November 10th, 2022

So this is what's going on at our house today.  Tropical Storm Nicole, which we are told arrived on the East Coast of Florida as a Category 1 Hurricane.  Delightful.  By the time it got over to our side of the state it's a mere Tropical Storm. Which means wind and rain.  You know, like a heavy duty rain storm.  I see some palm fronds down (they are such divas) and our sail shade tried to take flight but otherwise, it's all good here. Not a great day for a walk but otherwise, fine.

For some reason, while I was starring out the window watching the rain a little bit ago, in my  head popped the old  Julie Andrews song from the movie Sound of Music, "My Favourite Things".  Oh you remember it, 

"Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens
Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens
Brown Paper Packages tied up with String
These are a few of my Favourite Things"

I haven't thought of that song is a VERY long time. So long ago in fact, that I couldn't tell you when it was that I last sang it.   But most likely I sang it to my children when they were small.  That kind of long ago.

Anyway, as the lyrics were rumbling around in my head it occurred to me that while I do not dislike any of the things Julie sang about, it is not necessarily My list of favourite things.  So I thought perhaps I would take a crack at creating my own list.    FYI you will not be able to sing it to the tune of the actual song and it will not rhyme unless it's by accident.

Some of Sam's Favourite Things:

Baking.  I like cooking but I love baking.  Somehow Friday's have become my official baking day here which now makes Friday's my favourite day of the week. So I guess that's two favourite things in one go.

Having someone reach out to me that I haven't heard from in a while.  I recently got a post card from an old friend, out of the blue, while she was on vacation!  What an absolute delight. Lifted my spirits for days!  But it might be an unexpected howdy do phone call, an email, a text, a letter or just crossing paths in the grocery store.  Makes me happy.

Flowers. Any kind, anywhere, anytime,  I love 'em.  They could be fancy flower in a formal garden or wildflowers or anything in between. Fields of flowers or one singleton in a pot.  Botanic gardens or a daisy growing in a crack in a sidewalk.   I don't need to own them or grow them or even know there names.  Just seeing them makes me smile.

The sound of children laughing.  Always makes me smile.  Well, anyone laughing is delightful but children laughing is, somehow, pure.

Photography.  I am not an especially accomplished photographer but I am an enthusiastic amateur. One of my favourite ways to spend time is tramping around somewhere, camera in hand, snapping away as the spirit moves me.  But I also like those unexpected moments here at home where the light is just right and I grab my camera to preserve that moment. One shot. Just the one.  Fills my soul a bit.

Music. Well of course music.  Playing it, listening to it, writing it, singing it!  Most kinds of music reach me on a level that is so elemental and basic that I think it may be printed right on my DNA. 

That moment of satisfaction when the jar I'm struggling to open finally pops!  I feel like Hercules in that moment!

The first bite of a long awaited food especially if I'm Very hungry.  All  of the bites are good of course and I enjoy them all, but that first bite, is the best. That one, the one I longed for and eat slowly to savour, that one is my favourite.

Organization and Tidiness.  It's not quite a compulsion. Probably because I'm rather lazy. But I do love how it looks when things are sparkling clean and lined up just so.

A particularly good hair day.  It doesn't happen often so when it does, I do the happy dance.

The written word: Having a stack of unread books on hand.   Discovering a New wonderful author.  The books that I love so much that I read them once every year.  Reading along and then having to pause and re-read and marvel over one perfectly constructed sentence.  A quiet, probably rainy, afternoon curled up with a book and a cookie to spend some serious time........

Learning.  I adore learning something new. And since there is always more to learn, I will never run out.  It is a bottomless well and that is delicious!

My family.  It goes without saying.  Sidenote here:  Some friends are really unrelated family.  I include them.  Our hearts are magical and expand enough, always, to make enough room to fit them all in.

Old movies.   I like some of the new ones too, but my favourites are the old ones. Black'n'white. Glamorous ladies with dramatic eyes and nattily dressed men in fedoras. I love the old cars, the clothes, the vocabulary.  It transports me to another time.  Speaking of which:

Time Travel.  I am fascinated with the concept.  It started when I was a youngster, around 8 or 9 years oldand I read H.G. Wells,  "The Time Machine" and that was it, I was hooked and it never left. Movies, TV shows, books, anything that smacks of time travel and I am there for it.  Never mind that science declares it improbably except in theory, it's still one of my favourite things.

Contrasts.  Like........blue walls with white trim, or wearing an all black and white outfit but with bright red shoes. Eating snappy apples with gingersnaps or wheat thin crackers with grapes and chocolate cake with white icing or hot apple pie with a big spoonful for cold vanilla ice cream on top. Being bundled up toasty warm on a very cold day.  I like things that contrast.

Home made gifts.  I have very limted talents so the only home made gift you could possibly ever receive from me would be edible but I so admire clever, talented artistic people who can create things with their own hands. It's magic to me! Alchemy!  Wonderous!

The Seasons.  While frankly I'm delighted to never have to shovel snow again, I am so happy that I have lived in places with snow...lots and lots of snow!  I'm happy that I have experienced all of the seasons, Sunny Summers and crisp colourful autumn and crystalline winters and the joys of blooming spring.  It is forever in my memory even if I don't live it anymore.



Hmmmmm I'm not anywhere near done and this list is getting long. Perhaps I will continue it another time. Meanwhile, what are some of your favourite things?