“A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world. “ ~ Joseph Addison

I had a busy and fun-filled weekend. I feel the pressure to fit in all of the summertime  activities that bring me personal fulfillment before the arrival of cool weather in NW Colorado.

Yesterday, my husband and I went paddle boarding on Steamboat Lake in north Routt County. It was fun and much easier than I would have expected. The board was big, wide and easy to balance. As I paddled out to the center of the lake, I purposely propelled myself around in a circle to take in the 360 degree views of the 10,000 ft. mountain peak surroundings. A small colony of artists have settled in the area of Hahn’s Peak, where the landscape is indeed inspiring, in its natural beauty. In a recent article, the Steamboat Pilot interviewed some of the artists living in the area and they spoke of what the area brings to their art. http://bit.ly/TwfrM0. 

Saturday evening, my husband and I went to a B a B y Q – a rancher’s version of a baby shower. I am so happy for the parents-to-be who are in for the gift of a lifetime in about four weeks. Parenting will change their lives in more ways than I could ever tell them.

Babies and the blessing of rain that has come, toward the end of summer, were topics  of conversation throughout the evening. As we looked out over the 200+ acres of the ranch landowner’s property, it was good to see that they are haying. Pastures, all summer, have suffered the effects of drought conditions – not good for the agricultural industry.

On Friday evening, I ushered at my last Strings Musical Festival assignment for the season. The 25th Anniversary year is almost behind us. Johnny Clegg, a musician from South Africa was terrific. The music his band played was different and multi-cultural, as was the commentary between each number. This Grammy-award nominee has spoken out against apartheid, and he considers himself a cultural ambassador which has earned him honorary degrees from Dartmouth, CUNY and the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. To read more about his accomplishments, and his music, Click here

The seasons of our lives and the seasons throughout the year come with their own pleasures. An extended fall for me would be most welcomed. I find all kinds of fulfilling things in the harvest season.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected andwww.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.