Thankful Thursday ~ Pride of Place Photos

Two weeks ago in a Thankful Thursday post, I wrote about how I appreciate this place where I live. You can read that post HERE. I also put out a challenge to my readers, family, and friends to submit photos of places they love to use in an upcoming post. Today is the day of the big reveal of the photos I received! 

The amount of photos submitted was incredible. Several people submitted upwards of 10 photos! Wow! In the interest of time and space, I couldn't include every single photo that everyone sent me. So, at most I included two of the ones people submitted. Apologies to people who sent more, but I do thank you so much for your enthusiasm!!! 

Without further ado, let's get to the real reason you're looking at my blog today-- the PHOTOS! With each person who submitted, I'll first list their name and how I know them, then you'll see the image(s) they sent. If people submitted a caption or explanation, I put it as the photo caption in most instances. As you look through the photos, I encourage you to think about why that person might love the place or be thankful for the place in the picture. 

From Melissa, a friend and fellow Hi-Liner--

"Our farm, north of Gildford. Farm life is the best!!"

My blogging friend Jessie sent two photos. She blogs mainly about running but sometimes also posts fantastic vizsla and animal photos, as you can see below. Check out her blog at www.therightfits.com!  Jessie's vizsla is named Matilda. Isn't she perfect? The cats are pretty cute, too. :)

Jessie says: I'm thankful for having a warm bed to share with all our animals. 

Not going to lie... Harvey sleeps on our bed, too! :)

Jessie says: I'm also thankful for my home near Lake Calhoun where I can run with Matilda and watch beautiful sunrises!

Looks like a pretty awesome place to run!

Next up, two photos from another friend, Christy. She lives near Billings, MT where her family ranches. Christy is a fellow Team Beef member with me and also has an awesome running blog, which you can check out at www.christyruns.com.
 From Christy- They weren't the ones I had in mind, but they are of the family ranch and a place I am eternally thankful and grateful to have grown up on and now get to raise my children on.

Pretty awesome views on Christy's ranch, right?! Southeast Montana. Lovely!  Skies for days!!

 The next two photos are from my mom, Penny. She is quite an accomplished photographer these days! She sent me probably about 12 photos and I just chose two because they are images of places I am also thankful for! She didn't include any captions, so I added a little background for both photos.

First, this barn is in a park very near the house I grew up in. As kids, we spent a lot of time playing in this park! Mom has some really great photos of this barn and this is one of them--

The next photo from my mom was one that she took on a visit out here last summer. We were all driving home from catching a movie in town, it was early June and, well, check out this awesome image of the Sweetgrass Hills at sunset--

The Hills are a place I have a view of every day and I am so thankful for that!

Next, from my friend Tara. She and I are friends from college and this is an image of the Campanile on the Iowa State Campus. Iconic image for people from Ames or who went to school at ISU!  I am also pretty thankful for this place, just like Tara!

"I really work in a beautiful place."

Now, two images from Jane. Jane grew up a little bit west of where Jeff and I live, with a great view of the Sweetgrass Hills. Now, she lives in Choteau, MT.

From Jane:

Sweet Grass Hills – I love where you live now

I love where I live now

The next image is from Jon, who is the cousin of my Father in Law, Tom--

"Aja (aka Hound of the Baskervilles)  on a foggy Oregon day."

My friend Kathy also sent me several images and I chose this one out of the ones she sent.  She lives near Geraldine, MT. It would be pretty difficult not to be thankful of this view every day! WOW!

this view is facing South and is west of our home by my garden...the mountains are Square Butte and Round Butte, which we see out of our dining room, living room, and bedroom windows! So Beautiful...

Jeff's Aunt Linda (Tom's sister) sent this image from the Oregon Coast, near where she lives. Again, pretty amazing view!

Thankful that we live near the awesome Pacific Ocean , hope that I never take it for granted!!

From Ashley, another photo from the Geraldine area...check out that sky!  Ashley's view looks pretty similar to Kathy's... neighbors, I wonder? :)

Love the view from my deck 

And from Lorrie. Here is another person who was very enthusiastic about this "assignment" and sent many photos! Lorrie lives on a farm near Big Sandy, MT. 

I love the colors in the above image. Plus, if you know Big Sandy, the colors are extra appropriate! Purple and yellow are their school colors. :)  Pretty awesome view in the photo below. Again, I think I'd be pretty thankful for that place if I got to look out at it each day!

Next I have two photos from Lisa, who is a former student-athlete at North Star, where I work. She was a high school senior in track the first season I was a coach here. Now, we stay in touch via social media and she sent me these images to use in this post of places she is thankful for and/or loves-

 Lisa goes to school at University of Montana in Missoula. This is a view of campus and surrounding environs. :) The next photo is from Havre, and the third photo is from some hot springs in Idaho.

Peggy, a local Rudyard resident, sent me this photo of Glacier National Park as a place she loves-

The next two photos are from Darla. She and her family are long-time family friends from my hometown. You'll notice that her photos are a little different from most of the others submitted...

Katie, I know this isn't exactly what you asked for but my favorite place to be is anywhere with my family-anywhere with my friends is good too! 

Here's another one - again my favorite places is anywhere with my family

Whew!  That is A TON of photos of places that are loved! I hope you found at least one photo on here that made you smile or feel happy, and I hope that you can look around you and find reasons to be thankful, wherever you are. Whether it's a beautiful mountain vista or somewhere close to home, such as your own bed, there's always reasons to be thankful for the places in which we find ourselves. And, sometimes, as Darla points out, it's not the place that's important but the people we're with.

As I was going through all the many images that were submitted to me I was struck by how many people submitted pictures of places that I also feel thankful for. Places I grew up or places where I live now or travel to. I suppose it's because the people who read and comment on here most all have a connection to me somehow, our lives intersect in some way. It's a great reminder of the interconnectedness (is that a word?!) of all of us, everywhere. Food for thought. :)

It has been so much fun uploading everyone's photos and looking at them over and over in compiling this post. Thanks again to everyone who submitted! I worked on this yesterday evening and felt myself feeling more calm, even amid a somewhat stressful, busy week. I carried the good vibes outside with me as I headed out for a sunset run. It was hard not to notice the beautiful light and, yes, to feel thankful for the place I call home and all the people (and animals!) in my life I'm connected to in one way or another.

Happy Thankful Thursday, everyone! What are you thankful for this week?

Just heading out my driveway to start my run. 8:20pm. That's Iggy, and Harvey has already raced way ahead somewhere.

Thankful for these dusty gravel roads I get to run on, and the setting sun!

Goldstone used to be a town and now it's the site of our farmland!