The other day, I was in my garden just gazing at my green bean vines, noticing how beautiful they looked with all their differing shades of green, glinting in the sun with just-appearing blossoms....and I found myself choked with tears. The feeling washing over me was "this is how I'm supposed to live...this is contentment. This is how I always wanted to live. This, right now."

I only wish I'd found it sooner. My husband plays a huge, huge, part in this sense of contentment as he fully buys in to the notion of simplicity and doing for ourselves. We share core values associated with our style of living and that makes such a difference.

I intend to bottle away the aforementioned feeling--kind of a "happy place" moment--- to be uncorked on one of those drizzly days this winter when I feel sluggish and without purpose. Hopefully I can pour that feeling out and remember the throat lump and the misty-eyed revelation triggered by those verdant veggies that summer day.

What about you, dear reader? Have you ever had such a moment? Do you try and recall them in those later down times? Does it work for you?