Sunlit dogwoods, autumn, Yosemite

Thanksgiving is a day for gratitude. While I think we should be grateful every day, it’s nice to take one day to be especially mindful of everything we have to be thankful for.

As I’m writing this I can look out my window and see five inches of fresh snow on the ground. After a dry, warm autumn, it feels as if the weather changed directly from summer to winter. This cold storm is going to cause problems for holiday travelers, but I’m thankful for the badly-needed rain and snow our state is receiving. Fire season is finally over, and further storms are on the way, bringing more beautiful moisture.

One of the things I’m most grateful for is that I get to write this blog – and that people actually read it! When I first started this blog ten years ago, I was reluctant to do it. Who has time for something like that? But Claudia pretty much insisted, and I’m glad she did. I get to write about my favorite subject, choosing whatever topics I find interesting, and people who appreciate my perspective manage to find me somehow. How cool is that? I’m very grateful to all of you for reading, and commenting, and asking questions. I couldn’t do this without you!

Of course I’m also extremely thankful for the many amazing people in my life – my wife, my son, plus many other wonderful family members and friends. Life is richer when you get to share it with people you love.

Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving in your part of the world, I hope you have many things to be grateful for!

— Michael Frye

Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.