So something that I try to do when the weather is nice is go outside and just lie in the pasture, looking at the clouds.  It is immensely relaxing, and for just that little bit of time, all of the stress I’m feeling completely disappears.  It is a wonderful feeling, especially when the herd comes over to get scratched while I’m at it.

Not everybody is as fortunate as I am, and so not everybody has a nice pasture to lie in when the weather is nice.  Therefore, have some cool-looking cloud pictures (and one picture with no clouds…because blue skies are pretty).

That reminds me: I am a very blessed guy.  Now, don’t go rolling your eyes and stuff.  I do it, too, so that’s why I’m telling you not to, and I’m not being hypocritical.  I’m not one who preaches my religion very much (or at all).  In fact, I’m pretty private about it.  I might do an entry on my beliefs one of these days (or maybe later today; I seem to be on a roll), but for now, suffice to say that I think it’s very important to count your blessings, and not just from a religious perspective.  I find that deliberately taking the time to enumerate the things for which I’m grateful helps my mood overall, and doing it habitually makes the downs in life easier to cope with.  It’s one thing to remember that things could be worse, but it’s another thing to recognize the things that you should not only not-lament but celebrate!

So if you’re reading this, then I challenge you to list five things you’re grateful for.  They can be clichés or completely original, but they should be heartfelt.  Since I’ve had a lot of practice with this, I’ll list ten:

1. My camper is intact; nothing is broken (for right now).
2. My animals are all healthy.
3. I am healthy.
4. I have a good-paying job.
5. I live in a place where I can go outside and look at clouds like the ones above.
6. My family is healthy and safe.
7. I’m eating a Reese’s…and it’s hard for anything to be bad when you’re doing that!
8. I watched a YouTube video today of a bug getting hit by a bug-zapping fly swatter today.  The fly’s carapace and head literally blew off of him.  That was so very satisfying to watch.  (Memo to self: blog entries on why I hate flies and mosquitoes…)
9. I live in a country where I don’t have to worry about the government coming after me for writing any of this.
10. Today was a productive and nice day.

Okay, your turn!