Sweet Fall

Laurie Geller shared Brad Mossman's photo on Facebook. It is, of course, pictured above. Aside from the fact that a "need" is without a doubt the mother of invention it reminded me of blog posts I've seen many times by Mallory Hoffman and Angelina Greer Garren about feeling blessed. Though I'm not prone to talking out loud about my feelings - trust me please - I am.....in so very many ways thankful. And (leave a pause for breath here)... this particular photo just slapped me in the face with the millions of ways that I am.

I am shocked by the beauty of today. It is in the 70's - warm, sweet, still. There isn't a breeze but it isn't hot....perfect? Absolutely beyond perfect - sublime.

I began post this a few days ago...this weather has held tight. It won't hold for long. Our area is known for changes. It could be 80 degrees and then frost at night. But, for now I'm thankful for the calm before winter comes.

Yesterday DH and I took a trip downstate. We visited the Dow Gardens - I've talked about it before. I love gardens. My Mother was a gardener - she had a large rock garden. When she passed and we sold her house I was concerned...not about who had bought the house. We waited a long time to sell - many years. More it was that it had sat vacant for a long time, unloved maybe. I couldn't understand it and wondered to my bones what would become of it when we did.

Partly it didn't sell because of the economy - and partly it was that I wasn't really ready to let it go and I don't think she was either.

Then someone came along - they happened to be driving in the neighborhood because they were dropping their children off at their school (my school as a child). They saw the sign and decided to give us a call. Serendipity. There are children to play in the yard and a nice young couple.

One of my blessings - my eldest child is an attorney (I refer to him as my frustrated machinist). His hands work as hard as his brain. He wrote up a contact between the couple and I. An iron clad little tome in which the poor owners couldn't' even cut down a shrub without pre-authorization. He loves his mother and loved his grandmother. After it was all signed I explained to them in private that they should do to their yard what they wanted to do to make it their own. As thankful as I am for this child, and his brother and sister, I want for the couple to have many happy years in that home. To do that, they need to leave their mark.

The deal is fair - my mother would have had it no other way. We keep an escrow for them and make sure there is plenty of insurance and the taxes are paid. The payments are low - like rent. It helps us and they are happy.

The surprise for me - they kept the huge Oak - it takes three people to circle it. They cleaned and thinned her overgrown rock garden. She collected those rocks all over the state and had my father drag them back from every trip, it was full of perennials (I brought many here to this house and so did her Grandchildren). They've redone the inside of the house - thank goodness - it sorely needed updating. And they invite us over, it's nice of them.

I'm blessed, I'm thankful - for the patience to hold on for the "right people" to buy the house. They've been wonderful on so many levels. For three wonderful children, an incredible husband, good friends, good weather, and for a million things I can not mention here.

In my head daily I am thankful. This is my post of blessings....there probably won't be another one. I hope everyone continues to count theirs out loud. When I read those posts by my friends I smile and think of mine too.