My guilty pleasure. I can’t think about where it comes from. Though I do buy local ‘happy pig’ bacon when possible, and otherwise the most ethical available. Which isn’t very. This is why it’s a guilt trip for me; and an indulgence.
When I want bacon I manage to automagically separate the food from its origin as a sentient being. My mind disassociates. Today I’m grateful for the first batch of homegrown jalapeño poppers. So simple, so delicious.
I’m grateful for my tiny crop of small Fuji apples, which I rescued the other day from magpie predation. This morning I turned most of them into this Jewish apple cake for Boyz Lunch. Not simple but so delicious.
Something is awry with my WordPress account, which I will endeavor to sort out tomorrow. Indeed I cannot upload not one more photograph! Too bad, because I have a great image of Wren nose to nose with a big cucumber, and some other unbelievable images from today! Just kidding. But grateful, as always, for every living moment of this day. Wishing you well ♥️.
I’m grateful that my grownup cat Topaz, whose nose has been out of joint since the kitten adventure, and not quite straight even after three months with Wren, finally jumped up on my lap this afternoon for no reason. She kneaded and purred, and curled up for a short visit as I picked weeds out of her thick fur. Wren got a little anxious about it, and came up to inquire; she and Topaz went nose to gentle nose for a few seconds with no tension. It was sweet. We all hung out for awhile in the shade of late afternoon on the east patio, doing nothing, content to just be. I love these peaceful breaks in the day, where I simply pause, take a time out from the busyness of correspondence, work, dishes, practice, anything, just being in open awareness for a few minutes.
I’m grateful I went to bed early enough last night to finally see sunrise this morning. It’s been a long time! I woke from an endless fever dream about grocery shopping of all things, which opened with me realizing I wasn’t masked and proceeded through greeting or avoiding many people, delighting in choosing cheeses, and finally wound up with a horrific discovery that City Market was selling live wild animals for both food and pets.
I struggled to get my camera to open and then to work right to photograph the three glass front cages before me, first filled with tragic mammals but then the reptiles in the background began to fill the scene, eventually including some small dinosaurs. I can place almost every element in the dream to a corresponding piece of yesterday’s reality, but what a colorful subconscious interpretation! I’m grateful for dreams, and for waking up from them.
Just like in the movie, I mean dream, the camera failed to open at first when I stepped out onto the deck at sunrise. I’m grateful it did in time to catch the daily spectacle that I all too often take for granted: its beauty, and that I’ll live to see it.
So many things to be grateful for today, but I’ve gone and let it get so late living the day to the fullest that all I can muster before heading for bed is: lilies.
I’ve succeeded three times in learning what doesn’t work for this sourdough recipe at this altitude, and today I’m grateful that I finally succeeded in learning what does work. It’s a simple recipe though it takes all day. Tonight I chose warm bread ends with butter and havarti over actual dessert.
I’m also grateful that Wren didn’t freak out during the Pioneer Days fireworks 🎆 tonight. I gave her a tiny chip of Trazodone for anxiety since she dashed for the door earlier when there was a preliminary bang while we were on the deck. Then I kept her distracted with Star Trek Voyager and a treat-stuffed Kong toy during the excitement. She was alert and responsive to the explosions, but settled quickly as I just kept watching TV and eating bread. Whew.
This half-hour film is mind-blowing in many ways. Shot by a Cornell Lab of Ornithology photographer in Dardala, India, where half the world’s population of endangered greater adjutant stork supports its growing population by scavenging the dump alongside humans, the film celebrates the conservation efforts of one woman who changed a culture’s relationship with this prehistoric bird. The film came to me courtesy of KarmaTube.org in a weekly newsletter that I recommend for inspiring stories, along with kindspring.org which features accounts of kindness.
Kindness has always mattered to me, as much as honesty, compassion, and gratitude. I was never that great at any of them, but have always appreciated and valued them above all. Traits to aspire to. I’m mulling over what the next blog project will focus on; kindness is an option, or letting go. I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore these ideals and practice them to the best of my limited abilities. I’m grateful for the inspiring efforts of people all over the world who are doing what they love and making the world a better place as they do, and I’m grateful I took the time tonight to learn about the Hargila.
Today, I’m grateful for many things, including friendship, food, a solid little washing machine, and fresh water. I’m also grateful for the dark skies above at night, and for the amazing astro-photography of my neighbor George Dunham a few miles down the road. I’m grateful to have been invited to attend his Zoom presentation to the Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers this evening, which included nature photos by his wife Kim, and a brief state-of-space report from the Watchers, catching us up on some of the latest developments in space exploration. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours when I was feeling the unfamiliar space in the house profoundly. I’m always grateful for a fresh perspective on my own insignificance.