Things that make me happy...

When you’re feeling down, nothing helps more beating the blues, then to make a list of all the things that make you feel grateful.

I’m feeling good at the moment, but we all have our moments.
Being cooped up with sick kids is definitely one of them... Like that week when even a trip to the supermarket, (the only thing left in the fridge was an echo), feels like an outing.
So, what puts a smile on my face?

* Family. We have our in-laws visiting, the delight on all those faces after an absence of two years. The kids are having two weeks of school holidays and are making the most of our time together. With lots of trips and time for games.

* Going on bush walks. Being surrounded by nature is very restorative, we’re lucky to have World Heritage listed National Parks within an hours drive. Boulder to climb, creeks to wade through and beaches to stroll. In those beautiful rainforests in the mountains, surrounded by mammoth trees, all your problems seem very small.

* Spring is in the air. Temperature is rising, so is the level of the rainwater tank. Fruit trees are working hard on developing bananas (!), plums, peaches, apples, elderberries and just about every kind of citrus. The mulberry had an early start and we often finds the kids stained purple. 5 mulberry trees might still not be enough to make jam...

* The veggie garden. After many hours of weeding, helping hands with restoring the path, the border and planting lots of new seedlings, my veggie garden is back in business. We’re picking peas, fennel and the many herbs that have survived my neglect. Lots of tomatoes are starting to form and we’re all looking forward to eating many melons in a couple of months time. Having your hands in the soil is very grounding, a great way to let all the negative energy evaporate in the sun.

* Music. I love many genres of music from classic to blues to rock to singer-songwriter. I’ve discovered Pokey LaFarge. He and the South Side Three have been keeping me company in the kitchen. Stirring pots, dancing, making huge batches of granola while singing and clapping along.

* Food. I love my food, but I love it more when I know who grew it. My friend Kylie messaged me last week, the purple garlic was cured (dried) and ready to pick up. 3kg of wonderful garlic sure does put a spring in my step. A farmers market, with home raised meat, knowing your growers, tomatoes taste so much better. A Curry Festival, yep that sure makes my day. Olives, macadamias and bananas straight from the farm, salad straight out of the garden. Picking blueberries at a nearby farm with the kids, or the boxes of eggs and fruit dropped off by the neighbours. It makes me very grateful to live in such a beautiful growing area and all the lovely growers that are more then happy to share their bounty.

* Writing. I never thought myself a writer, with English as a second language I often feel insecure about my written words. With time being precious and so many other projects going on, I’ve let it lapse. But I’ve missed it, badly and although time is scarce, it keeps pulling me back. It’s a great way to look at the big picture of our lives. Writing for me is not about having a lot of readers, its a way to create order in my head, to focus on all the good things happening in my life. To share that happiness, ideas and recipes with whoever who bothers to read it. that’s a bonus.

A little focus (a camera sure helps with that) and before you know it, you see smiles everywhere.