Ashville botanical gardens
Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2013

I love flowering trees
Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2013

href=”https://idealisticrebel.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=3471″ rel=”attachment wp–att-3471″> Kite flying on the beach
Photograph taken and copyrighted by Barbara Mattio 2013[/caption]

I think they look so peaceful. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2013

Blue Ridge Mountain
Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2013

woodland stream. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2012

I dedicated my day today to gratitude. I have been listing in my head all I have to be grateful for and I have smiled all day. I think it may have made some people nervous. LOL. Actually, I try to be always grateful but I kept my gratitude in the forefront of my mind. Sometimes we just need to change things around a bit. It is wonderful to be more aware of what is going on around you. And to make sure you have a calm and peaceful center.

Sometimes it is good to look at an old recipe and to see it with fresh ideas. You can turn that old favorite into a tremendous dish. It works the same for family and friends. We love them and they are always there but it is a form of meditation to look at them with new eyes. To really contemplate all they mean to you each and every day.

I encourage you to try a dedicated day for gratitude and see if it isn’t a loving, eye opening experience. I hope you enjoy your day and find yourself smiling at the world also.