I am not one who favors the cold.  Temperatures near freezing always threaten to put me in a foul mood.  Sometimes in the morning on a cold day, the chirping of many birds will interrupt the silence of early morning.  Now chirping birds always lighten my mood.  Moods are a funny thing.  They come and go and can change so fast.  But I have found that an almost sure way to brighten a “less than sunny” mood is with trying to find my lost, grateful heart.

Have you ever sat down and tried to list 50 things you were grateful for?   This morning I tried to do 50 things just from nature.

I am grateful for……

sunshine, sandy beaches, gentle and warm rains, rainbows, warm breezes, bees, honey, the smell of honeysuckle, flowers that bloom, and trees that bud in the spring.

I love a full moon, country nights away from city lights full of stars, waterfalls, green valleys, country lanes, horses, friendly dogs, digging in the soil, a garden and fresh vegetables….

blue skies, fluffy clouds, gold and silver,  turquoise and quartz, the smell of rubber and the smell of baking bread, the colors of autumn and the crunch of walking in fall leaves….

the sound of children’s voices, gentle hugs, passionate kisses, butterflies, rhododendron in the mountains, gentle streams, the taste of fresh caught salmon, butter on fresh bread, cinnamon and caramel apples.