Friday Gratitude: A Productive Yet Mellow Week

Checked cloth, fresh peach, yogurt and a maple syrup swirl.

Last week, it seemed that there was a lot going on- events and nonstop action. This week, I’ve still been busy, but more in a getting-things-done kind of way. Checking things off the ever-present To-Do List and moving on to the next thing, which usually leads to a nice sense of satisfaction.

This Friday Gratitude is significant perhaps, as I realize how long I’ve done this weekly series. I don’t exactly consider myself good at keeping up with things regularly, and this is Friday Gratitude #12!. I’ve been doing this gratitude thing every single week since May 31; I love that. I love that this weekly practice has caused me to think of the positives throughout the week, as well.

Spinach sautéed with garlic, then tossed with quinoa, mozzarella cheese, white kidney beans, lemon juice and red pepper flakes.

Wahoo, it’s time for some positivity!

Friday Gratitude, Part 12: Productivity, sauna time, and more!

I’m grateful for my productivity this week. Having a new day planner really helps me to keep track of errands to run, who I’ve been in touch with, personally and blog-wise, and deadlines (school-related, blog, etc). I’m patting myself on the back this week for wrangling in my ADD-prone mind and making that extra effort to be a bit more organized.

Also in the organization department, all of my photos are now organized by year, month, and day on my external hard drive! No more wondering where I put certain pictures or what’s in a strangely labeled folder on my desktop. That is a huge weight off my shoulders, and makes finding photos (like, um, for blog posts??) much easier. (As such, all the photos in today’s post are random food finds from 2012.)

Summer squash salad: raw squash tossed with a basil, lemon juice, and olive oil marinade, plus quinoa, red bell pepper, and pecorino romano cheese.

I mentioned sauna time in Monday’s epic list, and yesterday I visited the Omega sauna for the first time since last year.  I always feel so loose and relaxed after sitting in there. Can’t saunas be a free public service, like town pools? 🙂

As always, I’m grateful for hang out time with friends, spending time with my favorite one-and-a-half year old Bean, and that hard-working, talented and supportive husband of mine.

Lightly sautéed kale with salt and lemon juice and scrambled eggs on toast, all sprinkled with pecorino romano cheese and some dill.

What are you grateful for today? (And are you hungry after looking at these food pictures?)

Some links, since I haven’t shared any in a while:

• I’m guest posting on another blog next month and Meg has done feature posts on everyone who’s filling in for her- here’s the sweet write-up she did on me and Sweet and Savoring!
• Summer market waffles: Putting zucchini and basil in waffle batter turned out to be a very good idea!
• Do any of you have gardens? We have lots of herbs as well as veggies, and this post on how to harvest sage is particularly helpful.
• I’m not a mother, but I love what Bridget says here about summer, motherhood, and beauty.

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All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget.  In this – as in other ways – they are the opposite of paintings.  Paintings record what the painter remembers.  Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.     –John Berger