Autumn is my season. Hands down it’s when I feel most me. The colors, the food, the way the air smells, getting under down comforters, snuggling with my dogs on chilly mornings, pulling my sweaters out of the closet! I could live in a cool, crisp, light breeze, blue bird sky kind of place year round, forever. Oh wait, that’s New Zealand! Why oh why did we ever leave our little house in Akaroa? I question that all of the time! It was living in bliss everyday.
I have many memories from our little house on Rue Viard, but what fills my heart were all of our gatherings. Gatherings of friends, family, strangers, and folks just dropping by. All of this great energy was in the right place at the right time.
I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving in Mexico, Antarctica, Greece, France, and New Zealand. But one of the best Thanksgivings we ever had was in this little house. Yes, I am fully aware that New Zealand does not celebrate America’s Thanksgiving, however, why not! Friends from America, Antarctica, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, England, and New Zealand all showed up. And all of our friends stayed at our home, bunk beds galore, and a nice little wood burning stove!
Everyone got into it, everyone chipped in with their own ideas of what they wanted to do to show thanks. It was a true blending of everything great and wonderful. Between all of us, we dug a pit and slow cooked two huge salmon, picked wild flowers, set a gorgeous long table in the yard, bought homemade wine from a neighbor, whiskey from the small market, played ultimate frisbee, baked bread, made pies, cooked yummy dishes all day … and then sat outside under the stars until the wee hours, eating, talking, drinking, laughing, and sharing our thanks for each other. I can still smell that night all these years later, remember the laughter, feel the love in the air. It was perfect!
Now here I am, almost sixteen years later, living in Montana. I have found my bliss here, thru my children, my dogs, Spore, and my home. It’s a different kind of bliss, more grounded, more mature, a throwing out the tap root of sorts, a deeper sense of love, or getting there at least! And seeing as we usually have a spectacular Fall, an eight month winter, and gorgeous sky’s, I think we have landed in a good place. Watching my children and dogs grow up in the mountains has filled my heart beyond words.
My children are now teenagers and dreaming of adventures of their own. Three of my dogs are now seniors, and Spore and I have some gray hair. And everyday I am grateful, everyday!
I am grateful for the life I have, for the bliss I have experienced, and for the people I have met along the way. I am rich with love from my dogs and children. Spore and I have been together eighteen years now. What we have created together, and what we are creating together, feels right. Knowing this love surrounds me, well again, it’s beyond words.
Thankful for my life and my family … Nancy … Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Nancy Tanner 
Crying………beautiful thankful note in bringing past, present and future into the mix.
love to you!
Great pics…..and great attitude
Stan and Buddha(Bu) from your former puppy class (6 yrs ago)
Stan, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! You and Bu should stop by if you are still in town, not sure if you have already headed south?
Tears of joy and I so love learning more about you. You are one of the most free-spirited, grounded (yes you can be both) people I know. You have amazing family, friends and an amazing life and spirit! You Nancy Tanner AND your kids and Spore are true spirit guides to many of us in how you live your life every day! Never forget that! I personally am thankful that I found you as a friend.
I love you and love our friendship!
You share your life so willingly with so much feeling and emotion and I sit with tears in my eyes. What a wonderful friend you have become. I am always amazed when I find another special thing you did in your life WOW !!!! Would you adopt me???
Much Love,
Sandy
Sandy, yes I will adopt you and Sophie, and your vodka tonics, and lovely hospitality… You crawled into my heart on that first night of class when I told you to go some place else and you snarled at me… “yes, a kindred spirit!” You are a gem to me!
WOW! What a delight to hear you include Spore ….. out loud! I hae to forward this to my daughteres!
A very happy Thanksgiving to you all too
Love Millie
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Millie, you always make me laugh. I talk about Spore plenty. But this is my blog, if you want to hear more about him, ask him to write his own! I love you, happy thanksgiving to you too!
What a lovely post. You’ve had an amazing life with lots more to come!
thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones, furry and not so furry alike!
Beautiful! Such great memories and i love the love that comes from this blog. I love you!
it feels forever ago. It was fun to think about our life there. A bit of magic to be certain! I love you too.
What happy days! Good for you for living the good life! I like the photo of the kids on the rock, looking down; a nice capture of a wonderful moment. Thanks for sharing, and for all your interesting blogs. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones. Cheryl
Thanks Cheryl, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!