Thank you notes – July 2023
It’s easy to get so caught up in the hustle of life that we forget to appreciate the small miracles that happen every day. I created the monthly Thank You Notes post to help me relive the happy moments, savor the gratitude, and share them with you. I hope they also inspire you to think about what you have to be grateful for and share them with us.
Warning: I had an eventful, joy-filled July, so I will be sharing more than my usual number of photos this month. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so this post will be photo-heavy and word-light.
Thank you Bobbi…
…for the fun red, white, and blue nails to help celebrate Independence Day.
Thank you PF Chang’s…
…for the refreshing coconut mojito. And thank you sisters for the lively conversation over dinner.
Thank you Cindy…
…for the shoe recommendation. These EuroSoft sandals were perfect for our trip (more to come on the trip).
Thank you Courtney, Mike, and family…
…for sharing your home, a delicious meal, and lots of laughter with us. There’s nothing like family time to make me feel grateful.
Thank you Ron and Pam…
…for showing us around Puyallup, inviting us to your beautiful home and garden, and feeding us a wonderful home-cooked meal. And thank you for excusing my clumsiness and teaching me how to get a red wine stain out. Oops!
Thank you Linda and Mark…
…for showing us Tacoma and the surrounding area…
…including Mount Ruston. And thank you for inviting us to your home for yet another amazing home-cooked meal. We have the best friends.
Thank you Bob & Patti…
…for being such fantastic hosts and showing us around Victoria, and the Cowichan Valley…
…including the Kinsol Trestle hike…
…the Malahat SkyWalk, and…
…Butchart Gardens. Of course, thank you also…
…for taking us to the Parksville Beach Festival to see the sand sculpture contest. But mostly, thank you…
…for sharing your lovely home, your incredible garden, and your warm hospitality with us. We couldn’t have felt more welcome, and we look forward to returning the favor.
And finally, a word for those to whom July was less kind…
I saw this on social media and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share it with you.
Your turn
- What are you thankful for this month?
- Do you have any travels planned? If so, where to?
- Is there any food or drink that always makes you smile?
- What else is on your mind? Anything at all; I just love to hear from you.
What beautiful photos! The Butchart Gardens is one of my favorite places to visit, so seeing your photos brought back many happy memories. That whole area is so gorgeous. We don’t have travel plans, but I’m OK with that. I love it at home too!
Thank you, Michelle. This was our first visit to Victoria, and we fell in love! Of course, the pictures don’t do it justice. I’m happy to hear that you love being home. As much as I enjoy traveling, there truly is no place like home.
What are you thankful for this month? A clean freshly-painted garage in which I can open my car doors on both sides of the car at the same time!
Do you have any travels planned? If so, where to? Not a one, but those sandals you linked to look wonderful.
Is there any food or drink that always makes you smile? Apples, I love me some apples.
Hello Ally! A clean, freshly-painted garage is indeed something to be thankful for. The sandals are perfect–for travel or walking about your own neighborhood. I highly recommend them. It makes me smile that apples make you smile. I love apples too–but only if they are crisp!
So, it’s not Washington State or Vancouver Island – not by a long shot, but it was very momentous in our wee lives. With my medical team’s unanimous blessing, for the first time in three years, we went out for dinner this month to celebrate our anniversary. It was only our 39th – not a milestone but, believe you me, going out to a restaurant, studying the menu (for way too long), ordering supper and relaxing in a pretty restaurant was beyond a treat for me and for Cam. We were on a high for a few days afterwards!
I’m also grateful to all the local farmers for the abundance of produce we’ve enjoyed this summer. Nothing beats farm-to-fork eating, and each farm gate stall seems to be a social centre with folks talking produce and sharing recipes and favourite ways of cooking.
That’s it this month for me. Thank you for prompting us, Christie!
Love, Pam.xx
Congratulations Pam on those two big wins! Thirty-nine years together is impressive, regardless of whether it’s recognized as a milestone anniversary or not. And I couldn’t agree more with you on the goodness of farm-to-fork eating. I was reminded of that while we were enjoying the fruits (and vegetables!) of our friend’s lovely garden.
Hi Christie – what a fabulous holiday and so many lovely people that you shared it with. You are so blessed to have been with great friends and family, and to have seen so mant beautiful sights. Those gardens were gorgeous. A great July for you indeed.
Hello Leanne. It was a fabulous month with friends and family and of course Mother Nature. I hope things are going well for you too. I’ll be stopping by your blog later today to check in.
So many beautiful pictures! It looked like a perfect trip. I’m glad you like the shoes. I’ve had mine for a few years and still wear them often. I love you seeste!🩵
It really was wonderful, Cindy, and as I said, the shoes were much appreciated. I love you too!
Christie, experiencing beautiful surroundings and sharing meals with friends and family is the ultimate summer experience. Thanks for sharing your joy.
So true, Suzanne. It is a perfect combination.
I did a savor post myself this week… similar construct. No travel plans though…staying close to home for a bit.
Hello Pat! I will be stopping by your blog later today to see what you’ve been savoring. Enjoy your time at home!
You visited one of my favorite parts of the world. We don’t have any current travel plans, but I also hope to make it up to the PNW sometime soon to enjoy the beauty and see friends. There are a whole lot of bloggers up there (including in Parksville), did you get a chance to have any meet-ups while traveling?
That coconut mojito looks divine… I may have to visit our local PF Chang’s one of these days.
I can see why the PNW is one of your favorite areas, Janis. It was beautiful, and the weather was perfect while we were there. A nice respite from the heat at home. Sadly, my tentative meet-up with a Parksville blogger didn’t pan out. I was truly disappointed by that. Next time I’ll plan better. The mojito was divine.
Hi Christie – it certainly does look like you’ve been having a joyful month! These are gorgeous photographs and lovely scenery! I’m especially in awe of what looks like a sculpture of a big cat out of tree roots?? This month for me has been spent spending a lot of time with Mum. I am grateful for quality time with Mum. I know she won’t be with us forever so I treasure every moment we get. xo
You are correct about the cat sculpture, Min. It was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. They had several, including an owl perched in a tree. I’m happy that you are savoring this time with your Mum. My mother and mother-in-law have both passed, and we treasure the many memories we have with them.
I just loved seeing the family and friends love as well as the love of Mother Nature at her finest.
Your thank you notes are a treat I look forward to reading…so
THANK YOU!!
It was great to see your blog post in the link up for Wednesday’s Words and Pics. Thank you for sharing. See you again next time, in August! How can that be!! Warm wishes, Denyse.
You’re welcome, Denyse. I’m glad you enjoyed them, and I appreciate your kind words.
Hi Christie, your thank you notes are always fun and July was a fabulous month for you! Lots of travel, friends and family and great places to visit. The sand sculptures always intrigue me. So many great photos and happy faces, how could you not be thankful!
Precisely, Deb, how could I not be grateful! The sand sculptures were pretty amazing, and I enjoyed reading up on the artists as well.
I love all of your photos Christie and your thank you notes is a wonderful way to focus on the good in life. You certainly packed a lot into July. Loved your Red,White & Blue nails and the sand sculptures are always fascinating aren’t they? Thank you for supporting WBOYC? and sharing your post with us. Enjoy your August. xx
Thank you, Sue, for your kind words and for hosting WBOYC?. Happy August to you!
What a month you’ve had Christie! I love your photos, with the joy shining through. Your Butchart garden photos really made me smile as we had a fabulous day there about 20 years ago.
It was an especially good month, Jennifer. Butchart Gardens is a beautiful place, isn’t it? I’m sure the memories will make me smile for the next 20 years as well!
And thank you for the fabulous pics and for linking up with us this month.
Aw, you’re welcome, Joanne. Thanks for hosting.
The nails are great and I love the pic of the ocean pool (lake pool?). But most of all the sand sculpture. It’s such a very underrated art. There’s a russian artist who is magnificent. Just astounding what he can do. #ShareFourSomethings
Sand sculpture is amazing, Lydia, and to think all that work goes into something temporary. Of course, everything is impermanent, isn’t it? There were artists from all over the world in this competition, including Russia. The sculptures were still in progress the day we were there, so we didn’t get to see the finished products, but we did get to see the artists at work, which was cool.