
I'm thankful for hiking trails. Pictured above is the Franconia Notch Flume Trail in New Hampshire. -- Photo by Pat Bean
100 Things for which I’m Thankful – In No Particular Order
- Belly laughs
- The sound of rain pinging on my RV roof
- Family, which these days include five awesome children, 15 delightful grandchildren and three perfect great grandchildren.
- My black cocker spaniel, Maggie, who curls up with me on cold nights.
- Rich African coffee heavily laced with cream
- Scenic byways
- Cool nights that let me snuggle beneath a soft quilt
- Good health – and hope I can say this for many more years
- Hearty hugs from people who mean it
- A good massage from a woman with magic fingers
- Being a writer
- My association with the women of Story Circle Network
- A good haircut
- Scenic hiking trails
- Achievements of my kids, grandkids and friends
- My zest for life
- Walking barefoot on a sandy beach
- Learning something new
- The flash of sun illuminating the tail feathers of an overhead red-tailed hawk
- Hot baths
- My new Kindle
- Ibuprofen for strained muscles
- Discovering a new author I like
- Taking a grandchild on their first roller coaster ride
- Watching fall redress the trees
- Van Gogh paintings
- Butterflies
- My computer and the Internet
- Maggie’s quirky personality
- Rainbows
- Living in America where a woman can safely travel alone
- Sunrises and sunsets
- Funky, dangling earrings that belie my age
- Bra-less days
- Summers not spent in Texas
- Good memories of my mother
- Old friends and new friends
- A field of wildflowers
- Reese”s peanut butter cups
- The wind blowing through my hair
- My daily walks with Maggie
- Hot soup on a cold day
- A wee-morning hours chatter with a long-time girlfriend over Jack Daniels and coke.
- A daughter-in-law guardian angel who keeps track of my travels, forwards my mail and supplies me with my favorite coffee
- The honking of geese as they fly overhead
- Lake reflections
- Family meals eaten around a table
- My curiosity
- Comfortable shoes
- America, the beautiful
- Clean showers in RV parks
- Electricity
- My bicycle
- People who care deeply about something
- The wolf’s return to Yellowstone
- The journey between destinations
- A comfortable bed and a perfect pillow
- WordPress for hosting this blog
- New white sox
- Water in all its forms
- Scented candles
- A sky full of stars
- Glasses that allow me to read
- Pleasant surprises
- An honest politician
- Birdwatching with my birdwatching son
- Evenings spent around a campfire
- Good Sam emergency services
- A Jack in the Box chocolate shake, which I only discovered this year
- Nice and Easy, No. 99 – so I can forever be a blonde
- Coyote howls
- Wrinkle-free clothing
- Gentle dentists
- My independence
- The fragrant scent of a blooming gardenia bush, which always reminds me of my grandmother
- The diversity I find in people watching
- Large, gnarly live oak trees
- Audible books
- Maps
- A good editor
- Books with satisfying endings
- The strong women of the past who fought so I could vote
- A cup of Earl Grey tea
- The color turquoise
- Boat rides
- Antibiotics and vaccinations
- Smiles
- A frisky squirrel in a tree outside my RV
- Guided trolley tours
- My point and shoot digital camera
- Washers and dryers
- Blank journals
- A shady RV camp site beside a small lake
- A hearty 11 a.m. breakfast for lunch
- The music of a humpback whale
- Stained glass windows
- That there are still plenty of birds to add to my life list
- Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman Hear Me Roar”
- The family computer nerds who get the bugs out of my laptop
- Readers of my blog

