There have been many blessings this year and we are thankful for all of them. From the house we live in to the love that surrounds us there is much to be thankful for at the Pressley house.
Another thing we are thankful for is YOU!
It’s almost time for my annual Thankful November event.
Every November I host a variety of giveaways as a way of saying THANK YOU to Blind Pig and The Acorn readers. Just in case you didn’t know it, you’re the best blog readers in the whole wide world!
Time goes by so fast I can hardly believe 2025 is nearly over. Seems like we just finished last year’s Thankful November series.
Starting the first day of November there’ll be a variety of giveaways throughout the month so be on the lookout for any that you might like to enter. They are free to enter and only require you leave a comment to be entered.
As the month progresses I will share the winners’ names in various posts and ask that you email me your mailing address—so be on the lookout for those posts too in case you win a giveaway.
Last night’s video: Have You Ever Made a Tar Heel Pie?? I Did for the First Time it is: Rich, Sweet, & Yummy!
Tipper
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i’m thankful for
a “no evidence of disease” diagnosis from the cancer i was offered comfort care for last year. I get to have my port removed on the 21st.
surviving a year without my best friend… a year ago today we had his celebration of life service
my daughter finding true love
and most of all my wonderful husband who has stood by my side through it all for the last 34+ years..
Becky, that is wonderful news!! So glad you are doing better!
I’m thankful for you and your family. Y’all have been a part of my life many years now. I love each of you like my own.
I ask for your prayers. I’ve been in the hospital and am going home today on my birthday. What a gift. I had to have a vascular procedure and they put a stint in my leg for better blood circulation. Then they amputated my fourth toe on the right foot. Please pray for me.
Kourtni, I’m sorry you’re going through that. I will pray for you!
I’m thankful for your channel, your blog, and the girls’ channel! Feels like family!
November is bitter sweet for me. Every year is a struggle for my son and me. My birthday is on November 5th. I never celebrated it in a big way but it was still my happy day like most people. Then on November 5th, 2009 I was folding towels from the dryer at around 2:40pm EST when I suddenly felt something was wrong. I became hysterical and asking my son, Ed if he knew how to get in touch with his brother from another mother/soul mate/best friend, Fred Greene. Fred had joined the Army the year before and was preparing to deploy to Iraq. There was no answer on Fred’s phone. We called a cousin, who called Fred’s birth Mom. I knew Fred was dead but no one else knew. I felt it happen. He was murdered at Fort Hood. Our lives changed forever. I have never felt such deep grief. I had lost a young man that I thought of as a son and my son lost a brother and best friend. I do know the comfort afforded me thru The Holy Spirit got me thru the yrs of intense grief and mourning. The grief is still with me and my son will never be the same emotionally. I am thankful that I never lost or questioned my faith in The FATHER/SON/HOLY SPIRIT. I am so blessed and so thankful for every little detail in my life. I embrace it all because all things come from GOD to fulfill HIS Plan. I pray continuously that I hold fast in my faith and I read the WORD every day, every year, over and over, Genesis to Revelation. I want HIS WORD in my heart and mind so it can be on my lips and in my works so that my life can guide others on the one true path. Our reason to be here is to love HIM and to love others as He loves us. We are here to judge but to love. I’m so thankful for my gift of love and HIS GRACE AND MERCY.
I am thankful for you and your family. You feel like your an extended part of my own whom I am thankful for. Christian family too for me. Love of Jesus who gave the ultimate and love of our earth angels are what really means most. I pray for GOD TO BLESS YOU MORE. Sent with sincere appreciation to you all and always LOVE.
So many blessings to be thankful for ! Including you all !
I just love your blogs and your videos on YouTube! I don’t always comment every day on this blog, but I do read it every morning! And always look forward to your YouTube video! Thanks for sharing your life with us Tipper and Matt.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Looking forward to the reading of the new book tomorrow!
Norman praying for your brother!
There are too many things I am thankful for to list them all here. I will limit myself to the top 3.
1) For winning the lifetime lottery the day I was born into an idyllic family. You can see a website I’m building (www.hutchinsclan.com) detailing that family’s history.
2) For winning the hand of my wife of 65 years and the time we’ve spent together.
3) For God’s gift of a daughter when I was 41 years old and thought I’d never have children.
Tipper, I am thankful that you have chosen to share your thoughts and prayers, your family and friends, and your rich Appalachian culture with us. May God bless you for it all.
I get down and depressed many times, but at the end of the day I think of this old song “Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me.” My father in law would often sing this at church. There was another song he would sing but I can’t think of the title, it was something about feeling sorry for a man with no feet and about a person being blind. Ed you are good at finding things like this, do you know the song I am referring to? This just came to me I think some lyrics about I will walk just like you in Hallelujah Square.
I can’t believe that November is upon us. Where did the year go? Your November giveaways are always so much fun! I am a North Carolina girl, but I didn’t fall in love with the mountains of Appalachia until I stumbled upon your blog. For all you and your precious family have shared through the years, I thank you!! I also feel like the Blind Pig gang here is family. God bless all of you.
My thankful November starts the very first day of
November 1st is my 45th wedding anniversary!!!
Sandy, congratulations to you both! I hope you have a wonderful anniversary 🙂
Happy anniversary. It is my Birthday. I will be 78. That number just doesn’t register to me. I tell my husband all the time that I could work circles around a 16 year old. God has blessed me with good health. I work two jobs and take care of a special needs daughter every weekend. Lol
Drama, I hope you have a happy birthday!
Hey Tipper,
Enjoy the blog and the YouTube channels of both you and the girls. I look forward to all everyday. Just celebrated my 51st wedding anniversary although I lost my husband 2 and a half years ago. Visited him at the cemetery along with my little dog Fiona. Keep up the good work my friend.
Julia
As I age, I am thankful for my health and each day God gives me. I see life differently at this phase and love all the memories. However, if I could talk to my young self things would be different. But, you can’t go back so you make your future the way you want it to the best of your ability. My daughter asked me what I would do differently. And I told her I would have married that good ole boy I was crazy about and had a house full of children. But I chose college and career so life took a different path. However my greatest gift is my daughter (she will be 40 November 14th) and I don’t look back. The things I am most thankful for are my faith, family and memories. Now I have two beautiful grandchildren that make life so sweet (a one year old boy and a four year old girl). Life has a strange way of recycling itself! I’m also thankful for finding The Blind Pig, Celebrating Appalachia and The Pressley Girls! ❤️
Good morning Ms. Tipper, I am very new here, but I am really enjoying this blog. I read it every day without fail.
As always, praying for Granny.
Thank you Tipper for starting your blog which I was blessed to stumble on about 2008. Actually, your whole family; meaning Pap, Granny, Paul, Steve, Matt, Corie, Katie, Austin and the baby boys have all blessed me by showing how a loving Christian family strives to follow the Lord using the talents you all have. Love the picture arrangement of ya all for November.
Praying for Granny, Norman’s brother, and Denise’s daddy.
Thank you!
Happy Thursday Tipper. Love the collage!! So much love and sweetness depicted. I am thankful that I found you and your family – for getting to know your Wilson Holler and about your part of Appalachia. I am thankful for the BP&A and your YT channel, and for the ‘girls’ YT channel – and Paul’s music and sharings – and all the comments from other readers and followers on both platforms. I never miss a one even if I don’t always comment and do come in late at times. I have learnt much from you all and you all have spurred my own memory lane times with what you share. You all add much joy and peace to my days – of which, yes, the days and time is going by like a runaway snowball rolling down a hill – the older one gets the faster it goes! Blessings upon you all dear family. Always prayers for Granny.
So thankful for Celebrating Appalachia!
This is my favorite time of year. I love the weather, the holiday, just the thought of gathering with friends and family warms my heart, mind and soul. I am also thankful for you and your family for being there for me and so many others. From the bottom of my heart Miss. Tipper thank you so much my dear friend.
I’m thankful for my remaining family members, that I have a roof over my head and food, as there are so many who do not and with the continual governmental cuts and layoffs, many more shall come. If you have any prayers to spare, pray for those folks and for our country. Thank you for always providing inspiration and for sharing your life with us.
This sounds very exciting, and I ALWAYS watch your content first, have loved owning your cookbook, and frequently ask you gardening questions. My favorite YouTube channel. My name on YouTube is VirginiaBred because it’s my hiking trail name but it’s Randee Beckman in real life, lol.
My prayers go out for all the readers and especially those given out by people like Norman for his brother.
Your blog and your channel as well as the girl’s channel and Paul’s offer up peace in a chaotic world. I know that when I watch and read, I will be reminded of the things God has given us and that joy comes from simple things like praying for one another and enjoying the beauty of this earth. I am so thankful that I continued to investigate your channel the first time I saw the girls being quizzed on vocabulary words. Love to you and the people who follow you.
Another year has just about passed-wow! Tipper, I’m thankful for you and all the joy, pondering and motivation you bring into my lackluster life! You’re the life of the party, so to speak! I tell people about my “friend in NC “ who’s done this or that (and so I’m gonna try it out.) I’ve showed off your cookbook and pictures and videos of your girls picking and grinning! Youre just an interesting person really to all of us spectators who watch you cause our lives are somewhat boring (I would guess as I speak for everybody.) I think you’re awesome! You’ve helped me find the joy of gardening and canning and providing for my family. You’ve helped me in a lot of wonderful ways by showing me and being a good example!!! May the Lord bless you always, dear lady friend and your beautiful family too!!! God bless everybody facing grim troubles! Cast your cares on him for he cares for you….you are loved and prayed for, BP&A readers! Prayers going up!
Such a beautiful photo collage. It’s so generous of you to do the giveaways in November!
Like many others, I read daily and enjoy the comments immensely. I look forward to your blog post every morning and often check back later in the day to see additional comments that have been added. I am very thankful for you and your family, Tipper!
Growing up, I could hardly wait for November, my birth month. Now, they seem to arrive in no time. Hard to believe it is time for another of Tipper’s give-away events, but here we are. Like Minnie Pearl, I’m just proud to be here.
I’m thankful for all my blessings, including this blog. It’s a daily dose of cheerfulness.
And we are thankful for you and all y’all. BP&A is a virtual home place in a variety of ways. But it also goes beyond ourselves and this time because it is part of an historic sea change. Technology rush us into the future but our common sense tells us we dare not forget the values of our past. They keep us rooted, grounded and settled. (Hmmm that wouldn’t be a bad handle “RG&S”.)
Tipper, many things have changed in my life (deaths of both mine and my wife’s family members) in my life during the last 15-20 years. These deaths -especially my daughter and wife have caused me to loose much of my joy and happiness for living and my will to keep carrying on in my own life. These deaths and now being unable to do many things I once could do for myself makes me want to just “give up” on a lot of days. The Blind Pig and Acorn and reading the comments of the members is one of the few things that I still enjoy. As for time, it now seems to be on a run away freight train that keeps picking up speed, it only gets faster as I get older.
Speaking of members, Jim Casada has wrote a real enjoyable article (story) about the old time story tellers and how it used to to be when a group of men would gather around at the old country stores or the older folks would tell stories to the younger folks. It is in the Nov-Dec issue of the SC Wildlife Magazine.
Thankful everyday, not just in November! I understand you are too and you show your gratitude in November by blessing others with wonderful gifts. Your real gift is the one you give each and everyday by sharing your creative content on social media for all of us to enjoy each day. We are thankful to you for all you and Matt do in sharing your love for Appalachia culture, family and faith each and every day.
I am thankful for so many ways that God has blessed me and my family. I am certainly thankful for this blog and for Celebrating Appalachia. I don’t comment often but I felt like I should today to let you know how much you and your family bless my life. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Good people with good Christian values still exist in this world we live in.
This is a great group that you started Tipper when you started the Blind Pig & the Acorn, so glad I found it!! While I don’t always comment, I always read what you write and read the comments from everyone else.
Please keep my dad in your prayers, he is not doing well. He’s 89 years old.
Denise, I’m sorry I will pray for him!
Thank you!!
Praying for your dad, Denise.
Thank you!!!
When I began to read Thankful November, my first thought was wow seems like it was just last year’s Thankful November. Crazy how time passes! This was a great reminder for me to remember all the many ways God has been so good to me and my family.
I am thankful that I found you and later, the Pressley Girls, during Covid. You have all been such blessings to me
Thank you for all the work you put in to continually bring us the best. I love you, Tipper. It’s so interesting how you can feel such an affinity for friends you’ve never actually met in person. I think the Holy Spirit is the connection…Jesus in us.♥️
I am also very thankful for all of God’s blessings, provisions and protection throughout the years. My early morning routine always includes reading your blog. It’s like hearing from a good friend. While I don’t always comment, it’s a blessing to be part of your wonderful community of readers. May The good Lord continue to bless each and every one.
That pie must have been delicious! I copied the recipe down and will try to make one soon.
Sending prayers for Granny ❤️❤️
Miss Tipper, I must say we readers are most grateful for you and your family. Every day we get up out of bed to something worth reading. You stir our memories and our hearts. You help us to remember good times and hard times. You bring us together, not only to share your life, but ours as well. When my momma and brother passed a year apart I fell into despair. Prayer, reading my Bible and your blog got me through. I hope you understand how God is using you. It’s mighty powerful. I look forward to everyone’s post each day even if I don’t comment. Our lives are richer because of Blind Pig. Riches are not in things, but in relationships. Thank you for enriching our lives daily.
God bless all y’all!
I couldn’t say it better! You expressed exactly how I feel too. I am very thankful for this little corner of the internet Tipper started and pours her heart into and the special people who share it. You all are the best! ❤️
good morning, my name is Norman Chester, my brother Bennie has cancer and yesterday the doctor said he only has 6 months to live, without treatment, please pray for my brother, thank you and God bless you very much
Praying for Bennie this morning.
I am praying for all of you.
Prayers for peace, comfort and love for your brother. Prayers for you as you minister to him. God bless
Norman, I will keep praying for him.
I’m so sorry to hear this, Norman. Praying for you and your brother. Doctors have been wrong before. Don’t lose faith.
Isaiah 40:1,28-31 NIV
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. [28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Psalm 34:4,7-8,15,17-19 NASB
I sought the Lord and He answered me, And rescued me from all my fears. [7] The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. [8] Taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! [15] The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears are toward their cry for help. [17] The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And rescues them from all their troubles. [18] The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. [19] The afflictions of the righteous are many, But the Lord rescues him from them all.
Praying for Bennie!
Still praying for your brother, Norman.
Mr. Norman, my prayers for y’all. Stay strong to the challenges before you, Mr. Bennie and his entire family. God bless y’all my dear friends in Christ.
I am thankful for you!
I can’t believe it’s November already. This year has flown by. It is so true that the older you get, the faster time flies. It is pouring the rain here in WV this morning. It has rained all night. It definitely feels like fall. Your Tar Heel pie looked so good last evening. I made a chocolate pudding cake a couple days ago. Some people call it chocolate lava cake. It kinda reminded me of your Tar Heel pie…very rich and cholatey. I also made a pumpkin pie. I like to bake too much. Anyway, thanks for your November giveaways coming up. It’s always so much fun!! I love reading all the posts and comments!!