Starting the Year Off on the Right Foot

Well, mostly the right foot! We had Jo Ellen and Don over for a veritable feast. With plenty of animal protein along with all the vegetables. I used 3 Italian sausages to flavour the tomato sauce, and then to make the stuffing for the peppers. We also had meat ravioli for a first course and chicken breasts for our main course. Oh my. We had a good visit and all managed to stay awake for the dropping of the ball in Times Square. We are getting older though - even though there was a bottle of my favorite bubbles chilled, we didn't even open it.

Today was a quiet day with time for reflection. 2012 was a good year with much to be grateful for. Not just the big stuff (visit with Kirsten and the girls ; camping at Presquile, trip to Alberta, new camper, turning 50 are the events the first come to mind), but almost every day was filled with small pleasures. Simple things like: watching the swallows learn to fly ; teaching Spike new tricks ; snowshoeing on crisp white snow ; lovely fresh produce to create healthy but good tasting meals ; the blue sky ; hot summer ; wild flowers growing in the hay field ; time spent with Carm ; visits with family ; playing with the dogs ; listening to Grace talk ; my morning smoothie ; bubbles ; watching old movies ; the smell of garlic sauteeing on the stove ; music, all different kinds of music ; hot baths ; leaves budding ; the smell of clover ; visits with friends ; ... I could go on and on as there is so much to be grateful for.

Here's to another spectacular year!

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

Ralph Waldo Emerson