GRAVETTE — We had another full week of warm, sunny weather before rain returned on the weekend. Most of the pretty colored leaves have fallen and form a deep carpet on the lawn. Thanksgiving is only a little over a week away and it is the season to count our blessings. Yes, we have much to be thankful for and sometimes we fail to appreciate all the good things until we stop to enumerate them.

Cousin Kay drove up from Texas Monday evening and came over for a visit Tuesday afternoon.This was her first visit since Aunt Leda’s death so there was some business to take care of. I baked a casserole dish containing ground beef, macaroni and tomatoes and heated some corn. We enjoyed an early supper before I went to the library for our monthly commission meeting. We heard from seven applicants for the position of library manager and covered other items on the agenda so our meeting was rather lengthy.

I picked up some neighbors on Persimmon Street and we went out for lunch at the Senior Center Wednesday, Veterans Day.The menu featured delicious ham, sweet potato fries, lima beans, hot rolls and pumpkin crunch. Veterans were honored in a display of photos and service hymns were played. I prepared spaghetti and garlic bread that evening before we spent the evening watching the annual Country Music Association awards.

Kay came over for another brief visit Thursday morning before heading home to Texas. After she left I drove uptown and purchased barbecue sandwiches from the cheerleaders for our lunch. Paired with a bag of chips, a brownie and drink theywere a tasty quick lunch and helped a good cause.

I worked at the newspaper office Friday morning and had visits from a couple of my fellow and cooked a few turnips and prepared some pasta with Mexican four cheese sauce. I caught up on some reading that afternoon and clipped several proofs of purchase to order baking calendars for 2010. Jim and I visited the grandkids that evening and took A. J. with us to Lion Stadium for our team’s first round playoff game. We were pleased with their victory over Valley View.

Saturday was a busy day. I ventured out early in the day to make a bank deposit and pick up an Angel Food order, then Jim and I went out to meet a fellow on Fruitwood Road and discuss some home repairs.

We made a trip to Southwest City Sunday morning and rain began falling as we were on our way home. We waited for the rain to let up a little before getting back in the car and traveling to Siloam to do a little shopping.

Sister Nancy had visited while we were gone and brought me some products I’d ordered, including a handmade candle shade with amber and bronze glass which will look lovely sparkling in the candlelight.

In this season of giving thanks I’ll close with Edith Powell Wortman’s Autumn Prayer: “If I listen as I walk, I can hear the treetops talk To the night wind as it weaves In and out among the leaves Falling through the rustling air whispering their evening prayer; And from out the wooded glen Seems to come a soft “Amen!” Autumn speaks in many voices, Praising God - and earth rejoices.”

Opinion, Pages 7 on 11/18/2009