Monday, June 11, 2012

Inspiration: Tonia

I've really been taking this blogging without obligation thing to the extreme, haven't I? Well, one thing I am trying to learn is to only talk when I have something to say, and that is translating itself to less blogging (in words...my pictures continue to pile up over at A Circle of Quiet: 366 Project.) But today, for whatever reason, Tonia's list called out to me, and even though I am not celebrating a birthday until September, I thought I should play along.

Remembering what I love is always a good way to spend my time:

1.   Clean windows
2.   Dancing
3.   When the wind chimes are singing
4.   Long shadows
5.   Ginger...in drinks, in marinade, in salads...just about anything
6.   Holly's Hill 2009 El Dorado Patriarche
7.   The feeling of being done with a three mile walk/run
8.   Dave Koz's smooth jazz
9.   Bright red toenail polish
10. Long car rides
11. Reading aloud
12. ESPN radio
13. Cats
14. The sound of the coffee grinder first thing in the morning
15. Scrabble
16. Walls lined with bookshelves
17. Picking fresh mint and rosemary and basil
18. Star gazing
19. Having people express gratitude to me
20. The theme music to Wallender (Nostalgia by Emily Barker)
21. Alphabetized spices
22. Stray dollar bills in my pockets
23. The evening light on the oak leaves across the valley
24. Sleeping in
25. Wendell Berry..fiction, non-fiction, poetry...all of it
26. Coreopsis
27. Candlelight
28. When everyone is home
29. Mumford and Sons
30. Incense in church, a picture of the Holy Spirit living amongst us
31. Linen clothes, wrinkles and all
32. Conversations around the fire pit
33. My husband's laugh
34. Eating outside
35. Twinkle lights
36. Presents
37. Caramelized onions
38. The Book of Common Prayer
39. Yo Yo Ma
40. The beach
41. Having someone shampoo my hair
42. My father's ring, which I wear almost every day
43. Having a glass of wine on the deck at Fitzpatrick Winery and Lodge
44. Flying...taking off, crowded seats, miniature bathrooms, landing, the whole shebang. Love it.
45. Reading a mystery and not being able to figure out "who done it" until the very end
46. Bird watching out my living room window
47. Taking a picture every single day
48. C.S. Lewis
49. Fresh starts
50. Playing tourist in San Francisco
51. Silhouettes
52. Using what we have to make things beautiful

What do you love?  I would love to know.


5 comments:

Juliet SN said...

I posted a list of things that I love :)

Alison said...

Things I Love (Thanks for the inspiration, Di)

1. Seeing my dog run on the beach
2. Cuban jazz
3. The sound of the waves crashing
4. Star-filled skies
5. All things lavender- in bloom, in soap, candles, cream
6. Drinking a glass of wine at a beachside restaurant at dusk
7. The feeling of being done with a long writing assignment
8. Discovering a new recipe that uses a new-to-me ingredient
10. Listening to podcasts of favorite radio shows while I clean the kitchen
11. Reading a new book from a favorite author (Kate Morton has a new one coming in Oct.!)
12. Terry Gross’s Fresh Air interviews. She asks such insightful questions.
13. Playing flute duets
14. Owls hooting in nearby trees at night
15. Writing letters to dear friends—and getting letters in return
16. The “new books” section of the library
17. Picking fresh mint and rosemary and oregano
18. Holding hands and talking in bed
19. Receiving a phone call from my sister Michelle
20. Narcissus
21. Lilacs
22. Really good milk chocolate
23. Sun on the ocean—especially as the sun sets
24. Walking on the local bluffs with the view of Mavericks—awe-inspiring
25. Walking under redwood trees—they feel like old friends
26. Listening to “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” by Gluck. Memories of my Grandfather and my family
27. Swimming in warm ocean water
28. Playing “Things” with a big group of family members. So much laughter
29. Watching period dramas—oh the clothes and the settings…
30. Mary Oliver poems—she is so good at combining the sacred with the natural world
31. Purple clothes, purple shoes, purple earrings
32. Hot, still, sunny days..we get so few of them
33. Yellow
34. Surprise gifts in the mail sent by loved ones
35. Christmas!
36. Fresh cherries
37. Planning a trip
38. The feeling of satisfaction after a long hike
39. Santa Barbara
40. Hearing Ron’s car come up the driveway
41. The smell of wood smoke on a cold fall day
42. Savasana at the end of yoga class
43. Waking up to the soft sound of rain
44. My Iphone—I don’t worry about getting lost anymore

Susan said...

I love a good list. I'm pretty sure I need a bit of time to think about 53 things, so here is an abbreviated list of things I love:

1. The color red
2. forget-me-nots
3. Real books
4. Hugh Grant movies
5. birds singing in the morning
6. running into friends unexpectedly
7. riding on trains
8. latte machiattos
9. letters in the mail
10. flying -- anywhere!
11. turquoise jewelry
12. Sara Groves music
13. reading familiar scriptures in the Message
14. book bags
15. book stores
16. book marks
(I see a pattern here ...)
17. planning road trips
18. planning ANY trip
20. caramel
21. mountains
22. holding my mother's hand
23. pedicures with my daughters
24. leaves
25. pinecones
26. thrift stores
27. waking up before everybody else
28. my dog
29. cow bells (worn by cows that is)
30. South African Red Wine
31. Monk
32. listening to my husband play his cello
33. Donna Leon mysteries
34. old photos
35. Moose
36. roses that smell like roses should
37. waterfalls
38. my grand-dog
39. listening to my dad sing hymns
40. old black & white photos
41. secret gardens
42. baptisms
43. Psalms
44. solitaire
45. Real Simple magazine
46. reading favorite blogs
47. good bread with good olive oil
48. lemon anything
49. Mint EOS lip balm
50. teva sandals
51. scarves
52. my family
53. my Savior

That was fun!

Di said...

Juliet: I am heading over to read your list. See you SOOOOON.

Alison: I just got introduced to Mary Oliver this year. I love her poetry. The book I read was Thirst. Do you have more recommendations?

Susan: Hugh Grant, red, books, books, books...great list!

Love,
Di

tonia said...

Oh Di...just coming back here to revisit. I can just see your red toenail polish. Makes me miss you!

love you, and yes, I appreciate you so much.

t

Four Years Later

COVID:2 Collage  Four years ago today we all came home for the lock down. Middle school classes conducted by zoom on the deck, college cours...