Happiness and the "ahh" factor

At the beginning of this new year, I'm realizing how calm and happy I am at this point in my life.

I know this is what we all aspire to...the "ahh" factor.  Nearing my 61st birthday, I've never been closer to my ideal life!

 

 

Here is a picture of my beautiful Aunt Doris before she passed away in 2010.  No one influenced me more in my life than she did.  Her little home was her haven, and she had a true appreciation of antiques and all things collectible.  She also crocheted afgans, and made yarn dolls, too.  She found joy in the simplest of things:  her beautiful roses, her August Lilly's, a freshly mowed yard.  We would visit in her small backyard and talk for hours.  Her memories of her younger years in a small town are conversations I will never forget.

 

My husband, Dean and I met because of Aunt Doris, a result of his 8 year friendship with her.  He would visit her little back yard with his dog, Jake during their daily "runs", and because of their common interests in sports, gardening and politics, he learned a lot about me from these conversations.  I only met him when I returned to Indianapolis from an 8 year job transfer to Washington DC to take care of Aunt Doris during the last six years of her Alzheimer's.  Dean placed this bench of her's on the side yard of our new country home.  Last fall, he built a beautiful arbor over it, made from chippy, white French Doors we had purchased during one of the annual Covered Bridge Festivals (just 4 miles down the road from our new home).

Dean and Jake

 

 Dean's vegetable garden last year!

 

 

I canned much of what we didn't eat out of our first-ever garden here at the farm.  I hope to be more selective in my harvest this year, and plan on lots more green beans and tomatoes!

 

This is a view from our back formal garden and woods.  Talk about relaxing!

 

 

 

Our property is bordered in the back by a small creek.  Even a small waterfall!

 

 

I finally have my sweet home, complete with a white picket fence!!  I'd call this happiness!!

 

We lost Jake the spring following Aunt Doris' passing.  Now, our little pup Griff, is learning to navigate our 10 acres.  Even since I took this picture, he has grown tremendously!!  Now if I could just get Griff and our cat Biscuit to become good friends, my mission would be complete!!

 

Miss Biscuit, with the perfect look-out perch!

 

Ahh!