forty-seven

and so i'm sitting here, sipping a cup of chocolate cherry kiss coffee (it tastes just as good as it sounds), enjoying the cool fall weather that blew in just today, and continuing the serious note of late - I'm counting my Many Blessings.

today was a special day for me.  not just because it was a birthday.  and boy, did i celebrate - with chocolate.  an intense chocolate orange bar with almonds, and chocolate cake with whipped frosting.  i bet i gained six pounds, but figured it was a holiday so what the heck.  what made the day so special was the walk my son invited me on this morning.

we went down to what i fondly call the back 40, spike bringing up the rear and marking every tiny pine that had sprouted and simply enjoyed the morning.  it was wonderful, and even more wonderful that dale invited me into his domain.

and then when i got back, the folks over at Galadrial's Respite (if you're a poetry lover, that is THE place to go for reading) had surprises waiting in the garden gate.  my friends, jesse johnson and lisa shields had each written a poem...for me.

do you know how humbling that is? to see how someone else sees you, in words...and knowing you cannot possibly be that deserving of their regard.

and there was a card from Lahoma that made me smile and giggle and i finally told her what an inspiration she is to everybody. i should have done that a long time ago.

and all this, plus my little granddaughter's words - you're my best fwiend in the whole world - made me realize just how very blessed i am, and how i don't do enough for these people...

thank you, jesse, lisa, dale, rouge, kellye, lahoma, charles and little sara.  you're all stars in my sky.