Thank you notes – May 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.

Thank you clouds…

Fluffy white clouds in a blue sky.
Dark clouds.

…for the many varieties of beauty you’ve presented this month…

Coral Canyon trail on a cloudy day.

…for the shade…

Rainbow in the clouds.

…for the moisture and the resulting rainbow…

Cloudy sunset.

…and for the lovely sunset.

Thank you daughter and grandchildren…

A woman and her two teenage daughters.

…for the wonderful visit. Nothing beats time with family. Hurry back!

Young woman in a red cap and gown with boyfriend.
Photo source: Ashley Arvanitis

And thank you Ashley for posting this photo on Facebook, where I was able to poach it. Strictly speaking, Thank You Notes are supposed to come from my camera roll, but I let these kiddos get away without a photo, and I couldn’t bear to leave them out. (By the way, congratulations to Maddie on her high-school graduation!)

Thank you Tessa…

Flowers made of pipe cleaners.

…for the lesson in crafting pipe-cleaner flowers. You are an excellent teacher!

Thank you Mother Nature…

Cactus with pink blossoms.
Pink Palmer's penstemon.

…for modeling beautiful flowers for us. These are just two of the flowers that caused me to pause my walk and pull out the camera. The wild flowers are so abundant this year, it’s a wonder I make any progress on my walks at all. I’m not complaining though!

Thank you Buddy Dog…

Brindle-coated dog.

…for that cute mug of yours…

Dog lying on a yoga mat.

…and for being such a good yoga partner. Thank you Manduka for my new yoga mat. I passed my old mat down to Buddy. Yoga is much safer now that we each have our own space. Buddy has an interesting interpretation of downward dog more appropriate for a game of Twister than a yoga pose. (Maybe he thinks they are saying, “Fall down on your dog,” or “downward dogpile.”)

Thank you Virgin River Trail…

Virgin River.
Interestingly shaped rock.
Virgin River Trail in Southern Utah.

…for delighting all of my senses…except maybe taste. But I bet if I learned more about the plants, I’d find one safe to taste! Next time…or maybe not. No promises.

Your turn

And that is it for me. I’d love to hear what you are thankful for this month, or what is making you smile right now. Please share!

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30 Comments

  1. Thank you for this post! I haven’t thought about crafting pipe-cleaner flowers in years. I loved doing that when I was a teenager. Also Buddy is adorable. I’d bop his nose all the time.

    1. Ah, you’re welcome, Ally. Buddy is truly adorable and can get most anything he wants with that cute face. It was so fun making those flowers with my 17-year-old granddaughter. She was a very patient teacher.

  2. I love all of these pictures! I’m glad you had fun at your second home with family. We recently saw an amazing rainbow and four of my grandkids were here. They ran outside and played in the puddles!

  3. HI Christie, I love cloud photos and they usually tell a story if you look hard enough. So many things to give thanks for and your thank you notes are always a gentle reminder for us all. I’ve recently started a weekly (hope to keep this up) post ‘It’s the little things…’ where I take time to reflect on the little things in my life that I am grateful for. Thanks for linking up to WBOYC? and enjoy your June. xx

  4. Hi, Christie – I always love your Thank You Notes and this one was no exception. I especially love that Buddy now has his own yoga mat. “Downward Dogpile” made me smile!

  5. Hi Christie – I always enjoy your thank you posts. It’s interesting looking at the terrain where you are – so different to where I live – and quite different to where I picture you living for some strange reason (known only to my mind!) Lovely family pics and Buddy made me smile. 🙂

    1. I love that comment on how you picture where I live. We do have two homes in completely different terrains, so maybe your mind is picturing our primary home in the Salt Lake Valley. I’m glad you enjoyed the photo of Buddy. He always makes me smile.

  6. This month I’m really thankful for our sunsets. It’s autumn here in Australia and our weather has been spectacular ending in beautiful sunsets each day.

  7. So much wonder and awe where you are Christie. I am thankful we are back ‘home’ in the area of Sydney where we left 8 years ago. I am loving some of the familiarity and starting to have coffee dates with old (mostly retired like me!) friends.
    Denyse.

  8. What lovely thank you notes Christie, I certainly understand the joy of seeing daughters and grandchildren! Pipe cleaners are so versatile aren’t they? And the scenery and clouds are amazing. I’m so thankful to be visiting my daughter and granddaughter on the other side of the world at the moment.

  9. Hi Christie, I enjoy reading your Thank You notes and seeing what you’ve been up to. How cute that Buddy has his own yoga mat and he practices yoga with you. I’m thankful for a wonderful month of May with family, friends and beautiful nature in springtime. Happy June to you!

  10. I always enjoy your Thank You Notes Christie. I love the clouds and wild flowers. It’s usually the small things that make me feel grateful and make me smile.

  11. I love the thank you notes concept, and you have some lovely thanks yous. You live in a beautiful place. I lived in the desert for many years (southern Nevada – Henderson and Pahrump). I loved it, and sometimes I miss it. But I also love the Blue Ridge Mountains here in North Carolina – my new home. You have a beautiful family, and an adorable dog. Lovely post!

    Michelle

  12. So much to be thankful for. This week I spent it will all my children & grandchildren. We had an amazing time & I am grateful for these moments. The pictures you shared are amazing & I am glad we got to see that beautiful rainbow together. Thanks Christie for the reminder to be thankful and enjoy all this life has to offer.

    1. I’m so glad you got to spend an amazing week with the children and grandchildren, Becky. That’s always the best. I also enjoyed sharing that beautiful rainbow with you guys. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Here’s to a joyful June!

  13. Love the pipe cleaner flowers <3 Haven't seen pipe cleaners since my pipe smoking grandfather died (a long time ago) so they were a lovely memory.

    Things I am grateful for this month – I'm no longer taking anti-depressants as I feel well and emotionally stable. I first took them 15 years ago and have had one other period without them, so I know it's possible I will need them again. But, for now, I'm happy to be one drug down (and one lot of side effects down too).

    1. Making those flowers was so much fun, especially because my granddaughter was such a pleasant teacher. I’m happy for you that you are feeling well enough to go off one of your medications. May it continue. And if not, thank goodness there are options.

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