This evening Jill and I did quite a lot of yard work, getting ready for the change of seasons that is soon upon us. As I was working I was thinking of things I am grateful for. One of the things that struck me is my gratitude for my wife's compassion for living things. She is not at all fond of insects, but several times she had me come remove preying mantises that she had disturbed, so that they would not be injured. It is a delight to hear her talk about our animals when we are away from them, and how she worries for their well-being. And that compassion extends to others' animals as well: There are few things that will so quickly raise her ire as seeing an animal in anything less than the ideal situation.
I am also grateful that in this age of bigger faster engines, there are still companies that make reel mowers. I have never really enjoyed mowing the lawn; it has always seemed like one of the more onerous tasks of being a home owner. I hated the noise, smell, and mess of gas lawnmowers, not to mention the ever-present danger of losing an extremity. But reel mowers are something completely different. They cut through each blade as a pair of scissors instead of hacking through it, so there is virtually no mess. In fact, I can cut the grass in sandals and not end up with green toes. And there is something so therapeutic it watching the blades spin, and listening to the thrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraap! as they whirl through the grass.
And finally, though I generally try to be as "green" as possible in managing our homestead, I am grateful for highly toxic herbicides. The previous owners let the front lawn become so infested with binding weeds, milk weeds, and all manner of spiky noxious plants, that there is almost no grass left at all. I have to remove all the greenery and start from scratch next year. So I am grateful that I can spray all the weeds, and then rake it all up in a week or so.
Jill's gratitude:
Tonight I am grateful for Netflix! Joe and I have our favorite shows and I enjoy a relaxing evening once in awhile just watching mindless but entertaining shows. Joe and I enjoy our projects and work hard but we're not above vegging out either.
I am grateful for my kitchen gadgets! During our 30 days of downsizing Joe and I made a deal to not touch his art supplies or the kitchen. I love my mixing bowls, spatulas, wooden spoons, knifes, pots, and pans! I find joy in cooking and baking with my husband and having fun kitchen gadgets make cooking even more fun for me! It's important to have proper tools when creating, even when you're creating food!
I am grateful for a small house. I have never been a women who wants a big house on the hill; I'd rather have a cabin in the mountains surrounded by trees. When I see huge homes all I can think about is how much work would have to go into the up keep and cleaning. I'd rather spend my time doing projects than cleaning all the time. We have a three bedroom, two bathroom house and it is the perfect size for our family and it's easy to take care of.
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