Fairies and Imaginings...

The woods are full of fairies;

The sea is full of fish;

The trees are full of golden leaves;

Let's make an autumn wish.

~ Anonymous

Today, I'm thankful for imagination. From my earliest memories, my imagination protected me from some of the harsh realities of my life. It also enabled me to visit exotic locations and have amazing adventures! 

My imagination was, and still is, fueled by books, music, television, and movies. As a young child, books played the largest role. Nancy Drew, Mary Poppins, Lassie, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and a little book published in 1919 called History Stories for Primary Grades. That little history book was where I first read about Joan of Arc, who became one of my heroes. Grimm's Fairy Tales fueled the fantasy side of my daydreams. There were princesses, queens, fairies, and there were children in terrible danger from evil witches or a stepmother.  They managed to somehow overcome and survive the abuse. Imagination helped make me a survivor, and fueled my own creativity.  Spend some time today with your imagination, and delight in the places it can take you!

© 06NOV2014 ajj

November...

This lovely autumn picture is a Jane Berry Hudson illustration.
It was a shared image, courtesy of Bumble Button.

I'm thankful for this beautiful autumn day! November is one of my favorite months of the year, and not just because it's my birth month. It's the beginning of holiday time and brings back so many happy memories! It makes me long to get together with family and friends. There's the coziness of a warm house in contrast to the crisp, fresh air just outside the door. There's the smell of leaves, and sometimes rain. The vibrant colors. The shorter days. Planning for the holidays. I'm loving November!

To Friendship...

I'm sitting here enjoying a snowy episode of Gilmore Girls, eating a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart, sipping a cup of Starbucks Pike Place Roast coffee. And no, I get no compensation for name dropping of major brands. ;)

I'm feeling very blessed. Both sons are home today. They're visiting and video-gaming in the other room. My husband is out getting a haircut and doing some shopping at the mall. I have a large pan of my grandma's Spanish Goulash baking in the oven for later, and the house smells terrific!

I'd been missing two of my closest friends so much. They've just been on my mind. I found out yesterday that DeAnn hasn't been well, but we texted some messages back and forth, and it made her seem closer. In reality, she lives not too far from me, but life seems to be pulling us in different directions, and we just don't get together much any more. We're going to try to fix that, and very soon! We met many years ago when she began dating one of my childhood friends. One of our first nights together, at a church retreat, we spent much of the night talking after all the other ladies had fallen to sleep. Over the years, we've watched our sons grow up, worked on many Harvest Parties for the kids Sunday School classes, had years of Church Camp, dinners out, and game nights! When we're together we're either laughing or breaking out in song, or sometimes both! She is such a dear friend!

Carol lives several hours from me, in north Idaho. We became close because she married my cousin, Paul. They lived in Meridian for several years which is when our friendship really began. We discovered we are "kindred spirits" and have so much in common. It was because of her, I began blogging. We both love books and writing, music, and so much more. We can talk for hours. She has introduced me to so many new ideas. She has a great love for animals and gardening, and she is an excellent cook and hostess. She's an actress in local theatre and has also appeared in a short, independent film. She has a strong Christian faith and has been a constant inspiration to me. I mentioned to my husband, just this morning, how I was missing her. He went out to the mailbox a few minutes later, and there was a card for me! It was from Carol, and on the envelope had a picture of a couple Lab puppies (I love Labs), and "Best Friends" was printed on it. To the side, Carol wrote in "and kindred spirits" which made my heart smile!

I have many other dear, close friends, but won't write about them on this day. If you're reading this, and you are one of those, please know each one of you is precious to me and holds a unique place in my heart.

Here's to friendship!