Gratefulness & One Lovely Blog Award

Sunday, November 30, 2014

For many Americans, November is the month of gratefulness and thanksgiving.  I think the only ones who did not enjoy Thanksgiving this year were my neighbor's turkeys.  I captured this shot of them in October.  I haven't seem them lately, so it's quite probable they spent this Thanksgiving somewhere warm.    
I'd like to take a moment to thank Paige at Sunday Best and All the Rest for nominating me for the Grateful Blogger Tag and Aimee at Aimee on the Mountainside for nominating me for the Lovely Blog Award.

The One Lovely Blog Award is a way for bloggers to learn more about each other by asking for 7 random facts.
The Grateful Blogger Tag is a way for bloggers to count their blessings by listing 10 things for which they're thankful (mine are not in order of priority).

Fact 1: I've always eaten canned cranberries.  While shopping for Thanksgiving, I ran into a friend who persuaded me to try the "life-changing" venture of making homemade cranberry sauce.  I was skeptical, but decided it wouldn't hurt to try.  
It was almost *no* work, fresh, and delicious!  Just boil 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, add a 12 ounce package of cranberries, and boil 10 minutes (stirring occasionally), then serve.  (Thank you, Megan!)
1. I'm thankful for food, talented cooks, and easy recipes!  

Fact 2:  Having spent my first years living in the shadow of the St. John's Bridge, I love bridges; there should be a link-up for them!
2.  I'm thankful for God's beautiful creation and the artistic and architectural abilities of others.

Fact 3: A few posts ago (when I wrote about the Model Train Show in Hampton) I mentioned, "Grandma and I enjoyed delicious cinnamon rolls from the kitchen beside us."  Here's what I didn't tell you:  
At the end of the day, the kitchen staff talked me into taking the rest of the cinnamon rolls home at half price; we ate cinnamon rolls for days.  Can you blame me?  Now you have the rest of the story.
3.  I'm thankful for cinnamon rolls, good deals, thrift stores, and quality products!

Fact 4: 
I have sesquipedalian predilections.  If you have the audacity to give a floccinaucinihilipilification of words such as chryselephantine, hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian, denouement, and penchant, I may be tempted to label you a troglodyte and urge you to defenestrate your archaic notions.
4.  I'm thankful for words, languages, the pen (mightier than the sword), and spell-check!  


Fact 5: In my family, a storm warning or tornado watch means to go outside and watch for severe weather!  There's no hiding in the basement until absolutely necessary.  It's not good to be taken by surprise: don't let storms sneak up on you!
5.  I'm thankful for my super-awesome and fun family (grandparents included)!  Each family member is different, but all have special talents and good hearts.  I'm very grateful for the time we spend together.


Fact 6:  I have three favorite seasons: spring, summer, and autumn.
6.  I'm thankful for warm weather--especially when I miss it!
7.  I'm thankful for chess.
8.  I'm thankful for good health!
9. I'm thankful for friends like you!

Fact 7:  There's an emptiness in our hearts that only Jesus can fill.  The world is cruel, but God is good.  He'll always be there for you.



10.  Most of all I'm thankful for salvation and God's love.
For what are you most thankful?

My nominees for choice of the One Lovely Blog Award or Grateful Blogger Tag are:
Paige at Sunday Best and All the Rest (Lovely Blog Award)
And anyone else who may be interested!
(If you're nominated but not interested, just consider this as my appreciation of your blog).

It is not death that man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” --Marcus Aurelius 
"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: rejoice."  --Philippians 4:4

77 comments:

  1. Although I don't participate in blogging awards, I appreciate the folks who have told me they like my blog, and even more, I appreciate folks like you who have the energy and time to thoughtfully participate in them. I enjoyed learning more about you, Bethany, and I share your delight in the Lord :) xx

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  2. Hello Bethany,
    I hope that the turkeys are still alive.
    I am grateful for everything life brings me.
    I wish you a good new week.
    Best regards, Irma

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    1. Unfortunately I'm not very confident about the turkeys' chances... A good week to you as well!

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  3. Congratulations on the award!
    I have much to be thankful for too, and I agree that the Lord is tops on the list!

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  4. A wonderful post! So much fun to read. I really enjoy learning about fellow bloggers!

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  5. I love Thanksgiving even though here in England people are not celebrating it. A mum (she is from US) from where I am working told how big is this day other there.
    I really enjoyed reading your this post :) Liuba x

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  6. love the cinnamon roll overload! laughed at the 'someplace warm' for the turkeys - poor things. :) funny about the 'go outside and look for bad weather' - too cute! there used to be a sunday bridges meme but i think it closed down earlier this year. :)

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  7. What a beautiful post and congrats on the award. I've always used canned cranberries, too, but I'm going to hold on to that homemade cranberry sauce recipe for Christmas dinner. Thanks for sharing it. Blessings... :)

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  8. Great post Bethany! :D You cleverly intertwined your facts and thankfulness.
    Also, thank you so much for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog Award! I will try to do it sometime this week. :)

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  9. What a great post! Love the turkeys...hope that someplace warm wasn't an oven! :-( I am so grateful for so many things, and I'm happy to have found you on the blogs!

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    1. Ha! I'm afraid it very well might be...but we can always hope otherwise for their sakes.

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  10. I don't participate in blog awards. For myself, it is already an award when people tell me that my blog is enjoyable, brings them a smile, helps to relieve their stress, makes them laugh or encourages them.
    I am very happy for you, dear Brittany! And this is an excellent post. The turkeys are adorable!!! :)

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    1. Thank you Linda! Your posts do put a smile on my face quite frequently!

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  11. Very nice post and congratulations on the award!

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  12. Splendid line about spending somewhere warm! Lots of similar holidays are planned for birds / sheep / cows and various fish and crustaceans for the 25th of this month here!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Ha, true! Poor things...no happy holidays for them!

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  13. Hi Bethany!! Congratulations on your blogger award - well deserved. I want those cinnamon rolls!!

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    1. My sister just made a batch for us for breakfast this morning! Delicious!

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  14. Hey Bethany! Your post was a fun read and brought a smile to my face more than once. Those cinnamon rolls...no, I don't blame you - I would have done the same thing :)

    Great photo of the turkeys. They are kind of cute in an odd way... We see wild turkeys all the time here, in fact my mom feeds wild turkeys every morning at her house. They are rather commical to watch as they come running down the mountain and if it's icy than they tend to fall down :)

    Anyway, congratulations on the award. And number 10 - I, too, am thankful for God's love and blessed salvation! Have a lovely day!

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    1. How neat that you have wild turkeys in your area! We've seen a couple through the years in our neck of the woods, but never very close to our house.

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  15. I agree that you are very deserving of a blogger award and am honoured that you included me on your list of seven, Bethany. Though I'm going to try to check out each of the other six blogs you recommend, I'll pass on doing my own award post, but my goodness, thank you for thinking of me! Sweet turkeys (vegan here), delicious looking cranberry sauce (a suggestion for those wanting to cut white sugar from their diet, it tastes delicious with unsweetened and organic apple-juice-concentrate added to taste instead of the sugar), absolutely adore that bridge shot amid rolling terrain, and overall, just love the honesty, humility and gratitude that shines through every one of your posts.

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    1. Thanks for the apple-juice concentrate tip! I noticed several recipes recommending orange juice, and my friend recommended using an orange for added flavor, but I hadn't heard of using apple juice in it. Blessings to you, Carol!

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  16. Very nice post! Interesting facts! Let me know when you find a bridge link, I have a lots of bridges around here:) I'm excited to post mine, I might just do both, and used it as my "about me" page! But probably next year, right now very busy with Christmas and kids out of school. Thanks!!

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  17. Wonderful blessings and you shared the love with some great bloggers!!!!!

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    1. I'm so glad to have many great blogging friends (including you)!

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  18. I really enjoyed this post. Heartfelt. And I must add that turkey photo is so darned cute.

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  19. Bridges! That's the one thing I haven't seen a meme for. You should start one! I love to shoot them also. Congrats on the award! Hope you're having a great week.

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    1. I hope you are too! Thanks for the suggestion Gail; I might try starting one if I don't find one. :)

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  20. Oh, what pretty turkeys! '...somewhere warm' - I'm guessing they didn't migrate south!
    Homemade cranberry sauce - that is how my grandmother (and now I) prepared cranberries - so simple and delicious! They don't need anything else besides water and sugar. The cinnamon rolls look so yummy! Pretty bridge view - your area looks a bit like our area. :) TexWisGirl is correct - there used to be a Sunday Bridges meme. I tried to find it but it appears Louis is no longer blogging at that web address. It appears someone has hijacked it but is not using it.

    Thanks for stopping by to comment on my Rubbish Tuesday post.

    Lindy

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    1. Too bad about the Sunday Bridges meme, and thanks for looking for it! I think the turkeys would have much preferred for their "somewhere warm" to be down south!

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  21. Congratulations on your award. I enjoyed getting to know you more through your facts and the delight of reading your words, rich in spirit of thankfulness and joy for life.

    I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Bethany! And that cranberry recipe sounds and looks delicious :)

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    1. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well, Jazzmin! Thanks!

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  22. Hi Bethany and congratulations to the award ! Great :-) post.

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  23. Congrats on the award Bethany. You do have a lovely blog.
    Rick

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  24. I laughed when I read that the turkeys probably spent Thanksgiving someplace warm. I like your sense of humour!

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  25. Parabéns querida, pela suas postagens maravilhosas e você sempre tão simpática!!!
    Prêmio bem merecido!!!!
    Um doce abraço, Marie.

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  26. tee he he....<3 your turkey line!

    Love, Karen

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  27. Oh dear...Hope that they return soon :(

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    1. I'm afraid they may have gone to a place from whence there is no return.

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  28. There was a linkup for bridges, but I guess it closed. I agree with the person who said you should start one.

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  29. I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving and that the Christmas season will be a joyous and blessed one for you, Beth!

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  30. I'll have to reread because I am still chuckling at the missing turkeys spending Thanksgiving someplace warm. =D

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    1. :D I usually think of someplace warm as somewhere pleasant, but I think they would have preferred to stay out in the cold!

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  31. Cinnamon rolls for days sounds good to me!! Those look amazing.

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  32. So enjoyed learning more about you!! So many beautiful things in your world to treasure!! And those cinnamon rolls look amazing!!! Congrats to you on the nomination!! Nicole xo

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  33. I had my family for Thanksgiving and have been very busy. I enjoyed your post. One of our local grocery stores makes cranberry sauce and my family loves it. We used to do canned too. :)
    Hope you had a very blissful Thanksgiving!

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    1. Glad to hear you had a great Thanksgiving with your family!

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  34. Thank you Bethany for nominating me :) I just managed to get online today, sorry I just noticed :/ I will try and get it done this week, I enjoyed reading your answers and getting to know more about you, great post! and lovely photos ( those cranberries and cinnamon rolls look soooo yummy). Hope you are having a lovely day.

    Blessings,

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  35. Wonderful post, Bethany! I am glad I did not miss it.. Congrats on your award and I love the image of the turkeys.. Enjoy your day!

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  36. This was a great post, Bethany! I enjoyed learning more about you, Fact 4 was my favorite :) Your turkey comment started me off with a smile and the awards you received are well deserved. I always enjoy my visits here with you, my friend. Have a blessed Sunday!

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    1. Ah, finally someone who appreciates Fact 4! :) Thanks and have a great Sunday as well!

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  37. I had to laugh when you said you hoped the turkeys went somewhere warm, my first thought was an oven, how awful!! :)
    Nice to get to know you better, Bethany. You just can't beat fresh cranberry sauce!

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    1. I didn't exactly say I hoped...I just strongly suspect ;). Poor things! Yes, that cranberry sauce was good.

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  38. Great post Bethany and great pictures!! It was fun learning more about you:) I love made from scratch cranberry sauce too (my son made a cranberry chutney--a type of sauce this year that was fabulous)! Ah, the St.John Bridge--one of the most beautiful bridges in Portland. Love your Fact#7--so very true!
    Advent Blessings,
    Aimee

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    1. The cranberry chutney sounds good! Blessings to you as well, Aimee! Thanks!

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  39. Are those Turkeys??!!!!! Very nice! Poor birds:) But I bet they tasted good! I'm also thankful for the awesome weather. I hope it keeps coming!

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  40. congratulations on the blogging awards. you are well deserving of them. however, i think the turkeys are somewhere warm (or were somewhere warm) an oven perhaps? did they make the great escape before thanksgiving? either way, your words are cherished and uplifting to all who read them. god bless and keep up the good work.

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    1. Thanks! I haven't heard any stories of a great escape, so I'm guessing they didn't make a run for it.

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