Recently, while picking up some wine and cheese at my favorite country store on the water, I stumbled across this book.

It's a series of short stories about taking time to appreciate the little things in life, the small blessings.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the craziness of today's world...

This book is a nice reminder to stop, take a deep breath, and to look and listen to the beauty around you... Appreciate the small blessings.

Like strawberry picking with your family...

And the smell of homemade strawberry muffins on a Sunday morning...

 Working in the garden in the morning and hearing only the birds around you...

Or stopping in your travels to appreciate those beautiful roadside flowers...

With short stories entitled, "The Farm Market, Christmas Fire, and September Garden," I highly recommend this book!

If you are floating on the lake like me, sitting on the beach, or relaxing on a shady porch...

I hope you can slow down at times and appreciate the small magical moments! Enjoy!

On the road to the Stowe Farmers market...

The best part about being over 40 is that I think you finally appreciate the small stuff.

Grateful for the little things and beautiful experiences...

 Bike rides and family time...

After a bike ride, fresh squeezed lemonade...

Appreciating the beauty of where you live...

Maybe being a little nutty along the way...

Patience and time in a jar...

Fresh Herbs...

Flowers that make you smile...

Fresh baked pies...

Homemade ice cream with my family after a bike ride...

Fresh bread to bring home...

Bruschetta, fresh ingredients, and a glass of wine on a warm summer evening.

Stop and appreciate the little things, Enjoy!

Sitting by the dock of the bay, waisting time...

No. Not really, and not by the dock yet either.

 How about on my deck, by the pond with absolutely nothing planned! It's been so long that I didn't have to do this or do that!

 Some sort of deadline, somewhere to be, not enough time in the day...

 Ahh, it's summer and there is time. Time for nothing at all really and that is fine. Time for me, time for fun projects on a whim.

 Time to use that driftwood we collected last summer...

 Time to walk around the garden and take a deep breath.

Time to appreciate...

 Time to slow down and sit for a while with someone I love. ;)

One more week of school and let the lazy days of summer begin! Well maybe not so lazy, with gardening of course. Everything is coming along nicely...

Free fresh cut flowers!

 Fish are thriving and growing after the long cold winter..

Second summer with the pond is beautiful.

Honeysuckle and time for me to enjoy it!

Poppies about to burst! So am I with  excitement about summer vacation!

Our grapes are doing well too...

Just one more week, I think I see the light!

I absolutely LOVE being a teacher, I do! I must admit that I do like my summers too! And I believe it is Finally here, we waited for so long!

It's so nice to see how our perennials have spread and expanded!

We try to remember some of the new perennials purchased from the year before.

And watch for our loved peonies to pop, and our amazing fish that survived a tough winter!

Where flowers bloom so does hope. -Lady Bird Johnson
~And so does a deadline for me to stop buying so many annuals!

Evenings of relaxing on the deck with a glass of wine and the sound of our waterfall into the pond is priceless.

It's here..

It's here...

It's finally here... Enjoy :)