1. Fall color. I’m feeling grateful especially for the Ash trees, and grieving them at the same time. 1 in 5 trees in Fort Collins are Ash. Other than Aspens, they are the most beautiful of all the trees in fall. Because of a pest on its way, the emerald ash borer, in about 5 years they could ALL be dead.

2. Ringo and Sam. We had another training session with Amy of Trust Your Dog Training, (highly recommended) and they did so good and we’ve got some great ideas to work with next. I’m especially grateful that after a rough summer, they are back to playing in the backyard every day, being rowdy and wearing each other out.

3. Anniversary apple pie. Eric had written “love” across the top in bits of crust, but I’d already eaten the “L” and the “O” when he asked if I’d noticed. It has made for some delicious apply pie oatmeal for breakfast this week.

4. Good books. I’ve been in love with them for as long as I can remember, first being read to and then learning to do it for myself and then wanting to write my own. Reading is still and will most likely be one of my very favorite things to do, and writing is something I do every day almost no matter what — practicing, practicing, practicing.

5. Eric. For our anniversary, I gave him a jar of slips of paper, on each one I’d written something I loved about him. I’ve been working on it since January so there are a lot, but he’s only letting himself read a few a day, savoring them.

Bonus joy: anniversary flowers in the bathroom, roasted vegetables, sleeping in, physical therapy, a good resolution to a dumb situation and support from my boss about it, Wild Writing, poetry, meditation, my favorite long sleeved shirt that I forgot about but found yesterday and wore again, good TV, lunch at Whole Foods, Fax4Life Chocolate Brownie Mini Muffins (seriously so so so good, I don’t even care that they are supposed to be “healthy”), grapefruit soda (can’t remember the brand, but so refreshing), clean sheets, a warm shower, my new bathroom which is actually almost a year old now, walking with the dogs early in the morning.