I know I am blessed in so many ways. My family, my friends, where I live, the freedoms I enjoy, my health, my work…the list could go on and on. I don’t know about you but I too often forget how much I have to enjoy. So today, I thought I would purposely think of some of my favorite things.

1. The Rocky Mountains that I can see every day on my walks, in town, driving down the road. I long for a visit to them but in the meantime, I enjoy the distant view of them. Here are a couple of my favorite scenes. I have dozens of them and many, many more memories.

2. Banff. I know it’s in the mountains but it’s a different enjoyment. The year I graduated from high school I worked in the Banff area and have had a deep fondness for the town and area since that time. So many good memories. Such a pretty town.

3. Sunrise walks. To watch the pinks, purples and oranges color the sky is uplifting. I’ll miss enjoying it when summer comes because, no, I’m not getting up at 3 a.m. to see the sunrise.

4. Colors. Indoors or outdoors, colors feed my soul.

5. Blue and green. In the midst of winter, beaches, the color of water and sky all brighten my day. Too bad I have to go to Hawaii to enjoy these scenes.

6. Unusual shapes and patterns. Or just patterns. I don’t know what it says about me that I love to see patterns. I can’t be the only one or they wouldn’t be so prevalent in architecture and nature.

7. Writing retreats. I have always thought real authors write in coffee shops, in quiet, secluded places or at least, away from home places. So I feel real when I write in such places.

There you have. Just a smattering of things I love and enjoy and believe me, it’s just a few items on a long list. So next time you hear me grumble about some small inconvenience, remind me of all the good things in my life. Thanks.