Five Blessings on a Friday Evening

It’s Friday evening, and I’ve taken a quiet moment to look back.
Not to analyse or to fix—just to notice.
To trace the little things that brought light into the ordinary days.

I am sitting on my red bench. It’s evening now. The sun has set, but I still heard the blackbirds singing—one last line of music before the day truly ends. And I look back. 

1. Coffee time at 10:30.
Every morning around 10:30—it’s our routine. My husband and I share a latte in the office that’s attached to our house. He pauses his work, I pause mine. We talk, sometimes laugh about nothing in particular, and I feel so deeply blessed to share that moment each day.

👇Dutch: And this is coffee ☺

2. Swallows overhead.
I was sitting in a garden chair with a bowl of oats when I heard them. Swifts, I think. Back from Africa. An Instagram friend from Israel once showed me photos of swallows resting there on their journey. I remember saying, “Just a little longer, and they’ll be in the Netherlands.”
And yes, here they are again.

The photo of the swallow is a bit blurry—but it gives you the idea.

3. My amaryllis bloomed.
A birthday gift from November—now finally in bloom. And what a bloom it is. It felt like a small miracle. Sometimes things take time, but they still come.

I took this photo today.
Can you see the raindrops on the window?
Finally—rain.

4. Photos from the windmill.
On his way home from the village, my husband always takes a little detour down the windmill path just to see how things are progressing. They’re fitting new sails on the mill, and he often sends me a photo of the latest changes. 

Two photos—
The one with the blue sky is from earlier.
You can see the year of construction engraved in the brickwork: 1911

5. A walk, and young birds.
Going for a walk was a small victory. Because of my symptoms (like a racing heart when I stop or bend down), walking can feel uncertain. But I did it. And it went well. A victory. And a blessing.

And there they were: young godwits! And baby redshanks—like little puffballs on stilts.

I’m attaching a little video… Click to enlarge
Mom and dad godwit with their chick.
Look closely—you’ll spot the little one!

😐 Oh, now I see it—what a pity, the quality is quite poor.

What were your blessings this week?

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👉Linked to Susanne's Friday's Fave Five