Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash
If you follow me personally on Facebook, then you can skip reading today’s post. Or if you like to hear me repeat myself, read on.
In the midst of a long heat wave, I was tired of all the complaining about the weather. Hey, it’s summer in Virginia so we can pretty much bank on many 3H days—hazy, hot, and humid. Not being particularly fond of the 3H days myself, but wanting to get out of the complaining rut, I posted daily on Facebook for ten days with an aspect of summer for which I am grateful.
My Facebook posts follow, along with the photos I used. All photos were taken by me except for the firefly, and that is used with permission by Radim Schreiber from his wonderful site www.FireflyExperience.org. Be sure to check it out!
This is day one: Having the opportunity to pick fresh raspberries for my breakfast from my own back yard.
Day two: a longer period of light in each day. Even at the dimming of the day, there is one spot among the treetops where a last bit of sunset sky peeps through.
Day three: the sounds. They include the piercing whistle-type call of the red-winged blackbird who wants his breakfast, the early morning snuffle of my dog’s nose as he checks out what animals visited our yard while we slept, the chittering of the squirrels as they chase each other in the trees, knocking loose unripened nuts and clusters of leaves.
Day four: our pollinators. They bless our world by quietly going about their business from flower to flower to bush to plant. We can’t live without them.
Day five: my actual street sign that tells the truth. I do view trees! Trees have healing power, and I love living in their midst.
Day six: fireflies. Don’t all children love them? I remember as a child trying to carefully catch and release them myself. Then I later watched my children and my two grandsons do the same. This beautiful photo is used with permission by Radim Schreiber. The photo is titled (appropriately enough) “A Flash of Hope.”
Day seven: native Virginia plants. Native plants occur in the region where they evolved and support the local ecosystem. Google NATIVE PLANTS and your state’s name to find your own.
Day eight: remembering all the summer birthdays of the people I love… My daughter, my grandson Brandon (photo), my brother, a sister, auntie, and friends.
Day nine: the quiet haven created in my small sunroom by the Hunter Douglas Sonnette shades.
Day ten: sunflowers, which as one author puts it, “deliver a big dose of happy.” Why, yes, they do!
One of my Facebook friends commented, “You’ve inspired me to not just randomly count my blessings when I actually see something or someone but to actually look for one daily. ( And still continue to randomly enjoy them.)”
I’d love hearing what you think. Will you share an aspect of summer for which you’re grateful?
I think you pretty much covered them all – well, maybe I can add a few here in Pennsylvania. We love all the craft fairs, the farmers’ markets and the fresh Amish vegetables, the Bluegrass festivals, the Firemens’ carnivals and fireworks, but mostly just sitting on our back porch in the early morning watching the fog come up from Mirror Lake – across our neighbors’ small barn and horse fence, and then the sun peeking out among the trees bordering our property. You couldn’t paint a more serene picture. Oh, I almost forgot all the strawberry and raspberry jelly we’ve made and shared this summer!
Wow…I love all of these. And save me a jar of jelly.