1. Colorado sky, especially the sunrises and sunsets.

2. Colorado in fall, especially the aspens when then turn gold. Hopefully this weekend we are going to drive around and get some pictures, see some fall.

Image by Eric, Pingree Park

I mean, seriously, right?! Image by Eric, Pingree Park

Image by Eric, Pingree Park

3. Sam and Ringo. I love them so much, and while sometimes that is so hard, it’s worth it.

4. Wild Writing. The class I take with Laurie and the other women that write with us is/are magic, and the one I led with meditation in between the writing sessions in my living room with two of my best friends last weekend was medicine.

5. Prisma. I don’t play with this app as much as Eric, but it’s pretty fun, and it really shows off Ringo’s coat made of stars.

Bonus joy: being able to work from home, paid sick days, pay day, a whole weekend with no real plans, signing up for Susan Piver’s Fearlessly Creative retreat, a watermelon ripe enough to share, soaking in a hot bath, teaching yoga and feeling calm and like I know what I’m doing, a hot cup of tea, clean pjs, clean sheets, napping with the dogs, when Eric gets home from work, tomato gratin with tomatoes and basil and onion from our garden, pizza with fresh pineapple and leftover bbq and basil from the garden for toppings, our garden even as it fades, the cooler weather even as it fades our garden, the amazing sunrise this morning that set the sky on fire, paying bills, my new car, my new bathroom which almost a year later probably doesn’t count as new anymore, fresh flowers in the bathroom, a good pair of jeans.

1. Fall color. Everything is starting to turn, as the weather gets cooler and the days shorter. There’s even a rumor that it’s going to snow in the foothills tomorrow night. I’m going to miss, miss, miss my garden, but fall in Colorado is my favorite season.

From our walk Thursday morning

2. Walking with the dogs. I am flooded with gratitude that my foot is better and a five mile walk doesn’t hurt, and that the dogs are doing so much better together.

Little dog park at sunrise

3. Ringo Blue and Sweet Sam playing. The tension of the summer has melted and they are back to playing, playing, playing. I know they’ll never love each other like Obi and Dexter did, but I’m so happy they can be friends.

Pinegree Park, image by Eric

I take a bath, they take a nap

4. Eric. The flowers he bought me, the dinner he made, the tub he cleaned, how hard he made me laugh.

5. Class with good-hearted, creative, smart, funny women. Yoga and wild writing. I don’t have time for any of it, but I make time because some weeks it saves my life.

Bonus joy: a clean glass of cold water, going to the grocery store and knowing I can buy and eat anything I want, clean sheets, the way Ringo nudged my hand with his nose when he came in from outside like the sweetest high five, the last of the summer peaches, clean laundry, a clean car, a good therapist, good books, good TV, good music, good podcasts, spicy oven roasted tacos, garlic bread, hot tea, the softest pjs, how much Ringo loves training, how much Sam loves sleeping in.