Friday night grateful list

Some weeks the grateful list pretty much writes itself. If I wasn't grateful, sitting at my current (and favorite) location with my favorite guys, you'd really have to wonder!

 Life is good. This is our view for the next week and then some (well, this view involves a walk, but you get my drift), and we are all just a little blissed out after what seems like a long summer of work without a break. No complaints, but certainly feeling at the moment like delayed gratification is a true thing; in this instance the pay-off was worth the wait.

Driving along today, I was sometimes alone, listening to podcasts (Alan and Seth driving together), and sometimes with Seth. (Seth will go straight on to PLU next week, hence the two vehicles.) When he drove, we listened to music and talked, and I read to him a bit from a Pema book I pulled off my shelf and brought along, last minute. Some good stuff--I always find her helpful--if a little dire feeling/sounding. Sometimes contemplating the state of the world isn't really what you need, especially heading out on vacation. It didn't quite have the pep of a good back-to-school conversation, so we let it go after a bit, and just talked. I am so grateful for my communicative kid, who likes to share what his latest passions are, and what interests him.

This week was back-to-school in our neck of the woods and I loved seeing all the first-day pictures of my friends and local acquaintances. It's such a ritual, and one that social media really caters to--one of the good sides of the sharing, in my opinion. I am grateful for our community, and for the people in it. Of course this funny popped up somewhere in social media over the course of the week. I chortled.

File these next couple of pictures under inspiration, for the days when I need something tangible to put my mind to. I think applique is probably my favorite needlecraft, and then I see some amazing embroidery, and I think, no, that too! This picture came across my Instagram feed and I just paused and ooohed and awwwwed for minute. I love this style, so much.

 And then calligraphy, which is always a source of inspiration for me. I follow many different types of letter artists on Instagram, and tuck away little quotes and words and tips about supplies and such for my off-work ponderings.

Things that have made me laugh recently:

Other things that are on my grateful list this week:

Cooler days, though I'm less fond of the shorter days. Where is my 5 a.m. light?!

Continued blessings from the garden, from okra and peppers, cucumbers, kale, tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash, to cabbage and basil and more kale. We like our kale smoothies! And what we aren't growing can be so easily found at the many local farm stands. It's embarrassing, how overflowing with produce we are.

Good health, and good sleep.

Carpet cleaner. Seriously. What would we do about marks on the carpet (I'm looking at you, General) without carpet cleaner? I don't want to know.

Cheese. I read something today about the ills of the dairy industry. Well, I should say I started to read it and then I thought, why would I want to know this? And tucked it away for later. I am willing to give up a great many things in my life for the good of my body and the planet, but I am pretty sure cheese is not going to go bye-bye. Milk? You can take that, no problem. Certainly cottage cheese and even cream cheese. I could probably figure out a way to part with yogurt, even though I do have that in some form or other every day. But cheese? Yeah, no. Can't do it.

Inspirational people. I'm not really talking about the kinds of stories that are always so prevalent during the Olympics, people who have overcome huge obstacles to be there and compete. I'm talking about every day kinds of people who just are living their lives and influence others for good. I feel like I'm blessed to know quite a few people who fit this category, and am better for the interactions.

Inspirational words. I ran across this Rumi poem recently:
I prayed for change, so I changed my mind.
I prayed for guidance and learned to trust myself.
I prayed for happiness and realized I am not my ego.
I prayed for peace and learned to accept others unconditionally.
I prayed for abundance and realized my doubt kept it out.
I prayed for wealth and realized it is my health.
I prayed for a miracle and realized I am the miracle.
I prayed for a soul mate and realized I am the one.
I prayed for love and realized it is always knocking, but I have to allow it in.

I am grateful to, as Mary Oliver puts it so well, be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world. Always. Grateful.

Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are. I know I will.