It’s time to take a look back at the month of September.

First, the photos:

And next: the videos.

And finally: the questions.

What did I learn? 
I don’t know if I actually learned this last month but I’m definitely developing a deep appreciation for the comforts of home. I’m finding ways to make it special, with flowers and decorating and prepping special treats. I think this will become a greater challenge as the days grow shorter and the temperatures turn colder so I’m holding on to what I’m learning and hoping I can continue to make it feel special to just be at home.

What was my greatest accomplishment? 
See those 3 apple pies? One is mine, that’s no big deal, but the other two were made by Jessica and Hannah. Yep. I had a day in the kitchen with my girls and we made apple pies together to celebrate Mabon. I’ve never been one of those moms who enjoys cooking with her children so planning this was definitely out of my comfort zone. We had a great time, though, and I’m so proud of the way their pies came out.

Where did I go? 
I stayed home and I went to work. There was a socially distanced birthday party for me at Sean’s, which was lovely. A few walks outside. And a photoshoot for Jackie at a local park. Mostly, though, we were home.

Who did I spend time with? And what did we do? 
Dale, of course. We ate cheese, hahahaha! There were a few dances in the kitchen, too. Also my coworkers. Our library is open 2 days/week and doing curbside pick up 2 days/week. We’ve developed a routine to handle these services and everyone has really pitched in to make it successful.

What brought me joy? 
I certainly found joy in flowers this month. All those dahlias plus my own zinnias and a bouquet from a local florist. I have such a deep appreciation for the beauty of having fresh flowers all around me.

What do I want to remember? 
How good it feels to be home. I’m so grateful for where we live and the coziness of our house. I predict this is going to become more challenging so I really want to remember to appreciate it.

On to October!

I feel rather proud of myself for pulling this look back at August together on September 2nd. You’ve got to take the wins where you can find them, friends.

Here are the daily photos from last month:

And the video:

And my thoughts on the month:

What did I learn? 
To focus on the good every single day. There’s so much heaviness in our world and, while I can’t ignore it and I recognize that I have a responsibility to alleviate it where I can, I’m working actively to not let it drag me down. I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal of 5 things every day for over a year and it helps a lot with this, as does my daily meditation practice, I’ve meditated every single day for over a year, too. I reached both of those milestones in August.

What was my greatest accomplishment? 
It’s a tie between two things: picking our first home grown tomato of the season and getting a cover all on my bingo card!

Where did I go? 
Cape Cod – twice! We had a weekend at Doreen and Mark’s and also our annual family vacation. It was so good to be at the beach and relax with those I hold dear. I went out to eat twice, too. Once outside with Kim and Ken on vacation and once inside (which is still sort of weird) with Doreen and Hannah. And I got a hair cut – finally!

Who did I spend time with? And what did we do? 
As always lately, Dale and my family. We went to the beach pretty much every day of vacation. It’s small and we can walk and we make every attempt to grab this little spit of the beach where it’s only us – social distancing at it’s best! There was also a major shopping event. Did you notice?

What brought me joy? 
Jackie. Zinnias. The beach. Butterflies. Good food and drink.

What do I want to remember? 
That the simple things in life are so often the best. Watching Jackie sing and dance, seeing my family play together in the ocean, sharing laughs over games, bearing witness to Dale’s continued healing.

September has a tough act to follow.