Am feeling SO grateful right now, Lovely Peeps. ๐
It's cold here, but today I have the time, energy, facilities, *and* ingredients to make chicken / vegetable / barley soup.
(Usually, I only have any two, sometimes three, of those, so I'm pretty happy.)
I have a bouquet of tulips that I have split into two for double the pleasure. ๐ท ๐
Am expecting bananas delivered any time. ๐ ๐ ๐
Small things, but I'm so grateful for them all. ๐
Hello, Lovely Peeps!
It may *seem* endlessly cold and dreich right now - but I have a bouquet of deep raspberry and pale pink tulips to cheer me for the upcoming week and I am a happy girl. ๐ท ๐ท ๐ท โบ๏ธ
(Plus, I *like* the sound of the rain.)
I hope you find something that brings you joy today. ๐ ๐
Just b/c I'm so glad / in desperate need of good news, I'm passing this along in case anyone else does too:
1) A friend I haven't heard from in a year & been really concerned about just wrote & is okay. ๐
2) A friend so worried about his pathology test he was texting me at 5.00 am (!) just let me know he made 92%. ๐
3) Another called to say he'd be able to take me home in a few days where "there are lots of hugs, oatmeal, & homemade cooking" waiting for me. ๐ฅฐ
Was feeling somewhat disconsolate I had eaten all my holiday goodies - I had wanted just a *little* bit more - and just now I have discovered the wee pack of chocolate orange creams in the fridge I bought as an emergency Secret Santa gift or stocking stuffer if needed.
Huzzah! ๐
(Also an indication of how much I've been in my fridge for *real* food all week. ๐ฏ ๐ฌ ๐ )
#CelebratingSmallPleasures (especially chocolate-orange ones! ๐ )
It's warm (above-freezing daytime temps for the next two days!), I'm listening to the sound of soft rain, and I can smell the bread baking in the oven - three loaves, so regardless of spoons or anything else, I know I can at least have toast or sandwiches as easy meals for the next while.
Am #CelebratingSmallPleasures and feeling so grateful right now. ๐ ๐
Lovely Peeps, I have been given a set of *very* sheer, but pretty curtains!
They are over a set of plain (thicker) ivory curtains, so I still have lots of light, but privacy as well.
Plus together, they hide multitude of reno repairs that still need to be done. ๐
But mostly they just look *pretty* and are a balm to the soul. ๐
A neighbour was helping me dig up the last of the garden, empty rain barrels, etc., and while I noticed they all had a layer of ice of top, he noticed one looked like it had a pattern of trees, grasses, and flowers. ๐
I have NO idea how or why - but I thought it was beautiful.
For those of you who want to try growing strawberries, as anecdotal evidence from a small study sample (me, observing my neighbours' bed since mid-summer), I offer the opinion ever-bearing varieties seem *astounding*
I've just had *ANOTHER* ๐ ๐ฒ
There are never very many, but they are continuous!
I just saw a blue butterfly!! ๐คฉ
It wasn't very big, with plain triangular wings, pale on the underside, deep cornflower blue above - but I've never seen a blue butterfly in real life before!!
Sorry, no photo (no camera or phone), but still - Wow! ๐
Now -> 
Gazpachodragon