Friday Five: My Favorite Things

Songbird over at Revgalblogpals gives us this Friday Five:

In a week of wondering how various things in our family life will unfold, I found myself thinking of the way Maria comforted the Von Trapp children in one of my favorite movies. Frightened by a thunder storm, the children descend upon her, and she sings to them about her favorite things, taking their minds off the storm.

So, let's encourage ourselves. Share with us five of your favorite things. Use words or pictures, whatever expresses it best.

1. My dog. Even though I could make a Westie out of the fur we are combing out of her, and the fur she is shedding on the rug right now, I wouldn't trade her smiles and her sighs for anything.

2. My family. I don't always appreciate them like I should, but then I remember what it was like to come home to an empty house every night when I was single, and I am grateful. I especially thought about this when I got back from my Leadership Training last Saturday night. My husband and my dog were both in the car waiting at the airport, and my husband had a nice supper all waiting for us when we got home.

3. The poetry of Mary Oliver. I love her funny poems about Percy, her dog, her lovely poems noticing the small things in nature, and her fierce poems challenging me not to live a small life.

4. The sun. In my neck of the woods, it is just coming back around to us. Today, she is shining, making me believe that someday, again, there will be spring, with its cardinals and bluejays and prairie flowers.

5. I was going to say "Cinnamon", because I do love cinnamon, but I want to be original, and Songbird also said "Cinnamon", so I'm going to say "Garlic." I didn't know much about garlic when I was growing up; we put garlic powder in spaghetti and that was just about it. I don't think I ever saw a garlic clove until I was an adult. But now I know that three of my favorite cuisines thrive on Garlic: Chinese, Italian and Mexican. And there are probably more. Whenever I am stir-frying with garlic, my husband says, "mmmm. That smells good!" I also like fresh Cilantro, Basil, and Ginger.

Here is a garlic quote for you:

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good." Alice May Brock (of Alice's Restaurant fame)

Bonus "favorite thing": I also like music, and all kinds. I love the old standards from the 30s and 40s (Irving Berlin, Gershwin, Cole Porter); I love jazz, rock, folk and classical. And though I am not an accomplished player, nothing makes me happier than to sit down at the piano and play some simple hymns and old standards. If it's simple enough, I even sing along.