A few of my favourite things . . .

I’m not really a person that puts a lot of value on things, preferring instead to place my value in things that are not of this world, things seen and touched with the heart. Nevertheless there are also some things that I have that I get a great deal of pleasure out of and enjoy having around. Like raindrops on roses, or whiskers on kittens . . . these are a few of my favourite things . . .

The feel of the sunlight on my face on a warm summer’s day. I love to sit out in the garden for a short, mostly in the shade, but occasionally I do get great pleasure of sitting out at the picnic table, face upturned, eyes closed, while the warmth of the sun cloaks me face in it’s passion. Have you ever noticed that it has a smell??? I have . . . It’s not easy to describe though, and I don’t think I’ll try . . .



Holding a newborn baby up on my shoulder, so that it is snuggled in under my chin and close to the small of my neck . . . That has to be heaven on earth. I could sit there for hours gently rubbing the contours of its tiny back and feeling it’s warmth tucked up into me . . . Once it starts crying though . . . back to mum it goes!

The feel of my dog Mitzie’s soft furry tummy as she rolls on to her back to let me have a scratch or a rub. Along with that goes the way she lovingly glances up at me while I do it . . . all trusting and so full of pleasure and gratitude, that it just oozes out of her liquid brown eyes and melts my heart . . . Stepping out of the tub on a cool winter’s morning and into a huge fluffy bath towel that I have popped onto the radiator just before I stepped in to the tub . . . warm, cosy and enveloping . . . it is just like a welcome home hug . . .



Crawling into bed with my socks on, and only after I am settled, taking the socks off . . . I just love the way my feet feel beneath the coolness of the smooth sheets. It’s a pleasure that’s really hard to describe . . . but it just feels really, really, really nice.

While I’m thinking about bed . . . crawling into a freshly made bed, with crisp clean sheets that have been hung out to blow in the wind all day. I snuggle right into my pillow and breathe in the freshness of the outdoors and the smell of sunshine . . . oh, it is soooo nice!

Walking into the house and smelling freshly baked cookies or bread. Actually I just like to smell food cooking period. It’s funny . . . when you are cooking it yourself, you rarely smell it in the same way, unless you go out of the room and come back into it. I always love the smell of other people’s dinners cooking as I walk down the street or sit out in the garden . . . somehow it always manages to smell delicious and inviting, and it always makes me hungry . . .



My good morning hug from Todd. I am usually up several hours before him, but when he does wake up and comes down stairs, that’s always the first thing we do . . . give each other a big hug and a cuddle and a kiss. On the rare occasion we have forgotten ie. because the telephone has rung or something else has interrupted our routine . Those are the days that just seems to get off on the wrong foot for some reason . . . but, here’s the good part . . . sooner or later one of us realizes what’s been missing, and we always get the hug in then . . .

Sitting in my chair, quietly listening to my favourite music, with my eyes closed. I love gospel music and I could sit and listen to it for hours. When I do, I feel closer to God and in communion with him . . . kind of in a way similar to when I am praying, which is another of my favourite things. Different and yet somehow the same . . . it’s always a good feeling.



Watching kittens and puppies at play . . . indeed watching baby anything at play. I think that God must have made baby animals and birds and people cute on purpose. That way he knew someone would take care of them and love them. I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can be deliberately cruel or mean to any of them.

Cooking . . . just cooking. I love to cook and I get a great deal of pleasure from it. It’s not so much in the eating . . . although,trust me . . . I get plenty of pleasure out of that as well . . . but I don’t really even have to be the one who’s going to eat it, I just really enjoy the cooking aspect of it. To me it’s like solving a puzzle or putting together a jigsaw . . . the more complicated, the better. I get a real sense of satisfaction when I have accomplished what I have set out to do, and people are happily eating it and enjoying it . . . that’s where the satisfaction comes . . . the satisfaction of a job well done . . . a feeling that can’t be beat, well almost anyways . . .



Listening to the laughter of a child. It always swells my heart and brings a smile to my own face. Is there anything on earth more contagious or infectious? I think not! I once found this laughing baby somewhere on the internet. It was attached to an elastic, and as you twirled it around with your mouse the baby laughed and laughed. You just could not sit down and do it without coming away with a smile on your own face…children’s laughter . . . great soul medicine . . .

Sitting down at my computer every morning and putting down my thoughts and fancies for you all to read . . . and then, later on, hearing that little ping when someone leaves their comments. That’s one of my guilty pleasures, and an intrinsic part of my day. It’s a selfish thing really . . . but a writer has to write and the words must be read . . . I like to think it’s a win/win situation . . .



I could go on and on. There’s just so much I get joy and pleasure from in this life. I guess I’m really lucky . . . I love the smell of the pavement after a heavy rain, and the smell of the soil after digging in the garden . . . warm soft freshly baked white bread with butter melting into it’s fragrantly yeasty goodness . . . I’m just a person that loves and enjoys the small things in life,the simple things . . . the things that are free . . . and thankfully, I’ve been really blessed with these things in abundance!

I cooked these the other day just so I could take this picture and share it with you. I have always wanted to serve scrambled eggs inside their own shell. You don’t get a lot to eat . . . but, when you are talking about delicious . . . even a little bite, is one of life’s many pleasures.



*Cheese and Chive Scrambled Eggs*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

This is one of my favourite breakfasts and sometimes even a nice light supper for two. The combination of chives and cheese is really delicious! Be careful not to overcook. Over-cooking just makes the eggs rubbery

3 extra large free range eggs
(I think when you are going to eat eggs on their own, you really deserve the best that money can buy)
3 TBS single cream
1 ounce strong cheddar cheese, grated
2 TBS snipped chives
2 knobs of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Put a non-stick skillet on medium heat to warm up. In the meantime beat together the eggs, cream, cheese and chives in a bowl. Drop a knob of butter into the heated skillet. Once it starts to foam tip in the egg mixture. Let it sit for about 30 seconds or so and then using a wooden spatula start to bring the egg from the edges into the centre, folding and turning slowly as the egg begins to cook. (You can’t rush scrambled eggs) Cook only until the egg is mostly set, but still moist and then remove from the heat and throw in the last knob of butter, folding it in. Taste and then season. Sometimes the cheese gives it enough flavour that you don’t need any seasoning at all! Serve warm with lots of buttered toast and crisp bacon to your most favourite person.



Over in The English Kitchen today, Tasty Oven Braised Lamb Shanks!