the perfect morning…

If you could choose the elements of your perfect morning, what would they look like?

An author I follow on Substack, Rachel Macy Stafford, posed this question to her readers not long ago. And I love how it inspired me to think inside and outside the box.  I realized after working through her questionnaire, that my mornings are already very much the way I want them to be; mostly quiet and reflective, some good conversation with my husband, our cats, and the birds that grace our backyard, a little stitching, and a little writing, after, of course, I’ve had a couple cups of coffee. I realized, too, that my morning needs change with the seasons. 

Now that we’re deep into summer, a good part of my morning is spent outside watering, and pruning.  I love having my feet in the dewy grass and my hands in the luscious dirt. Flowers make me happy and I think our pollinators feel the same. Having the sun on my face warms not only my cheeks but also my heart.

Come fall, I’ll be pruning even more, and watering less. I’ll plant some tulip bulbs and begin the seemingly endless wait until spring to see what comes up. That brings me to winter…this is a season where my mornings are defined by an even slower pace, more hot coffee or tea, writing, and taking stock of all the winterizing of the house that needs to be done.

No matter what the season though, I like to start my day off with a good, long stretch. It gets my whole body breathing in rhythm again as I put my feet on the floor to begin.

So, how about you? What does your ideal morning look like? If you need inspiration, check out Rachel’s Treehouse on Substack. I have her to thank for this thoughtful question.

By the way, I am still collecting quilt stories so, if you have one or more to share, please comment below. Even the smallest anecdote can spark a great story. If you need help telling your tales, my journal,The Story Your Quilt, may help. It’s filled with motivational quotes and inspirational prompts to get you started. Available here now.