Gratitude Friday

1. Morning walks. We were gifted at least one more week of brilliant fall colors. No need to drive up to the mountains to see the aspens turn, I just step out my front door to see all the color. For quite a few years now, we’ve had at least one early, wet and heavy snow, so rather than turning color, so many of the leaves simply went from just starting to turn to dead in the course of a single storm. This year the colors are lingering and I love it. So much that I uploaded only my very favorite pictures from this week, because there were just so many. You can see the full sets on my Instagram.

2. Healthcare access and availability. This is true for both us and Ringo. We have such good primary doctors, people who really care about us and want to help, and also a whole host of excellent specialists, and of course all the various staff and technicians that support them.

3. Good food. I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with when and what I eat lately, and I’m finding some really good things that feel very supportive, that give me all kinds of joy and nourishment.

4. Practice. When it comes to ease and comfort and resilience, I can be my worst enemy, my biggest obstacle. I’m so grateful I have various practices that allow me to work with that.

5. My tiny family, tiny home, tiny life. I got to see Eric a bit more this week and that was so nice. Ringo had two different vet appointments, and he was so good at both. I really do have just about everything I ever wanted and I’m so grateful.

Bonus joy: How many birds are still coming to our feeder and bath, the giant birch tree in the yard behind us that towers over our house and is on fire with gold and doesn’t get the chance most years to show off like that, taking a fitness class with Eric, a lunch date with him, sitting in the sauna, getting in the pool, naps, listening to podcasts, cooking, clean sheets, clean laundry, a big glass of cold clean water, a warm shower, seeing Chloe’ and getting to hold the baby and love on her dogs, making art with Calyx, cancelled plans, watching TV cuddled up in my favorite corner of the couch, down blankets and pillows and jackets, wool socks, chrysanthemums, hot coffee with cocoa and tiny marshmallows, when Ringo comes and finds me and tells me it’s time to get up from my nap, giving him a new toy (and that he’s able to break the squeaker the first day so we don’t have to listen to it constantly), my kind and gentle readers, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

1. Morning walks. We had some rain this week and it’s colder and darker, which I like because that means most of the people we had to share our walks with over the summer are either staying in bed later or not coming out at all and it’s back to feeling like we have the whole world to ourselves.

2. Wild Writing with my Friday morning writing sangha. When you do this sort of vulnerable, beautiful practice with people over time, you can’t help but fall in love with them.

3. Making art and hanging out with Calyx. It makes both of us happy.

4. Artists and content creators. This includes musicians, song writers, singers, painters, photographers, quilters, cartoonists, sketch artists, cooks, gardeners, writers, podcasters, comedians, designers, etc. They remind us that even though being human is hard, there’s something really beautiful about it too.

5. My tiny family, my tiny home, my tiny life. I was turning on the front porch light last night, and when I turned around, I caught a fresh glimpse of our living room — so cozy, so comfortable, so cute. I love it here so much, and I love who is here with me.

Bonus joy: plans for tea with Chloe’ and her tiny family, Carrie finally getting to start the renovation on her house, texting with my brother and mom, good neighbors, pumpkins, white chrysanthemums, being cold enough that I need the big blanket, naps on the couch with Ringo, having the laundry almost done, the asian chicken salad I’ve been making, raspberries, a big glass of cold clean water, a warm shower, down pillows and blankets, the nest Ringo makes himself on the couch, getting in the pool, sitting in the sauna, cancelled plans, podcasts, new music, good TV, reading in bed at night while Ringo and Eric sleep.