Friday, April 15, 2016

Being Thankful About Thankfulness

How do you keep track of your blessings?  Your wonderful weekly favorites?  Do you have a gratitude journal in which you nightly note the three (or four or five) best things from your day?  I am not so good at keeping any kind of a diary or journal, but I always think that I will be able to remember what has blessed me during the week so I can write my Friday Fave Fives.  Well.  Evidently, I have a terrible memory.  In my defense, I have two rather full days on Wednesday and Thursday, so my brain doesn't function optimally on Thursday evening or even Friday morning.

Like this week.  I was tired Thursday night and felt like "I just don't care" when it came to writing up my Fave Fives.  It's not really true that I don't care, but my brain wasn't working real well.  So I figured I would write my Friday Fave Fives first thing in the morning before I left at 9:00.  Huh.  That didn't happen.  So I am rather late to the game as they say.  Fortified with chocolate and coffee, I will attempt to force my brain to remember the best of the best from this past week.

Willow's Friday Fave Fives with encouragement each week from Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

1.  That chocolate I mentioned.  I have a policy that if a student (or former student) is doing a fund raiser, I will help the first person who asks me.  So, I agreed to purchase some See's Candy last month.  It was delivered on Thursday morning.  I may have already eaten several pieces...

2. Sometimes a Fave isn't about what you get but what you give.  This is actually a win-win.  We are doing some changes on the side of our driveway, removing red volcanic rock and white decorative rock that's been there since before we moved here nine years ago.  Two neighbors are thrilled to be the recipients of that rock.  We have been pulling it out and delivering by the bucket load and they are happily placing it where they need to do some fill in.

3.  A couple of days ago, I posted about all the purple in my garden.  Well, there's been purple on my needles, too.  I know this photo makes the hat look blue, but it's really closer to the shade of the flowers. (I know not why colors are off.)


4.  That hat pattern is a Fave.  It was a free pattern from Pickles in Norway.  I've been in a bit of a knitting slump--just bored and trying to focus on being enthusiastic again about it.   I decided that I like this pattern enough to make it in several colors.  Purple.  Check.  Green.  On the needles.  Light Lavender.  My next project.  We'll see how many Close Cables Hats I make before I am bored with this easy and cute pattern.

5.  Few things make me happier than seeing my garden grow!  We have kale and spinach ready for harvesting!



So.  What has bubbled up to the top of your consciousness this week that you recognize as a blessing, a Fave from your week?

14 comments:

ellen b said...

Look at your garden grow. Sees! pass me a piece please. Glad you came around with that coffee and chocolate.

Hollace said...

I love your purple hat! I love cables and your fat squishy cables are the best!

The hospitals here in Portland have a gift they give to newborns before they leave the hospital: a purple hand knit little hat. They are made by volunteers in remembrance/warning of Shaken Baby Syndrome. At the nurses' station there is a basket of darling little caps in all shades of purple. I'm not sure if this is just a local program or a nationwide one but when I saw your hat it reminded me of it.

Wendy said...

Lovely knitting. I keep promising myself to try some cabling. But just doing any would be a start at the moment. Have a good weekend.

Faith said...

the hat is just adorable! my oldest daughter taught her self to knit (takes after both grandmas) and me?? I like to purchase knitted items :)

Glad you had some inspiration with the chocolate and coffee. I bought girl scout cookies from the first little 3rd grader who asked me....fun to support a student in the same school where I work :)

Love your garden! Enjoy this beautiful weekend...we have perfect spring weather here in eastern NY...YAY!!!

Mereknits said...

I tried a gratitude journal and a gratitude jar, but they became something I felt I had to do, another thing so I am just trying to be grateful in the moment. Hugs,
Meredith

Karen said...

That purple hat is just beautiful.

I have a terrible memory and often feel 'stuck' when it comes to writing up my FFF if I don't keep track during the week. I've taken to noting them on my calendar. I have a weekly calendar, so at the beginning of the week, I start my list on the Friday section. It seems to help.

Gracie Saylor said...

A life changing conversation, planting some plants, knitting some dishcloth gifts, and visiting with friends have been special blessings this week for me. :) xx

Susanne said...

I have a notebook where I try to write daily what has made me happy. I got a bit off track with all the wedding craziness but am now trying to re-establish that routine. It does help with remembering for FFF. Look at that garden growing already! Love the hat. It is purple on my screen though definitely a different purple than the flowers. Maybe your computer screen needs calibrating?

snoopydogknits said...

I agree with you when it comes to the pleasure to be had from watching fresh produce growing . Your kale and spinach look delicious! We grow both of those, but have only just planted! Love the little hat. Pretty colour too! Have a good week. Ros x

Deb J. in Utah said...

I think we need to look most for our blessings when we least feel like so I am sure glad you did! Lovely post. Sees candy would be a favorite for me too. Great idea about student fund raisers. Sometimes I get hit up so many times, I would be broke if I helped them all! I love the purple hat and flowers and your garden looks great. So nice of you to help your neighbors with landscaping materials you no longer want. All great favorites! Enjoy the week ahead!

nikkipolani said...

I'm totally with you when it comes to journals. So I love FFFs and so glad you jumped in even if a tad late! Waving goodbye to lava rock? A definite fave! We had a garden bed full of the white rocks that the landscapers hauled away when they revamped.

Gattina said...

Your knitted hat looks very nice ! Here it is still a little too early to plant anything. We have white pebbles in our garden and red gravel in front of the house.

Claudia Bugh said...

Such a great list of Faves!!! Sees is my favorite chocolate bar none ~ and that hat is so cute!!! What a great freebie pattern :) I try and set aside a time each day to review what I accomplished and what I could have done better. Maybe I'll add what I'm grateful for too!

Tracy said...

Willow, your Friday posts are a bit like a gratitude journal, I think... and I look forward to your sharing! It's good to count our blessing, in any way we can. :) LOVE the purple hat--beautiful pattern and color! For me a great blessings this week was receiving some GOOD news about some medical tests I've had done recently. It is a big relief not to have to worry... LOL! Happy Weekend, my friend ((HUGS))