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Thursday, May 13, 2021

Three Small Joys

It's Thursday, a day when I often link up with Carole for Three on Thursday. In her post today, Carole chose to focus on three seemingly normal things that have become simple joys for her. Her post really resonated with me because part of my daily journaling practice during the pandemic has included a list each day of three things I've accomplished and five small things that have brought me joy that day. I started doing it early on, when every day felt the same and all the news seemed to be horrible. Reframing my perspective and forcing myself to find things to be happy about each day has really shown me how much I have to be grateful for. Often those simple joys are little things that made me smile -- like when I saw a fluffy young sparrow on my walk or when the sun came out after several days of rain -- but that's kind of the point, I think. So today I'm sharing three small joys from the past few days.

1. The weather has been dry this week after tons of rain last week, so the roofers have been able to work again.
As of yesterday, they'd gotten maybe a third to half of the back of the roof shingled. The back of the house is a bit more complicated than the front because we have a dormer back there, but it looks like they just might finish it this week. That leaves just the roof over the addition on the back of the house to do before the entire house part of the project is complete (they're going to be doing the roof of our garage as well, but it's smaller and shorter than the house and I hope will take less time as a result).


2. Our rose bushes have started to bloom.
This one was the first one to open up, and I have a feeling there might be a few more open this morning when I go to check on them. These bushes along our driveway were planted a long time ago by a previous owner of the house, and considering that I know nothing about growing roses and the landscapers who come to cut our grass and week likely don't, either, it's nothing short of a miracle that they keep growing. But every year they treat us to these beautiful hot pink blooms starting in the spring.


3. I finished my shawl -- and won at yarn chicken.
That little tangle of yarn you see in the top left of the photo (which is mysteriously coming out very grainy -- sorry about that) is all that is left of the skein after I bound off last night. It's just enough to weave in. I'll block the shawl tonight, if the timing works out, and I hope get the pattern ready this weekend.

I hope your day brings you some small joys and that they make you smile! Have a lovely end to your week. See you back here on Sunday!

7 comments:

  1. That was a SERIOUS game of yarn chicken! Good for you!
    The beginning of your post reminds me of a Brene Brown clip I listened to in a small group meeting last week. She was talking (similarly, but in reverse) about how gratitude is critical to experiencing joy. I've found that having discovered gratitude as a buoy to depression and 'lostness' back in 2010, I've been well served. Because now, even in distressing times, I'm very in tune with small joys like you share here. (And a fluffy little bird does it for me every time!).

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  2. I've actually been wishing for some rain because I planted lots of things in the garden and am getting tired of lugging watering cans, but I'm very glad you've got dry weather! Much of gardening is finding the right spot for plants, and your roses are surely in the right spot. And that is a big yarn chicken win; I hope you celebrated!

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  3. I love the simple joys. And that shawl makes me think it might be time for me to cast on a shawl. It has been a long time and I certainly have some yarn I could use.

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  4. I'm so happy to hear that the end is in sight for your roof! What a relief. That rose is gorgeous - I'm such a sucker for flowers! And what a lovely shawl! Every time I look at your blog (and the other knitters that I follow), I think I'm ready to get to knitting and then.... I'm just not! But I love that I can enjoy your projects vicariously :)

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  5. Simple pleasures are sometimes the best. Love your rose - what a delicious color!! And Yay for the roof being almost finished. Such a pretty shawl - glad you won (just barely!!) at yarn chicken!

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  6. I can't believe your roses are blooming! We had frost again this morning and I have no buds on any of my rose bushes yet! I love that shawl shape! I can't wait to see it blocked!! :)

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  7. Three lovely small pleasures. What a pretty rose. You must have had some warm weather for that flower to open. I look forward to seeing the shawl pattern.

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