Things I Am Loving This Month

This month has seen periods of great activity and periods of reasonable sloth. Here are some of my favorite things and moments so far:


Gifts of the self. Hanging out with my Dad.

A lovely Rosalind in a lovely play. It was just As I Like It. All the leads were good looking, all the dialogue was sparkling and freshly appreciated, the underlying themes were love love sex and love, the staging was magical, and it ended with a joyful dance!

New countertops that look awesome and inspire order.

Cooking enterprises, how I love thee. So delicious and satisfying.

Cleaning up after those same cooking enterprises.

The little girl teaching herself how to drink lemonade out of a real cup without spilling (much) or choking (much).

Hanging out at a neighborhood festival on a sunny and convivial afternoon. Taking pictures of the tug of war, popcicle eating, running into friends and neighbors, and sprawling on the grass.

The slow but steady shrinkage of my waistline. My pants are sagging; that's a good thing, right?

Snuggle times with my husband.

Finding excellent books that inspire and absorb me. Historical first people fiction, organizational processes and more.

Quickie quilt projects while I am trying to decide what to do next on the big project.

Local farm cheddar. So smooth and delicious.

Having the little girl run full tilt into my arms yelling "haahg!" Then presenting lips. "Kiss!"

"Southern Milk Chocolate" flavoured ice cream. Why Southern? I don't know, but it sure is delicious.

Tracking prices and deals to both stock up and streamline my buying.

New swirly flirty dance skirts from the thrift store.

All the phrases that my daughter has picked up from me. Teego.(Here ya go.) How 'bout dat! Cool cool! Gracious! Oh gosh! Oh my! Damn it!

These bright orange title headers.

Owl stamps and book-gifts arriving in the mail.

Friends who don't mind indulging in puns and silliness.

Taking opportunities to mentor other people and give back great energy.

Sleeping under the goose-feather duvet in cool weather.
--

Things I am Loving This Week So Far

Ceasarinni bread, airy, chewy, eggy bread with a crust of seeds, like sitting down to breakfast in Italy.

Taking the time to bask in bright dappled sunlight + a cool breeze off the river.

Baby clothes neatly folded and organized.

Online touch typing lessons.

A freshly washed kitchen floor.

The crunch of sugar in the crust of a dessert muffin.

Snagging heirloom tomato seedlings, leading to high hopes for Summer gardening.

Little girl giving us ankle hugs.


"I'm a hugger, not a biter."

Punny humor.
--

Things I am Loving This Week

It's been a good week. It's been a good couple of weeks, even. Some things stand out.

Things I am Loving This Week Month

Dancing and moving within the dance/pattern of the community. Abandoning myself to the joy in the dance.

Smiling so much my face muscles hurt almost as as my feet.

Pale purple hyacinths, luxurious color, luxurious scent.

Being reminded of Mary Oliver poems.

A blustery hour when the chill wind contrasts with the warmth that has come before.

Cadbury milk chocolate Easter eggs.

Watching the little girl decide to try eating things like carrots and yellow squash, bok choy, even, for heaven sakes!

The sound the little girl makes when she's engaged with something she finds delightful - scrambled egg, soft fuzzy teddy bear, the cat's tail brushing by.


And a few more to keep up my morale while I recover from an injury.


Little girl Summer shirts.

Meeting hip neighbors in unexpected places.

Flannel pants in irresistibly cozy-cheerful prints.

Seeing slivers of baby molar break through.

Stealing "couple time" in the evening.

Vermont "roots" music and old-English harmonies.

Baby learning to make animal noises. Hoo!hoo! Oo-oo-oo-ah! Bzz! Muuuh.

Flamboyantly wine-colored sugar berry blossoms.

Seeing friends after a long time without contact: Out-of-state friend blowing into town for an evening. Comfortably hanging out with college friend and her family, playing with the kids. Dance friends including us in a pizza run for food, conversation and silliness.

House renovations creating views of space and light.

Humorous commiseration with Mom friend about ummm, life after baby. :)

Singing Here Comes The Sun as the morning light gets into our eyes.

Blowsy trees blooming pink and white, blowing petals across the yard in a rain storm.
--

Things I'm Loving This Weekend

Several jars of homemade lentil stew all put away in the fridge.

Freshly washed hair in a loosely confined tousle at my neck.

A brisk sunny evening walk down the street.

Shalet's blog Peculiar Momma and her "for the love of color" posts.

Writing down all expenditures in approximately neat categories in the budget book.

Smells like Spring, somehow. Mud, mud, glorious mud!

Incremental kitchen rearranging.

My in-laws telling DH to encourage me to "keep taking pictures." Considering the source, that's as huge an acknowledgement as you could imagine. (heh. As if he could stop me.)

Anticipation of listening to a new music CD.

Victorian murder mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde,"playwright, poet, wit, raconteur, detective...," and choc full of plot, personality, and real/fake bon mots, not to mention the flamboyantly designed covers.

Naps.

Writer-gardener Frank Hyman's latest essay, Happiness is a Glass of Water, and this quote: "...a good portion of one's daily happiness can be derived from the small domestic pleasures of life."

A little girl who has learned to put herself back to sleep.
--