38. Sunset walk at the Big Dam Bridge, bees with thighs like yellow jodhpurs

Sunset walk at the Big Dam Bridge. Family up ahead of me out for a stroll — dad, mom, little girl full of questions, littler boy who's focused on walking like it's his job and he's angling for a promotion. He's at that stage where staying upright is easier if you run.

Old guy comes along from the other direction, applauds little guy's walking. Little guy looks up at him, then lunges toward his knees, hugs them, leans in with all his little weight.

Old guy reaches me, stops. "That kid gave me a hug!"
I stop too. "I saw!"
Kids do that to him sometimes, he says. They must be able to tell he's a granddad. "That made my day," he says.
Kind of made mine, too, sir.

Also on today's highlights reel:
• Looking up at just the right time to see a hot air balloon drifting westward.
• Yellow leaves coming off a Bradford pear tree in a spiral dance that says fall, even if it is 80 out.
 Lots of bees working the flowers at the garden and the nursery, pollen-packed thighs like yellow jodhpurs.
• Reading the bee chapter of Laura Boggess's book, Playdates With God, during dinner on the patio and remembering her telling about the bee dance at Laity Lodge.
• Real mail! A sweet card with friendly words — just the words I needed to hear today.
• The inner tidiness that comes from sweeping something outside.
• Talking with my oldest relative.

What made your day? 

If you're visiting from 31 Days, welcome. I am 38 days into a year-long project — an online gratitude journal, five things, every night. This month I'm making them five-minute posts, following the invitation of Kate Motaung at Five-Minute Fridays.