1. My dog.  Sadie isn't my pet.  She is my fur baby.  The love of my life.  I never ever look at her and feel anything other than pure, overflowing love.

This is the same child I almost killed.

2. My Godbabies.  Godson and Goddaughter just light me up.  I force their mother to send me videos of them every so often and to hear their voices...oh I just melt!  Godson saying "we love you Auntie KK" puts a smile on my face for days.

3. My sisters.  I was blessed to grow up with Florida and her our two younger sisters.  I only see them about once, maybe twice if I am lucky, each year.  But they make me laugh a year's worth of laughter in just one weekend.

4. Sunshine.  When I was a kid growing up in South Florida, my aunt would come visit from here, in the North Pole Upstate NY.  And every single year, she would extend her stay at least twice.  She would say, "I just need two more weeks of sunshine."  And every time she said that, I was baffled.  There was only one sunshine for the entire globe, right?  We lived on the same coast.  So if it was sunny in Fort Lauderdale, wasn't it sunny at her house?  Then I moved up here.  And now....I get it!  We can go 20 or more days without ever seeing a ray of sunshine.  You know you are sinking low when you get a few 20 minute spells of sun and consider it a good day.  So when we get truly sunny days....I am different.  I'm lighter.  I will stand outside on the back deck with my face up and eyes closed and arms wide to very literally and physically soak in the sunshine.

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5. Garden planning.  Or perhaps garden dreaming is more appropriate.  I don't have dreams of living on acres of land.  But a yard big enough to have chickens and bees and a few fruit trees, plus some raised beds too, brings pure joy.  One day.  One day!

6. Writing.  Not writing anything at any time.  But when I get in the zone, I find such happiness in writing.  I always have.  Hence the blog!




7. Hand writing.  This is a weird one but sometimes I just take a blank piece of paper (Have I ever mentioned I don't like lined paper?  I could do an entire post about my writing quirks.) and an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie (In that post it would include my very very specific pen taste.) and just write.  I don't doodle and draw.  I write whatever.  A word I just read that I decide for a moment I need to see written out, baby names, plants, cities, friends, and any other variety of nothings.  I will fill up the entire page with this nothingness.  I just like to see things written in my own handwriting sometimes.  Then I throw the paper out.  Because it truly means nothing.  It's the physical action of writing and then seeing it I think.  Weird...right?

8. Friends.  I know everyone has great friends.  But I have THE BEST friends in my life.  God has really gifted me with the most precious women in the world to love me like family, share laughter, and support each other.  I have struck gold in the friend department.  Y'all know Bestie, right?

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9. Volunteering.  True that if often brings a huge amount of frustration to my life.  But part of that is because I allow that to happen.  On the whole though, it is a passion instilled in me by my father at a young age.  I love being a part of a group and working in our community.  Joy, joy, joy!

Sweet Potato Salad With Bacon

10. Food.  I love food.  Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.  Artichokes, asparagus, sweet potatoes and lemons.  Tomatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes.  Sweet treats and savory treats and the Target brand potato chips.  Chicken salad...oh how I love chicken salad.  And potato salad!  Pecans and pistachios.  And my apple pie.  Food is a love language in my family.