Feeling Thankful

2020 may not be going as planned, but if nothing else, it has reminded us of the many things for which we are thankful.  Over Thanksgiving dinner tonight, we talked about what we are most thankful for:

#1 Our family - the love, companionship, and support we offer each other is truly something to be thankful for.

#2 Our health and the health of our farm family.  Thankfully we have suffered no predator attacks (aside from Ava, our sometimes confused guardian dog-in-training) on our livestock this year and our humans have remained healthy in spite of living in the midst of a global pandemic.

#3 Financial security - we are grateful for Ian's off-farm employment and his admirable work ethic.  His job pays our bills and keeps our roof over our heads.

#4 Food security - this year's exceptional growing season combined with my hard work on the farm ensured that our pantry and freezers are full.  For the peace of mind that comes from knowing that I will be able to feed my family, I am thankful.

#5 Our sanctuary - we are so grateful to have our homestead and farm where we have room to learn, run and grow.  We are also grateful to those who granted us access to other safe spaces where we could get outside and enjoy nature during this strange year.  In particular, mapling in the spring, camping at the family cottage in the summer, hikes to the tree stand in the fall, and the "special path" forest walk in our neighbourhood have all contributed greatly to our mental well-being given our quite isolated day-to-day lives on the farm.

Today, as we each did the things we love (hunting, animal care, playing, walking and biking in the forest, talking to extended family, cooking, eating), we took the time to breathe deeply and reflect on how thankful we are to be in this exact place in our lives surrounded by those we love, both human and animal.

Happy Thanksgiving from our grateful hearts to yours.