tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post892643591541986329..comments2024-03-28T14:37:45.575-04:00Comments on 5 Acres & A Dream: Thankfulness as a ChoiceLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-90744427276279729812022-11-28T10:41:35.369-05:002022-11-28T10:41:35.369-05:00Thank you Leigh. I’ve always enjoyed your encourag...Thank you Leigh. I’ve always enjoyed your encouragement. I’m taking a blogging break. We are well, thanks for asking. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-81629094820850766702022-11-27T17:02:59.405-05:002022-11-27T17:02:59.405-05:00Ed, having options and alternatives are extremely ...Ed, having options and alternatives are extremely important, I think. There's a sense of security in that approach, plus it just seems prudent. So many unimaginable things have happened happened in the past two years that having back-up on skills, tools, and supplies makes sense. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-50800190215551899592022-11-27T07:44:42.523-05:002022-11-27T07:44:42.523-05:00A well written post! I think I see the value of yo...A well written post! I think I see the value of your life’s choices and although I don’t fully embrace them, I like to keep one foot in them in case a day comes when I need to choose one or the other.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13214319366049620074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-33070045821611910482022-11-26T20:13:07.965-05:002022-11-26T20:13:07.965-05:00Debby! So good to hear from you! It seems your blo...Debby! So good to hear from you! It seems your blog has disappeared, which is sad because I really enjoyed your writing. I hope all is well with you and your family.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-7795741976768695642022-11-26T12:21:21.396-05:002022-11-26T12:21:21.396-05:00Happy Thanksgiving Leigh and Dan. A timely word! L...Happy Thanksgiving Leigh and Dan. A timely word! Living and documenting survival and homesteading skills will greatly benefit society as a whole. It's a wild time. Thanks for being a voice of truth and steadiness in it all. Debby Riddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020604103780042413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-8316812457636372992022-11-26T05:28:42.854-05:002022-11-26T05:28:42.854-05:00Thank you Henny! I hope you had a wonderful holida...Thank you Henny! I hope you had a wonderful holiday.<br /><br />Haddock, ha! They always look like that! Turkeys are very inquisitive birds and curious about everything. Always exploring. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-35700513729288893722022-11-26T03:49:36.175-05:002022-11-26T03:49:36.175-05:00Like the parting shot. Two of them are looking as ...Like the parting shot. Two of them are looking as if someone is coming to get them.Haddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11573906991666088642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-36224764834829641112022-11-25T21:57:38.851-05:002022-11-25T21:57:38.851-05:00Happy day after Thanksgiving Leigh. Sure enjoyed a...Happy day after Thanksgiving Leigh. Sure enjoyed and appreciate your post. Henny Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05958386938311591314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-32485434264476957452022-11-25T13:08:48.554-05:002022-11-25T13:08:48.554-05:00Agent X, "the effort required for either is a...Agent X, "the effort required for either is about the same." Excellent point! <br /><br />Jackie and Joel, "less really is more." Also an excellent point! But you're correct that some people just don't get it.<br /><br />Goatldi, "some people are not happy unless they’re unhappy." Very true! I think it becomes so "normal" for some folks that they think something is wrong if they aren't unhappy. <br /><br />Michelle, I agree! Really, happiness and love are action words, not feelings. Eventually, the feelings follow, but as you point out, it sometimes takes some time. Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-76814601808641624842022-11-25T11:54:41.111-05:002022-11-25T11:54:41.111-05:00Your title goes hand in hand with a principle I wa...Your title goes hand in hand with a principle I was raised with from earliest memory – Happiness is a decision. So is love, and every other good character trait! I'm not suggesting the decision is easy, nor is it "one and done." And feelings don't always follow in line. But like any habit, mental or physical, it gets easier with practice.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01550786937196525098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-35972217803519607062022-11-25T11:01:12.318-05:002022-11-25T11:01:12.318-05:00Well as my dear father-in-law often said “ You sai...Well as my dear father-in-law often said “ You said a mouthful Queenie! “<br /><br />One thing I have observed including in my own family from childhood is some people are not happy unless they’re unhappy. I will not even go into a discussion about that one because it’s just what it is and it will never be anything different. But it is a choice as is everything in life and we can choose the path less traveled or we can choose to dig the hole deeper.<br /><br />So as someone important somewhere once said “keep smiling it will keep them guessing.” Or something to that effect . <br /><br />A belated happy Thanksgiving hoping that yours was as wonderful as mine this was a year of flying solo. Due to lots of circumstances and busy households I stayed home and made my first turkey and my new cabin ever and it was delicious. The pups are quite grateful for giblets on their kibble they even told me so.🤩Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-81710891095183760872022-11-25T10:56:28.603-05:002022-11-25T10:56:28.603-05:00Like your choice to homestead, we chose to move to...Like your choice to homestead, we chose to move to Greece from America (simply to experience something new before we got too old to do so. We now find ourselves in a rural countryside, living in a small house surrounded by olive groves, the sea and mountains. Many asked us why we left the suburbs and just don't understand that sometimes - when choices are made, less really is more! Jackie and Joel Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14074129927177165084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-43547825317514049072022-11-25T10:24:49.747-05:002022-11-25T10:24:49.747-05:00This is one of my favorite posts. Well said. We ...This is one of my favorite posts. Well said. We can be happy or we can be difficult. The effort required for either is about the same. The choice is yours. Happy day after Thanksgiving to you and your readers. Agent X, nothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11999992815395286888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-90400764318579469382022-11-25T08:07:54.097-05:002022-11-25T08:07:54.097-05:00Rosalea, I think consumerism is antithetical to co...Rosalea, I think consumerism is antithetical to contentment. But it's the way our economic system is set up, so we're pretty much stuck with it unless we choose to adopt a different viewpoint.Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-13820884216485997972022-11-25T07:17:59.399-05:002022-11-25T07:17:59.399-05:00Well said, and very insightful, Leigh. Making a de...Well said, and very insightful, Leigh. Making a deliberate decision to be content with what one has, goes a long way to thankfulness, especially in this day and age when we are bombarded with all that consumerism. <br />Hope you and your family had a lovely day. Rosaleahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09403965807770816977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-1085648363068067792022-11-24T20:46:31.715-05:002022-11-24T20:46:31.715-05:00Sue, thank you! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and ...Sue, thank you! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours too!<br /><br />TB, in some ways, it's a hard thing to understand. There is an aspect of our human nature that tends to be dissatisfied. I observe that advertising and marketing take advantage of that to tempt us to buy their products. So in a sense, it would seem that our economic system fosters it because buying and selling mean growth. Maybe we, as a society are so used to this that it seems normal. <br /><br />It's been a long time since I read Lewis's <i>The Great Divorce</i>. He was quite influential in my early Walk.<br /><br />Nancy, that is such a healthy attitude. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Dave too!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-86897898158920963432022-11-24T17:10:32.272-05:002022-11-24T17:10:32.272-05:00Yes a positive attitude makes a huge difference fo...Yes a positive attitude makes a huge difference for sure! We try to be resilient with our little Homestead and be flexible and see what works and change what doesn't work it's just a long process. Happy thanksgiving!Nancy In Boisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03749272217529362089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-28389193506536931892022-11-24T12:33:54.763-05:002022-11-24T12:33:54.763-05:00Such a critical insight, Leigh. We are not a than...Such a critical insight, Leigh. We are not a thankful people anymore on the whole, and to your point it seems like in every way, we are complaint prone.<br /><br />A good point that you made - and one that we forget to our peril - is that we cannot make anyone happy, ultimately. Only potentially ourselves - but only if we realize that what constitutes true happiness (and always desiring something more is no faster road to such happiness than trying to make everyone else happy).<br /><br />In C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce, one of the characters that the protagonist meets is a character from Hell that spent their entire life grumbling to the point that all they had become was one big grumble; the soul itself was buried and potential gone. We are in danger of this as well as society; by never being thankful, content, or happy, we can only become constantly unthankful, discontent, and unhappy.<br /><br />It is far better to voluntary choose less than have it enforced at a time and place not of our choosing.Toirdhealbheach Beucailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872794169534403463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-88153549440096939752022-11-24T10:12:39.235-05:002022-11-24T10:12:39.235-05:00Thank you so much for summing up the whole issue i...Thank you so much for summing up the whole issue in a nutshell! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Dan. Florida Farm Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14788091314337673170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-90834907308880032612022-11-24T09:22:50.878-05:002022-11-24T09:22:50.878-05:00Marleen, hello and welcome! I think some people th...Marleen, hello and welcome! I think some people think that talking about a problem is doing something, but I agree with you that it changes nothing. If we want change we have to start by doing what we can on a personal level. We need to set the example!<br /><br />Tina Rose, hello and welcome to you too!<br /><br />Daisy, I agree! I think many people confuse contentment with complacency. So I suppose if we're complaining, we're proving we're not complacent. Maybe it's too fine a point, but perspective makes a big difference.<br /><br />Mama Pea, something else I've figured out about complaining is that it's manipulative. I think most of us find complaining annoying, so it's a way to get others to do things that the complainer can't or doesn't want to do themselves. Unfortunately, it often yields the desired results, and then there's no motive to change. <br /><br />Boud, same to you! I'm glad you find our haps and mishaps interesting. :)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-77745193062029593102022-11-24T08:27:19.968-05:002022-11-24T08:27:19.968-05:00Happy Thanksgiving, Leigh! Yes, homesteading isn&#...Happy Thanksgiving, Leigh! Yes, homesteading isn't like suburban living with fewer appliances! It's a completely different mindset. It's interesting to follow your approaches and see what you're doing. Boudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00641013916263271948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-31894133732949105022022-11-24T08:14:27.147-05:002022-11-24T08:14:27.147-05:00Of course, complaining is a habit. A bad habit. ...Of course, complaining is a habit. A bad habit. It may be that many people complain because they don't know what else to do. Being unhappy, negative and complaining requires change if we are to live a better life. Change is HARD. Knowing how to change, having the resources to change (physical and mental), weathering the opposition of others (including family members!) requires a lot. But I believe being appreciative and thankful does truly help during a changing process. And in all aspects of our lives. You've said it all more eloquently that I can. Great post, Leigh. And Happy Thanksgiving in whatever way you choose to celebrate it. Mama Peahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-70918141892239764792022-11-24T08:00:27.153-05:002022-11-24T08:00:27.153-05:00I think contentedness is underrated.
Have a wonder...I think contentedness is underrated.<br />Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!daisy ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06129079277073067462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-4610066111995892182022-11-24T04:45:08.445-05:002022-11-24T04:45:08.445-05:00Thank you, Leigh, for your wonderful insights!
Thank you, Leigh, for your wonderful insights! <br />Tina Rosenoreply@blogger.com