One more week of gratitude: Days 23 through 29

Day 23: Taste

I couldn't possibly have only one photo to represent taste, as varied and seasonal as my tastes are! I looked back through some of my favorite food shots of the year and picked the ones that speak to me right now. As the summer is sadly past, I will begin craving fresh and summery foods in 10... 9... 8... sigh. I am grateful for the love of fresh and healthful food (with a side of cheese, of course!).

Day 24: Comfort

Nov. 24 is our anniversary and I took and posted this picture before I really clued in on the word for the day: Comfort. While usually I would think warmth or carbohydrates, on this particular day, this particular picture spoke comfort to me. I am very grateful for the comfort that husband and I provide to each other, and am so blessed by our eight years together.

Day 25: Family

I am very grateful for the family I was born into, and the many things that each family member has brought into my life. This photo from the '70s brings me joy and a smile every time I see it, and given that it's on my desk at work, I get to see it and smile quite often!

Day 26: Routine

Morning rituals mean a great deal to me, and get me up and going! My cuppa is a big part of that ritual, whether coffee or tea (on rare occasions I have been known to give up coffee for a bit, go figure), and my mugs are also very important in the routine too. I'm grateful for routines and the structure and familiarity they bring to my mornings.

Day 27: Creativity

Whenever I feel a little dry in the creativity department, all I need to do is pick up a food or craft magazine, or open up Pinterest, and my creativity wheels start turning. I'm grateful for creativity ebbs and flows, and for the return of ideas after a dry spell. It makes me appreciate it all the more.

Day 28: Sky

Thanksgiving morning on Bainbridge Island. Beautiful and foggy, almost mystical. I'm grateful for skies that aren't always blue and filled with sunshine, and I'm grateful for Thanksgiving with family.

Day 29: Movement

Well, this one might be a little tongue in cheese, but it's in keeping with the kind of holiday we've had, which is very very relaxing. Ahhh. Mei Mei on my lap, and this was about all the movement I needed today. I am very grateful for the ability to unwind, for the fireplace and the company and the peace and quiet. Bliss.

I hope that wherever you are, your grateful list is long and your hearth is warm. Ours certainly is!

Creativity: A perspective

I read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" along with a gobzillion other people a couple of summers ago. I enjoyed it, for the most part, though had some lingering questions about her specific "marketing" (my word, not hers) of her life choices. I have been simply amazed at how the book has continued to dominate the best seller lists (it was #1 on NYT for more than a year). My appreciation for the author has grown more as I've seen her in the aftermath of the book than it did while reading it--the interviews and articles I've read about her show a level of humilty and a down-to-earth quality that appeals to me. See, I like that kind of marketing.

I saw this video and know that a few of my creative type peeps might enjoy what she has to say as well. I am impressed too with her ability to stand and speak cogently for 18 minutes toward a specific theme. That's a talent...

Craving creativity

Feeling rather done with food for a few minutes (other than posting and sharing recipes, which I still intend to do!), I turn back to my second love, the internet! And, having my laptop fixed and back on my lap (bare naked like a newborn, however), I am ready to frolic online and find my old faves. Here are two sites that I think are pretty cool in the creativity realm:

Drawminoes

Wordle

I haven't yet created anything on either site, but I've viewed favorites (drawminoes must be English or Canadian--check out that u in favourite!) and pondered diving in... maybe over the Christmas break?!

Happy creating! Now off to watch Top Chef and hopefull stay awake enough to follow what's going on!