Today, because it’s hot and sticky. Today, because the hot and sticky might make me feel a little cranky. Today, because there have been some crappy things I’ve had to deal with lately . . . I’m sharing three things I’m feeling grateful for right now.

Thing One:
Summer evenings. Yes, despite the hot and sticky I still love summer and in particular I love summer evenings. I love the light that seems to last forever. I love the warm air that allows us to be outside until late. I love sitting on the deck or under the pergola. I love impromptu and spontaneous things like cocktails by the (kiddie) pool and pizza and a fire at a friend’s house. I’m grateful for every moment that summer brings into my life.

Thing Two:
Essential oils. I have mentioned this now and again but I continue to be amazed at the things essential oils can do. I love diffusing oils because I can make all kinds of scent combinations to correspond with my mood or needs. Energizing scents like lemon and peppermint in the morning and calming scents like lavender and bergamot in the evening are some of my favorites. And, as an aside, I haven’t lit a scented candle in forever! I also love using essential oils for stuff my body needs. I have gotten into the habit of googling whatever thing it is I’m trying to deal with + essential oils and I’ve found some terrific home remedies. I realize this is anecdotal and I’m not giving medical advice here but for me I’ve been able to solve some issues naturally instead of using other types of medicine and that really makes me happy. I’d be glad to share more with you about my essential oil journey if you’re interested – just let me know.

Thing Three:
Good blood test results. Yep, my blood work from my doctor’s visit last week came back normal. My cholesterol is a little high but not high enough to warrant medication at this time and we’re going to check it again in 3 months and go from there. Other than that, things are fine and I am feeling very relieved and grateful for this good news.

There’s nothing quite like focusing on gratitude to help elevate your mood. What are you feeling grateful for right now?

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Happy Independence Day, America! Today I’m sharing 3 random thoughts on celebrating (or not) the 4th of July.

1. Ask my family and they will tell you what I always say: I hate the 4th of July. Now, before you all get on me for that statement, I don’t hate that it’s a celebration of our country’s independence. I hate that Dale works all day with the band. He’s up super early to go to Plymouth for the parade, comes home briefly midday (usually with just enough time for a quick nap and a cool shower) and then he goes to Sandwich for an evening concert. These shows make a lot of people very happy and I’m glad that Dale can provide entertainment for them but for me it means a long day at home. Normally I love a day to myself but when I see all the people on social media having fun at cook outs and parades and fireworks well . . . I tend to feel a little sorry for myself. Hence my statement about hating the day. I’m working on doing better, though and a big part of that is just not looking at Instagram of Facebook! Ha!
2. I love the annual Hot Dog Eating Contest that takes place at Coney Island every July 4th. I make a point of watching it and, while it may be gross at times (they dip the buns in water to make it easier to swallow blergh) it’s super high energy and wildly entertaining. Will Joey Chestnut keep the mustard belt for the 4th year in a row? Tune in to ESPN today at 12 Noon to find out!
3. This is from last year but at a time when I feel deeply concerned over the direction our country is going and the decisions the administration is making, it bears repeating.

I hope whatever you do today is fabulous!

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Yesterday’s post struck a chord, huh? I’m so glad and it was great to get feedback and hear your stories and stand in solidarity with you all! To answer any questions you may have had, no, I did not walk out and I’m glad I didn’t. The other two speakers were terrific and I would have missed the stories they shared. The other thing is that it didn’t really hit home with me during the discussion, it was mostly after it was over and I started reflected back on it that I realized what they had done. If I could ask you to take away one thing from my experience it would be that we have to recognize the role women play in our own subjugation and then we have to learn from that and find a better way to communicate with each other.

Today, we’re moving on to something that always brings me joy: my garden. I think it’s high time I show you how it’s progressing. If you need a refresher, check out this post and see how it looked last year before we planted anything. And this is how it looked just about one month ago.

Things have changed a lot! And I’ve got 3 pictures (surprise surprise) to show you just how much.

Everything is growing! The window boxes are looking great, those red geraniums are a classic and are thriving in this cool-ish rainy-ish weather we’ve been having. The salvia is blooming and the hydrangeas are leafing out and the sedum has expanded beyond belief. Kym, the genius behind this whole front bed redo, shared with me this rhyme about a new garden:

the first year it sleeps
the second year it creeps
the third year it leaps

I’m in year two and this is creeping . . . I can’t wait to see what leaping does!

If you wrote a post for today please share your link below and, as always, thanks for playing along!