On this joyful day the tone was set by a quote that popped up as a memory on Facebook. The words reminded me that there are no unimportant days. There can be simple ones, uneventful ones, sad or happy ones….but each day carries significance and meaning. I loved the way the gratitudes flowed together today.
Dragon Fruit Smoothie
I got to try the dragon fruit this morning, that I purchased yesterday. Amazingly, one of the grocery stores I visited, as I stocked up on groceries, had three of the exotic fruits in stock. I purchased one.
Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, protein, fiber and other micronutrients, making it a superfood that offers many healing benefits. Check out today’s Food Friday post on Journey With Healthy Me to learn more about dragon fruit.
I used the fruit to create a yummy and colorful smoothie for breakfast. My smoothie contained 2 bananas, 1 dragon fruit, 1 cup of frozen wild blueberries, 1 teaspoon of hemp seeds, 1 teaspoon of Hawaiian spirulina, 1 teaspoon Atlantic sea dulse and a small amount of bottled water.
I’m grateful for health boosting fruits!
Doing Laundry…at Home
For months my laundry room has been out of service. First the washer quit working and turned out to be beyond repair. Then, Greg decided to use that occurrence as an opportunity to do needed work on the room. My house was built in the late 1800s. Utility rooms didn’t exist then. A small back porch had been converted into a space for a washer and dryer. It has served well enough for the 35 years I’ve lived in the house…however, it was time for improvements.
I’m grateful for the work Greg did. The room looks less like a back porch…and more like a utility room, with bright walls and a new floor. And I have another washer. Best of all, after months of doing laundry at the homes of various family members, it is so nice to be able to wash and dry clothes at home again! It’s a simple pleasure, but a significant one to me, to be able to toss a load of clothes into the washer…and then go do something else that needs doing.
Thank you to my mom and daughters, who allowed me to use their laundry facilities. And thank you Greg, for all your work.
Homemade Veggie Soup
Another simple joy today involved preparing a big pot of homemade vegetable soup. As I purchased fresh produce yesterday, I had this soup in mind. I used to say I could live on bread, soup and diet Pepsi. Well, it turns out the bread and diet Pepsi were not contributing to my best life. However soup, especially wholesome soup that I make myself, is wonderfully filling and nutritious.
Here’s what went into my soup today:
1 yellow onion, chopped * 3 garlic cloves, minced * 2 celery stalks, chopped * 3 carrots, chopped * 4 small potatoes, cubed * 1 can non GMO corn * 1 can non GMO green beans * 1 can non GMO northern beans * 1 can non GMO lima beans * 2 cans organic diced tomatoes * 4 cups organic vegetable stock * 8 cups water * 1 tablespoon sea salt * 1/2 teaspoon black pepper * 2 teaspoons cumin
In a large soup pot, saute onion, garlic, celery and carrots in small amount of olive oil. Add potatoes, vegetable stock, tomatoes, water, sea salt, pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until veggies are cooked through. Add corn, green beans, lima beans and northern beans (or any variety of vegetables). Simmer a few more minutes.
I’m grateful for the healing goodness of veggies…and delicious, warming bowls of soup!
Mastering Technology
Okay, mastering might be too strong a word. However, even in the midst of unimportant days there can be triumphs. I have been steadily working on the blogs, building traffic, and tweaking things on the technology side. As I’ve pointed out before, technology can be quite challenging for me.
I am not a quitter though. When I can’t figure something out, I keep trying, keep going and keep coming back around to it.
Today I accomplished something that I attempted to do months ago, and failed at. I connected the blogs to Google Analytics. This is a totally behind the scenes tool that helps me analyze important data. I could not make it work before. Today, I made it happen relatively easily. Why today? Because I keep learning too. I’m grateful for a blogging class that I am taking, that gave me the confidence to make another attempt. And I’m thankful that these things really do get easier, the more brave I get about plunging in.
No Unimportant Days
I’m grateful, truly, for this day of routine tasks, household chores, simple cooking, and good food. I don’t mind at all that the highlight of my day involved a geeky computer activity. I’m smiling about it all.
In between all those moments were tucked texts to and from family, songs from Queen, brilliant sunshine streaming in the windows, cats curled up on my lap, and errands that had to be done. Everything was accomplished with joy and gratitude in my heart and the awareness that it all matters and that a life lived well is what is important.
I get to define what a life well lived looks like to me. And I am most grateful for that, as well.
