Small Pleasures

[Europe]

Without a doubt 2020 has been a year for the record books ( Virus, Riots, Hurricane ) and the election is still to come---and regardless of who wins, half the population will be upset. This could be the worst year since 1918 and no Cheyenne I dont remember it (-;

But amid all of this---WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR ?

Maybe a child, grandchild, great grandchild was born , or they hunted/fished for the first time, perhaps you got a new rifle/shotgun/handgun or had time to refurbish an old one, learned to play an instrument, got married, survived a surgery ( I know of three gentlemen here on the forum that did ), new hobby, booked a hunt you have been wanting to go on, refurbished a classic car or because of the virus restrictions you spent more time with your spouse and remembered all the reasons you fell in love with them. Lemonade from Lemons or in Hunting Wife case, homemade wine.

Among all the rain clouds, what was one of the silver linings in your life this year ?

 

[WestKyHunt]

I've been able to purchase a handful of great gear.

I also booked a guided duck hunt with my best friend for some Arkansas timber.

I believe everything in life is how you make it, look at everything through negative eyes and thats what you will see. I must admit I get caught up in this myself at times, but usually realize it and turn it around.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Coffee. Always grateful for coffee.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Covid has been just one little cloud in a year of silver linings.
Sometimes our focus on the clouds keeps us from feeling the sunshine.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

As long as this old boy doesnt die this year, it's a good year as far as I'm concerned.

 

[noharleyyet]

11th grandchild, 4th granddaughter's digs when she's at our place. Eva Jane, youngest daughter's 2nd girl entering our lives formally latter October. Yes, that picture's coming down.

https://flic.kr/p/2jAEJKZ

 

[Randi]

without a doubt the time, quality time, I spent with my grandfather and grandmother this year. I didn't just listen to them, I heard what they said, maybe for the first time ,to some degree. Even here on the forum I have had the pleasure, AND TIME, to communicate with some and it has been a pleasure. Hunting Wife, NoHarleyyet, 44Hunter45, Europe, Salmonchaser. My grandparents have taught me how to can, make fishing flies, refinish a stock, and not to assume that just because someone's old that they dont know what is going on. I might look back upon this year as one of the good years in my life, as I did not just "run through" the year, but by "waking through" I have learned a lot. And to those mentioned AND others here on the forum with some milage on them, thank you,

And thank you Mr and Mrs Fin for the forum

 

[MTLabrador]

Just found out that my dad tested positive for Covid. He’s been pretty sick this week and he called me today to let me know he’s feeling better and no longer has a fever, so I’m very thankful for that.

I’m thankful that I live here and spent last night watching bulls bugling in the desert.

 

[hank4elk]

I'm enjoying finally getting some rain and it has cooled a bit. It has been brutal hot.

I was real bummed to see I have now lost half a dozen more pinions due to IPPS...my wind screen. Dead in a couple days, still green cones on the otherwise healthy,now yellow trees. A couple dozen so far and I don't have that much tree cover. Lost half a dozen bigger old homestead trees.

But Rio & I are still kicking.

 

[Dave N]

May not mean too much, but I managed to escape to our cabin in Alaska for a week earlier this month. Got some work done and had lots of time to just relax, chill, and watch the salmon swimming upstream. Sure beats staying in Illinois!

 

[Sasquatchewan]

COVID sure sucks, but this time last year I was coming back from a 7 months deployment to Africa and had left my wife home with our 5yo and 3 month old girls. "Working" from home since April has given me loads of time with my wife and kids and I am extremely thankful for that.

 

[TOGIE]

it's not just a small pleasure, but damn, having a job that doesn't annoy the crap out of me, that has allowed me to work from home since march, still give me ample time off, and give me a steady paycheck which more than suffices

don't think about it enough, but holy crap what a pleasure

 

[Hunting Wife]

Thankful that Hunting Husband and I have stayed healthy and employed. Our families have stayed healthy for the most part, and the few that had a brush with Covid came through alright in the end.

Were able to get some house projects done with our quarantine time.

Moving at a slower pace has been strange, but not bad. A different feeling that what I’m used to.

Thankful we made it to another hunting season.

 

[hank4elk]

I did eat my crop of handfull of blackberries this morning. Out of what was a dozen plants.
& I have seen 2 velvet bulls in 2 days....

 

[MThuntr]

I have a handful of a few close friends that have really gotten much closer over the last few months. I had been in a funk and then I bought a raft...we now have Thursdays with the dudes and Tara

 

[2rocky]

I lose sight of what I should be thankful for quite often.

I'm thankful for a week of vacation left over from 2019.
I'm grateful for an out of state deer tag
I'm grateful for ML who moved to be with me over a year ago.
I'm grateful for friends who invited me bear hunting his weekend.

 

[deer_shooter]

I'm grateful that my wife and I both have good jobs, both in the healthcare industry and I have been working from home since February (most of March and April were a blur due to 16 hour days)
Like DaveN, we were able to take 2 weeks for our annual Alaska trip and spend a couple days at the remote property.

 

[rwc101]

My new niece. Living in an awesome state. Having more tags than I know what to do with and family coming out for some hunts. DQ Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzards.

 

[Wildabeest]

Thankful that my work allows me to contribute in some small way to almost any crisis. My company and team are directly involved in COVID related work (contact tracing, clinical analytics and dashboards, and drug development process) as well as doing some stuff to help with the challenges related to police use of force and the riots. I agree with @WestKyHunt - it’s all about mindset. Do you approach a negative situation focused on how bad it is? Or do you look at it and say “what’s the opportunity here?”; “how can I help?”. I believe doing the latter as a general approach to life leads to a much more positive and fulfilling existence. As I say to my team at work, “We run into the fire, not away from it.” They seem rally around that and have real pride in their work.

I’m also thankful for humility that allows me to see the pain and suffering and challenges across the board. We have very serious issues in our society, and the solutions are neither straightforward or easy. If we are not willing and able to have empathy for people we disagree with, solving these issues will be exponentially more difficult. The current polarization of society is far worse than the specific crises we are dealing with.

 

[Panda Bear]

New dog, renewed dream, of winning the Yukon Quest