I had a perfectly lovely day yesterday. It feels like there ought to be an ingredient list for lovely days: take 70 degree weather, add sunshine and a light breeze, mix in some good food, a sprinkle of pleasant surroundings, and voila, you’ve got a lovely day. But I don’t think it generally works like that. The right ingredients don’t mean a thing if you’re in the wrong mood. And if you’re in the right mood, the ingredients can be all wrong and the day can still be perfectly lovely.

Plus, some of the ingredients change. Most of the time, I truly appreciate having music be a part of my day, but yesterday, I never bothered to turn any on, because the silence felt so peaceful and pleasant. Well, and not very silent. There are a ton of birds in Trimble Park, the campground I’m staying in, and it’s never silent. Peaceful and pleasant and lovely, though, definitely.

Today, alas, was not nearly so lovely. Mostly because I spent a good chunk of the day dealing with health insurance stuff. I think I will not use my blog to vent about that, because it’s not anything I’m going to want to re-read a decade from now — I suppose someday I might feel nostalgic for my current health insurance, but I sincerely hope that doesn’t come to pass. But it was enough to… well, not ruin my day. But take it down from “perfectly lovely” to more of the “count your blessings” level.

Fortunately, one of my blessings is that I am surrounded by beauty. Florida has its flaws — the mosquitoes seem to be thriving and quite happy right now — but it sure can deliver on the sunsets.

sunset at Trimble Park