The Red Oak - and Gratitude

The very large red oak in the center of the photo is to be removed this weekend - maybe today. It had no green leaves this spring so I accepted its demise and for safety it must come down - to protect buildings and people from damage when it falls - either limb by limb or all at once. Somehow after writing about the Jack pine I can't get trees off my mind. Sorry I don't have a photo of the Jack pine -you can find them by Googling.

Lotsof activity going on here now. Yesterday the repair of the drive was done following the huge rain we had that washed out a portion of the drive. At least we hope the dirt moving expedition does the job! We'll find out when we have the next big rain. And, even with the marking, a phone line was cut and that got repaired. The same day, the ac/heat in the Yogatorium got repaired and the back door to the cabin also. It's amazing how things all seem to happen at once. I guess it's a human thing - just letting things go for a while until something forces us to take action! And, when we get started, it seems everything breaks at the same time! Or, at least things that have been ignored get noticed and fixed.

Now, it's time for preparing for Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday next. And, there are so many things for which I'm thankful I hardly know where to begin. My space here at the Pond. The Yogatorium. The Great Blue Heron, the ducks, and an occasional goose - not a crowd! We do still have the lone one that showed up a week or so ago and he/she is doing enough messes without any help. The overflow pipe for the Pond that barely managed to keep it from overflowing the dam last week. But it did do the job. My family of 10 and the gift of Bob, who led the clan for many wonderful years - and now still supplies answers to queries for me. For this, I am so grateful. I am also especially grateful for friends. When I get right down to it, the love of friends and family is the only thing that truly matters. All other things are just that - things. I'm remembering Nicky saying "It's all just stuff" after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I thank him for giving me this reminder that keeps coming back to me when I get overcome with managing stuff. I'm grateful for those of you who are reading my posts and letting me know. Your encouragement keeps me working with words - one of my most pleasant activities. My good health and good health professionals who care for me. Which reminds me - I'm having dry eyes problems that I've just recently learned is the cause of my eyelids filling with fluid! And I thought it was some kind of allergy! So much for self-diagnosis! And I am so grateful there are drops to use to relieve the problem - and that I have insurance to cover the cost.
For these things, and so much more, I am so grateful!