10 Things...

I was tagged by Cheryl, earlier this week, for a "10 things that make you happy" list, and I'm finally following through! 

1.  My husband.  When I'm with him, I'm content in a way like no other.  When he's not around, I'm waiting for the moment he's back.

2.  My family.  Mom, Dad, sisters, nieces, cousins, aunt, in-laws.  A family feels like a solar system - everyone's orbiting around each other, tying eachother together, influencing and being influenced.  I'm so grateful they're there.

3.  Old things.  I just love old stuff.  I love that it's survived through a culture that is every more disposable.  I love that it ties us to people who are long gone, and makes them feel real.

4.  Oh, bread!  I don't know if it's a primitive survival thing, or just a carbohydrate thing, but warm, homemade bread with butter is the absolute answer to practically any hunger I have.

5.  Books.  Reading is like breathing to me.  It sustains me, and when I don't do it I feel a little blue and light headed. :)

6.  Being occupied.  Sometimes it's challenging to me to just sit still and not do anything.  It makes me happy to be knitting, sewing, spinning, embroidering - whatever.  My fingers don't like to just hang around, doing nothing.

7.  Flowers and other growing things.  I love my yard and garden.  I don't mind the work, but really it's the result that satisfies me.  It's not a perfect garden, but it's mine, and I love the wonderful things that grow from it.

8.  Being warm!  On a snow storm day like this, I'm fantasizing about saunas, or baking in the sun on a beach.  Hell, even cooking away during the summer, in the back yard, reading on the swing sounds fantastic!  My body was made to live somewhere warm, and it's going to pain me until I take it someplace that it approves of!

9.  Making things.  This sort of falls under being occupied, but really you could be playing solitaire and be occupied.  I like to bring something new into existence.  Hopefully something beautiful or useful or delicious.

10.  Clean sheets, warm out of the drier.  That is just such happiness. Smooth, clean sheets - heaven!

Now I feel like singing "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music!  I'm about to go punch down some bread dough, so some new lyrics might have to be added. 

So - what's your happiness?