We’ve had a very nice string of weather the past few weekends, so we’ve been enjoying a fire in our backyard fire pit. We had it installed when we poured our patio last year, and we both wish we’d had it done sooner. There’s something very calming about sitting around a fire, drinking a cup of coffee, sometimes sharing our thoughts and other times just quietly listening to the crackle of the wood as it burns. For some that might seem like a boring way to spend weekend evenings, but it’s perfect for us.

The husband and I aren’t flashy folk. The older I get, the more I realize that living with *finesse is about appreciating the little things. We like watching the rabbits and birds who share our yard and even the coyotes (although the coyotes were more fun to watch when they were being chased by our Rhodesian Ridgeback Cocoa who passed away last year).

Maybe that’s why we enjoy the quiet, simple, relaxing times. There have been times we’ve been running like those coyotes being chased by our busy schedules Monday through Friday. It’s nice to just sit back and not think about anything other than the person we love most in this world sitting beside us and knowing that for this moment we have no place we have to go, and nothing we need to do.

My appreciation finesse level: 
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What’s your appreciation finesse level?

*finesse (skill, flair, grace elegance, poise, assurance)