The Grateful Project - Day 23

An over-sized shirt that really isn't yours.

The Grateful Project - Day 22

I am sooo grateful for Sunday mornings. You know,  A Sunday Kind of Love and time to enjoy a delicious breakfast. I asked Ben if he wanted some raspberry sauce for his waffles he seemed a little upset that I had the ability to make this sauce and hadn't made it every morning since we got married. I of course was going to make up a sauce, he should have known better. I make up lots of things that I think I should just be able to whip up.

The sauce was pretty great, especially with the last minute addition of cream cheese. Divine!

The Grateful Project - Day 21

This is my go to Baby Shower gift. If you feel the need to procreate you're gonna get bibs, hand made with buttons to suit your personal quirks. They're pretty quick and fun to make.

The Grateful Project - Day 20

Velvety Beet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese & Raspberry Icing. My goodness these were delicious!

Here's the Link to the recipe  (Edith you should try it!)

The Grateful Project - Day 19

Spent the morning watch young kids drawing with pastels. So much fun. The kids were covered in a rainbow of pastel dust.

The Grateful Project - Day 18

Delicious Honey Mandarin. Given as a gift.

The Grateful Project - Day 17

Ben has taken to singing "Higher Love" in his highest voice. Priceless.

Fresh ocean mist in your face does wonders on a Sunday afternoon. These wild ones were getting more than mist. 

The Grateful Project - Day 16

When it's been a long day and Ben snuggles his face into mine. Totally ignoring the invisible line of my personal space. Not everyone can get away with such dangerous behaviour.

The Grateful Project - Day 15

How great is it to toss a cat out into the fluffy snow for adventure. This orange cat is Omeme, he is usually up for hitting the fresh air, but he certainly does not like surprises.

You know you sniffed the fresh snow too.

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The Grateful Project - Day 14

Snow, snow, snooooww! (Bing Crosby style)

The Grateful Project - Day 13

Once mistaken as an onion bulb, the tulip has grown to be one of the great reminders that spring will eventually follow winter. In the meantime I enjoy their vibrant colours.

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The Grateful Project - Day 12

Succulents are fascinating. The way they fiercely maintain their water content while demanding a bright home is more that I can do in a given day. I do think that I should drink more water, but taking the time to get the water into my system is more that I can remember to do sometimes. Kudos to the succulents for having it all figured out.

Mr. Greylips surveys the great out doors, the birds and what my people are doing in the yard. I am grateful for the blur that is his tail.

Higher Love

James Vincent McMorrow is my new music crush.

The Grateful Project - Day 11

Guest Blogger - My Ben

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers,
and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Numbers 11:5

That's right: leeks are so good that you might risk your soul for them. These particular leeks were grown from seeds in Erin & my garden. They may be smaller than the sort of leek that you would
expect to find in the grocery store but they are as delicious. A leek is even more succulent when you remember the tiny sprig that it was this time last year. Now there are not a lot of different ways that
I'm accustomed to eating leeks. In fact, I can only think of one and it's potato and leek soup. There must be other ways...

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The Grateful Project - Day 10

These are the best little mitts, perfect colour and they have a magical flap. This allows me to find my toothpick in my purse, blow my nose with out too much trouble and best of all...     
they let me put my freezing fingers on Ben's belly.

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The Grateful Project - Day 9

Watching family videos. Hearing voices from the past surface again. It sort of wrenches your little guts while your heart goes a little bit faster.  Video is quite amazing in how it can connect you to gestures, and intonation in a way a photo never could.

I've included a stop motion video of Ben and I playing in the leaves from our 365 project on Flickr.
There is no intonation from our voices, but as you'll have to imagine there was a lot of giggling.

The Grateful Project - Day 8

When a man bakes cookies, I am grateful.

How could you not be grateful for love from this cat. His name is Mr. Greylips, Fig Greylips.

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The Grateful Project - Day 7

The raven, otherwise know as the Corvus corax, is a majestic bird. I love the sounds they can make. Wikipedia expounds thus: "The species has a distinctive, deep, resonant prruk-prruk-prruk call, which to experienced listeners is unlike that of any other corvid. Its very wide and complex vocabulary includes a high, knocking toc-toc-toc, a dry, grating kraa, a low guttural rattle and some calls of an almost musical nature." On my seventh day of gratefulness this raven was cruising around outside my window. Seemed to be enjoying the rare moment of sun and wind. I am grateful to have had the time to watch and listen.

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The Grateful Project - Day 6

It's all a circle. Day 6 was not a particularly great day, I felt a little trapped in the Barenaked Ladies lyrics ..."it's all been done."  Sigh. I fixed the same problems that I've done before, and others have fixed before me. Such a little cycle. But it all turned around when  I had a little girl in grade one show me a video of a dolphin. She wanted me to know that this was no ordinary dolphin, it's tale had been amputated. I thought that was a bit of a sad story, but she set  me right. The dolphin was swimming around with a prosthetic tale.  I'm pretty sure that hasn't been done before! She was so amazed by this dolphin. It brightened my day and I am grateful for her enthusiasm.

I don't fully identify with the following little quote, but I am coming to understand how important it is to take a moment to be mindful and reflect on the what is going on all around you. 

         “But it’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel 

          like I’m seeing it all at once and it’s too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that’s 

          about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and 

         then it flows through me like rain and I can’t feel anything but gratitude for 

         every single moment of  my stupid little life.”
 

          — American Beauty

      

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The Grateful Project - Day 5

                      Natures TV is a beautiful thing. Last night we burnt the Christmas tree.                                             I am grateful that it did not catch fire in my house!

This tree went up fast and furious.

I inspire art, it's true! Thanks to @cantaloupeisle for the complimentary sketch, 
even though the pig is closer to me than is kosher. 

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The Grateful Project - Day 4

Today I am grateful for my Ben and his dapper taste in dress. My sister may have helped him out by starting to make this tie for him, and my mom helped by finishing it. I'm sure my dad also helped by driving us to get the fabric. A really family effort.


This grateful project has coincided with some very dear and generous gifts for which Ben and I are also grateful for today.

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The Grateful Project - Day 3

What to be grateful for today? The thick cloud cover protecting me from harmful uv rays, never mind vitamin D. No probably not. Perhaps I'll be grateful for this muddy little short cut that transports me between my peoples house and the grocery store. Ben's eyes get very big when I drive down this road in the dark. My theory is that faster is better, less time to dip into the potholes. You just float over them instead. 

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The Grateful Project - Day 2

I am grateful that I was able to spend today with my mom, at least what remained of it after we slept in. We puttered around and had a great time dodging the rain and wild wind. My mom took this pic of me sitting on the best coloured love seat.

This little piggy was hanging out by the best coloured love seat. I have a very delicate relationship with the swine but I am grateful when they are wrapped around dates stuffed with blue cheese and drizzled with balsamic.

Hope you found something to be grateful for today.

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The Grateful Project

Many years ago I followed  poppy smiles on flickr and she kept a record of things she was grateful for through photographs. A nun had told her that the secret to happiness was all about reflection and gratitude. I was always impressed by how simple and meaningful each item was. I have decided to give this idea a go and see what happens. No strict rules. I'll do what I want damn it, and I am grateful for that too.

Found this project on my to-do list today. One of the few things I actually accomplished today. Unfortunately the blurred part of the list would have gotten me one step closer to getting a job or my teaching certificate.

These earrings were made by my sister. She is off & away at school working on getting her teaching certificate too. I am grateful that she was able to come home and spend the holidays with us.

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