Disproportionately Happy

[image error] When Life Hands You Bird Seed

One thing I’ve learned is to allow myself to be disproportionately happy about the little things.

Like Jim’s mostly using a cane now, and is able to extend the time between his doses of pain medication and muscle relaxants.  Sure, we have a long way to go before he’s “back to normal,” but there’s a lot to be said for cherishing improvement.

A much dryer than usual autumn means that we’re not getting much from the garden, but every bite of sweet basil and homegrown arugula is a pleasure.  The Swiss chard is making a comeback, now that it doesn’t need to fight the heat, and every week I’ve been able to add a few little eggplant to dinner.   There are even a few tiny tomatoes and I know I’ll be cutting a lot of still ripening peppers when we get our killing frost warning.

Then there’s the little tiny baby fish in our pond.  Earlier this year, some predator wiped out all the goldfish in our teeny little pond.  Those fish were our friends.  They came to the sound of our voices.  We got new ones (we always rescue a few from the “feeder fish” tank at the pet store) and they’ve all made the summer.  But best of all, about two months ago we spotted a tiny little darting bit of silver grey that is now about an inch of white goldfish with orange spots.  It’s a scion of those we lost, a little bit of continuity.

How about the squirrel who ate (at a conservative estimate) eighty percent of the bird block we bought so Jim could take bird pictures?  That squirrel really annoyed the birds, and we’re back to putting seed in the feeders (which the squirrel can’t get to), but the bonus was some very cute squirrel pictures.

We even found a source for horse manure to use in next year’s garden! 

Little things.  Bright little things.  The background “music” to which I compose my stories.

This weekend, on Saturday, I’ll be hosting a Kaffee Klatche and participating on a panel at the this-year-virtual MileHiCon.  No problems finding a seat, and you can make sure your coffee and tea is just how you like it.

 Off to write now.  Be well!