Gratitude Friday

1. Morning walks. Things are turning green and budding out. This week, we headed over to check out the fox den, the one that is most likely to have a litter of pups, has even been taped off by the city to keep people and dogs from getting too close. As we walked that way, I saw something running out of the corner of my eye and then heard a rustle in the grass just over the ridge we were walking next to. I’m not gonna lie, at first I thought it was a mountain lion, which are around for sure but I’d rather they never got that close. As we got closer to the den, I saw her or maybe him — it was either Mama Fox or Daddy, and they were keeping a close eye on us. They ran along the fence on the far side of the trail, following us, stopping to watch when we stopped. I hope we eventually get to see the babies, but more than that I hope there are babies, and that they are safe and healthy and will grow up to be the same.

2. Feeling safer. I know that this isn’t anywhere close to anything like “over” (if it ever will be) and yet I feel so much more at ease leaving my house even after only one shot. We even made a reservation for a house on the coast in Oregon this summer, a trip to go visit our family after having to cancel last year and not having seen them for two years now — and still, after a full year of being so careful and so wary, it feels like it’s a risky choice, maybe even the wrong one. I sure hope not.

3. Practice. My Wild Writing class is on a short break and I miss it, however I’m so happy that when we restart in a month, everyone is planning to come back and we can start again. together.

4. Writing practice. This one deserved it’s own spot this week. I’m in week five of the class I’m taking with Natalie Goldberg. I’m reading back through all her books and writing more than I have in a long time and it feels so good. As I practice, I catch myself thinking, “oh yeah, THIS is who I am.” I’m so grateful for the reminder.

5. My tiny family, my tiny house, my tiny life. I am looking forward to working with Eric on our garden, enjoying lots of yard time, relaxing and hanging out together. It’s good to have a home, a family, and a life that you don’t want to leave.

Ringo was very interested in the smell on my pants — a tiny German Shepherd puppy I met

Bonus joy: Lasagna, being able to make one for us and one for friends, having leftovers, clementines, tiny snack size cucumbers, daffodils, sitting on the patio in the sun while Ringo lounges in the grass, the way he loves to go out and roll, hanging out and writing with Calyx, texting with Chloe’ and Chelsey and Mom and Chris, cute pictures of cute kids, unlikely animal friendships (like the litter of foster puppies who love to hang out with the resident pig), stray and pregnant mama dogs who get rescued and those who rescue them, books, podcasts, TV, movies, down blankets and pillows, wool socks, laundry, my washer and dryer and dishwasher and refrigerator and oven and computer and TV and furnace and a/c and water heater, the USPS, vaccines, grocery pickup, flowers in the bathroom, warm soft chewy bread, toast, pancakes, a warm shower, electric cars, good neighbors, emergency vets, healthy babies, reading in bed at night while Ringo and Eric sleep.

1. Yard time. It’s that season again, when the weather is nice enough to sit out in the backyard, when everything is starting to turn green, the light lingers a little longer, and we start planning our garden. Last night, it was still light out at 7:15 pm and 62 degrees, and the sky was gorgeous.

2. Practice. I am struggling lately with my yoga practice, am wondering whether I’ll teach as much as I’d planned to when I can get back into a studio again if I can’t even manage to get myself on the mat (or maybe not teaching is why I can’t?), am in a strange liminal space with it, avoiding and resisting and wondering why but letting it be okay for now. That said, my writing practice is going strong, fed by the class I’m currently taking with Natalie Goldberg, which has also inspired me to reread all her books. Some days, I write for hours, and I feel so much better when I do, cleared out and calm. I’m still working on my book and even though it feels good, there’s momentum there, it’s a steep learning curve — as in I’ve never written a book all by myself and have no idea what I’m doing.

3. Morning walks. Ringo was on restriction the first part of the week, had tweaked his back playing in the back yard and couldn’t go very far, but he’s better now. The other day, I decided not to go around the second pond, then this morning when they were out, Eric and Ringo went that way and saw an adult fox by the den that’s under one of the trees along the fence, which means there are babies, so now I’m on a mission to see them. There are five potential den sites along our various routes, and I’ll be checking them all.

4. Starting our garden. We are going to start the seeds we have this weekend, (you can’t really put anything new in the ground here until after May 15th). I saw a video of a daffodil farm on Instagram and I am now motivated to also get a bunch of new bulbs and plant thick rows along our fence in the backyard. Once we really get going, we’ll continue filling in the front as well and I’m planning to rework the narrow bed between our driveway and the neighbors yard. For reference, here’s some pictures of our front garden from last season.

5. My tiny family, my tiny house, my tiny life. I am looking forward to the weekend, to Eric getting some rest (he’s been working SO much), to cuddling and napping and walking and sitting in the sauna and reading in bed at night while Ringo and Eric sleep.

Bonus joy: laundry, writing and hanging out with Calyx, Wild Writing, all the people getting vaccinated, pay day, ladybugs, bird song in the morning, birds at the feeder, how fluffy and wiggly Ringo is after getting a bath, a warm shower, clean sheets, naps, reading, podcasts, good TV and movies, music, good neighbors, grocery pick up, a crisp Gala apple, the small “snack” cucumbers, naan, texting with my mom and brother and Chloe’, getting in the pool, Wendy coming home from the hospital, Chelsey getting to be with her mom when she passed, all the new puppies and babies, ordering pizza which means not having to cook for the next three days.