gratitude

I haven't felt much in the chatty mood lately. It's smokey outside from all the fires in California. The Government Fire that is closest to where we live, has an estimated containment date of August 1st. ugh. The sun is an orange ball in the sky. From inside it looks like winter; overcast and dark. When you step outside you are blasted by 105 degree heat and the smell of smoke. In the mornings when it's still a little cool, I can pretend it smells like camping (for a brief moment), with early morning campfires.

The biggest reason I'm quiet here in this space lately is because all this smoke has given me a terrible sinus headache. Six days to be exact. With no near end in sight. It's enough to make me want to lay down and cry. I'm pretty sure everyone that lives here (in CA) feels the same way. So, enough with my pity party. I'm trying to have an attitude of gratitude. trying...

Take a look at my smokey picture above and you will notice the ladder in the bottom right hand corner. This is the ladder for picking apricots on our tree. I am grateful for an apricot tree and a husband that is teaching me to make apricot jam.

And I am oh, so grateful for apricot jam because I LOVE it :) Mmmmmm.....

Some other things to be grateful for right now:

* A home in which to escape the smoke.
* Air conditioning to escape the hot temperatures.
* Children who don't seem to mind so much that we are staying indoors most of the time.
* A vast supply of children's cartoons and movies on DVD and Video ;)
* The library that is smoke free and air conditioned AND has more videos and books in which to help keep us entertained.
* My husband has managed to not get called away on a strike team as of yet.
* Zucchini and yellow squash in my garden don't seem to be effected by the smoke filled air.
* Family and friends (cheesy, but true.)