This is a periodic blog feature I call “grace notes.” It occasionally captures my jottings of incidental gratitude. My hope is that this practice will make me (and you?) more aware of the constant flow of amazing good we are perpetually steeped in, which we are surrounded by all the time. It is here only asking to be noticed and amplified.

So now I am furthering my ongoing goal of appreciating such a continuous, overflowing abundance of random good. I’ve taken photographs of some of them with my iPhone, which you can see in this post.

So let’s start this gratitude list with:

• Our home improvement projects (recently blogged)
• Our younger daughter receiving the TA of the Year award (recently blogged).
• For flowers in our garden: hyacinth, tulips, columbine, lilacs, and the general beautiful glory of spring. For the new leaves on the trees, and for all the rain we’ve gotten. That my husband is starting to install new metal raised beds, replacing our old, worn out, wood ones, and that he’s started our produce on our front step (note below his method: dirt in toilet paper rolls).
• For both of my sisters, and for the fact that one of them sold her house in 3 days for an all cash offer. I’m very grateful for all that transpired for that house to become ready to sell, and for all the incredibly practical, loving help my sister received  from her church in the process.
• That I talk with both daughters often, which includes gratitude for the vehicles of this: texting, phones, Facetime, and zoom.
• That I’ll be painting in Maine soon with wonderful people.
• For all the good healing work done in my spiritual practice.
• For being in two art shows recently.
• For my new comfy shoes and for the fact that my feet don’t hurt.
• For all our restaurant meals out while we worked on our kitchen, especially that fabulous lobster flatbread and those good egg sandwiches.
• For the fact that I’m deep into redesigning my artist website.
• For planning a trip to Switzerland this summer with husband and daughters.
• For my wonderful office/studio space and for all the contemplative time I spend here.
• For all the good stuff I’m reading, both fiction and non-fiction, old articles and lectures, audio books, library books, books I own in my to-be-read pile, and for the fact that reading multiple things at a time works for me, so I always have something going that I’m in the mood for. Also for every good reading recommendation I get, for our local community bookstore two blocks from my house, and for all my book groups and the people in them.
• For our sweet church and our recent jam packed business meeting.
• For our farmer’s market starting up again for the season.
• For Costco, Trader Joes, Community Shellfish, and General Bakeshop.
• For safety, health, harmony, joy, usefulness, and good work all around.
• For the fact that our niece visited our older daughter in California for 10 days over Easter, and for the fact that she sewed some of my mom’s fabric and patterns while there. I’m glad they had a fun bonding time before our niece becomes a mother this summer. So grateful too for the expected one! Grateful too for anticipating nephews’ wedding in the fall to a woman we really like.
• For good cribbage hands and for the fact that my husband and I play cribbage most days right after dinner.
• For my handmade vases and pottery, as well as for a new crystal bud vase we just got at a local estate sale.
• For my husband’s podcast (the Bible Speaks to You). For its approachable and practical message, for the far reach and avid listenership it has. Also for how conscientious he is about it. I’m grateful for his prison ministry too.
• For all the help my husband is to me and especially for his companionship. I’m grateful we “do gratefuls” together every night, right before we go to sleep.
• For recent spiritual inspirations about working out from the perfection God made instead of trying to work up to it. Phew!
• For new readers of Science and Health and all the blessings that it brings.
• For my new pens and ink, for my early desk time of study every morning, for my journals, both written and art ones.
• For research and learning opportunities available online.
• For all the efforts anyone makes to take care of our earth, and for each and every philanthropic effort that supports those in need.
• For the breaking down of barriers worldwide.
• For all my painting supplies and ideas.
• For my commitment to draw more.
• For my friends near and far, those I see often and those I don’t.
• For already having four workshops scheduled for me to teach for 2024.
• For clean drinking water.
• For hugs, and sunsets, and organization, and kindness. For the knowledgeable twin owners at our local hardware store. For pears, for James’ homemade/homegrown raspberry jam, for almond crackers, protein powder, and fabulous take-out eggplant lasagna. For ribbons, and string, staples and paper clips, scissors and tape. For color and texture, and composition, and value. For the fact that our offspring are all avid readers. For mindfulness, exercise, quietude, and hot showers. For fleece blankets. For hedgehogs, coyotes, giraffes, blue heron, and bears. For our new orange linen tablecloth, for vibrant green lichen, for our daughter’s lovely new work headshot. For checks to put in the bank. For the ever-steady, ever-ready Principle of the universe.
• For you, my precious blog readers. Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting this site. It wouldn’t happen without you and I am most grateful. So grateful, specifically for YOU, and for all the vast good you do, and think, and say!

Put some of your grace notes in the comments!