Thankful: Raspberries and Roses

    It's been a lovely fall here in Oregon; mild, sunny, trees ablaze with color. We've only woken to the glitter of frost a few mornings, and haven't had a lot of rain yet. But cooler weather is finally settling in, and it's supposed to dip below freezing tonight. As days grow shorter and skies darken, I look forward with a bit of dread to the upcoming months of gray, drizzly skies.

   So today, I'm thankful for these summer gifts that have hung on this long. Here we are, more than halfway through November, and still there are roses blooming in my yard. They seem to be more fragrant than in summer, but perhaps I just notice it more because it's unexpected. And raspberries! Poppy brought me a handful of them the other day; ripe, sweet berries. Yesterday Raphael picked some at my parents' house; he arrived home with face shining, holding up his little container and saying "I picked these for 'vou'". And today I was able to gather a small bowl to share with Erik and Pearl. I cut the last of the rosebuds and will enjoy watching them open and inhaling their sweet scent. I'm thankful for these little unexpected gifts, promises that the dark days will pass and once again there will be abundant sunshine, bouquets of fresh flowers, and bowls of sweet fruit.