Once again I nod to estaratshirai  who started the Gratitude Project. I joined this myself in 2004 on Livejournal. The Gratitude Project runs from Lammas to Mabon. It entails you being mindful of whatever brings you Joy and you journal “the something” you are grateful for each day between those Sabbats. No repeats – you can be grateful for your spouse/kids/job/friends, but the reason for the gratitude needs to be different for each entry. It can BIG or not, your journal/blog entry can be long or short. It can be on paper or in pixels and public or private.

Why: A daily focused devotional work that runs from first to second harvest is a lovely and useful thing for me. I’m not someone who gets stuck for long in a “why me?” stage and I do that with a sigh, slow grin at whatever piece is absurd, and remembering a blessing. I do tend to rely on the same blessings on some sort of auto-repeat that is internal and almost unconscious. This project opens me to all the others in ways I would not pay close attention to if not forced by this project. Every year a little bit of the openness sticks and I have a wider repertoire of gratitudes to choose from to unstick in my most intense moments. So, that is my why.

Today I am grateful for my wee vegetable garden. Growing your own food is like printing money. Growing your own food eliminates chemicals and is fresh as can be. Win, win. It’s been decades since I’ve had a dedicated ground space and it feels wonderful! The deer have been kept at bay as have the rabbits and squirrels. Though I planted late, tomatoes and peppers and whatnots are doing their best to come forth in rainy, cooler, and longer spurts than we usually have. Go garden!

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