Gratitude Post #12 - My Country

I'm so glad that we have holidays like Memorial Day, a time to stop and reflect on just how fortunate we are as Americans that we live in a place where we have the right to vote, the right to protest when we see injustice, where we won't be tossed into a jail cell and forgotten for speaking out against policies we don't like.

It's hard to believe that there are still many places where such things take place, yet much of the world's population lives under that type of governmental control.

Thanks to the sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces, we have so many freedoms today. Certainly, our democracy isn't a perfect one, but it's a hell of a lot better than most. So I'm supremely grateful for those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the United States safe and secure.

At 3 pm local time today, please take a minute to reflect on those who died in military service to this country. It's the least we can do.

Gratitude Post #11 - My Garden

I should really title this post, "My Husband's Garden," because he is the one who grows everything in it. All I do is water it sometimes, and enjoy the scenery.

When we moved in to our house eleven years ago, the backyard was nothing but a pool surrounded by patches of dirt and a few weeds. It stayed that way for about five years. Until one day when hubby got the notion to make it into something special.

First he landscaped the area around the pool, digging out the massive overgrowth of mother-in-law tongues. Then he started buying plaster benches from a local woman as we could afford them. Bit by bit, he added ornamentals and shrubs, raised beds for seasonal vegetables came next. Then he tried his hand at building arches out of recovered lumber.

When we'd have people over, they started marveling at his work. Since it came together so slowly, I didn't realize how incredible it was until one day I stepped back and took it all in. He'd made a fire circle surrounded by benches and reclaimed fence panels around the edges that created an intimacy. We'd hung colored wine bottles from the trees (something I saw in a movie) which gave the whole yard a magical feel. We... rather than tell you how awesome it is, I'll show you with pictures. It's something for which I am grateful every day.