Getting ready to a webinar on gratitude for WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) tomorrow!  Hooray!

Gratitude has the power to turn challenges into possibilities, problems into solutions, and losses into gains. — Daniel T. Peralla

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.  It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. — Melodie Beattie

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns.  I am thankful that thorns have roses. — Alphonse Karr

According to studies, grateful people are more optimistic, energetic, enthusiastic, determined, interested, and joyful!

Sometimes when I am feeling a little low, I make a list of 100 things that make me feel grateful.  It always lifts my spirits and puts me in a more grateful frame of mind.  It is almost impossible to be unhappy and grateful at the same time!

Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  Untie the ribbons! — Ruth Ann Schabacker

Yippee yo yo YO!

1.  most of the garden planting is finally done

2.  except for the circle garden that my grandsons help me plant

3.  we go to the garden store, and they do all the picking of flowers

4.  they are 8 and 10 and we have been doing this since 4 and 6!

5.  they pick wild colors and bold flowers

6.  they gave me courage to plant Gerbera daisies!

7.  it’s always the best garden ever!

8.  now it’s a family tradition

9.  when they come to visit, they can see how their garden is doing

10.  and I’ve sprayed most of my flowers with deer repellent — hope it works!

1.  morning newspapers

2.  orange juice

3.  flip flops (the louder the sound, the better)

4.  gel pens

5.  having friends over to make Zentangles

6.  goofiness

7.  succulents

8.  fairy gardening

9.  banana peppers

10.  rocks and minerals

1.  mustard, any kind (well, yellow doesn’t quite do it for me, I must admit)

2.  hollandaise sauce, especially on asparagus

3.  Buffalo sauce – oh my!

4.  barbecue sauce – not sweet, tangy!

5.  ketchup with delicious french fries

6.  savory salad dressings — just found a kalamata olive one!

7.  horseradish

8.  cocktail sauce – not sweet, tangy!

9.  Wasabi flavor in anything!  (loving Wasabi mustard!)

10.  vinegar, especially balsamic (organic Apple Cider vinegar helps my arthritis!)

P.S.  I wrote about my beloved garden a couple of days ago.  Well, the deer must have read my post because that very night, they feasted on begonias, geraniums, coleus, and took the flowers off the tops of my gorgeous pinky lavender daisies that are supposed to be deer resistant!  I was very annoyed until I saw a Red-Breasted Grosbeak at our feeder!  I’ve only seen one once before in my life, and believe me — it is an occasion.  So I told a friend both things and she said “aren’t you glad you have a yard that attracts such interesting wildlife?”  Yes, yes, yes!   Thank you, Janet.

1.  I’ve been to various garden stores about 7 times already and I’m not done yet!

2.  Today I planted the lower circle garden with pink and lavender daisies and pink polka dotted plants!

3.  I have a beautiful translucent gazing ball in the middle of it all!  Delightful!

4.  Already planted the huge blue pot by the driveway — pink, white, and blue.

5.  Did the potted fairy garden by the back steps — little white bench, lantern, arch, and plants.

6.  Planted the little blue pots with pink begonias.

7.  Bought white and pink geraniums for the patio.

8.  Have some great succulents, especially in a miniature bird bath.

9.  Getting ready to do the fairy rock garden with pink begonias, gnomes, fairies, and other fun things.

10.  Redid the fairy garden by the front door and found a rose colored pink bench with a butterfly back at the garden store for it tonight!

Hooray for gardening!  Yippee yo yo YO!

Thank you for our new and beautiful headline, Crystal Belle!

1.  thank you to the Apple Store — their Genius Bar is a Godsend!

2.  dinner by myself at a Mideastern restaurant  — so delicious and fun!

3.  planting our garden in stages — it’s so fun to see it unfold!

4.  volunteering at the Library Shop on Main — used books and gifts!

5.  getting the wrap off my left foot after another fracture — hooray!

6.  roasted pumpkin sees — yummy treat!

7.  learning how to eat better — yippee!

8.  Tom’s scholarship golf tournament was today — fantastic!

9.  taking photographs at the tournament — my special job

10.  full appreciation for it all!

1.  a wonderful visit with my dear friend, Ruth

2.  the privilege of her gratitude journal here!

3.  driving through farm country

4.  so many cows — I love it when they’re just laying down and looking around

5.  the other day I looked a deer in the eyes for a long time — what a privilege

6.  being at Little League baseball games

7.  getting door prizes for Tom’s golf tournament

8.  watering the plants — gardening is so fantastic

9.  doing a Zentangle

10.  finding that purple turtle

1.  new/used books

2.  books on loan from the library

3.  the trillions of books I already own

4.  reading a new book and discovering a treasure

5.  authors that share their lives in autobiographies

6.  just the right book as a gift

7.  receiving a wonderful book

8.  extra time in a waiting room when I have a good book with me

9.  so appreciative for the marvelous bookmarks I have

10.  books are full of possibility and they make me feel possible, too!

1.  Black-eyed Susan hanging basket – gorgeous!

2.  Yellow straw flowers – amazing!

3.  pink Petunias with green edging – oh my!

4.  Violas – purple and multi-colored – half price!

5.  a butterfly stick

6.  a hummingbird stick

7.  hot pink Mandevilla – beautiful!

8.  green and white coleus with enormous leaves – magical!

9.  green succulent with pink edges – fascinating!

10.  a flowered arch for one of my fairy gardens – darling!

Going to a garden store for the first time every season is like going into a gorgeous and colorful cathedral — I am in awe!