I Love Thursday #105 Blessings Galore
This is the 105th post of things we love for the week. We post these loves each Thursday along with LeeAnna on her blog at Not Afraid of Color. Several additional friends also share on a weekly basis – be sure to check them out. You will surely find something to inspire you. Warning – photo heavy post again. Sorry, I just can’t help myself.
Love #1
Learning while reading! I’m reading a nice little cozy mystery called Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander. I have been waiting to read it since June – it took that long to become available from the library. Anyway, it mentions a quote from Shakespeare, “everyone is above the salt”. I had heard of that quote before but didn’t know what it meant. Apparently, back in Shakespeare’s time salt was rare and saw as a special seasoning. When it was shared on the table, it was placed near the King and his family so that they could easily use it. Everyone else was seated below the salt. Therefore, if you are considered above the salt it is a fabulous compliment. Now, back to the book – it is the first in a series and the second when came out in September. Yippee!
Love #2
October leaves! I would love to be able to say that this photo is mine and it’s my street. That would be a total lie, and worse yet, I have no idea who’s photo it is. My very first house had a backyard similar to this with whirly-bird trees (Oak maybe??) that didn’t release their leaves until the end of November. Usually, the very night before we received 200 inches of snow the next day. MANY – so very many – times Sue and I spent Thanksgiving afternoon raking, and raking, and raking, and raking the leaves into the street to make the last pickup of leaves for the year.
Stuffing them in between parked cars that belong to neighbors’ family members and friends who were having FUN. We used a tarp to cart them back and forth which was pretty ingenious if I do say so myself. Or, because of said 200 inches of snow, we skipped it in Fall and did it in the Spring. The quantity didn’t diminish at all in spite of the fact that they were wet and limp, and half-frozen. Not one bit. Well-meaning friends said, “leave them – they’re good nutrition for the grass” although they kill the grass if too thick. Therefore, I look at this beautiful photo and think, “that’s a whole heck of a lot of leaves to rake.” Oh yeah, it’s also stunningly beautiful once I get past the fact that we don’t have to rake them.
Love #3
Lantern Festival at the zoo! Another slide show this week and it isn’t one of Dominic and Addison! Our local Racine Zoological Society is hosting a Chinese Lantern Festival. Should you be anywhere near Racine, Wisconsin before the end of the year (2019), this might be a festival you wouldn’t want to miss. The zoo itself is located right on the shores of Lake Michigan. It has gentle sloped walking paths that are generous enough for two strollers to walk side-by-side. And now, throughout the grounds are these amazing lanterns.
The opening night firework show that went off without a hitch in spite of the week being filled with monsoon rains each day was spectacular. The sun actually shined on this event, literally. I included the panda shot just for our great-niece Mikaela! These photos are from the Racine Journal Times.
Love #4
Conference fun! Sue had to attend a conference in the Wisconsin Dells, and she went with our friend, Rosalie. Both of them said it was the best conference they had attended in recent memory, which is just fabulous. Another participant snapped this photo of the two of them on the last morning of the conference. It is a very cute Fall display, don’t you think?!

Rosalie and Sue – homeward bound!
Love #5 – A Lot of Photos, again
Dominic enjoyed his birthday present from grandma last weekend. He got to see Sesame Street Live with mom and dad – no baby sister anywhere in sight. As they cleared security, there was a Sesame Street explosion of items to buy. Our sweet boy thought they should get them all and he was happy to show them which one struck his fancy. A Cookie Monster head filled with cookies and an Abbie head for Addison was purchased. Dominic thought he should step up and eat Addison’s cookies. We wouldn’t want her to choke on them – she’s only got a few teeth so far. Better safe than sorry, right?! Once the show started he was enthralled. He could stand and see, or even better yet, sit on dad’s lap. It must have been a good show because neither one of them knew they were photographed. After a short nap on the way to Red Robin for lunch, it was time to pick up Addison and take a nap.
The next day it was time to visit Auntie Sue and Auntie Rose. Rocking in the rocking chair, one at a time please, required restraint by grandma of Addison. When it was Addison’s turn, Auntie Sue shared some fresh baked cookies with Dominic to stave off any fights! Addison pulled out her new trick of saying “Hi” to Oscar with a sweet smile. She had a pink explosion with her new pink slippers and ruffles on her pants. Finally, Addison performed the clever trick and our newest favorite one – baby in a basket. Those new slippers tripped her up a bit, but grandma was right there with a helping hand. Yeah, we love our peeps! ♥ ♥ ♥
I could also use a few prayers for family members – my sister has a blockage near her heart and my nephew has kidney cancer. Any prayers you can send their way would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. ♥ ♥ Update: My sister doesn’t need a stent. Thank you for her prayers – they worked. ~smile~ Roseanne
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Roseanne – glad your prayers for your sister were answered. Will keep your nephew in our thoughts. I am with you – I like fall color much more now that we don’t have to rake ANY leaves! That lantern festival is amazing. I am always so impressed how places keep coming up with new ideas to get us to return! Enjoy the rest of your week!
yea for your sister! What a fun post, I liked the pic of sue and her friend, the book sounds like my kind of read. LeeAnna
Good news on your sister. More peeps to send healing thoughts to…her and your nephew. Oh those TREES!!! This is why I am so enamoured with Fall now we live back here in the east; it is stunning!! Stunning too, and I chuckled at your expense, sorry, to envision you and Sue back and forthing with the soggy heavy tarp all the while everyone else is partying it up. Lovely shots of Dominic, enthralled. Wow on the lantern festival, just glorious! And thank you for the book recommendation! That’s three from three different QBL friends, you, Wendy, and Sue from IG. Library, here I come!
I love books that give you something to look up – so I learned something from your book, too, as I hadn’t heard that phrase before either! We have a lot of trees here at our house so lots of leaves to rake up, too. Loved the story of you and Sue and the leaves! What fun for Dominic to go to Sesame Street Live, and cute Addison with her pink explosion!
Lantern festival looks pretty cool! October colors are the best! Many healing thoughts for your family members. That’s frightening stuff.
Thanks for sharing the tidbit about the salt…I need to find an occasion to use that phrase! Of course, I’ll be sure to be the one sitting above the salt!
My favorite picture if the one of Daddy and son! Love, love, love!
Great post! I wish I could come and see those lanterns!
My hubby had 2 stents installed a couple of years ago. What a difference that made! He felt so much better and had much more energy! I am sorry to hear about the cancer that your nephew is dealing with! So hard!
Great likes as usual and Dominick and Addison are the highlights as always. Everyday you should learn something new, so the information about the salt is cool. LOL I can so relate to the leaves. Jeff worked for a municipality he kept the street sweepers running and the leaf sucker trucks, and man they get nasty depending on the weather. I like where I live, the boys rake them or blow them (boys and anything with a motor) and then they can set them on fire. The book sounds like a fun read.
Hello Roseanne, Your post was filled with so many delightful photos and information once again today, I enjoyed reading and seeing every picture! It just makes my heart happy that your life is filled with so much love and happiness!! Of course, we all experience these medical issues and know that I will be praying for you and your family!!! Have a splendid day!
As always your loves are adorable! And will add those who need prayers to my list.
Oh my goodness – so much fun and wonder in this post! Beautiful pic of Sue, the lanterns are stunning, and we here in New England also rake, rake, rake…we have a few trees in our backyard that don’t lose their leaves until Thanksgiving…beautiful but oh the work!
Best part of this post? The picture of Dominick and his dad…that dripping sound is my heart melting :o)
And you can count on my prayers dear friend.
Thank you for all you share!
You put so many good things in your posts, Roseanne. I enjoy reading them. I’m sorry to hear about the health issues of your family members, and I will be praying for them.
Wow! Amazing lanterns…never seen anything like that, would have loved to have been there! And of course the wonder two bring a huge smile to my face, but I am saddened to hear about the family health issues…my prayers are with them…all my wishes for a turn around…
So wonderful to count all the blessings. Hmm so interesting about the salt. And now we treat it like its common!