Thankful [Day 15]

Hubby's mom always has good, and often homemade, wheat bread in her kitchen.  Her homemade bread is a denser bread than the wheat bread you find at the grocery store...it's great toasted [+buttered], and it makes a great sandwich.  But, homemade bread has intimidated me for the longest time...with its yeast, and rising, and kneading...

Instead of driving to a bakery outlet store yesterday, I finally made the call to Hubby's mom and asked her to loan me two loaf pans and her recipe.  Of course, she very kindly offered to come over and walk me through it.  I don't know that there's any substitute for a hands-on lesson from someone who's done it, and perhaps even failed at it once or twice.

Today I'm thankful to be able to make good bread for my family [and for that heavenly aroma of freshly-baked bread].

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For those who have accepted or are following

our challenge...

"Until November 30th, each day I feel thankful I will spread my thankfulness by sharing, in part, that which I am thankful for with another, according to my ability." 

...below are a few ideas for this Thankful post: 

FREE TO LOW-COST

+  Post a bread recipe [with photos, if possible] for others to try.

+  Invite a neighbor over and walk them through making two loaves of their own.

+  Host a Bread/Bread Recipe Exchange! 

• Invite a few neighbors/friends/relatives over and ask them to bring either 1 loaf of their favorite bread or the recipe.  
• Offer a baking demonstration and make your own favorite bread at the exchange or have a few spreads available [flavored butters, jams, ...] and socialize over bread.

+ Repeat the recipe and gift the loaves to neighbors.

MODERATE-COST/DONATION

+  On your next trip to the grocery store, buy an extra loaf of bread and gift it to a neighbor.

+  On your next trip to the grocery store, make a donation to your local food bank.

+  Make a one-time gift payment on a friend's/relative's/neighbor's Rocky Mountain Power account by calling 1-888-221-7070.  Have their name, phone number, street address, or Rocky Mountain Power account number ready.

+  Enroll in the Rocky Mountain Power fixed donation program, and add an amount of your choosing to your monthly power bills to help your neighbors in need pay their electric bills.  Call 1-888-221-7070 for more information.

There are 15 days left in November...

accept the challenge HERE!

Thankful [Day 13]: A Challenge

Our blog has been a bit quiet these last few days, and it isn't that I haven't felt thankful.  In fact, yesterday I felt very thankful to have celebrated another birthday with Hubby and my two bright-eyed boys!  I am thankful for every sweet birthday wish.  It was quite nice to hear a friend I admire very much say that it took her about this many years to feel on top of things, and as a full-time mom for the first time, I hope that this year is that year for me!  

Our last few Thankful posts have been blocked by a nagging heaviness...the realization that anything I'm thankful for is something that someone goes without.  And even though I'm expressing genuine thanks, I'm also acknowledging that another needs and doesn't have something that I have.  

Feeling and expressing thanks has in itself been a blessing as it's anchored me, lifted me out of a thick and gloomy fog, and helped me to imagine myself and my family in another's position.

My feeling is that our mercies and blessings shouldn't divide us, but should move us to make those very things common among us. As I imagine my own children living without the basic comforts of warm food, a bed and a blanket, or a coat...as low temperatures, snow and ice settle in...how can I not do something? 

Could...would life on your street, or in your neighborhood or city change for the better if thankfulness were a contagion?  A contagion with a long list of positive symptoms and effects...

It seems a challenge this way comes ;)  Are you up for it??

1} review the challenge:

"Until November 30th, each day I feel thankful I will spread my thankfulness by sharing, in part, that which I am thankful for with another, according to my ability." 

and

2} accept the challenge

Leave either your first name or initials only, with your state/country in a Comment below this post.

Comments will remain open until Friday, November 30th.   

Once you've accepted the challenge, right alongside me, my only hope is that you'll record your experience.  For ideas and helpful links, pop in again over the next 17 days.  I'm looking forward to the experience.  I wish each of you a memorable, and wonderful 17 days!

Have you spotted the hidden message in our post?  

[...in yellow...]