your flowers are lovely.

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