Lesson 724: Heterochromia

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

I was so happy we were able to have a small gathering this year.

It's the first holiday we didn't host in the barn or garage.

Love surrounded us, 

and uplifted us.

The holiday meal was so good 

followed up with some football

and the annual food coma.

I've been keeping myself busy with this Big Crossword Puzzle

from the Erie newspaper.

It was in Thursdays paper and designed for families,

in case you missed it.

Who couldn't feel festive around Natalie

in her new Walmart Disney shirt.

She spotted it when we were shopping.

"Ooooh.  That's nice."

Sam helped Natalie make her Thanksgiving meal contribution--

Snoopy's patter from Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

It's Natalie's favorite of the Peanuts holiday series.

She calls it "Brown's Thanksgiving."

Sam contributed a dish of his own this year--

his prize winning Pumpkin Pie from 
The Pioneer Woman cookbook.

He even made his own crust!

Sam is broadening his experiences outside of the sports world.

He was a male model for the XL 

Happy People Holiday crewneck.

If you ordered and live locally,

check your doorsteps.

the girls have been out delivering.

The colors of late fall pop against the snow that fell.

Colors stand out so nicely against the white snow.

Colors also stand out well against white fur.

Look at our new friend.

He's a little white kitty who needed a home.

His name is Casper and he has heterochromia.

Weekend homework:
Google :Heterochromia in Cats

We are now looking toward Christmas.

We are taking in all of the colors

and textures

and sights

and feels of the season.

Many thanks to you, Readers,

for keeping this blog alive for eleven years.

Eloise

Lesson 723: Thankful vs Grateful

Hello, Readers.

It's the weekend before Thanksgiving already!

It's got me thinking about the difference

between being thankful

and being grateful.

My classes debated the subtle distinction between the two.

 

The students found several definitions of the two.

We found that THANKFUL was associated with gratitude,

but often was connected to the feeling of relief.

I am thankful your flight was smooth.

They found that GRATEFUL was associated with 

gratitude toward a kindness extended.

I was grateful someone held the door open for me.

I am grateful for the flowers Natalie and her friend Amy 

brought me today at work!

I am thankful that even at age 14,

I'm still Sam's favorite person.

I'm also very grateful that his teacher sent me this!

Look at Sam's other sentences for a glimpse into his life.

I told Ellen not to let her brother and sister show her up.

She told me I should be grateful for the help she was about to provide-

she was coming home this weekend!

Here is a beauty of a snapshot of her college.

Edinboro in the snow.

So pretty.

We got a thin, crunchy layer at the Lamp Post

that crackles beneath your rubber soled boots.

This sparked the Great Debate:
Which is worse?
A wet sock 

or

 a sock that falls down in your boot

when you are walking.

Here's the other Great Debate:
Does Sam's dinner look balanced to you?
Milk.

Noodles.

Hot Cheetos.

Hazel is never too sure about the weather change.

She doesn't like to be cold,

and prefers to sleep with a pillow and blanket.

Penny is all about it, however.

Now that it's colder,

you might want to try a warm, holiday inspired 

drink from Starbucks.

I love the cups this year!

If you do get Taylor Swift's LatTay--

it's a bit underwhelming--

coffee with caramel syrup

and nonfat milk.

As I drive the Shuttle to and from the Lamp Post every day,

I watch the low hanging clouds to the north

and gaze out at the horse barn to the south.

Both made me think of the book I'm reading,

The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah.

It's about the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression.

As I began reading it last weekend,

I didn't know if I'd make it through it.

It is, 

of the very essence of the story,

depressing.

But, I'm glad I stuck with it.

I admire the strength of Elsa.

Mostly, I'm thankful God did not place me on my map dot

in northwestern Texas in the 1930's.

I have not known struggle like this,

so I feel the least I can do is read about it.

Seriously,

your mask is uncomfortable?

Worried about the lasting mental damage

of sending your kid to school in a mask?

We have some lessons to learn,

and I suggest you start by taking a look

at some of the photos of the Dust Bowl of the 1930's

on the link below.

And when you give thanks next Thursday,

it will mean all the more.

 Dust Bowl photos CLICK HERE

Signing off for tonight,

thankfully AND gratefully,

Eloise