Sunday’s a good day to remember what we’ve been grateful for over the past week, don’t you think? I’m joining Taryn over at Wooly Moss Roots in her Gratitude Sunday tradition, and here’s my list:
– A lull in my moneymaking work, coming at just the right time.
– Feeling more stable after a very rocky, up-and-down week filled with fears and hopes for the future.
– Having the time for plentiful reading, thinking, and journaling. While I was working full time, I used to ache so deeply for time to do these things. I now have that time. And after feeling like a trapped animal for most of my life, doing things I hated against my heart’s desires, this is a major triumph! Creating, slowly, the life one dreams of is so…satisfying (and scary and liberating and many other things too, but very very satisfying). I’m enjoying every second of this freedom…
– First garden tomato! (Finally!!) A “Pink Beauty” heirloom, and really delicious!
– Having my latest batch of kombucha turn out perfectly!
– Getting up early and reading outside in my “stair garden” on these incredible summer mornings. The stairs outside our door are the only (somewhat) private outdoor space we have. I have a huge need for private outdoor space, and what my heart yearns for and what we have are so vastly and laughably different, but at least I have those stairs! In an apartment building, I’d have nothing!
– So grateful that at my parents’ house, there is private outdoor space!!!
– My trial loaf of “artisan bread” baked in my dutch oven turned out amazingly well!
– Purging belongings which I no longer connect with and no longer need. It’s a long process, and one I’ve done over and over…each time letting go of a little more. I wish it were quicker and easier, but it’s a job filled with lots of emotion and difficult decisions. However, my desire to pare down is strong, and seeing the giveaway box fill with things gives me inspiration to keep going. Thinking about the new life I’m about to give my things helps ease any feelings of loss!
– The most perfect summer night last night, I’ll never forget it.
– Going on a picnic with my parents last night to the local botanic gardens, and eating my mom’s amazing dinner (Northwoods grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, salad, my ‘artisan bread,’ and fresh papaya and strawberries for dessert!!). The place we were going to sit had just finished up with a wedding reception, and my dad asked if we could sit there. The bartender said sure, and so we put our own table cloth on one of the tables and ate amidst the most beautiful setting! Like our own private reception on the most perfect summer’s night. What a treat!
– Last night at 10:30, sitting out in the stair garden in the balmy night, with candles.
– That I have the money to buy the things I want from the store. This week I bought… organic butter lettuce, milk, hearts of palm, kombucha (my homemade batch wasn’t quite ready yet), organic blackberries, plums, and nectarines, and two fun treats after this challenging week — raspberry sorbet, and dulce de leche from Argentina (which I guess I didn’t get enough of while we were there!).
– The past couple of days, having enough energy to do what I wanted to do. I have such a new appreciation for this!
– A nice day at home today, doing domestic things like making kale chips and cookies, doing laundry, addressing piles in the living room, and just hanging out with my Hubby.
– The new window air conditioning unit our landlord installed in our apartment!!! It’s so luxurious to have air conditioning.
– Support from loved ones!!!!
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What blessings have you appreciated throughout your week? Leave a comment!
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Oh, your gratitude lists always feel like medicine to my heart.
I admire you so much and I appreciate your honesty. You’re just so wonderful!
Good job taking the steps towards the life of your dreams!! Working from home is so great and I’m glad you can still have a steady income while having time for yourself. So cool.
We are so alike in so many ways. The more of your lists I read, the more I realize it! I have a great need for private outdoor space too.
Love your pictures. That bee one is a great shot! And your artisan bread looks so yummy! The picture of it is gorgeous.
I love everything you said about purging belongings! I am feeling the same way right now.
That dinner with your parents sounded soo yummy!
I LOVE when you post what you buy from the store. I love seeing what people eat and I love food pictures. It makes me hungry. 🙂
Support from loved ones is the best.
Basically I love your list. 🙂
Love, Taryn
I just want to hug you Taryn!
We are so alike. SO ALIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for such a heartfelt comment. It’s so nice to feel that connection to you thru our weekly gratitude lists!
Much love,
Lindsey
A truly lovely list Lindsey. xxx
That bread photo is making me drool! I just picked up a fabulous old cast iron dutch oven – any tips for making bread that looks at tasty as yours?? 🙂
Hi Aja, congrats on your dutch oven! I’m in love with mine. 🙂 It’s old too, and I just got it.
The bread I made…I’ll have to post the recipe sometime. But it’s a very basic flour-yeast-salt-water dough, but with more water than you’d normally use — a very wet dough (not really handleable or kneadable…you just mix it together and let it sit for about 18 hours in a big covered bowl. Then heat your oven to 450, with your dutch oven preheating in there too. “Pour” your wet bread dough into the dutch oven (don’t oil the dutch oven first! it’ll smoke…) and bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, then about 15 minutes with the lid off till golden brown. I really want to try this with a sourdough recipe, because Hubby and I are sourdough fanatics! And we rarely let that kind of beautiful bread into the house ’cause all we’ll do is eat it! 🙂