Thankful (even after the holiday for it) for:

"You think this is just another day in your life. It's not just another day. It is the one day that is given to you today. It is given to you, it's a gift! It's the only gift that you have right now. And the only appropriate response is gratefulness. If you learn to respond as if today were the first day of your life, and the very last day, then you will have spent this day very well. Then everyone you will meet on this day will be blessed by you. Just by your eyes, by your smile, by your touch, just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. Then it will really be a good day."

I heard this quote here.

It reminded me how precious a day is.

And made me glad I had spent mine outside.

Gathering fallen chestnuts, pinecones, and boughs from the cemetery. 

All on my way home from class.  

I got lost in the gloriousness of it all for well over an hour.

And sort of made a day of it.

I was delighted by the squirrels who gathered mounds of pinecones at the base of every tree.

And only felt mildly bad for robbing them of their spoils.

I was genuinely startled to look up and see two deer watching my every move. 

They were so close but didn't even flinch.

We watched each other for quite some time.

Until I realized that although camera-less, I did however have my phone with me.

And I was equally happy to discover a black & white setting on there. 

Beautiful day indeed.