thankful thursday

Thankful Thursday: buffet of gifts

/ Tracy Abell / 13 Comments

Here’s a shout-out to this week’s highlight reel of awesomeness:

⭐  On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani–33-year-old Muslim/democratic socialist/New York State Assemblyperson–won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor! Mamdani crushed the money-soaked and scandal-ridden Andrew Cuomo, and now has the Democratic establishment and pro-Israel money machine in an absolute panic. I’m still riding that high!

⭐  Zippy and I finally unpacked enough boxes and moved/donated enough furniture to be able to fit our car in the garage! The end of this moving process is in sight (if I squint and tilt my head just so).

⭐  Today there was a pretty substantial low tide (-3.4′) at Freshwater Bay so we put on our boots (hiking for Zippy, waders for me) and went exploring. The first thing we saw upon arrival was this:

When we got closer, I took another photo as I asked Zippy what he thought the story was with the boat. A voice came out of nowhere: “I fell asleep during high tide.” I hadn’t realized anyone was on the severely-tipped boat! The man went on to say he just had to wait for high tide and then could leave. A pretty relaxed outlook considering he was most definitely not able to wait/sit in an upright position.

Zippy and I continued our explorations where we saw all sorts of cool stuff (crab; very large sea anenome; sea slug known as “clown nudibranch”; vivid orange sea star [click to enlarge]:

 

                 

⭐  Two other generous explorers also shared their discoveries with us, sightings that made them absolutely giddy with excitement since those creatures are somewhat rare in that area: a California Sea Cucumber and a Sunflower Sea Star. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in position for good photos but very much appreciated the sightings!

⭐  After a couple hours, Zippy and I headed back across the slippery, kelp-strewn rocks toward the parking area. One last gift? The rising tide righted that man’s boat.

Happy day!

Thankful Thursday: holding onto my JOY

/ Tracy Abell / 24 Comments

These are incredibly hard days on the planet and today I want to give a shout-out to the JOY in my heart, something the fascists will never, ever take from me. They want us cowering in fear and apathy, quietly sinking into dark and joyless pits of despair, but it’s vital to stay connected to all the good stuff in this world. Here’s a list of some things bringing me joy today:

  • Running for the first time in months (not to mention at sea level!) and even though my joints were creaky and my pace pretty darned slow, it made me SO freaking happy. Joyous, even!
  • Singer/songwriter Valerie June‘s new release aptly titled “Joy, Joy!” which is catchy and uplifting (check it out here).
  • Watching the rain fall as the sun shines.
  • Putting on jeans still warm from the dryer.
  • Leaving on my walk to the library after posting this, knowing I’ll get answers to my questions because librarians rule! They take care of patrons and books alike!

I’d love to hear about what’s bringing you joy these days so please share in the comments!

Thankful Thursday: Olympic National Park

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

It’s almost two weeks since we reached the Olympic Peninsula and because we’ve been busy with all sorts of tasks related to moving and relocation, we hadn’t yet visited the Olympic National Park. This morning, Zippy suggested a walk in the sunshine (!) to the Visitor’s Center to check it out. Kind of a recon mission. Well, before reaching the Visitor’s Center, we came upon a trail just off the street.

We stepped into the forest.

Oh my goodness. It was immediately like being in a whole different world. The sounds and smells of traffic disappeared, along with the stress I carried. Below you can see my spouse and our dog Emma, seemingly tiny beings against the backdrop of magnificent trees.

I’ve already developed a bit of a crick in my neck/shoulders from constantly tilting my head back in an attempt to see the tops of trees here and I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of admiring moss-covered trunks and limbs.

Here’s Zippy working on his own neck crick while checking out these two trees growing from a cedar stump.

We had plans to hike another few miles but when the trail got so slick it took down Zippy, we decided to turn around for the day.

Today I give thanks for the Olympic National Park, its proximity to our rental home, and the rejuvenating properties of time spent in the natural world.

I receive these gifts.

 

Thankful Thursday: rehomed piano

/ Tracy Abell / 25 Comments

For the past several months, I’ve been trying to find a new home for my beautiful old piano.

I don’t play nearly enough to justify paying out of state moving costs and so offered it up for free on the local Buy Nothing and Craigslist forums. Various people expressed interest over the months and one woman even came to play it. She’s used to playing a baby grand but is also moving and needs a piano that takes up less space. She asked me to play so she could hear how it sounded. HAHAHAHA I knew better than to put my “big note” skills on display for someone who’d brought her own sheet music and instead went in the other room while she played. Oh my goodness, that piano never produced such beautiful music, at least not while in my possession. And although I never heard from the woman again, I was grateful because I now knew for sure the piano had life left in it. I was more determined than ever to keep it out of the landfill.

However, our departure date was drawing closer and I was getting nervous. So I posted the piano again, this time offering to split piano-mover costs. I got exactly one response from someone who lives in a small mountain community and said he’d pick it up himself. I was skeptical on multiple levels. But today, he showed up in a car pulling a trailer rigged out with a pulley system. Zippy helped him get it on the ramp and the guy did all the rest. A friend in his community has a music studio and has been wanting a piano, but if he doesn’t want it the man would turn the piano into beautiful furniture, same  as he’s done with a bunch of other pianos over the past few years. I’m hoping his friend want this one and that my beautiful old piano has new musical adventures.

While waiting for the man to arrive this morning, I’d played one last song: Melancholy Baby. But the sadness lifted as I watched the piano leave the driveway. In addition to happiness about its potential new life in a music studio, I got a boost from the man who told us he approved of our yard signs and has a license plate holder that says “FREE PALESTINE. END APARTHEID.”

Solidarity, Mr. Piano Man! Melancholy no more.

Thankful Thursday: shared humanity

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

This beautiful begonia bloom was waiting for me this morning when I arrived at a neighbor’s to water their plants.

The delicate bloom rested on the concrete below the pot, looking perfect as could be. It felt like a gift and I brought it home.

And now I offer this beautiful flower to those I’m grateful to be in community with, the people whose hearts are also broken on behalf of the Palestinians facing horror after horror as the United States arms and gives political cover to Israel’s genocide. This begonia bloom is also for those experiencing further outrage and heartache on behalf of the Lebanese who suffered two terrorist attacks this week as Israel carried out its long-range plan that involved a shell company in Hungary which built electronic devices laced with explosives to be detonated at a later date. That later date was this week. Dozens, including children, are dead, and thousands are maimed as a result of electronic devices literally exploding in their faces.

For all who refuse to normalize death and destruction, who refuse to harden their hearts against people halfway around the world, I’m grateful for your shared humanity. Thank you.

Edited to add: I meant to also share the begonia gift with those sickened and heartsick on behalf of the Haitian immigrants being demonized and terrorized by people using the “othering” playbook to advance their fascist goals. I’m grateful to all who refuse to remain silent in the face of that hateful demagoguery.

Thankful Thursday: people who reach out

/ Tracy Abell / 2 Comments

Over the years, I’ve had friends from my distant past find me via this site which is always a happy surprise. And strangers have reached out after reading something I posted. For example, after writing about Aaron Bushnell on Memorial Day, a friend of his wrote to me. Their message touched me deeply and I wrote back to thank them for taking the time to contact me in solidarity.

But I’m not always successful in responding to people and so today I’m using this space to let LR know that I received their message. Thank you! I tried to respond via the email provided but there’s an error with that address and it doesn’t go through. I did an online search and was able to find an edu email address for you, and sent my message there. Because I haven’t heard anything back, I’m  wondering if that’s also a bad address. PLEASE, if you see this, use the contact form again and leave a different return address. I very much appreciated your message and would like to converse some more!

May 29, 2019

Solidarity!

Thankful Thursday: the common

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

Life feels difficult the last few days–personally, professionally, and globally–and now more than ever, I’m grateful for nature’s gifts. Today I’ve taken solace in the presence of many magpies (my next door neighbor just confirmed her dog–again— spread kibble in their backyard) as they fly to-and-fro, pause to snack on Rainbow’s offerings, and bathe in my bird bath.

Magpies are common around here yet they never fail to lift my spirits. Equally common are the bright, cheery sunflowers smiling in my yard and throughout the neighborhood. These, too, always bring a smile. And when that sunflower sighting includes a Common Checkered-Skipper?

Backyard. August 12, 2024

Well, then my gratitude knows no bounds. Even when I gaze upon the image nearly a month later, it’s like bottled Balm for the Soul.

Thankful Thursday: hawk edition

/ Tracy Abell / 15 Comments

Earlier today, movement outside the window caught my eye. I turned and saw:
Emma running along the fence + a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the wire + a squirrel jumping into the maple tree right next to the wire + another Red-tailed Hawk landing in that maple tree.

I sent up a prayer for the squirrel as I ran for the camera in the other room. By the time I returned, all I could see were the two hawks. The squirrel must’ve escaped and Emma was elsewhere in the yard, oblivious to having chased that squirrel right toward the hawks.

I photographed the one on the wire through the kitchen window and captured the hawk in the tree by sneakily pushing my big lens through the mini-blinds in Zippy’s office. I was grateful they didn’t startle at my movements and even more grateful they hung around as long as they did. Just moments after getting photos of the tree-sitter, the hawk took off from the wire and the other followed.

I receive these gifts.

Thankful Thursday: trailrunning

/ Tracy Abell / 22 Comments

Just over three weeks ago, I took a pretty hard fall while running on the trails in the open space. I’ll spare you the image of my left knee that I texted to my sons after limping home (an image that prompted Wildebeest to reply, “Ewwwww. Mother I am squeamish”), and will only say that the last bits of scabbing came off two days ago (to which everyone reading is probably thinking, “Ewwwww, Tracy. We’re squeamish!”) The point is, my knee is healed and while I’d already resumed running on the streets, I was very nervous about trail running again.

I got up at six this morning knowing I needed to run early in order to beat the heat, and checked in with my intuition: run on the trails or run on the streets? Trails. Okay, then. In an attempt to feel slightly more protected, I put on leggings despite temperatures already in the 60s.

Not gonna lie: it’s always scary to run on those rocky trails after a fall and today was no different. It was hard to fully relax and I had to intentionally push images of tripping and falling out of my mind. I talked myself through the run (“You are strong. You are resilient. You are mindful. Feet on the ground, feet on the ground, feet on the ground,”) and tried very hard to be in the moment. Whenever my brain jumped to catastrophe, I reminded it to “be in this moment, with these steps.” [Note: I’m sharing these details to document the experience for myself, but also in case this approach might be helpful for anyone dealing with a trauma.]

I wasn’t alone out in the open space. A large dark butterfly flew right in front of me, bringing a grin. Birds sang (lots of Spotted Towhees with their sweet sweet teeeeea) and when I paused to stretch at the top of the slog, I heard the liquid song of a Western Meadowlark.

Not a great photo but this was my very first Western Meadowlark sighting of the year at Lake Hasty on 4.3.24

While I avoided a particularly rocky segment of the trail, I knew it was imperative I run past where I’d fallen. As I got closer to the scene of the fall, all sorts of feelings and tightness showed up in my body, and I paused to allow myself to feel all of that. As I had immediately after the initial fall, I visualized my left foot hitting the rock in the trail and then rewrote the story in my mind. Instead of slamming into the hard ground, I slid into what was essentially a slip-n-slide of banana pudding (yep, that’s what my brain came up with that day). Both initially and today, I allowed my body to feel that frictionless sensation and then visualized myself laughing as I wiped pudding from my face and hands, and licked it from my fingers. I went through that exercise several times. It’s a somatic experiencing trick I learned from my therapist, and I highly recommend this for releasing trauma from your system. It works. As I walked home from the initial fall, my knee hurt but my body was already more relaxed. And over the next week, whenever the image of falling popped into my head, I reverted to my banana pudding rewrite. Pretty soon, I stopped having “flashbacks.”

Today I’m very grateful that I was able to run on my beloved trails again. I’m grateful I remained upright and I’m grateful for the tools I have to help me recover. I know from past experience that today’s run didn’t fully liberate me from my trauma and that I’ll be tentative for a bit, but facing my fear will go a long way toward getting me back to where I want to be. And where I want to be is out running on the trails. 🙂

Thankful Thursday: South Africa charges Israel with genocide

/ Tracy Abell / 6 Comments

It’s very fitting that South Africa, a former apartheid state, is the country that recently filed charges against Israel in the International Court of Justice.

South Africa asserts that Israel is in violation of the Geneva Convention. From the 84-page document‘s Introduction:
The acts and omissions by Israel complained of by South Africa are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group, that being the part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip (‘Palestinians in Gaza’). The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction. The acts are all attributable to Israel, which has failed to prevent genocide and is committing genocide in manifest violation of the Genocide Convention, and which has also violated and is continuing to violate its other fundamental obligations under the Genocide Convention, including by failing to prevent or punish the direct and public incitement to genocide by senior Israeli officials and others.

I have not read the entire document (not even close), but here is video of British newspaper columnist, Owen Jones, breaking down the contents. Confession: it was difficult getting through the entire video due to the sheer volume of horrifying details about Israel’s genocidal campaign, but it felt important to bear witness to what’s happening in my name. (Note: the video link also allows you to “show transcript” if you’d rather read or want to read along. OR, you can watch with subtitles via Twitter)

This from the end of Owen Jones’s video (~ 32:00 mark):
This is why South Africa’s case is so important. A ruling by the court could take years but we don’t have years so South Africa has asked for something else as well for the court to order in the meantime: for Israel to cease its operations in Gaza, to desist from the forced displacement of Palestinians, and allow Gazans to get access to humanitarian aid. That would mean foreign States who then facilitate Israel’s current action would find themselves criminally liable.

Predictably, White House National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, referred to the filing as “meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever.” (Um, the filing contains 574 footnotes, not to mention that the entire world is watching this genocide!)

I haven’t watched it yet, but Owen Jones made another video on South Africa’s filing, this one with human rights lawyer Daniel Machover. (Fun fact: In 1967, after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Daniel Machover’s father, who was born to a Jewish family in Tel Aviv, plus 11 others, signed this statement:

If only Israel had aligned itself with that statement which saw far into the country’s future.

As for South Africa’s filing, since the U.S. is the bully of the planet, I’m not holding my breath. But I will watch the video with Daniel Machover and see what he thinks could happen. Either way, we should all be grateful to South Africa for stepping up in this moment.  It’s increasingly difficult to maintain my civility when placing calls to Biden and my so-called representatives who continue to insist Israel is merely defending itself (via mass starvation?!), and I would love for all of them to someday be held complicit in this genocide. A woman can dream, right?

No matter what happens, I remain in steadfast support of a Free Palestine.

Thankful Thursday: moral courage

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

Today I am thankful for the many, many people lending their voices to the chorus for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Protesters raise their painted hands as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to examine the national security supplemental request, in Washington October 31, 2023 © SAUL LOEB / AFP

  • Several days ago, a top UN official who’d worked on human rights issues for 30+ years resigned in protest of the ongoing genocide and the UN & West’s complicity in Israel’s abuses. You can read Craig Mokhiber’s full letter HERE, including this excerpt: ” . . . western corporate media, increasingly captured and state-adjacent, are in open breach of Article 20 of the ICCPR, continuously dehumanizing Palestinians to facilitate the genocide, and broadcasting propaganda for war and advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence. US-based social media companies are suppressing the voices of human rights defenders while amplifying pro-Israel propaganda. Israel lobby online-trolls and GONGOS are harassing and smearing human rights defenders, and western universities and employers are collaborating with them to punish those who dare to speak out against the atrocities.”
  • Incredibly brave American Jews and allies are protesting and demonstrating in various parts of the U.S. as I write this. In Durham, North Carolina, they’re blocking the highway to demand a CeasefireNOW. They’ve taken over the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. In Boston, dozens of faith leaders are protesting in the JFK Building.
  • Ultra-Orthodox Jews are speaking out in solidarity with Palestinians and disavowing Zionism, putting themselves in harm’s way. I don’t want to link to those upsetting videos, but invite you to see video from a New York protest HERE.
  • African American writer Ta-Nehisi Coates went on Democracy Now! to speak about his visit to Palestine and the connections he saw between Jim Crow/ segregation and the apartheid in Israel. You can watch that interview and/or read the transcript HERE

Demonstrations and marches continue around the world. Go HERE for the list that’s updated daily. Ceasefiretoday.com includes that link plus ALL the tools needed to make our voices heard.

Nothing but gratitude for those refusing to remain silent!

Thankful Thursday: second time’s the charm

/ Tracy Abell / 5 Comments

Almost exactly two years ago, Zippy and I attempted a hike to Eaglesmere Lake in the White River National Forest, but were thwarted in our efforts (in no small part because Zippy had forgotten shoes and was hiking in socks and Tevas + we’d forgotten to bring the trail info + we missed the turn due to a very faded trail sign). I wrote about that experience here. Today, I’m happy to report that yesterday we made it to Eaglesmere Lake!

Zippy took this wide-angle shot with his phone.

click to enlarge

It’s true that the last time we attempted the hike, the trail sign was old and faded. But what’s also true is that there was at least a mention of Eaglesmere Lake on the middle sign. Not so anymore. Here’s the new sign we encountered yesterday:

No mention of Eaglesmere Lake whatsoever. So, if we hadn’t been better prepared this time (as in knowing we’d started on Trail 61 and needed to turn right at Trail 60), we would’ve been hosed again. Fortunately, we had proper footwear AND trail info!

After hiking the 4.3 miles there, I asked Zippy to photograph me with the elusive lake in the background to show we’d prevailed. I wanted documentation, darn it!

And Zippy wanted a photo of me without the visor and hood:

Then we ate a late lunch. We were the only people there because, once again, we’d gotten a late start which meant that everyone else had already been and gone by the time we arrived. After eating, I clambered over the rocks to photograph the grasses (?) floating on the water.

click to enlarge

After a little more rest, we started back. Along the way, we spotted a Downy Woodpecker in the same area where we’d watched a woodpecker circle the trunk of an aspen tree two years ago. We grinned at the synchronicity. Then just a little farther down the trail, we were treated to a sighting of the larger Hairy Woodpecker! Hooray!

We arrived back at our campsite at 5:30, tired from our exertions but very grateful we’d accomplished what we’d set out to do.  All hail Eaglesmere Lake!

 

Thankful Thursday: assortment edition

/ Tracy Abell / 5 Comments

Hello, out there! I haven’t been around much because I’ve been hunkered down in the revision cave. However, today I am thankful because:

  • I finally, finally sent my revised manuscript to my agent earlier this week!
  • A family member made it through a surgery today!
  • Our new ebike was delivered this afternoon and Zippy just finished putting it all together (minus the front and back baskets)!

While Zippy is a bicyclist, I haven’t ridden a bike in years and have been content to keep running for my cardio exercise. So why the ebike? We’d like to avoid using our gas-powered vehicle as much as possible and because we live on a hill, running errands on a bike is very daunting. Zippy can ride up the hill but I’d have to get off and walk a bike for the approximate mile of incline. Oof.

But now  I’ll have pedal-assist when it comes to that big ol’ hill. I’ll be able to go to the library to return books and check out more! It’ll be a breeze going to the office supply store when I need another notebook or some pens! When Zippy is missing an ingredient for whatever delicious meal he’s preparing, I’ll be able to zip down to the supermarket and back! Yay yay yay!

In case anyone’s interested, the Heybike sale is going for another day. I realize it’s still LOTS of money (I’m also very thankful for our ability to invest in this bike), but wanted to put this info out there. Customer satisfaction seems to be very high for this bike. I’ll keep you posted on our experiences. In the meanwhile, I hope you and yours are having a good week!

Thankful Thursday: House Wrens

/ Tracy Abell / 5 Comments

I just spent a whole bunch of time at my laundry room window with my camera, watching the House Wren family. In mid-April, I sent a wish into the universe for wrens to nest in the box Zippy put up beneath the deck (a nest box he found while cleaning out his mother’s home) and then in early June I noted wrens had moved into the nesting box!

For the past week or so, there’s been a clamor coming from that box. A frenzied wall of sound that prompted me to tell Zippy “Sounds like 16 babies in there!” The noise level goes WAY up when a parent arrives with food, causing many spontaneous smiles on our faces. But it wasn’t until today that I went down with my camera and, oh my goodness, what fun! Not only fun, but educational.

First off, all those sounds appear to come from just two babies. (I never saw more than two beaks poking out.)

Second, those wren parents work their butts off.

Not only does a parent bring food every food minutes, but they also remove poop after each feeding. (That was my guess after watching for a while, but I had no idea how it was done.) Per Wikipedia, the nestling produces a fecal sac within seconds of being fed, which the parent removes. The below image isn’t great (click to enlarge), but it does show the sac in the parent’s beak.

 

However, the poop saga doesn’t end there! If the nestling doesn’t produce a fecal sac, the parent will prod around the little one’s hind end (no, that’s not the correct anatomical term) to stimulate excretion. Which explains the next image.

 

After the nestling(s) took the insect, the adult waited a bit and then dove into the nesting box. This only happened the one time, so I’m guessing the little ones were doing a pretty good job of pooping right after eating. Probably not fun having Mom up in their business.

 

At one point, I was baffled by all the sounds I was hearing because neither nestling was visible at the hole. Who was so agitated? And where was the sound coming from? I stared and stared at that hole in the box. Then movement caught my eye and I noticed an adult with a moth in its beak on a timber below the nesting box. It made no sense, but it was clearly the one singing the song because I could see their throat move. Weird, I thought, singing with its mouth full. What’s up with that? And the dancing?

When I described what I’d seen, Zippy suggested that maybe the adult was trying to entice the youngsters to leave the nest. That made perfect sense to me, but a quick online search didn’t turn up any info to support or deny that theory. Either way, it was so delightful watching that tiny bird dance around with an enormous moth in its beak, all the while singing a beautiful song.

That was the most enjoyable laundry room experience I’ve ever had! Thank you, universe, for granting my wish. This wren family is balm for my soul.

Thankful Thursday: clean air hike

/ Tracy Abell / 7 Comments

While many, many other communities continue to struggle with unhealthy and hazardous air quality due to wildfire smoke, the air has been clear in the Denver metro area. Zippy, Emma, and I ventured out into the open space for the first time in weeks after lots of rain made the trails too muddy. Hooray for them being almost completely dry again!

Here are a few highlights, beginning with the Turkey Vulture soaring overhead when we got on the trail:

One of a few blooming Paintbrushes:

And finally, an enormous bumblebee drinking from a lupine (I wish I could include audio because this bee was BUZZING):

I’m grateful for the clean air, the glory of the natural world, and my ability to move about on the trails. I humbly receive these gifts.

Thankful Thursday: these two

/ Tracy Abell / 2 Comments

I’m the last one up and about each morning. Zippy, the dog, and cats all get up earlier, leaving me alone in the closed bedroom. When I’m fully awake and ready to greet the day, I call to Zippy and he opens the door so that these two can jump up on the bed to greet me.

According to Zippy, Marcel the cat and Emma the pup pretty much ignore each other until it’s time to come see me. And then it’s a whole lot of head-butting and grooming on Marcel’s part. Not sure what motivates that loving behavior, but it’s a hella nice way to begin my day. And for that, I’m grateful.

Emma, however, might have other feelings.

Thankful Thursday: mystery solved

/ Tracy Abell / 17 Comments

Yesterday I glanced out the window and saw a flock of birds in the distance. I grabbed the binoculars and watched as they descended into two treetops. Despite the added magnification, I couldn’t see well enough to identify them. But I kept watching them, hoping the image would miraculously sharpen. Alas, no miracles. However, at one point I thought I saw a little crest. Soon, the flock took off and I watched it wheel across the sky as the birds synchronized their movements. Tears filled my eyes as the mass of birds “shimmered” while it swooped low over the foothills and out of sight.

Later, I described the beautiful sighting to Zippy. I was so sad not to have identified the birds, but when I mentioned thinking I’d seen a crest when watching as they perched in the tree he suggested maybe they were waxwings. A ping went off in my head as I replied, “Maybe.”

Fast forward to this afternoon when I went for a run. Halfway up our street, I heard a commotion in trees on either side of the street. I stopped to observe and, sure enough, the birds had crests. Cedar Waxwings!

Image by Jack Bulmer from Pixabay

Probably about fifty of them, flying back and forth between those two trees (one of which was covered in berries). Some were on the pavement, drinking puddled water from the melted snowbanks. A glorious sight and sound!

Image by Debra Foster from Pixabay

I got to see/hear them several times as I ran back and forth on that sunny stretch of street (it was cold with 20 mph winds!) and then they were gone. It was such a gift. I don’t think I’ve seen a waxwing since we lived in Anchorage and would see them (Bohemian Waxwings) flying drunk on fermented mountain ash berries, and I’m extremely grateful for the timing of my run. If I’d procrastinated going out into the cold and wind, I would’ve missed them.

All gratitude to those beautiful, social birds!

Thankful Thursday

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

Today I am thankful for:

  • My home that is warm while outside, much-needed snow is falling. Take that, extreme drought!
  • A feeling of buoyancy as I return to a new project idea I began outlining in Scrivener last month.
  • Twenty minutes of joyful hoop-dancing that brings me closer to the year-end goal of 24+ hours of hoop-dancing in 2022.
  • My weird friend, Marcel, who greeted me with this stare when I walked into Zippy’s office a couple days ago.

  • Anyone who took the time to read this post. 🌻

Thankful Thursday: ungulate edition

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

We camped at Mueller State Park last week and were gifted with this view out the back windows of our campervan:

October 21, 2022

It’d started out as “Hey, look! There’s a deer. Wait, there’s another one.” And then we lost count of them browsing and moving through the trees. Zippy saw two bucks with their antlers locked, but I missed that sighting. Still, I’m grateful to have seen these beautiful creatures.

Bee grateful

/ Tracy Abell / 6 Comments

Today I’m grateful for many things, including the pollinators in my backyard. Here’s a sampling of the different species I spotted. A hardworking honey bee on the fern bush:

A cheery bumble bee tucked deep in one of the many sunflowers blooming right now:

I believe this is a rusty spider wasp (a better image than what I captured last summer):

And a black wasp that was very, very busy — moving from bloom to bloom and then suddenly circling my head before flying away over the sunflowers and out of sight:

No butterflies or hummingbirds in this session, despite this being The Summer of Hummingbirds. I’ve heard and seen more hummingbirds these past months than the twenty-five years I’ve lived here.

Thankful Thursday: glimpses of joy

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

Life’s hard on a personal and global level these days, and I’m trying hard to find the joy.

  • Here are this morning’s writing session partners (Emma in the front row while Marcel sits in solidarity behind the laptop). The three of us made good progress in our middle-grade novel revisions (and we now have over 100 revised pages).

  • A much-needed zoom therapy session with Sara, who I now refer to as Saratonin (thanks to another client who bestowed the nickname).
  • Twenty minutes in the sunshine after the therapy session, in which I bundled up and stood on the south-face deck as I breathed in cold, clean air, listened to twittering birds, and felt immense gratitude for the natural world.

Snow-laden Mountain Mahogony.    February 24, 2022

Golden Yarrow. 2.24.22

Thankful Thursday

/ Tracy Abell / 2 Comments

Today I am grateful for much, including:

  • My first walking boot-free day in which I walked about 1.5 miles in the neighborhood.
  • An overdue appointment with my behavioral optometrist who’s been taking care of my eyes for a looong time and who, as always, knew exactly what needed to be done to get me back on track.
  • Arriving home after my appointment to find Zippy putting lights in the yard.

Our somewhat haphazard display with bonus feature: Loki in the window.     Dec 2, 2021

  • Afterward, a nice visit with our neighbors and the beautiful and quite-large Rainbow Dash who put her paws on my shoulders to say Hello . . . without knocking me over!

Thankful Thursday: out my window

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

It means even more to me than usual to have winged visitors to my yard. Because I’m currently stuck in a walking boot, I haven’t been venturing out much at all. So, today I dedicate my gratitude to these four birds, in the order in which they appeared.

First up, is a House Finch that immediately flew to the bath right after I’d cleaned and filled it this morning:

Moments later, this Red-breasted Nuthatch came for a drink:

Then another male House Finch posed in the maple tree:

And this afternoon, while taking a break from revisions, I spotted a radiant Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay:

It’s only Day 4 of my walking-boot-sentence and the Herman Munster clomp-clomp-clomp is already wearing thin. All gratitude for birds!

Thankful Thursday

/ Tracy Abell / 10 Comments

It might be nearing the end of the day, but it’s never too late to share gratitude. Today I am grateful for a productive critique session with my critique group last night.  As always, the Writing Roosters had good insights and offered suggestions that will make my beloved novel shine.

And to celebrate, here’s a bouquet of wild asters  that remind me of a fireworks display. I photographed them last summer as we hiked the Oh Be Joyful Trail.

July 15, 2021

Oh, to be joyful and filled with gratitude.

Thankful Thursday: new paint now peace

/ Tracy Abell / 4 Comments

Today I am grateful the week-long paint exterior paint job was completed several hours before the season’s first snowfall.

Image by Wilfried Pohnke from Pixabay

I’m grateful we resolved a big mix-up. Turned out they’d matched the trim color incorrectly, which I didn’t realize until last night. I spent sleepless hours fretting about it and woke all out of sorts. When I spoke to them and didn’t get much satisfaction, I wisely went for a 38 degree run on the trails. The cold air and beautiful open space cleared my mind. Afterward, we talked more, they listened to my concerns, and agreed to return at a later date to repaint the trim the correct color.

It’s been 12 years since the exterior was painted and the southern and eastern exposures were brutalized by sun and weather. I hadn’t anticipated the incredible noise and disruption that would come with three guys sanding-drilling-pounding on various walls, often simultaneously. Not to mention occasionally being caught off-guard when I spotted strange men through the windows.

One more time: I am grateful the exterior paint job is complete! (For a while, anyway).

I’m very thankful for our home and our ability to pay for its upkeep. (And hooray that the supply chain issues only slightly affected the timeline for completing the job!)

It’s a good Thursday on the planet.