On This Day Before Thanksgiving, My Thanks To All Who Read And Follow My Blog ❤️

Hello again.  I hope this finds you all well, wherever you are!  Last week, for the first time in ages, I actually looked at my Blog Statistics ~ it really is amazing to see the Countries that have visited my Blog recently ~. most readers are from the USA (thank you America!), but also featured were Brazil, France, China, Ukraine, Canada, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, and Russia!  I certainly mustn’t forget my friends here in my own Country 😊.  How those other Countries find this Blog, I have no idea, but thank you everyone. 

Also, I’ve just realised that the number of page views has just passed the 200,000 mark, which I suppose is quite an achievement in itself. 

When I start to write a post, I have no idea what the title is going to be ~ I just hope it will come to me as I muddle along!  Anyway, tomorrow, in the USA, it will be Thanksgiving Day, and I’m sure that, even as we speak, households throughout the land will be in a great state of flux, making sure that everything is ready for the great feast ahead, and if you have visitors arriving, perhaps a cleaning frenzy will also be going on. Hopefully your turkey isn’t still running around!  I’ve seen photos of tables laden with food, courtesy of Pinterest.com. I must say, I shall be feeling very envious of you tomorrow when I sit down to my bread and dripping ~ I jest. 

Then, of course, after a day when thanks is given for all that you have, Black Friday rears it’s ugly head!  A couple of years ago, here in England, we had never heard of Black Friday, but it seems to be another tradition that has found its way across the pond 😊.  It’s a bit like the Boxing Day Sales over here, the day after Christmas Day.  Personally, I can think of nothing worse than being pushed, shoved and jostled by a crowd of bargain hunters.  For a start, being fairly short, I would probably be trampled on!  

This Autumn, we have had some wonderful, mild, sunny days, when all the colours have been at their best, but, today, we have gale force winds blowing around, so very soon the trees will be bare once again.  Here are a few photos taken by me earlier in the week, whilst visiting a pretty little fishing village near here. 

So I will say cheerio from here in deepest Devon.  Don’t be afraid to leave a comment if you feel like it.  I’d love to hear from you, and this next pic is for all my many good friends spread throughout the United States. I’ll be thinking of you all ❤️

We Will Remember Them ....

Just simple images of remembrance in my Blog Post today, to remind us of all those men and women who died that we may be free. 

This weekend, let us remember all those brave servicemen and women, who made the ultimate sacrifice. I will be thinking of a Grandad that I never knew, my dad’s dad, who died on foreign soil, aged 27 years. 

Here are a few photos of the Wave of Poppies here on Plymouth Hoe, my hometown. 

All images today which are not my own, are courtesy of Pinterest.com

Time To Remember All We Have To Be Thankful For ....

So here we are at the beginning of another month, the penultimate month of the year.  When I was young, I used to love Anne of Green Gables, and there is a lovely quote in that book ....”It was November, the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-song in the pines”.  To me, it is also the month to remind us to be thankful for the many positive things happening in our lives.  We do not have Thanksgiving here in England, but I really wish we did.  I suppose the nearest thing we have over here is the Harvest Festival, which is, of course, a celebration of the food grown on the land. We have given thanks for successful harvests since Pagan times.  

In fact, although we do not celebrate Thanksgiving over here, it was the early English settlers who first brought the idea of harvest thanksgiving to North America., when the first celebration took place in 1621. 

The November flower is, apparently, the chrysanthemum, which would explain why the Americans love their displays of colourful ‘mums’ at this time of the year.  This past week here in heavenly Devon, the weather has been just perfect for Autumn walks.  I have been out almost every day, savouring the wonderful sights and colours which surround the countryside at the moment. The golden and red leaves still hanging on the trees, and the smell of woodsmoke and bonfires in the air.  We also seem to get wonderful sunsets at this time of the year.  Here are a few photos taken this week ....

Oh!  Did I tell you that I now have four cute little chickens in the garden ?!  They are free range and having great fun exploring and pecking all round the garden!  I never realised that they were such friendly little birds, as they really do seem to enjoy having company and following me around. 

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So on that note, I will say cheerio again for now. Hope to see you again soon, and, as always, thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings.