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Daily gratitudes:
- MKL’s birthday
- Cool evenings
- Clouds
- A successful trip to town
- Quirky prayers over pancakes
I’ve gone quiet. But I’m okay. It’s been a month of more losses for people I love. It’s been hot and dry, even here in the Wet Mountains. The Cozy House has been scraped to nothing, though I haven’t been back yet to see the nothingness. They did not tell me before they did it, as they were supposed to, so I didn’t have the chance to be there. I hadn’t decided if it would be good for me or not. And then they made the decision for me. We’re coming up on six months and some days, some thoughts, the pain of the loss is unbearable and other times, I forget that it’s real. I’m sure I’ll feel like writing about that soon.
But for now, I feel like sharing images, so I’ll share some from last month’s (kind of a shitshow) trip to lovely Albuquerque.

Daily gratitudes (I need to keep doing these):
- A cooler day
- Snuggly Pharaoh
- Minor indulgences
- Work
- Sunlight








The Uvalde Massacre has broken my heart. It’s been 20 years since the Columbine Massacre and nothing has changed. Not in protecting our children, not in sensible gun control, not in police practices in these unthinkable scenarios, not in politicians’ responses. I thought that somehow Sandy Hook would have been a catalyst. Then I thought that Parkland would have been a catalyst. What’s the saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me? I won’t waste my spirit thinking that Uvalde will be a catalyst. Our society is so broken, so irrational, so angry, and so polarized that we are sunk in an impenetrable fog and cannot see our way out. At least I can’t. I still have faith. I’m just not sure what I have faith in right now.








Today’s gratitudes:
- Curious (and shorn) alpacas
- Room service
- Favorite trees







Daily gratitudes:
- MKL
- Do-overs
- That the wind has calmed a smidge


My husband is finally coming home. ❤️
While I generally prefer cooking with fresh things, this is an easy, tasty vegetarian dish that I can throw together in minutes. It’s might spicy, so tastebuds beware!
Mexican Quinoa
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic (I use the bottled stuff)
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1 c. quinoa (I use the stuff that’s already kind of cooked)
- 1 c. vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 15 oz. can corn, drained
- 1 can diced jalapeño peppers, drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Diced avocado
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cumin and stir for about a minute. Add the beans, tomatoes, corn, jalapeños, and quinoa. After about 1 minute, add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Remove pan from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Add a half an avocado, diced, to each bowl when serving. Serves 4 as an excellent spicy comfort food.

Today’s gratitudes:
- Firefighters
- Having the end of MKL’s move in sight
- Almost two months with no sugar (because I’m sweet enough as it is, damn it)





Today’s gratitudes:
- Goats
- Grazing alpacas
- MKL
- Tulips blooming today



Today’s gratitudes:
- Lovely neighbors
- Horses
- Counting down the days
- A plane ticket in hand (even if it’s just to Dallas)
On Hwy. 12, somewhere between Weston and Segundo.






Today’s gratitudes:
- Lemon ginger tea