(This post was originally posted last year. But, I had such a good time writing it, I’d thought I’d bring it out again! Enjoy your friends, family, and food today. (And pssst! Check back bright and early tomorrow for a Black Friday special on Your Custom Homestead!)
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely readers!
I hope you are surrounded by family and good food today. 🙂
One thing I love about blogging and social media, is that I get to have a glimpse into a lot of people’s lives that I never would have otherwise.
I’ve greatly enjoyed hearing different folks’ perspectives on the Thanksgiving season, as well as what they are thankful for.
So today, I want to share a list of things that I’m thankful for on my homestead- but I want to dig a little deeper than the usual “I’m thankful for my family, and my house, and my job…”
So without further adieu, here is:
My List of Not-So-Obvious Homestead Blessings
1. I’m thankful for my compost pile. Because without it, I probably would still be ignorant to the joys of a homesteading life.
2. I’m thankful for my Homestead Drying Rack. It’s saved me countless dollars so far, and makes me smile everytime I’m outside hanging laundry on it.
3. I’m thankful for cloth diapers, because on the rare occasions that I have had to buy a pack of disposables, I almost have a panic attack (they are expensive!)
4. I’m thankful for a hubby that allows me to take photos of his meals (for the blog…) while he waits and they get cold.
5. I’m thankful for being able to free-range the chickens. It makes me so happy to watch them scratching around the house.
6. I’m thankful for blizzards. Because there is nothing quite like a cozy night cuddled up with a hot cup of tea while the wind is howling.
7. I’m thankful for my little house. It’s cozy, less to clean, and full of old-fashioned charm.
8. I’m thankful for garage sales & thrift stores. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to redecorate nearly my entire home with re-purposed pieces this summer.
9. I’m thankful for Prairie Girl, my little helper. I never could have imagined what joy a child could bring to our lives. And nothing makes me smile more than watching her ‘helping’ in the garden, kitchen, or barn. (2012 update: And now I have a Prairie Boy to help me as he grows as well!)
10. I am thankful for Oakley, our milk cow. If we didn’t have her, I have NO idea where I would get raw milk for my family.
11. I’m thankful for manure. It makes my garden grow like crazy- Miracle Gro ain’t got nothin’ on it. 😉
12. I’m thankful for chores. Yeah, they can be a grind sometimes, but they provide structure to my day and are an excellent workout.
13. I’m thankful for our outbuildings. They aren’t new, and they aren’t shiny, but they are solid and have more than served their purpose.
14. I’m thankful for country neighbors who drive over to AI our cow on last minute’s notice, among other things!
15. I’m thankful for whole foods. Before discovering the concept of real food, I had little appreciation for a properly seasoned meal. Food brings so much joy to life.
16. I’m thankful for wind (and if you live in Wyoming, you KNOW that is a hard thing to say…). Since hubby is in the Wind Industry, it provides us with our income, as well as sustainable sources of power for nearby cities and towns.
17. I’m thankful for blogs. Through the wonders of the Internet, I’ve met some fabulous friends, learned how to cook real food, and discovered lost-long skills like rendering lard, making soap, and more.
18. I’m thankful for wide, open spaces. Yes, growing trees is one of my greatest struggles here on the homestead… But I still love the view of being able to see for miles and miles and miles…
19. I’m thankful for my horses. Nothing clears my mind like riding does. And, learning horsemanship has given me a foundation of knowledge as I parent our kiddos. Horses have been a part of my life for a very long time, and they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
20. And last, but not least, I’m thankful for YOU, my readers. You’ve challenged me, inspired me, encouraged me, and made me laugh over the last year. Thank you for making The Prairie Homestead a success. I look forward to many more years getting to know you all better.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving, my dear readers- and eat lots of good food!
What are some of the unlikely blessings you are thankful for today?
Come back bright and early in the morning for some spectacular coupon codes! I’m won’t be going shopping tomorrow, but I will be sharing some wonderful online Black Friday specials. Don’t miss it!
Have a wonderful day Jill!
I am thankful for all that I have, too. Most of all, I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. He has been so good to me through the years. I have to admit that I was a slow learner, but I am getting there and still learning. I am thankful for my husband and our health. I am thankful that we have enough that we can share with our healthy children and grandchildren. I guess I am most thankful for my life. It hasn’t been an easy one, but it has made me grow and want to be a better person and to let God’s light shine through me.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
.I have to say “ditto” to what Deborah said in her reply, and add that I am so very thankful for the wonderful husband and children God has given me. Also thankful for bloggers like you who give so many of us the joy of your shared experiences. Happy Thanksgiving!
What a sweet post 🙂 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day .
Smiles, DianeM
Love, love, love this! It’s so refreshing to see someone thankful for things that so many people take for granted, like blizzards and wind. My whole family laughed this year when I said I was thankful for our chickens, but watching them run and fly around our yard searching for bugs and weeds makes me happy every day, and the eggs that come from their forage make our bellies happy! 🙂
My dad was born in Wyoming while his parents were homesteading. They raised sheep. They had a chimney fire when my dad was two, and shortly after moved back to Missouri. Ah, but why I am commenting is why mom always said how much my grandma hated the wind there, and you are thankful for it so that’s a good thing.