A Grateful Heart is a Happy One

'Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have'. Love this! Beautiful artistic quote from lifesublime.ca blog http://lifesublime.ca/we-need-to-focus-on-all-we-have-instead-of-what-we-dont/

If You Have a Garden and a Library You Have Everything You Need

 I have had this quote in another style pinned up in my office for a while now. Obviously, it's meant to be kept in a certain context, but at it's heart it is a great reminder to me that sometimes the simplest things in life can bring you the greatest pleasure (especially when that's all you have at the moment...you learn to be very grateful for every good thing). Words of wisdom from Cicero, many moons ago.

Today I'm Thankful For: Free Fresh Flowers

The simple gift of being able to come home at the end of a long day and breathe in the scent of a peony blossom truly is priceless (especially when it comes from your garden!). Here are some of the lovelies I've been bringing indoors for so far this spring, for however long they will last...

Pink Peony (perennial)

Yellow African Daisies (annual) and Coreopsis (perennial)

Allium (perennial)

Note: perennial: comes back year after year on its own; annual: must be planted each year

Today I'm Thankful For: Healthy Deliciousness!!!

A nice big bowl of this yummy concoction is filling enough to pass for a meal, yet oh so good for you!

FAT-FREE SRAWBERRIES N' CREAM

Fat-free plain yogurt (or vanilla for the chickens out there)
Honey, to taste (skip, if using vanilla)
Fresh, sliced strawberries.

This takes only about 5 minutes to put together. Just dump a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt into a cereal bowl, drizzle honey over the top and stir. Add more as needed. Then slice up enough strawberries to cover the top. Enjoy!

Today I'm Thankful For: Text Messaging

I'll admit it. I'm not a big "texter". I screen my calls and often go hours at a time without being within reaching distance of my phone (gasp). But I've recently come to appreciate the phenomenon of text messaging. In my world where some days the most communication I exchange with my husband is a mumbled & half-dazed farewell before we both go to our jobs, I consider it a luxury to be able to tell him "I love you" at will, without interrupting him in the middle of his work day. On days that started out grumpily, that "I love you" may be precluded with an "I'm sorry". It takes less than 30 seconds to send a simple message, but I've found that a little communication "maintenance" sure goes a long way.

Today I'm Thankful For: Leftover Authentic Mexican

Recipe

It's true. Some things really DO taste better the next day. Like the Puerco Pibil that sent my husband running all over the Quad Cities picking up ingredients for and which wasn't ready to eat until 10 pm last night because it took 5 hours to slow roast, but neither of us wanted to wait until the next day. It is THAT good. And best of all...I didn't have to lift a finger to make it. God bless husbands who cook!

Today I'm Thankful For: Saturday Mornings

Munching on PB & honey toast and sipping my second cup of coffee while I blissfully thumb through the magazines that came in the mail last week for 2 guilt-free hours = happiness. True, technically it is the First Day of Spring and it it is in fact SNOWING outside my kitchen window, but after a week of non-stop action I can't think of any reason not to enjoy this moment of nothingness.