Today’s selection from A Year with Rilke is about recognizing how much we have and how much we have had even though we may have little at the present moment.
It isn’t always easy for me to give thanks at a time when I am feeling ill or sad or when I think about those who 
are no longer here.
It’s been extremely cold this week in the Ottawa area. Yesterday’s minus 22 felt like minus 38 with the wind chill.
My car creaked like an old bucket of bolts going over speed bumps. I am not often grateful in winter that I live in such a climate. I think I’d have chosen Arizona or Mexico…
For today, my small stone is a reminder to myself about the effects the weather has on my attitude.
Jan. 4, 2014
This morning minus 20.
Outside the wind
whispers colder.
Listen to the hum of furnace!
Be thankful for its dry warmth.
Remember summer when we cried
for Mother Nature to turn down
the heat? Summon gratitude
as you pay your next heating bill.
–CAS
Quillfyre 
oh, yeah, gratitude indeed.
gotta start somewhere…lol
You have two poems here, the second being “My car creaked like an old bucket of bolts going over speed bumps.” Happy New Year, Carol. (HUG)
Happy New Year, Andrea! Loved the story about the bird’s nest in the Christmas tree, by the way. I meant to write to tell you… C
Happy you enjoyed it, Carol!