So many blessings in Hampton Roads

Too often, we take for granted the many things - large and small - that enrich our lives. Here are a few of the people, places and things we appreciate, to help get you started on this Thanksgiving Day...

Charitable agencies, now more than ever.

Your donations to them.

Our troops and the sacrifices they're making.

Their families and their strength.

The end of a spirited - but looong - campaign season.

A brief respite before the next one starts.

Harbor Park under the lights.

The Great Dismal Swamp after it gets cold.

The eagle camera at the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

The Children's Museum in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Sweet potato pie.

An extra slice, please.

A grandchild's hug.

Grandparents, in person and in memory.

Surfable waves at the Oceanfront.

Friends with boats.

Libraries, public and private.

Bookstores, big and small.

Homecomings, flyovers, yellow ribbons and pierside reunions.

The Rev. Ted Bashford: RIP, friend to the homeless.

Cloverleaf Apartments, our region's newest harbor for the once-homeless.

The Green Line.

The Blue Ridge.

Greetings on an early morning walk around the neighborhood.

Those utterly random days when traffic at the tunnel... disappears.

The smell of turkey roasting in the oven.

Or tofurkey, if that's your thing.

Steamed crabs and cold beer in July.

Winter solitude on Sandbridge.

Marie Abbott, trying to get a grip on violence against young men.

Billy Cook, fighting for the same cause.

Conch shells on Back Bay's beach.

Devil's pocketbooks.

Money Point, Witchduck, Sleepy Hole, Wash Woods.

Hymns played on (mostly) in-tune upright pianos.

Sweet corn from any vegetable stand in Pungo.

A child's giggle.

An e-mail from an old friend.

ODU's Wendy Larry.

The Virginia Symphony's JoAnn Falletta.

Christmas lights in the trees.

Mistletoe in the trees.

The late Mildred Loving, who made it OK in Virginia to love someone outside your race.

Richard Loving, the man she loved.

Chincoteague.

Ocracoke.

The Elizabeth River Ferry.

The Elizabeth River Project and Lynnhaven Now.

N.E.S.T.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Homemade macaroni and cheese.

Getting scared out of our wits at Hunt Club Farm at Halloween.

Entering the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel at Thimble Shoals Channel just as a ship is passing overhead.

Our unpredictable weather: snow, rain, clouds and sunshine, all in a November day.

Living without a snow shovel or blower.

LaShawn Merritt, Mr. 400 Meters.

Angela Hucles, Olympic soccer queen.

B.J. Upton and the upstart Rays.

David Wright and his charitable acts.

Peanuts, fried.

Peanuts, hot roasted.

Purple winter pansies.

Wild persimmons after the pucker.

Dogs, who remind us how to live in the moment.

Cats, whose ability to shrug off criticism is a model for us all.

Lynnhaven oysters.

Rockfish in brown butter.

Creaky screen doors.

WD-40.

Mosquito repellent.

Bucket hats.

Boat shoes.

$5 eyeglasses.

The call of a mourning dove.

Fireflies.

The Blue Lagoon at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

MoonPies, especially the banana ones.

Friday night football.

Shoestring catches.

Stargazing in the country.

Dinner by the fire at Steinhilber's.

The sight of a child absorbed in a book.

The 10,000 letters to the editor we received this year.

Beth Williams, our grammar guardian.

Teachers, whose lessons sustain us for a lifetime.

The first rose in May.

Faith, hope and resolve, in any order.

Redemption, wherever, however, whenever you find it.

143 years of devoted Virginian-Pilot readers.

Friends and family.