Hi everyone and welcome to a balmy above freezing, sunshine-y Friday. Here in Southern Alberta we are doing the weather whiplash. Last week record lows and this week by Monday we will have record highs. In fact, Monday is predicted to be a crazy, for us, 14*C (57*F). Though the weather be up and down our grateful hearts do not have to be. Gratefulness looks for the good no matter the sunshine or the storm. Sometimes it is all in our perspective. Gratefulness and thankfulness help us to keep the situation in perspective. Please join in as we develop eyes that look for the blessings.
~ gifts from the garden ~ my friend's husband is an avid gardener. At harvest time he blessed us with amazing home grown garlic. They are massive. One clove is half the size of a tea bag. And this last week he gave us home made paprika he makes himself from peppers he grows. Oh my. I've never had paprika this fresh before. This Hungarian girl is in heaven. I just need a tub of sour cream and I am set.
~ haircut ~ Always feels so good to get that reshaping and freshening up of a haircut.
~ guest speaker ~ Sunday we had a special guest speaker at church. The message was encouraging and seemed to speak right to my heart about some matters. I'm glad our church puts the messages online because I really want to listen to it again.
~ surprise lunch ~ Hubby was working in a part of town that has a salad restaurant where we both love a certain salad called Bangkok. He blessed me with it for lunch yesterday. It's got lots of good veggies plus chow mein noodles and an amazingly good peanut dressing. Because we get an add on of chicken to it, we were filled up enough that we didn't really want supper so I didn't have to cook. It's actually amazing how much time cooking and cleaning up afterwards takes in an evening even when making simple suppers. Because I didn't have to do that it felt like there was so much time in my evening to just relax. So the surprise lunch was a kind of double blessing.
~ back on the sleep track ~ this week I have been able to sleep well and through the night. As mentioned in last week's post, a sinus infection has been plaguing me for most of the first half of the month. I didn't realize how much it was interfering with my sleep...until it no longer was. It has been so nice to sleep through each night. Now I just need to actually get to bed at a decent time to get the full benefit of a good night's sleep. I'm working on that goal this year.
What have been your blessings this week?
Perspective is everything! I totally agree with you about sleep. Getting myself to bed is my problem. Nice that your husband's friend shares his garden bounty with you. That salad sounds really good! I am trying to eat better and cut back on carbs. I think the coldest weather I have been in is around 23 degrees and that was when I went to the mountains with snow. We are going up to 80F this weekend!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite parts of gardening is being able to use the harvest in the dead of winter! thank you for your email. I've been having trouble with blogger commenting and now I am having trouble with wordpress commenting! I am going to try and figure it out over the weekend when I have more time.
ReplyDeleteThe perspective meme is spot on Susanne!! LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your sinus infection is cleared up and you're getting restorative sleep again. Ever since my mid-50s and going through menopause, i wake up at least once a night no matter how tired i am Thankfully I fall right back to sleep. That's a good goal.....I too sometimes stay up far too late...especially if reading a good book!!
We have yet another rainy day here. All the pretty 3 inches of snow is gone. but it's warm so I'm not complaining. Warmer than usual for eastern NY this time of year. Gotta love climate change.
That garlic is HUGE compared to what I get. I have a couple of recipes that call for paprika. I rarely use it except for those 2.
That salad sounds wonderful! i love evenings when I don't have to cook a big meal.
I hope you have a relaxing weekend doing the things you love (coffee, books, sleep!)
I love that graphic sat the end, So true, perspective affects so much. And gratefulness in turn affects perspective, and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a huge garlic clove. How fun to have fresh-made paprika.
I've been in need of a haircut for a long time. I'm hoping to get one next week after another appointment.
It's amazing how God brings just the right speakers with just the right message.
I know what you mean about how much time dinners take. Getting take-out helps not only with cooking, but with planning, preparation, and clean-up. How great to have a good salad be enough for two meals and have so much extra time in the evening.
I'm glad you're sleeping better. That makes such a difference.
The weather temps are crazy. We're having highs in the low 60s this week when last week it was the frozen tundra here.
ReplyDeleteI am desperately in need of a haircut. That's on my agenda for next week.
I am so thankful for live stream so that if I can't get to church, I can still be a part. They even have close captioning which is very helpful.
I love the graphic at the end. We forget how blessed we are until we see someone less fortunate. It certainly is all in the perspective.
Sleeping through the night is so restful. I seldom do but thankfully, I usually can go right back to sleep.
Hi Susanne. So glad that you are sleeping better. A good night's sleep is truly a blessing. I love that huge garlic from your friend's garden. Good, uplifting messages at church are truly balm to the soul. I really love that graphic at the end. It is so true and something we all need to remember. Have a good weekend. See you again soon!
ReplyDeleteHappy to read that you are getting good sleep again. That salad sounds so good and interesting, too. What special gifts from your friend's garden. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat garlic is a labor of love! I looked into growing garlic and it's a long process. Yours look beautiful and bless that friend!
ReplyDeleteSeems crazy that Barbara in Tennessee has freezing ice and snow and you've got balmy and 57F.
Bangkok salad sounds so good! How nice that it saved you from dinner fixings too :-) Your hubby has good ideas.
So glad to hear you're feeling better and sleeping better. That takeaway was definitely a blessing. Oh I love that picture about perspective - so true. We all need to take a step back sometimes and put things into perspective and see other people's points of view. That garlic is definitely big. We use a lot of garlic but unfortunately it all comes from the shop. Have a good weekend.
ReplyDeletePerspective is such a big part of gratitude. Thank you for pointing that out. So true.
ReplyDeleteGood sleep is a blessing indeed. I struggle periodically with not being able to fall asleep. It will go on for several nights, and then it’s like a switch is flipped and I’m back to sleeping well. SO thankful for when I’m back on track.
Hubby’s lunch treat was so thoughtful.
Your friend’s garden must be delightful! I’m envious.
Oh I would love to have some of that garlic. (note to self, maybe grow some garlic this year?)
ReplyDeleteLove that last picture about perspective. So true!
I'm glad you have been sleeping better. Good and restful sleep is truly a blessing.
Have a good weekend--maybe more yummy takeout meals?