Thankful Thursdays: Thunderstorms

I love thunderstorms. I always want to cozy up and make a hot drink while watching them come through.

I like how the sky gets dark and closes in. I like sitting indoors and hearing the thunder. And I enjoy the sound of the rain coming down outside.

My favorite storms are the cold fronts that come in right as the seasons are changing from winter to spring. In Houston it never gets very cold, but right before it rains, the temperature still drops enough to feel a change in the air.

After I moved to Kansas, I could really tell the difference between spring thunderstorms and fall thunderstorms. The ones in the spring can get pretty violent, and sometimes produce tornadoes. Fall storms bring a lot more of those slow, steady rains.

And the smell of the rain during spring has a freshness, whereas in the fall it's more crisp.

You don’t get thunderstorms very often in Delhi, even during the monsoons, so I definitely miss them a lot here. I hope that where ever we move next has a rainier climate so I can enjoy stormy days indoors again.

Thankful Thursdays: Autumn

Taken outside Yellow Farmhouse Winery in Defiance, MO.

The official first day of Autumn in the US was September 22nd this year.

By now, at home they're experiencing cool, crisp evenings, the smells of apple cider, spiced nuts and fruits, and restaurants are offering pumpkin-flavored this or that.

I love it when I walk into Hobby Lobby and that country, crafty aroma hits me first thing. It's like heaven being in their store. The combination of cinnamon, cloves, and orange-cranberry candles is divine.

Autumn's the beginning of baking season, which means I get to bake and eat as much pumpkin pie as I can manage.

It's also when I get to start wearing all my favorite scarves and sweaters. Then in the evenings, when Michael and I watch movies, we'll snuggle up with hot tea and blankets.

In September, the trees in Kansas usually start to turn colors. It may not be as pretty as other places in America, but after growing up in Houston, I always thought it was special.

Right before Michael and I moved to India, most of our things were getting boxed up for storage or for shipping. We kept our bikes out for as long as we could. Almost every evening we took them out and rode along various bike trails or through nearby neighborhoods. It was probably the most memorable thing we did before we moved… and it’s probably the thing I miss the most.

There really isn’t a Fall season here in Delhi, so I’ll miss it again this year, but I’m thankful for it all the same.

Autumn really is my favorite time of the year.

Thankful Thursdays: Stringed Instruments

Whenever I hear a cello or stringed ensemble I’m always transported. I love listening to acoustic guitars and mandolins too. I find that there is a distinct natural and spiritual sound to stringed instruments. They're so pretty and magical.

I played the violin when I was in middle school, but I always wondered if maybe I should have picked the cello instead. I love to watch people play the cello too. It's like the instrument transforms from a dead, funny-looking piece of wood, into something alive and apart of the musician.

Michael says he loves anything with a piano. What about you? Do you have a particular instrument or sound that speaks to your heart?