12 Reasons

1. Saw lots of family at Thanksgiving.
2. Celebrated my dad's 90th birthday with pumpkin pie.
3. Caught up with a friend by phone tonight.
4. Found some Christmas lights.
5. Got my printer working again.
6. Replaced a much needed tool.
7. Making another fabric heart tonight.
8. Took a two mile walk in the sun (brrr...) this afternoon.
9. Saw a group of snow geese floating near the shore this morning.
10. Found a new fun coffee place.
11. Looking forward to two friends coming to visit on Tuesday.
12. One piece of pecan pie left...but not for long!

My Fall Fetish

I will never get enough of these leaves...sad to see them blowing away, but even in drifts they are beautiful in a whole other way. I can't help but pick them up and press them in between the pages of whatever book I have with me...and tape them on envelopes and cards. For the beauty of the last several weeks--I give deep thanks.

Put Gratitude on Your Menu

Many people have a tradition of taking time at Thanksgiving to share some thoughts on gratitude. When our kids were young we used to go around the table taking turns sharing. Some times I had tangible items for people to choose from--one object each (i.e. pine cones, rocks, sticks, pictures, Lego people, etc.) to represent what they were grateful for. After talking briefly about it they placed the item in the center of the table where it would become part of the centerpiece.


Here is a link to a very talented artist's blog maya*made where you can learn all about a another very fun twist on this tradition. Hint: it involves leaves. 


Do you have a similar Thanksgiving tradition you would like to share? I'd love to hear all about it.

Cozy Friend-Knitted Socks

Socks this time of year are especially cozy. Chunky socks are even more cozy. As it is suppose to get so cold tonight, it seemed the right time to put on some cozy socks. A friend knitted these and popped them in the mail...now I am having a hard time choosing which pair to wear first. Too bad for me!
    I've been planning on starting a pair of sock. I've been practicing with some teeny-weeny knitting needles--but I may just try a pair of chunky-socks first. I know I need new glasses, but seriously, my arms are not long enough to see clearly all the small stitches. Yes, I have bifocals already.
   Ah well, toes are toasty and my heart is warmed too by the sweet gift of socks. 

Hello Creative Peeps

Hello again, yes, it is me. I've been absent from here for too long--and have no idea who, if anyone might still stop in to see if anything is alive here in The Dresser Drawer. In short, life has been hard these last many months, and while I have been journaling, reading, knitting, writing letters and posti, playing with some collage, poetry, stamps and taking pictures, what I haven't been doing is blogging about it. Well, that is not quite true. I have still been blogging on my hope blog partners4hope. 

Wilbur, the-marvelous-white-cat-in-residence, is as fuzzy as ever and equally amusing & personable (yes, that is an orange  peanut butter M&M he is balancing on his head.) Wilbur helps me keep my sanity. His zen-like presence is very calming--most of the time.

This is, again or still, a time of contemplation and discerning for me. I will share more soon. 

Check the right hand column and you will see my montage of art and creativity books from my Goodreads page. I am currently perusing more than a few books on creativity, crafting and business. If you are interested in finding a copy of any of these--or other books, you can click the Powell's Books graphic and search their site for new or used copies. If you haven't ever been to Powell's in Portland--I highly recommend a trip there.(And, yes, it is true they buy books too, in person and online. There are easy to follow directions. 

Thankfully found...

At long last--Buddha's hand found in an impossible place.
Reattached with the help of wonderous Super Glue...
The Nook is a mess...Buddha and the broken shelf have called into
question the contents of the closet. Where will Buddha sit?
No time to do it tonight--the Saigon Rose rings the dinner bell.

Today was the start of a clinical trial for my sweet babboo.
A nine hour appt. and then some...and that is just the start.
Life remains an uncertain quantity with many small beauties
and gracious moments to celebrate along the way.

Just walking by...

I was walking by this tree in the parking lot today and the bright burst of RED caught me eye. I've been in the parking lot many times and I cannot say I have noticed these trees before...maybe I am always looking down at the bright flowers they plant along the walkway. So, why today? I was plenty distracted but I noticed them anyway. The sky was brilliant blue (and was suppose to be dark and rainy), and still I noticed. I think it was their stark beauty against the mostly bare tree limbs. I had just come from a strange elevator encounter with a very sad woman and had her on my mind and heart and then, "Wow, hello, ding-ding, Notice US." I stopped and looked at the berries and took a few pictures. No matter why I saw them--I guess I just want to say I am thankful for tiny moments of beauty. Today these berries fit that bill. Tomorrow, what will it be? Don't know but I will be looking.

the rain has come and it smells so good

It rained all morning--with a sizable BOOM of thunder thrown in for good measure. And yes, the rain smelled so good, and sounded so comforting in that northwest way--but truth be told, I miss summer already. My large ball jars of ice tea, the flowers, warm night with beautiful skies and the standing around outside in birks or flip-flops, whatever your thing is. I am grateful for the sun and warmth but this isn't Arizona, so we knew it would wander away one day. Ah well, that day was bound to come and with it--the rain that smells so good. Welcome back.

a new moment

There is a welcome fresh feel to the garden in the morning after such a hot day yesterday. A fresh feeling of gratitude to be able to sit and write and listen in the garden this morning after waking so early with a migraine and neuralgia...you are just not suppose to start a national holiday with that kind of pain...especially such a noisy holiday!

"There is a calmness to a life lived

in Gratitude, a quiet joy."

-Ralph H. Blum

This is a difficult time of year for me. Still filled with grief that parts my emotions suddenly and pushes its way in--unwanted. There is nothing to it but to recognize and welcome it, ask it what it wants and listen. Then it will be and being heard it will leave...for now.