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Sunday, March 8, 2015

Sunday Gratitude


This has been a good week - busy and full, but good. Let me tell you what fills my heart with gratitude.

The best certainly was that Kaefer got more sleep this week and had less homework than usually. This resulted in her being more relaxed and so much nicer and sweeter than she often is when she doesn't get enough sleep and is slammed with homework. It's the only thing about her high school that I truly don't like - that they give way too much homework. IMHO teenagers should also have the opportunity to have a social life and do teenage things like hanging out in the mall or going to the movies together. Kaefer almost never does that. Every now and then she goes shopping with a friend of hers or two, sometimes they make it to the movies together. I wish she had more opportunity for this. Since she is stressed with the amount of work for the school, she often is very short, gets into teenage attitude and we sometimes fight with each other. While I know that all of this is quite normal for a girl her age, I rather have her around when she is more relaxed. So this was a wonderful week when she laughed often and was her funny, chatty self.


I saw two of my good friends that I hadn't seen for quite a while.

K. and I just sat on her deck, enjoying fruit and veggies while talking and catching up on each other's news. Their new dog occupied some of our time as well - you know how much I love dogs and enjoy every opportunity I can spend with them.

Seeing Jo in the spring usually means we visit nurseries together while catching up. We are both passionate gardeners and quite crazy about birds. It's simply beautiful to share this love with someone. We also both enjoy knitting, so after the nursery we also visited a yarn store where we had a lovely chat with the lady who works there. I love this kind of connection.


At the end of the week I got an unexpected custom order from a Girl Scout leader for one of the girls in her troop who is moving away. It reminded me so much of my own years as a troop leader for a Brownie and then Junior group of Girl Scouts. I enjoyed working on this custom order very much and I am thankful to be able to do what I love.

While walking the neighborhood I came across a yard sale held by an man whom I often meet when he is walking his dog. We just sat at the side of the road, chatting for a while. This is what I will always love - connecting with the people in our neighborhood, sitting for a short while and chatting. It's a small thing, but so beautiful. It makes life a little bit brighter. Again, it's the connection.


While Kaefer goes to German School, I often hang out in the public library until she's done. Often I take a few dvd's home with movies that we want to watch. While I usually look for movies that one of us "knows" (= wants to see), every now and then a completely unknown movie (at least to me) grabs my attention and I take it home just out of curiosity. This happened last week when I chose "An Unfinished Life" with Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman, both actors I like a lot. Please don't roll your eyes that I didn't know this movie! I loved it!! This is the kind of film I like to watch, especially when it ends well like this one does. It is satisfying I guess.

A few weeks ago I told you about the Varied Thrush that suddenly appeared in my garden. Well, he has brought his extended family, and they hop around in my garden joyfully. It's a pleasure to watch them, they are such beautiful birds. However, it is almost impossible to capture them on camera. They seem to sense it and fly away - darn!


I hope you had a pleasant week as well with many opportunities to be grateful. Have a wonderful week!


13 comments:

  1. Hi Carola, I enjoyed all of your pictures today. Teenagers, boy oh boy. They can certainly be a handful. I had two teen girls and their attitudes weren't the best, when stressed, either. But time ticks on and they graduate school and college and get married and have children of their own....and I find I miss their teenage days so much. Have a great evening!

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  2. Your photos fill me with gratitude, Carola. You see and make time for the small blessings of everyday life. I remember the teenage years - hang in there! Already my granddaughter who is only 12 and in 6th grade has a great deal of homework. I agree with you that kids need time to be kids! (And I was a former teacher.)

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  3. I enjoyed reading your post and seeing your photos :-)
    I had a very good week too, my first week home after being gone a month ...I was homesick for my kiddos (adults on their own) and doggies the whole month I was gone.... My doggies and I spent a quiet week cuddling and doing patio time on the pretty days...I was astounded that both of my kids paid me visits THIS week..It is rare for both of them to see me in the same week, lol....At the end of the week I reunited with some good friends for coffees, lunch, photo shoots :-)
    I also love a good yarn store...I am crazy about crocheting and I want to re learn how to knit :-)))

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  4. What a wonderful 'newsy' post. You certainly had a nice week.

    I agree with you about too much homework, personally I don't think that teachers should give homework over the weekend. Students need some time to relax.

    I home you up-coming week is a delightful as this one.

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  5. Love the gratitude you express for the small things - which are huge in my world.
    And your photo of the web plus raindrops is very, very special indeed.
    Thank you.
    On my own gratitude stakes? My recalcitrant body is allowing me to do a little weeding. Lots is required, but to be able to do some of it is a hopeful blessing.

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  6. So many things to be grateful for, and incredible photos to go with them. I, too, don't know of the movie "An Unfinished Life" so I'll watch out for it.

    Enjoy the coming week with your thrushes and blossoms!

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  7. Liebe Carola, das war mal wieder eine schöne Woche für Dich, auch wenn Du den Piepmatz nicht erwischt hast. Falls es Dich tröstet, auch vor mir fliegen sie immer davon :)
    Deine Fotos sind mal wieder super schön geworden, meine Favoriten sind die ersten drei. :))

    Wünsche Dir noch so eine schöne Woche!

    Liebe Grüße
    【ツ】Knipsa

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  8. Your post lifted my heart and it proves how it's the small things that are so important to happiness.
    Your photos are wonderful and you certainly have a "seeing eye"! My DH would not consider such things as worthy of a photo and thus takes boring subjects.
    This week brought me joy that it is 4 years since our 5 year old grandee in Germany was diagnosed with leukaemia and she is now a healthy and happy child.
    We're so lucky.
    Jo x

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  9. Carola, such lovely pictures interspersed among your thoughts today. My younger daughter and I had an agreement that I wouldn't talk to her in the mornings as she was getting ready for school. I'm a morning person, she is not. It helped to have an agreement.

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  10. Carola, what wonderful joys to read about and to see! You are so right, it's the little things and the connections that mean the most.
    I'm going to look for that movie, love those actors, too!

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  11. Teenagers, especially girls, can certainly test the will and patience. Such a difficult time for them I think with so much coming at them from school, friends, etc. Your daughter sounds like she is studying hard. Your photos are beautiful. I haven't seen that movie you mentioned as we don't go to the theatre but will have to watch for it on Blue Ray. I hope you have a beautiful week.

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  12. What a lovely week, illustrated so beautifully with your images. The web is my favorite , I love those droplets.

    My friends with kids in high school all complain about the mountain of home work their kids get -- it really isn't fair to the students who do need time to rest and relax.

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  13. Beautiful post my friend :o) Really enjoyed everything ;;o)

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