1. Morning walks. Sam can go just a bit further now, but I also enjoy being with just Ringo. It’s pretty dark when we leave, but that means at some point during the walk, the sky will light up, and that’s worth seeing.

2. Farmer’s market flowers. This is officially the last week for them.

3. Cooking. It’s one of the good things about the weather turning colder – I don’t worry about heating up the house and cook more. Today it’s more bran muffins with dried raspberries and our last sesame cucumber noodles of the season with the last two cucumbers from our garden.

4. My dad is still here. He had a stroke this past week. Not being there was hard, confusing, sometimes frustrating when I couldn’t get a hold of anyone and didn’t know what was going on, and yet with this adorable baby around, I don’t think anyone missed me. Prognosis is he’ll recover. A good reminder of how fast things can change, and how lucky we all are for those who are there to help when we need it and for those who love us, keep showing up no matter what.

5. My tiny family. I don’t know what I’d do without them. They make everything better.

Bonus joy: another amazing massage from Dana, a cold glass of clean water, the laundry being done, clean sheets, a warm shower, a long nap, texting with friends, reading, teaching, Pilates, swimming, aqua aerobics, sitting in the sauna, making Eric laugh, pay day, computer glasses, Sam’s amazing PT vet, rain (except that I’m over the gray sky already).

1. Fall is here. We are still going to have some warm days (today was in the low 80s), but we finally got some rain and it was only 44 degrees when I got up this morning. Even though I love summer, all the blooms and berries and vegetables from our garden and the farmer’s market and not having to work, fall is my favorite time of year.

2. Teaching. Yesterday, I taught a yoga class, an open space writing class, and gave meditation instruction to one of my favorite humans. Then today, I taught another yoga class with the sweetest student. Now if I could get to the place where I had more time and energy to write, I’d be so happy.

3. Farmer’s market flowers. October 27 is the last summer farmer’s market, so I’m savoring these, the new ones in the bathroom and the leftovers from the week before on my writing desk.

4. Cooking. This week, I made sesame cucumber noodles again, tomato jam, bran muffins with dried raspberries, and black bean and sweet potato quesadillas. Yum.

5. My tiny family. I love them so much.

Bonus joy: how excited my primary physician was for me when I told her I was quitting my job, sick days, good friends, how when Sam is scared the two places he wants to be are right next to me or under my writing desk, how smart Ringo is, that a friend got good news about her dog, taking two naps if I need to, grilled cheese sandwiches, watermelon, a glass of clean cold water, getting all the laundry done on Thursday, clean sheets.