Wednesday, March 28, 2018

An Invitation

Blogging has delivered so much more than I ever expected when I started posting a year ago.  Access to spectacular photography, most of it by ordinary people just like me.  Inspiration from prose, quotes and video embedded in posts.  A window into the joys and trials of others, with its incumbent responsibility to affirm and to support my fellow bloggers, as needed.  So, it felt really good when LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color invited me to join "I Like Thursdays", a 'posting party' that emphasizes positives.  This is for LeeAnna and the entire blogging community: I appreciate your diversity, your talent and the entertainment! So, I guess that's my first LIKE for the week!

(Internet)
Many posts I have read over the last few weeks have documented the delayed arrival of spring, and fickle winter storms.  Here in Montana, it's still winter in the mountains, but there are signs of spring in the valleys. As soon as some grass was revealed by the retreating snow in our backyard, robins suddenly appeared and commenced pulling worms out of the compressed earth.  I was so excited to see them!

(Internet)
Yesterday, I was watching the juncos pick birdseed from the snow below my birdfeeder, and I suddenly noticed something poking its head out of a hole in the snow, where it meets the grass.  For the next 10 minutes or so, that mouse/vole worked the semi-circle in front of the hole until the grass was bare.  While I am not a big mouse fan, I do admire the ingenuity of the tunnels that must be laced throughout the two feet of snow that still remains in the shaded part of the yard.

Warmer weather in town means the foot-deep ruts on our streets have disappeared, and the sidewalks are passable without Traxx and winter boots.  Running outside  has returned!
Whitefish Mountain Resort
Meanwhile, on the mountain, we are enjoying the final weeks of ski season; last day for the resort is April 8.  Enamored ourselves with the beauty of the vistas from the Summit, we aren't surprised when people ask us to take their pictures with the mountains as a backdrop.  But recently, it was a request with a twist ... a young bearded man approached me and asked if I was good at photography ... this was new.

I said yes, and then he confided in me that he was about to propose, and would I just use his SLR to take pictures continuously as to not miss a thing?  No pressure!!!  I will probably never know if they were quality shots, but it sure looked sweet through the viewfinder!  And she said yes!

Easter rapidly approaches; it seems like just yesterday that Lent began.  It's no coincidence that my February 15 post celebrated an author with a focus on positive action rather than avoiding a negative.  In reviewing that post, I can honestly report that I have moved the needle on patience and hope.  Day 37, I have more capacity to adapt to life's curveballs (except for moving day - that was an anomaly - LOL).  I spend a greater proportion of time in the moment than on worrying about tomorrow.  And if both of those fail me, I have the hope that circumstances will improve tomorrow, along with my ability to deal with them.  Along the way, an occasional indulgence in a Cadbury crème egg or a Girl Scout cookie doesn't hurt!

Speaking of indulgences, it's not hard to be in a good mood when your day starts well.  One of my greatest joys in retirement is the option to lie in bed until a formerly-unknown hour of, say, 9 a.m.  And the proverbial icing on the cake is a surprise breakfast in bed.  Spousal Unit is a blessing beyond compare!


Pets are good for the soul. Yes, they can be work (daily sweeping of cat litter scattered all over the hardwood floor), but the companionship, love and entertainment is worth it.  Josie often keeps me company while I am blogging, and her cuteness is enough to make my heart burst sometimes.


When I am not looking out the window, running, skiing, eating fine foods, or blogging with Josie, I am embroidering one of my tea towels.  I recently finished Tuesday and I am on track to complete Wednesday before the end of the month - one "day" per month is my goal - so far so good.

How Montanans get to dinner
Do you know Reader's Digest?  When I was young, we always had the magazine at home and I would consume it cover to cover.  Of course, one of my favorite sections was Laughter: the Best Medicine.  So, I thought I would leave you with this photo, taken outside the Kila Pub, where we had dinner last week after spending all day opening boxes.  We were tired, to say the least.  But this made us laugh, which automatically lifted our moods ...

Well, LeeAnna, I can see why "I Like Thursday" has meant so much to you ... it certainly was powerful for me to reflect on my LIKES this week ...

and now, check out all the other good stuff at Not Afraid of Color.

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60 comments:

  1. ...I find it interesting that when I visit Amish friends that 'Reader's Digest' is often one of the few magazines they have. Enjoy this special week.

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  2. Voles are so cute.....from a distance and away from my garden. Great photos. I got a chuckle about your dishtowels. I made a set of those for my former MIL 30+ years ago. Wow I am old.

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  3. Welcome to our "likes" group. You have a fascinating blog. It's so fun to see how other people live in different parts of the world. Your home looks beautiful and I'll bet you are thrilled to be moving in after such a long time waiting. Have a fun day! mary in Az

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  4. What a delightful post. Walks you right though what's going on in your world. Most delightful.

    Your breakfast looked most delicious.

    Have a fabulous day. ♥

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  5. Robins have arrived at my house too! I love seeing birds with a little more color, though I haven't been able to get any pictures yet. They sit outside my door at the feeder, but as soon as I move to grab my phone, even if I'm inside, they startle and fly off, so I just try to watch!

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  6. Hello, I remember the Reader's Digest. The Robins would be one of my likes. Your mountain views are just gorgeous. Love your pretty embroidery too. Breakfast in bed sounds awesome! Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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  7. Welcome to our Thursday likes group! I sure enjoyed yours! We're happy to see the robins back here in Colorado, too. I like your tea towel embroidery! And everything is made better with a piece of chocolate or a Girl Scout cookie!

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  8. How lovely to share your joys of blogging for this past year! Loved the wildlife and landscape shots! beautiful place where you live. The embroidery is wonderful too. So nice to have you in the bloggesphere!

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  9. What a delightful blog post Angie. Before I forget and I may have already asked you...my husby wanted to know if you have been to the Montana Coffee Traders in Whitefish? We loved it the times we were there. The gift shop got a few of my savings too. I wish they had their gift line online, but then my savings would deplete even quicker. What a nice thing to put positive thoughts. So many life struggles, and so many things that happens that we have no control over, but trying to do right by others and show kindness is a good thing. So wonderful that you were willing and available to take those wedding pictures, how fun was that! Happy Easter Blessings~

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  10. Wow! a big change for you. I think I would have chosen to move away from the snow! But still I hope you find it is the best place ever!
    Sandy in the UK

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  11. Those little rodents are survivors to be sure, but more importantly they are at the bottom of the food chain and ensure the survival of many other creatures. In so many ways, though, they are delightful in their own right.

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  12. My Border Collie used to eradicate voles and gift us with them on the front porch. Thank you for linking up today and have a great weekend!

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  13. I always looked forward to Laughter: the Best Medicine. Breakfast in bed - how neat. I like your embroidery.

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  14. Great thankful post. That young bearded man was smart to choose you to click away on his proposal. Too fun. Oh yes, I do remember enjoying reading Reader's Digest. Breakfast in bed sounds real good right about now. I've always loved the days of the week embroidery. Great job!

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  15. Wasn't Reader's Digest the one with the vocabulary feature? I liked that one. If not Reader's Digest, I wonder what magazine it was. I did like to read all the humor sections in Reader's Digest. For a while, my goal was to have a funny story published.

    Josie is a cutie. Molly the Cat isn't here to watch me write that. :-)

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  16. Oh I would be totally nervous if asked to photograph a proposal. People ask me if I want to be a professional photographer and the answer is heck no!! I want to make myself happy with my photos, when you are a pro you better make darn sure that the customer is happy!!

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  17. That is so fun that you were able to capture the guy's proposal on film! Josie is so adorable. I love cats; they bring us a lot of joy. Your embroidered tea towels are very sweet. Wishing you and yours a blessed Easter.

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  18. Hello,
    your embroidered towels are cute!
    I used to do something, as a young girl, but now I do mostly crochet. Enjoy it!

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  19. Fantastic blog Angie, happy bunny time.

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  20. I love your needlepoint towels. So cute.

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  21. Thanks for visiting my blog at https://afanja.com
    I've enjoyed the movie of your cat, so fantastic relaxed ...

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  22. Hi there, what a lot of marvelous likes. Loved reading them and so many are mine too. Breakfast bearing hubby is a treasure! I also embroider with much enjoyment. Have you tried the Cadbury Egg McFlurry at McDonalds? I confess to having had a few!

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  23. Such a pleasant post! The video of Josie could easily have been my Simba! Delightful! Happy Easter!

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  24. Angie I can't respond to your e-mail. But Thanks for the sweet comment. Voles are awesome, luckily mine are in the lot, and usually we leave the grass a wee bit long during the fall, but whenever I plant they seem to love my carrots, and sweet potatoes.

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  25. That's a great story about the proposal! One time that happened to me at Disneyland. And she said yes, too! So fun!

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  26. Such a great post Angie. Glad you are settling in and those mountain views will always be nice to see as they change everyday. Growing up, we always had a Reader's Digest in our home. I used to love the true stories that they profiled each month. The Best Medicine was always a laugh to read too. We are on a roll here with three partly sunny days with a bit of rain of course. :)

    Have a wonderful Easter!

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  27. Such a beautiful post and so a lovely video !!
    Have a Happy Easter !!

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  28. loved reading about the connection you made with the groom, because you were open to it. Thank you lots for a great list. I love embroidery especially from that time period. I could watch the cat bath all day long. Soothing, peaceful.
    The breakfast was great... yum, but the husband who provided it is even better. Mine prepares my coffee each morning and walks the poodle for me before I get up.
    Welcome! What an addition you are to the group!

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  29. Nice to read all about your signs of spring!

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  30. A very enjoyable post Angie. I'm pleased that your spring is arriving, if rather slowly. This is a problem for us birders, wishing our lives away for the next set of birds to arrive in each and every different season. That photography task certainly put you under a lot of pressure and that guy was taking a chance just asking a passer by, but I'm sure he wasn't disappointed with your efforts especially since he got a "yes".

    Love that daily transport. I want one!

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  31. Oh ~ fun post ~ love your kitty! so pretty and precious ~ tea towels are so well done ~ creative ~ and I am glad that the Cadbury Easter Eggs are only around for Easter ~ they are addictive! Happy Easter to you ~ xxx

    Happy Days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  32. You keep yourself busy! Your local ski resort looks beautiful.

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  33. Hello, stopping back to say I enjoyed your critters. The Robin is pretty, The Vole is cute and I love your sweet kitty..Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. I appreciate your visit and comment. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend. Happy Easter to you and your family.

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  34. Happy Easter Angie. I loved your pictures -- the groom-to-be was smart to choose you to record the happy event! If I did half the things you did (in the snow yet) I'd be too tired to pick up an embroidery hoop! I love reading about your adventures ... and the joy you take in them.

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  35. Hi Angie, I found your blog thanks to the kind comment you left on mine and thank you! Welcome to the blogosphere! It looks like you are off to a really good start. Enjoyed this post! Hope you are having a great Easter weekend. John

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  36. Hi Angie,
    Welcome to LeeAnna's Thursday likes! It is fun to look for the little wonderful blessing we find each week. Oh, those mountain photos are just stunning. I read the C.J. Box series about a game warden based in Montana, and your little mouse picture reminds me of them. Robins are a true sign of Spring around here, and I can hear them in the trees near surrounding our house. Happy Easter to you and your family. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  37. Hello Angie....We are all behind on spring here and I picked up some bug that has really made me have to take it easy... If you want to tell a vole from a mouse, voles have very little tail and mice have long tails. You asked about insects. All we can do is help in our own yards not to use pesticides and contact your representatives about the approval of a really nasty one that has been found to cause all kind of damage, but the EPA administrator is rolling back all the regs and enforcement so it is going to be a bad time for the environment for a few years. I hope we don't lose too much or too many animals or people die because of it..Michelle

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  38. nice to be invited :) Great post. And, yes spring is late here also. :(

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  39. Happy Easter Angie and greetings from Pennsylvania! I'm so glad you joined LeeAnna's celebration of things that good in the world! I think I am going to enjoy your blog, love your photos already! Hugs!

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  40. It seems being in the mountains make for good communication, and people trusting each other! Cute that he kept you up-to-date with her "Yes!!" I could write a book about my talks with passers-by when painting in Yosemite Nat. Park. Oh my, a surprise breakfast is always a delightful experience! Many thanks for sharing this with All Seasons! Have a great week, Angie!

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  41. Wow Angie, that was some honour to be chosen as the official photographer for the proposal! He would be a keeper if he also knew that his bride to be would want some special pictures of the big moment, he has chosen well choosing you for sure! Talking of which I am admiring your breakfast in bed delivery! Wren x

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  42. What a lovely post! It's so fun to read.
    I've lost some blogger buddies over time, I've completed 5000+ posts, people find other things to do. I like documenting nature around my house.
    I like watching Spring arrive to the south, as I know it's creeping north to us in Ontario.
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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  43. There's much to like in your post, so upbeat and positive. Bay leaf what Bay leaf?
    Enjoy your final last skiing days, spring is on her way to you at last.
    Happy Mosaic Monday!

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  44. Dear friend, I hope you had a happy Easter !!
    Greetings

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  45. You have included so many positive things in your post! I'm glad spring is arriving in your corner of the world. Cute vole, and I love your embroidery patterns.

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  46. ...Angie, I will be hosting Willy-Nilly.
    The Willy-Nilly meme opens at 12:00 AM eastern time each Friday and closes at 11:55 on Monday. Please stop by!

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  47. I love your pretty tea towels! I have some but I'm missing Saturday! heehee! Maybe you're not supposed to work and need to dry anything on Saturday. I was just saying I miss eating Cadbury eggs...oh how I loved them. (I have a serious allergy to sugar now) Love your snowy scenes! Happy Spring!

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  48. I enjoyed your post. I especially like your vintage tea towels. I remember using those kind of transfers on pillow cases though I've never embroidered one myself.

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  49. I always enjoy reading your posts because they are upbeat and positive so you are the perfect choice to write a positive post. Breakfast in bed is a treat! Your husband is a treasure.

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  50. I think it's great that though you don't love nice you can admire them--I would have loved to have seen something like that--we won't get juncos here for at least another month--i enjoy watching those birds!

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  51. Josie is precious! The snow looks pretty but hopefully spring is around the corner! Here in Oregon we are getting spring rains so hoping for more pretty flowers soon!

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  52. Your kitty, Josie is adorable. How nice to get breakfast in bed, all I get is coffee in bed :)

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  53. Much to look at! Very nice photos!

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  54. i enjoy your blog angie, your entires are always positive and up beat. i think we all feel the same way about blogging, it does deliver much more joy than we ever expected!!

    lovely tea towels, i use to embroider, but have not in a long time!

    our robins have arrived but not spring, i don't know where she is hiding!!

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  55. Hey, thanks for stopping by last week. I found your comment in my spam folder and dug it out. You have a very pretty blog!

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  56. Wow! you are really busy! And love love the film of Josie -- so sweet.
    Mary (Cactus Catz)

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  57. Being positive as much as possible is definitely the best way to live. I'm glad you had a wonderful Easter!

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  58. Wonderful blog with beautiful photos and videos.
    Nature is beautiful there.
    Best regards, Irma

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