1. Watching this peony open right in front of me. I was sitting at my desk and heard a rustle. I looked over at her, and in slow motion her petals started to uncurl, falling open until I could see all the way into the yellow of her center. It was so amazing, so precious, it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.
2. Sick days. I needed one this week. Actually I probably needed two or three but one was at least enough to keep me going just a bit longer.
3. Opportunity knocking. I have another chance to publish elsewhere (I’ll say more about it later when the details get worked out), and I didn’t ask for it, didn’t seek it out — it came to me. I’m here, doing what I do, and someone noticed and made me an offer. I love it when that happens.
4. Eric. How he takes care of me and the dogs, goes hiking and running with the dogs, makes me laugh, loves to read, has weird nerdy interests and habits that drive me crazy but are also adorable, how excited he gets to learn a new fact or hear something funny and share it.
5. My boys. Happy, healthy.
Bonus joy: Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Tea, Netflix and Hulu, a hot shower, clean towels, sunshine, bees, bird song, mac & cheese with roasted veggies, naps, a good warm hat, space heaters, radio, and what she looked like when she opened.
What she looked like when she opened, lower left
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 
great pics & great things to be grateful for! thanks for sharing! xo
🙂
I just saw a book called Genus Paeonia by Josef Halda and thought of your post today. Beautiful peonies!
They are so amazing. *sigh*
Congratulations! And I am waiting (not so patiently) for the peonies in my yard to open. There is something so wondrous about them–so extravagant and over-the-top and lush. It is hard not to believe in the goodness of the world when face-to-face with a wide-open peony.
The ones in my yard aren’t open either, Rita. I couldn’t wait and bought these at Whole Foods. I have three that I planted last year that came back so beautifully this year, I’m going to put in more. I want enough planted that I can cut as many as I want and bring them inside and still have blooms outside. They amaze me, and I’m quoting you on that last part, “It is hard not to believe in the goodness of the world when face-to-face with a wide-open peony.” Yes. xo