It’s been a while since I have posted about things I love. Here are but a few recent discoveries and a few good, old-fashioned standards

• While an iPod is fairly standard what I love are the things it lets me do. I downloaded a new audiobook from Audible. Audible retains a library of everything I have purchased and downloaded since 2005. Seventy-five audio books. I wish I could say that they were classic or highly acclaimed contemporary literature. With a few exceptions, it is unanimously fluff…..or worse trash. I may not walk around with Charlaine Harris or Laurel K. Hamilton paperbooks….but listening to it in my earbuds is a delicious treat. My iPod lets me listen without having to worry about my 10 year old hearing the narration of a group of Fae having….well, group sex. I have listened to some truly amazing books, too. The Memory of Running was marvelous (even without group sex or a mile high club) – a story about healing and reconciliation. iTunes has Genius and it loves to suggest to me other artisits I might like based on my prior purchases. I love that my suggested listening list is influenced by Kanye West, Norah Jones, Ginny Owens, Linkin Park, Bright Eyes, Luther Vandross, Leucocyte, The Grand Valley Orchestra, The Juju Orchestra and Arcane Fire. Eclectic and unpredictable. :)
• preserving and canning is fun but I can’t wait to use these new jars from Quattro Stagioni. They are beautiful and will make lovely gifts. I also really like the Leifheit jars, too. The Leifhiet pints will get strawberried this weekend and end up being gifted to others.
• Flowers.com has me programmed into its system. Nothing like coming home from work and finding a (nother) box of flowers on my front step. Roses and lilies that smell divine. I love the absolute whimsy and temporary beauty of fresh flowers. Are they wasteful? And extravagant expense? Maybe…they key is having them sent or brought for you by other people. Heehee. :)When that doesn’t work, the Roses or tulip bunches at The Fresh Market are excellent. I have a lovely bunch of baby pink tulips on my mantle right now. They are a week old and just as lovely today as last Thursday.

• The Golden Finches have arrived and make the pre-sunrise hour a symphony of nature. They are not fooled by my last season seed. Like a haute couture version for birds, they want the newest, latest, freshest seed. I will have to divert to Wild Birds Unlimited this afternoon.
• My newest crafty endeavor, locker hooking. I finished my first piece and use it everyday in front of my coffee maker. I am working on number two, using up all the left over scraps from Cam’s Ginger Quilt. The coffee pad makes pouring my morning Highlander Grogg a delight. It is a flavored of dark roasted coffee I buy at Kitchen&Spice and it smells like butterscotch. Yum!

• And who can’t love these two? My Watercats? They play in the tinkling dribbling water every morning, box the ice cubes I put in their water bowl, sit along the side of the whirlpool tub as I soak and have a general fascination with running and pooled water.

• I love living in a town in which I only drive 7 minutes to work. It’s been more than a week since I filled my gas tank and I will likely make it through the weekend before needing to refill.  :) And there is no snow. I have my windows open (albeit allowing pollen access to cover everything and torture me). The lawn has regreened. It’s definitely spring. Tomorrow it will be summer.