1. Morning walks. Eric came with us on our days this week and that was fun, even though he should probably still be resting his ankle more, as it’s not quite healed up yet. There were a few mornings that were really warm and muggy and I don’t love that. I am just not a true fan of summer: ticks, mosquitoes, heat, and being sweaty are not my friends. I do love how it means people are watering their grass in the early morning so Ringo gets to take breaks and play in their sprinklers.

2. Practice. I feel really lucky that the one yoga class I’m teaching right now is always full of some of my favorite people. This was something I learned pretty early on teaching yoga (and meditation and writing): I prefer working with a smaller group of regulars and am really not so interested in teaching “drop in” classes. The more I get to know my students, the better I’m able to guide and facilitate their practice, and the more fun I have. And, since teaching for a highly sensitive introvert is an extreme sport, whatever I can do to make myself more comfortable, all the better.

3. Summer season food. I may not like the bugs or the weather, but I adore the food. Ice cream (Tillamook has a limited edition salty caramel pretzel flavor right now that is so yummy), all the various produce like watermelon and corn (can’t wait for the Palisade peaches), and things like berry pie and turkey burger and baked beans or potato salad, which I made for dinner last night and always makes me think of my mom — who continues to do well, although is pretty confused sometimes.

4. Books. I have read so many good ones lately. I keep thinking I am just on a lucky streak but every single thing I read, I just love and enjoy so much, and have for like the past three years. In fact, once I finish this and the laundry and put clean sheets on the bed, I’m going to get back to some reading, which typically leads to a nap, so two of my most favorite things. 🙂

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Seriously, other than the weather and bugs, this summer could last forever and I’d be so happy here with them.

Bonus joy: texting with Chris and Chloe’, stopping at Your Best Day Ever so Ringo can get some love from Theresa, clean sheets, listening to Dateline on satellite radio while I make dinner, listening to podcasts, streaming and on demand content, the hydromassage chair, sitting in the sauna, seeing Sally and Frank in aqua aerobics, being able to teach an hour of yoga without any real plan other than a couple of poses and trusting myself, the dreamy morning light in the living room when we close the front curtains to keep out the early heat, a/c and our whole house fan, gentle rainstorms, pie crust, libraries and librarians, poetry and poets, comedy, true crime, music, ladybugs, dragonflies, butterflies, hummingbirds, some spiders, other people’s dogs and kids and gardens, quilts, down pillows and blankets, the way when Ringo gets back from a walk he wants to get rowdy and howl for a bit, the blooms beginning on our golden rain trees, breakfast burritos, sharing reels and memes with Shellie and Carrie and Kari and how some shares by me are the same for all three and some are specifically for one of them, chocolate flowers and how excited Eric gets to smell them now that he knows what they are, how Jen’s part of the neighborhood has so many hummingbirds, canceled plans, leftovers, the way Eric will sit out in the backyard no matter how hot it is, naps, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

1. Morning walks. I feel so lucky that we live near so many good places to walk. I’ve been braving the mosquitoes near the river and ponds because they haven’t gotten too bad yet. With all the rain we’ve had this year there are lots more wildflowers. Since it’s already warm at 5 am, we don’t see as much wildlife, mostly bunnies and birds. Even though I didn’t get a good picture of it, this week I saw a blue grosbeak for the first time. AND there were two elk wandering around in Old Town — visited the main drag, the library, The Lincoln Center, and City Park, which is where Eric and Ringo saw them on their afternoon walk.

2. Practice. Writing with my Friday morning sangha, yoga at Red Sage, working on “The Book,” writing in the morning in front of my happy light, meditating in my practice room. It all keeps me from going completely off the rails.

3. Texting. In terms of keeping in regular touch with people, it’s a highly sensitive introverts dream. I tried to explain to my aunts this summer that “phone calls are for emergencies” and they thought I was crazy, think it’s easier to “just pick up the phone.” They are also a generation that thinks “just stopping by” without scheduling that ahead of time is totally acceptable. 

4. A quiet, small life. Some people would think my day to day life is boring but it is a perfect size and pace for me.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. As I’ve said a hundred times, I love it here, with them.

Bonus joy: sending each other selfies, afternoon storms, libraries and librarians and all the books, poets and poetry, other people’s dogs and gardens and kids, a picture of Hendrix playing in the water under the setting sun that reminded me of the particular joy of every summer when I was a kid, groceries, clean sheets, a big glass of cold clean water, cancelled plans, online appointment scheduling, our whole house fan and a/c, down blankets and pillows, weird dreams — especially the ones I can remember and tell Eric about, ice cream, cake, peanut butter balls and cups, onion buns, getting in the pool, the hydromassage chair, sitting in the sauna with Eric, naps, ordering things online so I don’t have to go shopping in person where there are people, prescriptions, tortilla chips, streaming content, listening to podcasts, Teddy Swims, GoldFord, book club, getting books from the library for my Kindle, when things are easy, a supportive partner, when he brings home flowers after he stops at the store for groceries, how he cleans my bathroom, when he “naps down/rests down” with Ringo before they go on an afternoon walk, reading in bed at night on my Kindle while they both sleep.