Today is a quiet morning with many practical things to fill me up. It is the beginning of a new month: calendars to update, birthday cards to buy, henna to apply, things to clean, news articles to write. It’s the week after the Writing Chicago Conference so I have new things to consider: indie publishing, connections with new friends, new dialog, beginning my next book, new stories.
Isn’t August a wonderful month? [tweetthis]A foot in summer and a a hint of fall’s red musk in the air.[/tweetthis] What was that? Ah yes, a promise remembered.
Yet, it’s Monday. Time to begin again. Time for a little Gratitude.
In no particular order:
♦ Chicago: What a beautiful city. Picasso, sky-scrapers, and bicyclists all in the same place.
♦ Garden flocks: Every summer Loved-One is sure they are weeds. “No. They will be beautiful.” Bright purple in the sun; iridescent against the full-mooned night sky.
♦ Summer lightning: A beautiful light show, followed by a healing rain.
♦ Random Acts of Kindness: I love finding ways to give kindness in unexpected ways. Last week I received a RAK. Thank you Brittany. You got me to my conference on time.
♦ New friends met at Writing Chicago Conference. I have so many ideas and plans in my head. It’s great to meet people who will remind me to get them out of my head and into action.
♦ Kickball. After an intense three days in Chicago, I loved coming home to a rowdy game of kickball. Even if my ankles are a bit sore and despite my best efforts to kick as hard as I could, someone shouted out, “No bunting in kickball.”
♦ Open windows. (I wrote this down twice on my little notepad.) I love the sound of the breeze and the birds, the rush of water from one side of the water garden to the other, and the faint reminder of airplanes taking people far away.
♦ Wacker Drive River Walk. Practical, I could walk fast, without stopping for lights. Beautiful scenery. Interesting mix of people from wedding parties posing for pictures, to joggers, to a father telling his three-year-old-son, “I hope [Lalapalooza] doesn’t get too lewd for you. It might get indecent.” I got so many ideas for story. Plus, I discovered I could eat anything I want, if I just walk 7-8 miles every day.
What on your list this week? Please join me on Laurel’s link-up at Alphabet Salad. While you’re there, check out her “tangles.” She does beautiful artwork. She made me an intricate bookmark, which reminds me of her talent and her gift of gratitude. Ohhh… another thing on my list: Laurel.