Happy Thanksgiving 2024

 

Yes, it's true, this Thanksgiving will be very different, but it's the little things that will get me by, like holding onto the whimsy when I can. My amazing, husband is making dinner tonight, so what more can I ask for on this day? 

 

I am thankful, for this one day.

 

“Give thanks as if you are living just to appreciate life. Live as if your life depends on love, kindness, gratitude, and thanksgiving.” 

 ~Debasish Mridha

 

 

In The Words Of Ernest Hemingway...

"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."

~Ernest Hemingway

 A cat does not hide their feelings! For the most part it is quite wonderful. On the other hand, once in a while they will not hold their feelings back, but they expect you to know, psychically I think, just how deep their feelings go. In an almost childish way of... well, if you don't know... kind of way!

The other night, very late, I got up to check on a noise I heard, and as I walked through the living room, I caught a glimpse of Dylan, sitting on a TV tray, with this look on his face. Now, if you had to guess, what do you think he was trying to communicate to me? Kinda difficult to tell, isn't it?

In The Words Of Paula Poundstone...

"The problem with cats is that they get the same exact look whether they see a moth or an ax-murderer."

And I'll be darned if she isn't right! Especially when it comes to Dylan! Hendrix kind of wears his heart on his sleeve, Dylan expects me to know what he is thinking at all times! This particular look caught me off guard! Now, I know Dylan loves me completely... but... love of owner has never stopped a cat from attempting to smother someone in their sleep! The one thing that all cats communicate well, is that, they don't have to love you! 

LOL.

Dylan and I stood staring at each other for what felt like 10 minutes, but was more than likely, 20 seconds. I wasn't afraid of my little tiger, or anything, but that look was giving me pause. No pun intended! At the point of 21 seconds of staring, he mewed and motioned to his favorite Zhu Zhu pet, Pinkie, and mewed again!

You see, he was asking me to repair Pinkie for him! Poor Pinkie met with a terrible end, one day last spring, when Dylan decided to give him the WHAT FOR and tossed him across the floor, separating him from his insides. Now Pinkie is but a pink fuzzy shell. He doesn't run, or back-up, roll across the floor, or speak, but Dylan loves him all the same. 

There is no way to explain that Pinkie is dead, and a replacement Pinkie would cost nearly $30.00. 

Besides... it wouldn't be the real Pinkie. 

Life is hard sometimes. But a little bit of love makes all the difference. So, after 20 minutes or so of brushing, and petting and cooing, Dylan seemed to feel better, and I always get so much joy out of spending quiet one on one time with him. He is my kitty, and I am his mama. The 4 of us are a family, and sometimes words aren't necessary. 

Just love.

Mood: Thankful

~Me :)

He Makes Our House A Home

"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become it's visible soul."

~Jean Cocteau

Oh boy, here we go again! I like to make the bed when I get up in the morning. I like it when everything looks comfortable, and in it's place! I don't always succeed in keeping things perfect, God knows that is true, but I try. My mother-in-law once told me that it is more difficult living in a small place than a big one because a small place is harder to clean! That bit of advice made no sense to me at the time, but I certainly get it now! Alan and I have always lived in relatively small places since we got married. We had a house for a couple years, but that didn't work out. Oddly enough it was in the bigger place we began to drift apart a bit. But after the house we moved into this cottage in the hills, and with the exception of a nasty neighbor or two, things have been lovely.

This cottage is our home. It's where we were when 9/11 happened, and nothing felt better than feeling safe in our home on that awful day! We still have the ethereal musician dropping by with notes on his saxophone drifting along the cool breeze that comes from the bay. We have owned the best cats ever in this place, first Elvis, then our current two children, Hendrix and Dylan. We have made some four legged friends here. Opossums that clean up the back yard when the last of the fruits have fallen in the autumn. Cats that belong to other tenants that drop by to say hello, like any good neighbor would. And sometimes you might even see a tree frog or two hop by. It's nice here. And lately, it's been quite calm as well!

So, when Hendrix climbed under the purple IKEA duvet cover, and snuggled himself in, what could I do? I let me sleep as long as he wanted to. It wasn't that much to ask for! Hendrix never complains... about anything! He takes care of his baby... Dylan. He takes care of us, all of us! He even worries about the little animals that make they're way through the yard sometimes. And look at him! He looks so comfortable, so safe, so content! Oh, who cares if the bed didn't get made today? Right? Hendrix is way more important making the bed! He's my little boy! He tells me he loves me, every single day, with kisses and snuggles, and hugs! I am so lucky! He, and is brother, make this house a home!

I love him so much, and I am so thankful he came to live with us after we lost Elvis!

Mood: Thankful

~Me :)

What Am I Thankful For?

"I'm thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose."

~Woody Allen

November 21st 2012
What Am I Thankful For...

Little Orange Cats Who Need Me...



Little Black Cats Who Need Me...



Someone Willing To Be The Adult In The Room...



Nature, Holding Two Thoughts At The Same Time...



Crazy Beautiful Color...



San Francisco...

 

And The Golden Gate...



Moments Of Quiet Inspiration...



And Finally, New York Moments...




I am mostly thankful to be back blogging again! So thankful friends and lurkers, for not giving up on me! I am thankful for YOU!

:)

Happiness

~Me :)

EMPS #151: Thankful

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

~Stanley Horowitz

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #151: Thankful

What am I thankful for? Above all else, Alan and the boys. But from a creative point of view, if you know me, then you already know about my love affair with autumn! The light, the sounds, the colors, the first smell of fireplaces, the taste of apples, pears and heirloom tomatoes. It's all life affirming to me!

See...

The Monarchs in Pacific Grove, California



The Hummingbirds at Pebble Beach, Monterey California



From Autumns Past


















Beautiful, colorful, soul stirring, delicious autumn! I LOVE EVERY MOMENT OF YOU!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Phot Shoot #151:Thankful

"The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest."

-William Blake








Just a quick reminder everyone, you must leave me your full link back to your assignment entries. I don't accept hyperlinks, but will make exceptions in certain cases. Please email me if you have difficulty leaving your link. Thanks.

:)

EMPS #151: THANKFUL NOW CLOSED!
This coming Thursday is THANKSGIVING in the U.S., but THANKFULNESS is something everyone can relate to. We can be THANKFUL for many things and I think it is a good time to share with what we hold most dear. Creativity. Family. The ability to nurture. Home. The beauty of a sunrise or sunset. Our pets. Good books. Our health. The health of those we love. The list is really endless, and I will be looking forward to seeing what you are THANKFUL for!

Extra Credit: Show me your favorite THANKSGIVING dessert. If you don't celebrate THANKSGIVING, that's okay, simply show me a traditional dessert you enjoy from any other holiday you enjoy!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!



Participation for EMPS #150: A WALK IN THE PARK 11/14/2011

Leovi

hapzydeco

Jama

Mike

Karen



-Carly

Happy Thanksgiving 2010 :)

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to charity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~ Melody Beattie


It's a beautiful Thanksgiving day here in California. Alan and I are together, and we are having a ball with out two little guys. I am making a big Thanksgiving feast today, but first Alan and I are going to cuddle up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He has had to work every Thanksgiving for the last 8 years, but this year he decided to take the day off. Can you guess what I am most thankful for this year?

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know my oven died the day before yesterday! YIKES! There was some concern that the part that was needed to fix it wouldn't be available in time, but it did happen to come in and now it's back to it's old reliable self again, and Thanksgiving is indeed back on! Can you guess what I am thankful for this year?

Jennifer Grey won season 11 of Dancing With The Stars! I have been a big fan of hers for years! It was really nice to see a woman, about my age, win the competition. She is a talented lady, and I must say, I admire her for a lot of reasons. She is a good role model for ladies my age. Hey, don't look so surprised, it's true, even ladies my age look for role models. Can you guess what I am thankful for this year?

In November, Californians went the polls and turned California a lovely shade of BLUE. I like to call it CLEAR SKY BLUE. :) Can you guess what I am thankful for?

It took California a little longer this year, then it has in other years, to start showing it's autumn colors, but it kicked in just in time for Thanksgiving! It's really cold right now in the Bay Area, but it's GORGEOUS! The leaves are in bloom! LOL. Alan and I are going to go out, after lunch, and do some leaf picking. I have some projects all lined up for them, to keep me busy on rainy days. I am going to back an autumn leaf bed tray, and maybe some platters. I love autumn! Can you guess what I am thankful for?



If you would like to share what you are most thankful for, please feel free to share it with me in the comment thread. I would love to hear about what makes you happy!

Don't forget, The Monday Photo Shoot will be returning on Monday, January 3rd 2011! I will be looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful photography when resume the photo shoot project! I hope you will be able to join us! Be sure to check back here for holiday updates between now and New Years! Can you guess what I am thankful for?

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

:)

-Carly

On The Day Before Thanksgiving

"If the only prayer you ever said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."

-Meister Eckhardt

Everything is all ready for tomorrow. The turkey is prepped, the pie is baked, and all that remains is the quiet reflection of the joys and sorrows of 2008. I am happy to be able to say that, given everything that has happened, Alan and I are still happy, and healthy and going on 19 years of marriage! We are thankful for what we have in each other. We work on our marriage, it doesn't just come easy, believe me. Sometimes I have no idea why he is still with me, given some of my mistakes, but he just laughs and gives me a hug and brushes all the mistakes away. I am thankful for Alan and his ability to forgive.

I wish everyone was as lucky as me. I worry about the world. The economy is so bad, and there are so many folks going without this year. It feels good to donate food to the shelter in Oakland, but it feels horrible to know it isn't enough. And we get told that things will get worse before they get better. Sigh. Christmas will be slight for most households this year, not only will gifts be hard to come by, but so will food and shelter. Every time I get fed up with this tiny cottage I live in, I stop and remind myself of how lucky I am to have it! It's not just a roof over my head... it's home. I am thankful for my home.

I have two new little babies this year. Hendrix is my little comedian, he is a laugh a minute. Adventurous, and brave, loving and feisty. Dylan is my love bug. He is elegant in his movements, and if given a choice, he would sit in my lap all day long. He greets me in the morning with hugs and kisses, and soft kitten whispers, and then his brother joins in. I have never seen two kitten who were more affectionate. They are my boys! :) I share them with Alan because it's the thing to do! LOL. Actually, Hendrix considers his daddy, his personal property, and I apparently belong to Dylan. The truth is, I think we all belong to each other. :) I am thankful for my baby family.

Along with all the personal things I am thankful about, I am also thankful to be able to say I was wrong. YEP... I WAS WRONG! I really wanted to see Hillary Clinton become our next president, and to be honest, I had very little if any faith in Barack Obama. I told you that before. But I also told you that just because we wouldn't be seeing her on the democratic ticket, it didn't mean I would lose my mind and vote for McCain because of it. I promised to try to find something to believe in when it came to Obama, and I did. Not just a little bit mind you, I completely believed in him on election day, and now more then ever!. He has acted more like a president since November 4th, then Bush has his entire time if office. I had almost forgot what it was like to have a competent individual in the White House. I am thankful for Barack Obama. I am thankful I can admit when I have been wrong!

I am thankful that our extended families are well and safe. I am thankful that my MIL is at home, resting after a recent heart attack. The doctor told her that the damage he thought was there, wasn't nearly as bad as he had originally thought. Thanks for all your kind thoughts and prayers. They reached her just fine. :) I am thankful for all of you who take a few moments out of your day to see what I am up to with life and photography. Friends on and off the net make my life a lot less lonely. I am thankful for you. If you are reading this, please know... I am thankful for you!

There is so much more I am thankful for. Little things. Rain, chocolate, spooky movies, stuffed animals, chilled pears, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a good sale at Old Navy, my therapist, music, Dr. B... . The list is endless. Mostly, I am thankful for life and whatever comes my way. Anyone can do the easy times, it's the hard times that build us. I don't automatically think about giving up anymore. I deal. I feel good about that. No hiding. No running away. No pretending something that hurts me doesn't exist. I feel it, give it it's due, and move on. Ok, sometimes I do better about moving on then other times, but I do eventually move on. I am thankful for inner peace. And oh yeah... autumn! :)

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day."

-Robert Casper

-Carly

"Thanksgiving"
Berkeley, California
Autumn, 2006
Late Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Thankful

Click on the above photo to see it in a larger, sharper version

"In this world of sin and sorrow, there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I am thankful I am not a Republican."

-Henry Louis Mencken

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show something you're thankful for this year. It doesn't have to be the thing you're most thankful for; even the little things count. But of course, picture whatever you'd like.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I have a lot to be thankful for, over all I am a very happy lady, but since this is a photo shoot assignment, I thought I would keep to what makes me the creative side of me happy and thankful. Autumn. I love the natural light in autumn. The sun has a color to it, which makes me feel especially happy inside. It charges me up and makes me feel alive, but I also feel renewed and inspired on misty November mornings as well. So, there you have it, I am thankful for autumn, and all the beauty it brings. I hope that's not too hokey. :) But if it is... oh well! Tee Hee.

-OndineMonet
"Autumn Moonlight"
Berkeley, California
November 17, 2007
Late Afternoon