Reasons to be Cheerful

Hello
Just started to follow Gary at A Day in the Life (I found him via John Gray's blog) He has a great post on reasons to be cheerful and I thought "THAT'S what I should be doing in my next post"
I am unashamedly going to pinch his idea, firstly as a way of counteracting  my last post, but also as a way of updating my profile and re-introducing myself to my followers old and new.
Good idea eh?!
I shall recycle old blog pictures to illustrate, so to remind you.. here I am!

I have many reasons to be cheerful AND thankful
 firstly... My Family
I have a husband David (we have been married 50 years next month)  who is a great fixer, mender and maker of just about everything. The perfect smallholder husband. He is far from perfect, as am I obviously, but I'm used to him and don't fancy breaking in a newer model.
I have two daughters, both in their fourties. I won't say what they do for a living as they might be identified, which they might not like! I see the youngest daughter most days and the elder one at least once a week. We gossip, laugh a lot, dance around the kitchen and cook together amongst other things and generally get on well. We don't agree on everything but are able to say so and move on.
My eldest girl ED, is married and has a daughter (YGD) who was a latish surprise and is spoilt by us all obviously. She loves to come and stay with her grandma and grandad Chick Chick, when all thoughts of Ipads etc are forgotten as there is so much for her to do here. She has a great dad, who is used to our barmy family now!
My youngest daughter YD, who is now single, has two children, Our grandson,GS, who is 24 this year and a daughter EGD, who is 21 next week.  I'm not sure how much to say about these two as they are adults and I haven't checked with them on what I could write!
  I wont bore you with sisters, nephews,nieces in-laws, friends who are like family, godchildren, foster children and so on or you will be reading all night.
Here is David with his girls.. Our grandson was working when this was taken. He always has to work New Years Eve.

 Where I live
I live on a two acre smallholding in beautiful Derbyshire. The north boundary is bordered by a busy A road, the west and east by neighbour's land and the north by the river Amber.
We have been here since 1981 and each day when I go outside to feed the animals I look out onto my little kingdom and feel grateful. I won't say lucky as luck has never come into it. Hard work, frugality, bloody-mindedness yes, luck. no!
 I never tire of being here, it is who we are and is appreciated and loved by many as well as us.
Here are a few pics to give you an idea. Those who know me will notice that there are no "corners of shame" as I want you to admire how beautiful Derbyshire is and believe that it our smallholding always looks like this (it doesn't)

 I am having difficulty choosing from my pics, so those above show the house and the paddock and  part of the orchard. Next time I will load some that show the vegetable patches, greenhouse, beehives etc.Next time......

What we grow
Our animal friends
What I do to keep my post-retirement brain active ......
In my next post, if I can retain your interest.
All for today.
Many many thanks for your comments on my last post.
Gillx