Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Simple Things

Week 1 of the Wednesday lists.
Simple Things
I hope I never take for granted...


* the way my daughter's arms feel around me * unobstructed breaths * clean water * indoor plumbing * the love of my family * the peaceful contentment that creeps over you when you sit down and begin to color * music * a letter in the mail * laughter * quality medical care * a good night's sleep * kissing * when my eyes meet Jeffrey's and we know just what the other person is thinking * family game night * homecomings and graduations * being able to tell time * the thrumming thrill of a train ride * getting lost in a book * a cup full of colored pencils, all perfectly sharp * clean, soft sheets * a wedding band glinting on his finger * active, healthy parents * swinging * hot water at the turn of a tap * roses * enough money to pay the bills * public libraries * smiles exchanged with a stranger * the ways kids always, always wave at you when their bus is stopped in front of you * lipstick * a thoughtful compliment * the thrill of getting a trucker to blow his most excellent, bellowing air horn * an entire day at an art museum * laughing with girlfriends until you gasp for breath * a gentle caress * remembering how perfect pizza tasted as a kid * a grin from a mouth full of braces * botanical gardens * the shy delight with which teens offer adults they love a Senior picture * the bone-deep sigh when my toes first squish in damp Pacific Ocean sand * the ability to appreciate beauty * the way your heart races when a favorite song from high school comes on unexpectedly * the feel of a soft scarf around your neck * watching a Little League game * the quiet grin women get when they think of old boyfriends * the scratch of pen on paper * a pretty girl with a flower in her hair * nostalgia * a pretty teacup * the feel of a bunny's fur * a baby's gurgle * simple affection between friends * pretty stamps on an envelope * the clickety-clack of fingers on a keyboard * the hum of a record player at the end * time in a hammock * the thrill of a pretty dress * the perfect squish of Silly Putty * blowing an amazing bubble with two pieces of gum * scratching an itch just exactly enough * thick towels * and, of course, a fire in the fireplace *

Happy Wednesday to you, my friends. Won't you play along?

93 comments:

Gigi Thibodeau said...

I'm swooning. Your list is beautiful. I keep going back to that contentment you feel when coloring. I love this so much. Whenever we're at restaurants with the nieces and nephews, I always color along with them on the place mats.

Oh, and hot water! How lucky are we?

You are a goddess, my friend. xoxo

Cathi said...

What a gorgeous list, especially - "a grin from a mouthful of braces." Brings back wonderful memories...It makes me smile, thank you! :)

Cindy said...

Just a beautiful list, made me smile, the pic of your daughter is beautiful. I am so glad I got a chance to read it. Take care and Enjoy.

ELK said...

i think your simple list is so touching and real, like you!

SE'LAH... said...

Gorgeous photo and poignant list. The love of family, so divine.

xo

Dawn said...

'a wedding band glinting on his finger'
yes...definitely one of my favorite simple things too...
I like to turn it around on his finger...
xo

Anonymous said...

excellent list, as always. i think im gonna join you in making the weekly lists, starting from today, with the simple things.

rayfamily said...

Relyn....what a fantastic list. The picture is beautiful! I could feel a sense of nostalgia, that yes that's right, as I read all of the wonderful things!

Anita said...

This is a wonderful list. Very inspiring. Many are also my favorites, too: a day at the museum, teacups, libraries, etc.
Have a great day!

beth said...

oh the old high school songs....I love that and this past weekend we did just that by listening to a soft rock station where I swear I could smell our high school hallways while I was singing "to memories" ........

Teresa O said...

I cannot tell you how much I'm enjoying today's journey through Simple Lists and your list made me smile and sigh. There's such elegance in simplicity.

Yiota said...

*sigh* where should I begin? your list is more than beautiful; it's precious...
hugs my friend.

Anonymous said...

such a beautiful list...many of the simple things that i adore!

Char said...

what a beautiful list - just like you.

christina said...

deep sigh for beauty. "enough money to pay the bills, clean, soft sheets" i could go on. this beauty floors me.
xo

Tracy said...

Oh, such sweet delights, Reyln! I feel pampered, comforted and love just reading...*sigh*...lovely list, my friend :o) Happy Day ((HUGS))

Jeanne said...

Beautiful my lovely friend
I love you

JoLyn said...

A perfect list. I love these:

getting lost in a book (I haven't had time for that lately, and I miss it!)
a good night's sleep
laughter
a letter in the mail

Isn't it great to read others' simple pleasures and realize they are yours too?!

Marilyn Miller said...

A beautiful list. All these list get me thinking of more things to add to my internal list. Now I think I will go sit by the fire in the fireplace with a pretty tea cup full of my favorite tea.

Jenners said...

Lovely list ... I share so many of them ... and I'm rather enjoy the clickety clack on my keyboard as I type you this comment! Now I'll have that simple thing to appreciate! : )

Sherry said...

So many beautiful, wonderful items on your list. And I most especially love how you started it, by saying you hope you never take for granted...amen. xo

iasa said...

a truly wonderful list. a smile from remembering an old boyfriend and squishy silly putty stand out to me. Not that they necessarily go together, but they might.

Dandy said...

You touched on so many things I love and would never have thought about!

Gayle said...

What a beautiful list of simple things! Silly putty, smiles exchanged with a stranger, train rides! Perfect, Relyn!

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

....just lovely.....

you are a delight.....

fondly,
kary
xxx

Caroline said...

Yes...the thrill of a pretty dress! And I am going to the library today...I can't wait!!!

Mari Mansourian said...

great list and a beautiful photo :)

Jakki said...

LOL I so love it when the kids in the bus wave!! Here's to a beautiful list....

Jessica said...

Relyn- You have such a gift for noticing, appreciating and even further--celebrating--the little things.

Marion Williams-Bennett said...

What a happy list! I love this:

the clickety-clack of fingers on a keyboard

Yes!

What a great day of sharing simple things, just beautiful! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I am so not surprise we share a bunch of the same things in our list. You know they say great minds think alike. I like to say in-tune beings think alike. :)

Cora said...

Beautiful list...
"smiles exchanged with a stranger"...I always try to make this happen..it's a thing with me!

Roban said...

Your list is a picture of contentment and cozy delight.... the colored pencils, music from the past. You said it all so perfectly.

Georgianna said...

Poetic, beautiful way to gather up the things you most cherish and hold them close in a loving embrace – thank you for sharing!! xo – g ♥

meandering pearl said...

oh i still adore swinging! & pretty stamps!!!
hope you have a gorgeous week lovely!!!

Sandra said...

Well now, this is a perfect list. I connected with much of it. Thanks!

Kitty said...

great list! My favourite is "the thrill of getting a trucker to blow his most excellent, bellowing air horn"
My daughter and I always do that on the highway. :D
Have a great day!

Bumpkin Hill said...

Such a beautiful list, I am so happy that you enjoyed my list too :) Hello my friend too. HUGS, Catherine x

Elizabeth said...

A lovely long list with all the things we take for granted so easily.

Jeanie said...

What a beautiful list, Relyn. Reading your lists always make me smile!

Bee said...

I think you have a gift for taking notice of (and cherishing) simple things! A gorgeous, profound, witty and wonderfully varied list.

Patti said...

What a wonderful list...you sure covered it all! I would like to add...the smell of silly putty as well- it takes me back to Easter when I used to get a fresh egg of it in my basket. Thanks!

Sue said...

My goodness, you have covered so many things! I thought I was the only one that felt that way about sharpened, colored pencils!

You enjoy a Little League game? Obviously you have a daughter:)

Sue

Cathie said...

ohh Relyn, what a beautiful list of simple things!
hugs, kissing, lipstick, pretty teacups...so many wonderful things.
thanks for sharing & thanks for popping by to say hi & to lead me to your lovely place

Operaton You said...

You too? I love public libraries. I love the smell of them. The song, "Wonderful World" makes my heart leap toward happinessa and joy.. Thank you! Thank you!

Deborah said...

Thanks for visiting my blog.. Love your name.. so many things on your list that I forgot on mine.. simple pleasures are so taken for granted, I'm glad we could all be reminded of things like how sweet a babies feet are..

debbie

Unspoken said...

This list making is such a lovely expression of the human spirit. Thank you for stopping by, so I could meet you!

flwrjane said...

Oh I love your list. Public libraries, yes, yes ,yes. Thanks for visiting. I have to go to bed now but I keep going from list to list...

Angie Muresan said...

Thank you, Relyn. What a beautiful blog you have, and your list is pure bliss. Happy Friday to you! I will be back.

Johanna said...

Kindred spirit indeed! Oh how I love your blog, I am so glad to have found you or for you to have found me. Your photos, poetry, lists....so much fun. I'm going to do a little sifting through your older posts.
My favourite parts of this post:

* the trucker blowing his horn, an entire day at the art museum, children waving from the school bus. Such beautiful images.

Connie said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog! It is such a pleasure to meet you! I love your list and your blog! Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

the ways kids always, always wave at you when their bus is stopped in front of you * the thrill of getting a trucker to blow his most excellent, bellowing air horn--------

Those two pulled me back to when I was a kid and always always waved and always always pumped my arm praying that the trucker would acknowledge my existence. Funny how sharing little joys like that can make me feel like the universe is a friendly place.

Anonymous said...

HI Relyn. Just wanted to say that yes I did teach English in school before, but these days I lead a team of educators in developing the national curriculum; and also provide professional development sessions for teachers in schools. love being back in school everytime!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I think you have the most wonderful list of all, Reyln!

I enjoyed browsing threough your lovely blog and added myself as a "follower."

katrina lauren said...

so many beautiful things on your list...is there anything better than climbing into bed with fresh sheets? sigh. laughing with my best girls makes my heart so happy...it made me smile when i read this and thought of some crazy laughing fits we have shared!
the way your daughter's arms feel around you...i love that so much.
thank you for sharing your heart.
xo.
k

Unknown said...

I love your list because most of it would be on my list too. The way a pizza used to taste when we were kids??? I remember pizza on a Friday night and looking forward to the weekend. You brought back beautiful memories.

Tes said...

This post warms the heart. I love to color too. Coloring relaxes me. Whenever I can, I join my five-year old students as they color in their coloring book. Thank you for dropping by my blog. :)

LadyFi said...

Amen to that list. It's gorgeous and inspiring!

TesoriTrovati said...

Such a wealth of inspiration here Relyn! I was smiling at the thought of that old boyfriend but also at the thought of that wedding ring on my husband's finger. I think that my broken road paved my present and future happiness. I am so happy with my choice and would do it all again. Thank you for your thoughtful comment and stopping by Treasures Found. Enjoy the day! Erin

Sharon said...

Your simple things are just beautiful. Thanks for visiting my blog today. It was pure delight to visit yours. Now, I'm going back to read more.

Marilynne said...

It's a lovely list and a lovely photo to go with it.

I'll be back to read more.

Thanks for visiting.

Hindsfeet said...

Oh so sweet, Relyn : )

lagirl/sweet tea said...

"Unobstructed breaths"
"scratching an itch exactly enough"
LOVE. THOSE.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog.
Nice to meet you.
I noticed "Braums" on your other Blog so you must live somewhere in Okla. I love Braums; I'm originally from Tulsa...I'm signing on as a Follower, so I'll be back!

Unknown said...

Oh, the song you hear from high school-definitely!! And catching your husband's eye and knowing what he is thinking. Could life be any sweeter?
Thanks so much for coming by blueskies!!! I love your blog-I will definitely be back!
Lynn

rjerdee said...

Hi Relyn,
Thanks for stopping by...I'm stopping by your place and loving what I find here. Yes, the Christina simple things project opens a whole world of thoughts, doesn't it? Delightful. Thanks and Happy Friday...I'm off to donate blood...

Shrinky said...

This is spilling over with the joy of life, what a feast you have spread before us!

Beautiful.

Kirsten Steen said...

Unobstructed breaths! THAT is a good one! And I love the ability to appreciate beauty! Way too often we forget how and have to remind ourselves to look for it. Thanks for coming by recently. And I will try to do a post with the poetry exercise now that I know you are interested! Will be fun to share. Wishing you such a lovely weekend! Kirsten

mamahasspoken said...

Love your list and all that was in it. But most of all I loved how when I opened your blog I got to listen to Nat King Cole. Oh if you only knew what that song means for me! Thanks!
And thanks for stopping by my blog!

Guatyen said...

wow! ... wow! simply beautiful. love the list. thank you for sharing.

Carol said...

Oh, I loved reading your list..was quite lost in it for a moment or two. Have a wonderful weekend!

Linda said...

I love your list! I think part of the fun of reading and sharing everyone's lists is that I am reminded of lots of things that I love and forgot to include in my own list. I love the hot water at the turn of a tap--I think how my grandmother would have reveled in this. She never had indoor plumbing and heated all the water she needed on either her old woodburning cookstove or her gas range. I like the colored pencils in a mug, and the peaceful feeling when you color. So many good things! I love your blog and have visited several times. Thank you for stopping by my blog too!

Mari said...

I love your list! You have so many things on it that I haven't thought of for a while. For example - the hum of a record player at the end. Great memory!

GraceGal said...

What a wonderful list!

Enchanted Oak said...

Your idea of simple wonderful things is amazing. I knew I wasn't the only one who cherished a hot shower, in my own bathroom, no less. What a joy your list is. It blessed so many people. Hooray for you.

Joy said...

What a beautiful list/exercise. I love it!

AscenderRisesAbove said...

wonderful photos here; i really like the limited use of color here. so so much time wasted on worrying (below post!)

Anonymous said...

thank you for stopping by my place yesterday! Christina's post brought many new people together! Your list of simple things is just luscious.

sperlygirl said...

what an absolutely lovely list, relyn. i nodded along in agreement with many items that you wrote. just beautiful. hope you have a lovely weekend. warmly, s

Delena said...

Once again you have inspired me to make a happy simple list as part of my grateful Friday. I laughed when I read , the song from highschool. I appreciated the water from the tap. When we first moved to our place water was not to be taken for granted and then my husband dug us a ditch and put in water lines from the well. How joyous was that day and I know how happy I was to turn the tap!

Ariel said...

Real simple things that can bring a smile on our face. You've got a wonderful list here.
Thank you Relyn for peeping into ariel.

Rosaria Williams said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Glad to be here, with words, music, pictures.

Grace said...

That's a long list (all the better) and an equally long list of commentors!

Anonymous said...

My goodness. You have a lovely, diverse blog. Thank you for visiting mine. I'll bookmark you and be back :)

Hausfrau said...

Beautiful, wonderful list!

rallentanda said...

There is wealth in this list.I'm reading it again.

Elizabeth Halt said...

Oh, Relyn. That photo. I have no words.

I love everything in your list. You have such a way with words.

Ragamuffin Gal said...

Honestly dear ~ how do you come up with all of these wonderful things? You are mean't to be a writer ~ Now... go write that book! Look how many of us are waiting... we all love the way Relyn looks at life!!!

Denise | Chez Danisse said...

Great list and such a pretty photograph.

suzanna said...

We are having family game night on Saturday!

And the picture you posted is great! I love the color.

GailO said...

I had such an enjoyable time reading your list....nodding my head to each one...having healthy, active parents brought tears to my eyes as I miss my parents and my in-laws...I am always jealous when I see a woman my age enjoying time with their mother...

Thanks for visiting Picturing the Year:)

Sometimes Sophia said...

A marvelous list full of happiness and contentment. Excellent imagery... I think I'm going to compile some of these Simple Things posts into wallpaper or a blanket. They're like a mental hug.

Your blog is wonderfully creative. I'll be back...

winnsangels said...

Thank you Relyn for the list which near brings tears of joy to my eyes. Thank you for the comfort of this fabulous visit which I must take leave, much sooner than I would like. Thank you for the words at my own list. Your words left too, feel as a gift. Thank you.
Angels be with you.

georgia b. said...

yes, i want to do this too.

such a list. it shows how much we have to make life grand. wonderful list!

Oldies, but Goodies