Friday night grateful moment

Ah, Friday night. Where the week unwinds and we with it...

My dagnabit arches are hurting because I wore the wrong shoes when Seth and I walked tonight (actually I was wearing them all day. Doh.), but yet, still, even, so much to be grateful for:

*Today marks 43 years that my parents have been married. I'm grateful to them for many things over the years, from their love of adventure to always presenting a united front when I was a kid. The united front drove me nuts as a kid, but I totally get it now. And their living example of steadfast love is one I cherish.

*See that picture of the firepit and my lovely men above? I am so happy with that space and our family time there. I am looking forward to to evolving the space each summer, with plants and pots and lights and water features...

*I am grateful we were offered some extra time with Seth this weekend, which we happily accepted.

*So thankful for these cooler temps. They initially left me a bit un-energized (like, all day Wednesday), but I shouldn't blame the weather. I think that was mostly a sleep issue... but the cooler temps really are nice for getting things done around the yard, and it's wonderful having windows open and cool breezes coming in the screen doors without that blast of summer heat.

*I love my little zinnia/calendula/snapdragon bed over by the shop. It was just a patch of dirt as long as we've lived here, but with my drip irrigation zeal this spring, I got some water to the patch, planted it (oh yes, there's a fig tree in there too!) and have happily watched it grow. It's just outside the fence (I really should take a picture so you can see it, but it's pitch dark right now...) so I haven't had to worry about the chew chew on the fig tree or the irrigation. (I lost two fig trees during Ruby's first winter with us. Sad.)

*BUT! RUBY. HASN'T. CHEWED. IRRIGATION. IN. WEEKS. Rock on, wild bad dog Ruby! The whole time we were at the coast, nothing. No nibbles, even. Granted, there are a couple of new craters in the lawn where she imagines gophers to be tunneling their way toward the house, but still, I'm tickled about the chewing. Can you tell?

*Ever so grateful for the bounty of produce that flows from the garden. Picked a pile on Monday, picked again today... the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash are everywhere! Tomatillos are ready to be picked, and eggplant coming along. I made apricot jam today (and I swore I wouldn't do that this year!) and a huge batch of fresh marinara sauce. Feeling a bit Martha Stewart-ish, but my saving grace is that I didn't take a break from my kitchen to quilt or sew or craft. Whew.

*Grateful for both sides of our extended family, and the support and love that we have all around. We are truly blessed.

*Grateful that husband was able to take vacation last week and we all got away for bit. It was a much needed break for him, and we were thrilled to get to see the ocean and enjoy some peaceful family time. Our little traditions bring all three of us great joy, and I know we'll look back on these times with great fondness.

*Seth and I have gone on some long walks this week, and I'm so grateful for his energy, conversation and thoughtfulness. I am lucky to be his mom.

All in all, a really good week. Some work (not as much as I should have... there are some weeds out there with my name on them!), some play, a little visiting, a bit of making new friends and reconnecting with dear old ones, and a lot of love, peace and joy. School starts in less that two weeks? Oh, that. Pish posh. We're in complete denial. (Ask our bedtimes. Some serious work to do there.)

Happy weekend, all. Please tell your loved ones they are loved, okay? Thanks.