Here are some things I've been grateful for this month:
Having a very kind next door neighbor
Date night with my husband
60 degrees in February
My excellent public school education
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| The abundance of walking paths in a five mile radius from where I live. And yes, this is an actual photo of one of them. My walking friend of 10 years |
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| After four years, my orchid is finally blooming again! |
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| Finding another great novel this month. This book covered racism, socio-economic class, LGBTQ, and so many more current topics without being preachy. A thoroughly enjoyable novel. |
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| The availability of fresh vegetables year round. I love my salads. Trying new restaurants with another couple who we've been friends with since the '90's. |
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| More pretty flowers from my sweetie for Valentine's Day. |
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| All four of my grandkids and getting to spend time with them. |
I hope your month has been full of things that you love. Let me know in the comments.
(I'll be going on a social media break soon, but will catch up with you in a few weeks)
This is a sweet list. Love the grandkid shout out. We have been meeting up with another couple for dinner or drinks a few times a year. We have so much in common. She and I went to college together, but didn't hang out in the same crowd. It's hard to find a couple that you both click with, and they are definitely on the same page as we are.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd say summer is high up there on things I love. Is it wrong that I'm already counting the months until summer? Part of the reason is I don't babysit. I break is a good thing. I love watching my kids play basketball. We are in the middle of playoffs. It is winding down, which is also a good thing. I also love parents weekend at my kids' colleges. Mini's weekend starts tomorrow. We enjoy the other parents so much. I, too, love a good salad, especially one that I didn't have to make. ;)
Couple friends are so fun to have. We have three that we do different types of things with. This blog post was based on my gratitude journal for the month of February. I got the idea from Kari. But yes, summer is definitely something I LOVE! We have Big Salad Sundays here as our main meal. I enjoy coming up with new variations each week.
DeleteLOVE your list!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I too am a bigtime "walker", so that beautiful photograph of the walking path made me go, "WOW!" Don't you love to walk? I find it not only healthy for the body, but for the mind as well.
That orchid is stunning. Love the color!
You and I are also very simpatico when it comes to eating salads. LOVE them! And I eat one (sometimes) two per day. In fact, today I plan on having one for lunch and using fresh feta cheese as a topping!
"All four of my grandkids and getting to spend time with them." - that is such a lovable photograph!
I feel blessed that I have always felt loved throughout my life. VERY blessed!
Enjoy your break, my friend! Know that we will all be here when you return!
(((( X ))))
Walking outdoors is the best, but I’m just not hardy enough to do it unless it’s at least 40 degrees. And even then, I have to bundle up and then end up sweating by the end. I eat a salad everyday as well. I love to come up with different variations, but adding feta is definitely a favorite. I am excited about my upcoming trip and can’t wait to share it with you! XO
DeleteOh, that walking path!
ReplyDeleteI love having fresh fruit and veggies year round as well. Interestingly enough, I was talking to my yoga ladies about this once, and we were reminiscing about how difficult it was to get fruit and veg in the winter. I remember as a child just having apples, oranges, and bananas. There just wasn't anything available. One of my ladies said that frozen veg was JUST coming out when she was a girl (this gives you an idea of my class demographics). Anyway, it's something I think about a lot and it's really amazing when you think about it.
Exactly! We only had apples, oranges and bananas in the winter. Even in the summer, the berry season was short and we didn’t have anything exotic like kiwi fruit ever. I really take advantage of all the fresh fruits and veggies now and try for a huge variety every week. And there are still vegetables I’ve never cooked with at home just because I’ve never seen recipes for.
DeleteThis is a great list! We have all sort of wonderful walking paths within a 5 mile radius of us too! I would love to walk the one in your picture! I'm thankful for our mild winter so far but I hate to say too much lest I jinx it! If I recall we had most of our snow last year in March! I eat a salad for lunch every day and try to make them different all the time. Nothing better than spending time with the grandkids! Have a good break!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have lots of places to walk, too. Yes, it's been a mild winter, but you're right, we can get a lot of snow in March and then it seems to continue into April and May. Aren't grandkids the best??
DeleteWell, I certainly enjoyed going for a walk yesterday in 60-degree weather, in shorts and T-shirt.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a couple of significant blessings in February. A couple weeks ago, Jenn and I drove up north and found her brother, who wasn't exactly estranged from the family, but nobody knew where he was, and nobody had heard from him in five years. Jenn got a clue from a mutual friend, so we followed it up, and lo and behold, there he was! He's doing really well (better than we had expected), and we had a happy (if brief) visit.
Then, five days ago, our 17th grandchild was born to 3M and his wife.
So, it's been a pretty auspicious month for us!
Isn't it the best when you can enjoy a Spring walk in February?? That's so nice that you and Jenn visited her brother. Families can be weird, can't they? But it sounds like he appreciated the visit or at least wasn't too upset to be found. Seventeen grandchildren is amazing, but how do you keep track of all of them?? My head would be spinning. We have four and it's possible we might get one more, but that will be that. Most of my friends with kids our kids' age are not even married, so we feel very fortunate. Plus, they all live nearby.
DeleteWell, you know, I'm here to tell you that kids being married doesn't have all that much to do with having grandchildren. We had six before we had any in-laws. ;)
DeleteAnd having a 'production base' of eight can pile 'em up real fast. . .
I love this post and all of your February gratitude. The walking path is stunning! We do have nice areas to walk around here but that is awesome. Your flowers are gorgeous. I love orchids. It's always such a treat when they bloom. You know we love our salads too. We have a small salad every day and then the Big Salad once or twice a week for dinner. The one you posted looks delish!! I'm sure your grandchildren fill you life with love. Can't wait to hear from you when you return!!
ReplyDeleteOrchids are wonderful because the blooms last so long. My paternal grandmother loved orchids, probably because she also loved Hawaii. They always make me think of her. The salad in the photo had roasted butternut squash, chickpeas, and pomegranate seeds. So yummy! I will have lots to tell when I return. XO
DeleteI can't seem to switch from 'Anonymous' to my Google acct... but, it's Mary (Mary Says..)
ReplyDeleteThat's a really nice list! Lovely photos of your grands. Of course, mine I'm so over the moon happy to have in my life too! Haven't really done much lately, everyone's been sick on and off so we're looking forward to a big family get together in the near future.
Always a lot to feel grateful for ... having my own art room and lots of nice supplies to create things with, our porch filled with plants, and Luna... who is looking at me now and wants to go out. Also, thankful for my fleece jacket because it's still just too cold to hang out back with her too long without it. LOL
Enjoy your time away!!
~M
Grandkids are so much fun! We get such a kick out of ours, especially the second one. That girl is CRAZY fun with a big personality. I hope you can get together with yours soon. We all got together last Sunday for my mom's 85th birthday. It was a miracle that none of the grands were sick. Your art creations are beautiful, Mary. I'm glad you have a dedicated work space, too.
DeleteWhat a wonderful list of goodness! I too would love all those walking paths and a constant walking partner is a bonus.
ReplyDeleteOrchids, fresh salads, good books; it's ALL my favorite things. One day, perhaps I'll get the grandkids too. But it not, I'll always have dogs. :)
We had a lovely dinner last night with my visiting aunt, uncle and cousin and tonight we're celebrating one of our dear friends birthdays with a dinner out. It's a great week when I get out of preparing dinner two nights in a row!
I love to listen to podcasts when I walk, but having a friend makes the time go so fast and it's an easy way to catch up. There's a limit to how much coffee I want to drink on a coffee date! I've sat in Panera with friends for 3 hours, which is a bit embarrassing. I think you're on the path to grandparenthood. Make sure you pick a really cool name. I'm G Starr, but that's another story . . .
DeleteSo many wonderful things to be grateful for. I am happy that it is sunny and almost 60 today. Enjoy your break, Bijoux.
ReplyDeleteGood weather seems to be the trend right now! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI love your list. If I had walking paths that looked like that I would get out more too.
ReplyDeleteI am lucky to live near metroparks and a national park.
DeleteOh, friend, I am in love with this list.
ReplyDeleteYou have beautiful walks nearby! We have many forest preserves nearby, and I am grateful for them all.
Isn't the weather amazing? I told my Dad on the way to one of his appointments this week that it's been such a blessing to have such pleasant weather while we've had to drive up to Wisconsin and back for his cancer treatment. It has truly been a gift, and we are extremely grateful for it.
I'm happy for your flowers, grandchildren, salads, and friends. You have so many good things in your life, and it makes me very happy for you. Enjoy your social media break. 😘❤️
YES! When you have medical appointments and such, it is a true blessing to not have to worry about the roads in the winter. I purposefully schedule a lot of annual appointments in the summer because I can't deal with the stress of snow. Thank you so much for your kind words and I will see you in blogger land in a few weeks!
DeleteWarm weather in February can't be beat!
ReplyDeleteIt’s the best!
DeleteA wonderful list. So nice that you can go for walks nearby. I like the orchid, the color is stunning. It's hit 60ºF a few times this month here and it is a joy. An absolute wonder.
ReplyDeleteIt’s so thrilling to get warmer weather in the winter months. I love any shade of purple, so that orchid is a fave for me.
DeleteGreat list, my friend. This month, I'm grateful for cozy fires in the basement wood stove, "LA Law" on Amazon Prime, cats on my lap, gas station fried chicken, and new music from Billy Joel.
ReplyDeleteAnd Tara, of course. But that goes without saying.
I remember watching LA Law, back in the day. Blair Underwood was my favorite and I swear he hasn’t changed. He and Rob Lowe need to share their secret! Gas station fried chicken ain’t right, Mark🤣
DeleteAll these things are important positives in life. Glad you're doing well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by!
DeleteValentines Flowers, good meals at some favorite places plus a few new locations, being on the island out of the snow, getting my bathroom redone while gone, being able to get outside and walk or ride bikes with the nicer weather are a few of the things I'm grateful for.
ReplyDeleteThose are all wonderful things to be thankful for!
DeleteWonderful flowers. A friend gave us a kalanchoe plant. I'd never heard of kalanchoe before, it's lovely. Things I've been grateful for? Living in a country that isn't being torn apart by war. Not being desperately poor. Still being fairly physically fit. Having a good laugh with my partner.
ReplyDeleteI have a few kalanchoe and they seem to live forever. Those are all good things, Nick.
DeleteThis is so lovely, Bijoux. Thanks for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteGratitude is so important for your mental health. One of the self-help people I read recommends daily gratitude meditations to combat negative thoughts.
And speaking of gratitude, I'm awfully grateful that I know you!
Having a monthly gratitude journal is really helping me focus on the positives. Thanks for your always kind words, Rob.
DeleteI have been saying thank you every morning while walking on the treadmill. I realize, as you, that there are many more positives in my life than negatives. I' m most grateful for Patrick, long time friends, no major health issues, being able to awake each morning, get out of bed and go walking on a treadmill for 90 minutes. And, as Rob already said, I am thankful for blogger friends such as yourself.
ReplyDelete90 minutes a day on the treadmill is remarkable. Way to go! For March, I'm grateful for travel!
DeleteThese all sound like wonderful things to be grateful for! I am so on board with warm temps in February, but jeez we went from 70 back down to 20 this week. Not cool!
ReplyDeleteMy gratitude list for this week: Jason is back from Florida, curbside pickup for groceries, heated blankets because it's cold again, a kitty warming my lap, and ice cream to curb my sweet tooth!
The weather has been outstanding this entire winter. I think I only complained once, when it was super cold for a week. I could get used to this. I've never done curbside pickup because the majority of my food is produce and I don't want anyone picking that out for me.
DeleteI love your list. That walking path looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteSome of our plants/flowers are just beginning to bud, and that is making me incredibly happy. I'm so ready for spring!
Our trees and daffodils have started budding and blooming this week. It's been so nice to see. I love your new profile picture, Danielle.
DeleteAwesome list and love the flowers!
ReplyDeleteFlowers bring me so much joy. Thank you!
DeleteWaving hi, as I make my blog rounds. Hope all is well with you.
ReplyDeleteHowdy!
DeleteMy gosh I'm so far behind. These are all lovely things! Impressed by your orchid and that you remember how many years it's been since it bloomed! Thank you for being wise enough to know that we'd want to know if that trail pic was real! It's gorgeous! :P ~Betsy
ReplyDeleteI patiently waited on that orchid! And thanks!
DeleteI guess the fun thing about orchids is you never know! Will this be the year? Still impressed you kept track!
DeleteTimelines are now based on Covid in my mind. Did it happen before or after Covid?or during!
DeleteOh, that totally makes sense. Yes.
Delete