have a GOOD day

these things are FREE!

(and make life better)

a smile
a friendly greeting
sharing a memory
a gentle touch
a heartfelt compliment
a good joke, followed by a good belly laugh
a kind thought
skipping
eye contact
saying thank you
holding a door open
courage
singing
turning a cartwheel
covering your cough/sneeze
allowing someone else to go first
a wink
prayer
taking a walk
breathing deeply
choosing not to speak
sharing ideas
listening
forgiveness

...what else?

little elephant

My fingers might be getting smarter.

Over the weekend I resurrected my crocheting skills.

(By skills, I mean I learned how to crochet several sad-looking pot holders on a few consecutive Tuesday nights in the '70s at age 12.)

I was excited to finish this elephant--and a little worried in the process, as I wasn't sure he was going to come out quite so cute (the kids nicknamed him Hammer-head before I got his ears put on; he really did look like a soft gray mallet with eyes).

I used this book for the pattern.

The nameless little elephant just left

(via saltine box in the US Mail)

for New Hampshire to become my little nephew's

early adoption-day gift.

NEXT winter's wood just arrived.

 hooray for warmth!

most of the kids, when they came down the driveway from school yesterday weren't as happy as me to see that pile... 

to them, it means a few summer days of splitting and stacking.

basketball with yellow #9

 this one I like to call "the blonde blur"

a good day for skating

Sunderland, MA

I really like this old barn.