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Ten Things of Thankful: Between Batches Edition

 

An apricot tree, loaded with ripe fruit
I've missed the past couple of weeks of the Ten Things of Thankful blog hop, due to having grandchildren come visit and choosing to spend my free time sleeping. Having so much fun wears this grandma out, but I'm always so happy when the grandkids are here!

I'm not sure I'm less busy now that they have gone back, but it's a different, not-interrupted type of busy, and it is easier to sit down to compose a post. A batch of apricot pie filling is currently in the water bath canner, and I'm taking this 40-minute time to write. 

1. I'm thankful for fruit trees. They are time-consuming when the fruit ripens, but it is also nice to have bottles of home-canned fruit throughout the year. 

2. I'm thankful for a working blend door actuator. At least I think that is the thing I am thankful for. On the way to California to pick up the grandchildren, I noticed that the air conditioning was blowing hot on the front passenger side of the car, but was blowing cold elsewhere. A quick Google search gave us a diagnosis, and a fix--which was basically turn the temp up and down, turn the fan speed up and down, and give the glovebox a good smack for good measure. Voila! I had cold air again. 

3. I'm thankful for an unexpected upgrade. We decided to take two days coming back from California with the grandchildren, so we stopped in St. George and took the kids to see The Little Mermaid play that was being performed at Tuacahn. We had gotten the cheap seats, using a two-for-one promotion. The afternoon of the performance, we got a call from the box office offering to upgrade our seats to the premium section at no additional charge. Of course we said yes! The grandkids loved the production--and John and I did, too.

4. I'm thankful that spending weeks at a time with the grandkids really lets us get to know them well, and helps me know what I can help them with. For example, I noticed that the younger two weren't really catching the concept of rhyming words. The youngest ends the Alphabet Song by singing, "Now I know my ABCDs. Next time I will sing with you." After I introduced the idea of rhyming words, I realized I maybe didn't quite teach the concept well enough when the second youngest declared at breakfast: "Grandma! Orange and juice--they rhyme!" I assured her that they did indeed go together, but I couldn't really give her a good rhyming word for "orange." 🤣

5. I'm thankful for traditions that were mine as a child and are now my grandchildren's, too. Growing up, we always watched the fireworks from our own yard, and that is what we do now, too. The grandchildren always want to come here in July so they can stay up late and watch the show(s) that are going on in the valley. 

6. I'm thankful, also, to share my love of books with my grandchildren. I love reading to and with the kids. Besides the picture books we read at bedtime, I try to read a chapter book over the course of the time they are here. This visit we read Mr. Popper's Penguins, a book I somehow missed reading when I was younger. It was enjoyable for everyone, from the 4-year-old to the adults. 

7. I'm thankful for patient Drexel. He's shedding a lot right now, as the temperatures climb, and the grandchildren loved brushing him outside. He did benefit from youngest granddaughter sharing a pillow with him one afternoon, though--as seen in the photo below.

Youngest granddaughter and Drexel the dog share a pillow while laying on the entryway floor

8. I'm thankful that after the visit was over and the grandchildren were returned to their parents, we were able to go visit our oldest son and his wife. It was good to see them, and we were thankful for their hospitality.

9. I'm thankful for a gorgeous moonrise on the drive home. The photo doesn't do it justice.

A huge full moon ascends over mountains 

10. I'm thankful for John, my best friend and fellow adventurer.

Well, the pie filling is now canned and cooling on the counter. I should probably go pick more apricots, though I suspect I'll just get them in the refrigerator and do something with them another day. 

What are you thankful for today? Be sure to visit the other bloggers' posts this week, and feel free to write your own and link it up!

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Comments

  1. messymimiJuly 13, 2025 at 7:41 PM

    Supposedly the only rhyme for the word orange is a mountain called Blorange in Wales (although the Welsh pronunciation doesn't actually make it rhyme). Now we just need places somewhere on Earth in some language which will rhyme with purple and silver, the other two colors with no rhyming words.

    I very much enjoyed your list, grandchild tending is fun but exhausting.

    Enjoy your apricots!

    ReplyDelete
  2. clarkJuly 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM

    we have (long ago planted) two pear and one apple tree... they provide a kind of fruit cafeteria for the deers... though I suspect there are other patrons at our fruit bar
    very excellent dog, that Drexel

    ReplyDelete
  3. CatJuly 14, 2025 at 7:47 PM

    Forage? Agree about fruit trees!
    Cat

    ReplyDelete

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