It will be Thanksgiving by the time this column

It will be Thanksgiving by the time this column reaches you. No matter what this year has brought you, Fm sure that you, too, have much to be thankful for. Here’s a little of what Fm giving thanks for this week.

In a world where “government worker” can sometimes sound like an insult, Fm thankful fin* VDOTs extraordinary responsiveness to reports from the local citizenry. They were contacted last Thursday to let them know that South Poes road was nothing but a mudhole! By late Friday afternoon there was a fresh gravel covering. Now that's responsive government!

Fm thankful for a lifted bum ban and for a little more rain again this week. Fm thankful for the continuing flow of water in the creek at the back of our property. And, my gratitude for a well that never runs dry knows no bounds. We may not have turned the comer on this drought, but a little relief is a wonderful thing.

We have incredible neighbors. The kind of neighbors you can count on when the car dies or the power goes out or you need to borrow a cup of sugar (or 5 lbs of sugar for the hummingbirds). For this I am truly grateful

This community is blessed with business people who are not only here to earn a living, but who also go out of their way to give back. For all those who find ways to use their businesses to do good, thank you!

Fm thankful for the wonderful work RAWL does not just finding homes for needy dogs, but also reuniting lost dogs and their frantic owners. They are a treasure.

Fm thankful I saw my first bald eagle, right here in Rappahannock last week. What a beautiful creature. When I wake up each morning, stunned by the natural beauty around me, I can’t help but feel grateful.

Gratitude for the community I live in fills me daily It is wonderful to live in a place where people still work to take care of