As I work on characters, I think of how the way they look at their circumstances changes everything. Take two characters facing the same events. One of them is grumpy, seeing only the negatives. The other chooses to see the positives. It makes quite a difference. I know I prefer to write about those who choose the positives. Just as I prefer living with such people.

A good lesson for me.

Summer is busy. Always. Garden, company, trying to pack all the good living into a few weeks. Sometimes it’s crazy. I could bemoan my busy-ness of find the good in it all. So in an attempt to do so I am going to list in no particular order things that make my summer good.

1. the garden. Peas, beans, raspberries, new potatoes. Despite a cool, dry spring the garden is bountiful. Here’s a peak at the raspberries. Yummy. We also had saskatoons and I made pies. Yummy.

2. birds. I love the birds of summer. Watching them, listening to them. Baby robins just learning to fly sit on the branch of the Mayday tree and mommy bird pops berries into their mouths. Barn swallows build a nest on the corner of the house and divebomb cats and people when the babies are getting ready to fly. A humming bird comes by each morning and evening to drink from the flowers.

3. Cats. Or more accurately, kittens. One of the best things about living on a farm is the fun of having a batch of kittens every year. So far I have had no trouble giving them away–even though it’s hard to say goodbye. This year we had 2 batches born about the same time with 4 in each batch. The two mother cats shared mothering duties.

4. Flowers. What can I say? Summer is a riot of flowers.

5. Company. It’s great to see friends and relatives. To catch up on the news. To sit and drink coffee and visit on the patio. To barbecue hamburgers.

6. Travel. Never enough time but at least I managed a research trip to Idaho. Hopefully I’ll make a few days trips yet before winter sets in.

7. Grandchildren. I love seeing them, listening to what they’ve been doing. I especially love getting news ones. Two new ones so far this summer and one more to go. Here’s a sneak peak at two babies and a five year old.

8. Last but not least is that all these wonderful things make me realize how blessed I am. Blessed by friends and family, blessed by the beautiful country I live in and blessed to know God loves me. I hope you too are finding things about you that make you rejoice.