These moments fill me with joy and hope and love and I am grateful:

The start of a new day – new opportunities, a fresh outlook, a hope-filled heart.

An evening at our favorite pizza place, talking and laughing, and savoring each bite of cheesy, oregano-flavored goodness!

Enjoying our three daughters, giggling, chattering and having fun together

The excitement of my youngest daughter, Kari, as she prepares to move to her first apartment

The willingness of my husband, Dave, to help her with her move

The arrival, from North Carolina, of my brother, Gary, his wife, Elizabeth, and his oldest daughter, Kim!!!  Let the fun begin!

The gifts from my dear friend, Carol!  Copies of the Beacon Journal article, a hand-crafted card/poster, filled with cheery colors, and lovely words, and a very thoughtful, and much appreciated gift for Kylia!  Thank you, Carol!!!

The arrival of a treasured flower from the wedding bouquet of wonderful Lucy Anne!!  Thank you, thank you, Lucy Anne!!!  I love it!!!  And thank you, Crystal, for sending it to me!  Amazing and greatly appreciated!

Friends who stay in touch with me, almost daily.  Sharon, Carol, Crystal, Jean, Gayle, Katie, Diane, Mark, my sister, Faun, Peg, Kathie……

Having dinner at Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen twice in one week!!!  YUMMMM!

I’m making the most of every moment.  Hope you are, too!!

1. Went to Diane’s Thrift Shoppe in Norton today- Diane has been working so hard for months now to get it open and now it is!
2. She has mostly furniture- and she has great taste! I’m usually so disappointed at thrift shops, but I loved almost everything she had!
3. I bought several beautiful baskets- a pie basket, a picnic basket (hey boo boo) and others- great shape, antique-y
4. daughter and I spent the afternoon and evening outside, planting seeds, relocating hostas, scrubbing the patio
5. We both got so dirty, our arms, hands and legs were coated with soil. It’s so satisfying to play in the dirt.
6. And then she decided to dig in the dirt some more, and put it on my back! Lol!
7. Sitting on the balcony upstairs, watching the birds fly to their little nest to feed the tiny, chirping babies
8. The incredible sounds of the forest. It’s so different from morning to evening.
9. Hearing the birds serenade the first peek of light in the morning. It sounds like they’re so excited! “It’s back, it’s back! There it is! Fred! FRED! Do you see it? It came back!”
10. This :)

• Cleaned, purged, rearranged closet…got er done!:)
• Angelic photo of my angel ggdaughter
• David’s birthday
• Talking with my granddaughter
• Following gson’s trip on facebook
• Another vehicle with Alaska license plates
• Combining 7 errands in several hours…saves gas
• Cookie gained 2#s :)
• Greta, my sister’s p.t., moving to OR
• Hallmark cards

Very Grateful for~
God’s anchor
getting the electricity back on after the 2^nd storm
not having much damage so not having to file an insurance claim
Mandy, working hard
the patience of neighbors
Linnie and Marlene…
…and their flea market
Finding little treasures, discarded and discounted
a great talk, received well,  for a new audience

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” ~Alia in this post

1. God

2. Gratitude here here everywhere

3. The neighbors looking out for Muffin (they didn’t recognize her shorn)

4. Our corner of asphalt (Cassie wants to get rid of it, but then it wouldn’t be Asphalt Farms)

5. Plants in pots

6. A repurposed stump

7. Salad days

8. Sleeping later

9. For Andrea Rose and her strawberries

1. My mom, Logan, and I picked 78 pounds of strawberries! Yikes!

2. I am so glad that we went early in the morning before it got too hot.

3. Logan was miserable, but he managed to do a pretty good job of picking. He sure earns his allowance. <3

4. The nice and funny ladies that checked us out after we had finished picking…They were impressed with what we picked!

5. Strawberry jam…We made two batches. For some reason strawberry jam doesn't agree with me…Today I am going to try it again and I WILL figure out how to get perfect jam!!! I do have some delicious strawberry syrup, though. Lol

6. My husband helped us get all the berries prepared. What didn't go for jam or get set aside for eating fresh (and shortcake :) ) are already in the freezer.

7. Strawberry Shortcake…Such a treat!

8. Planning ahead…I try to eat seasonally, so I am grateful that we are able to put up fruits and vegetables when they are in season. I do complain about the work sometimes, but I will be happy in the winter. I will be happy in the winter. I will be happy in the winter. I have to keep reminding myself! :)

9. A friend with chicken wants to barter for vegetables. AND her kids like okra…That horrible, prolific little vegetable.

10. Dealing with strawberries for 10 hours and still getting a nice dog walk in, just before dark. Yay for both of us!

1.  morning newspaper

2.  lunch with my daughter, husband, and Pa

3.  my Dad mumbled, “these people are a bunch of miscreants”

4.  he has a wonderful vocabulary, and he is an incredible conversationalist

5.  I keep a blank notebook in my purse to catch his unusual comments

6.  volunteering at the library book sale

7.  fun to meet new people and have free snacks

8.  saw Kylia at the drugstore where she works – hooray!

9.  answering a fun email

10.  putting out my plastic pink flamingo by the fairy rock garden — she will be the guardian

11.  this day and the privilege of it

1. We bought chairs for the built-in round table on the patio, and they look great! I’ve been envisioning them for months and it’s nice to see them in the flesh:)
2. We also replaced the shrub clippers that mysteriously disappeared in the Magic Pine Forest (gnomes? Magic sinkhole to another realm? :) and nothing is so nice as yardwork with the right tools
3. My little one helped me around the patio and raised beds all morning, putting on my gloves, hiding my trowel, handing me rocks. What a helper!
4. I dug out a whole railroad tie that was submerged in the raised bed, and was so satisfied when I pulled (and heaved, and yanked, and rolled) it out
5. Someone contacted me that I’m looking forward to working with, fun!
6. It’s so satisfying to sit and draw
7. “Ice cream” from frozen bananas- perfect treat after a day outside
8. Taking things slow and easy, and listening to the birds
9. Awesome phone conversations
10. This

• Crisp cool air
• Drizzles of rain
• Cloudy
• Warm hooded jacket
• Ax, bucket, shovel in vehicle
• Winding gravel mountain roads
• Ponderosa Pines
• Campfire
• Cowboy coffee
• Grasping coffee cups to warm hands
• Sounds of the bubbling streams

My 32nd wedding anniversary.

Mudbaths in Calistoga.

Two massages this week.

Good therapy sessions.

Authentic friends.

Hot tub soaks.

Watching good deeds unfold in others.

Cool breezes.

Chocolate.

Responses from others on the internet.

A good night’s sleep.

Humor.

Honesty.

Acceptance.

New ideas realized.