steamy windows in a bakery when it's cold outside
the smell of fresh baked bread
watching woodpeckers on our suet feeder
waking, and realizing there is no pain
realizing I'm stronger today than yesterday
evergreens with snow caps
our two year old neighbor who has been taught to cough or sneeze into his elbow
blood donors — "Thank you!" to three people who shared with me
the feeling of being snug in my house as a storm approaches
jewel-toned colors
maps — any, all, old, new, but especially old Esso maps of the U. S. from so many car trips as a child
new shoes, even new slippers or new socks, but especially shoes
chocolate with mint, chocolate with almost anything, chocolate by itself
street cars
a good mystery, especially finding a new-to-me author
sugar maples in autumn and new growth on my lilies showing through the mud in spring
our oddly feathered junco with the "white earmuffs" — he's been around for more than a month now
jigsaw puzzles done with family at holidays; the puzzle is fun, the peace it helps bring is even better
ingenuity and people who can problem-solve creatively
lentil soup
turkey stuffing and gravy
the aroma of spices, particularly cloves
the fact that parsley is very resistant to frost and pokes up, bright green, with snow all around it
paisleys — nearly all of them
yummy textured fabric: firmly soft wool melton, elegantly sleek silk-satin, crisp white lace, navy soutache braid, patable polypro, and comfy corduroy
rag rugs, especially ones made of old clothes — oh, there's that skirt I loved in high school
aprons with BIG pockets
fires in fireplaces
being warm in winter, being cool in summer
my silly fuschia-pink cyclamen from the grocery store now blooming in its 3rd year
my orchid, which seems to have forgiven my inadvertent neglect
old buttons — shoe buttons, metal buttons, and the funny bone or plastic ones my grandfather had on his boxer undershorts; for some reason the holes for the thread are huge compared to the diameter of the button, and I don't know why
challah
the clatter of the mailbox when the post carrier delivers
the sound ice skates make as they carve across a pond
the sound of wind in our huge evergreen trees
the hum of the phone wire as it is strummed by a tree branch; it's connected to the bedroom wall and can sound like a low, drawn out note on a cello
the sound of the car's engine turning over and "catching" when our battery is a bit low, and the temperature's even lower — whew
the cat's purring in my ear, but not at 4 a.m. please
being back at writing circle
being able to drive again — cautiously, for short trips
talking with my daughter on Sunday mornings
naps: all good
hardwood floors — so much subtle variety
well-made furniture, especially the chairs I can recover repeatedly
the Sunday "funnies" in the New York Herald Tribune (a happy memory)
150 watt bulbs for reading
a clock that ticks, a clock that chimes
old photographs and family to help sort them
Note: This list was inspired by the book "My Favorite Things," written and illustrated by Maira Kalman
