APOLOGIES AND OTHER STRANGERS

Throughout this entire Coronavirus quarantine, many things about myself have transpired. One of which is something I’ve began doing I haven’t doing in forever: stopped and…well…just stopped. Stopping is a really awesome thing, especially for someone like myself who only go, go, goes. I’ve learned to stop, reflect, and meditate on all those really cool things in order to keep ourselves intact.

Ever heard of when people get a “pedi?” This means, of course, a “pedicure.” In this case, there’s a term I like to use called a “medi”, which stands for “meditation and deep thought.”  During my “medi-moment,” something out of the blue occurred to me. It’s something so simple but I don’t think I ever entirely grasped this concept: “Not everyone’s going to apologize to us—ever and sometimes that’s ok.” 

As humans, when someone does something wrong to us we not only want an apology, but we often seek out some sort of emotional restitution, in the end driving us to becoming obsessive and causing the need for unbridled vengeance. We won’t admit that sometimes for a variety of reasons: we’re too Christian for that, “when they go low, we go high,” etc.

Also as human beings, we want the villain to suffer. That’s why we get such gratification out of the bad guy or girl getting blown up or pushed off a balcony in a movie or TV show. It’s gratification in its highest regard, whether we admit it or not. Don’t get me wrong. We’re not bad people and we don’t want anyone to die. We just want “wrongs to be righted” and bad people to learn their lessons. That’s good if you live behind the silver screen, but in the real world that’s not how it always works. I’ve seen two kinds of people: those who go to their graves never admitting wrong and those who never got their much-deserved apology.

It happens, but there’s one thing that makes it OK. When we finally learn that in some cases we’re never going to get an apology. Some of us have spent our whole lives under the pressure of needing an apology that’s never going to happen, and we need to be OK if it never happens. Why? Because waiting for an apology is like being in a rut, and a rut is a grave with no end, leaving us physically drained and emotionally exhausted.

Am I saying we shouldn’t forget? Of course not! However, the one thing I have learned is if we spend so much of our time and energy obsessively waiting for an apology that will never come, we end up keeping ourselves from finally being free and living our best life possible.

HAPPY EASTER!

“In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.

I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,

I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade.

On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us,

And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,

And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter parade.”

--Irving Berlin

AN UNEXPECTED HOUSE GUEST

Well, I woke this morning to a raucous in my garden. I put on my slippers, ran outside and noticed this creature hanging upside-down in my garden.

He didn't really want anything. He just flew in to say, "hello!"

I've decided to keep him. What do you think?

NOTHING SPECIAL, REALLY...OR IS IT?

I know, I know. It's another flower photo. Go figure. LOL!

Being under state-mandated lock down and quarantine as a blogger is very much a challenge. There's only so many facets of a garden you can capture, and there's only so many things you can actually write about before you begin resorting to the spoons in your kitchen pantry. With that being said, sometimes we just need a friendly reminder amid all the craziness there is still simpleness amid complexity, life among death...

...And it's quite spectacular!

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

At the Favorite Things house, we love decorating with glass. Whether it's a simple wine bottle or an ornate piece of beautifully-cut art, there's nothing more beautiful than when a ray of morning sun bursts through the sky and pierces through colored glass, creating a spectrum of colors.

Ever since I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do was taking painted glass and create wind chimes. Of course, I knew not to tumble the pieces too hard against one another or the glass pieces would shatter.

Another thing I love is a mason jar. What's really neat about mason jars is you can virtually do anything with them, from turning them into vases for flowers or turn them into a regular drinking glass for lemonade on a hot summer day. In fact, Pinterest shows us there's pretty much nothing you can't create using these jars. One really cool project is taking mason jars, cutting little holes in the top for lights to enter through the lid. You can also use Mod Podge with a dab of color to create virtually any color of jar you can imagine!

I know, I know...get back to the post. :)  Now, let me take you to the back flower garden...

In one of our flower beds you will find a bottle tree with every kind of bottle known to man. If you look through the bottles in a certain light they create the most awesome prism that shines in the ground in multiple areas. For this one, we use a regular display stand and place various bottles--in kinds and colors--and put them through each metal post.

In our world of iPhones, iPad and any other device that begins with the letter "I", it's good to know there's something out there we can create that's simple and satisfying. And if the Internet goes out, who cares? You have one of the best gifts of all: the ability to make your world bright and colorful, and the ability to just, and as a friend of mine often says, "go and make something beautiful." 

SPIDERS IN MY GARDEN

The funniest thing happened this morning. I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down, when low-and-behold there were two HUGE spiders who came to greet me.

Now, even though I'm a huge fan of Halloween, I knew Autumn hadn't arrived yet. What was going on? OK...now I'm just being silly. In truth, these spiders stay out in my garden. We got them back in Halloween and had to leave them out all year long, because of how amazing they look!

Some people might things it's childish to do so--to leave nonseasonal things up year-round or even wear...UGH...God-forbid...a Halloween shirt all year long (as I have three of them I wear proudly all year long).  As for me, if I love it, it stays up year-round.

Why? Because life's too-dang short, and there's WAAAAAY too much living still left to do. :) 

MY HAPPY PLACE

Just down the road from my house is a wonderful wooded area. It's a little park very few people attend, except for your occasional dog walker, bike rider, or parents who let their children play on the park's large swing set. But, however, I have found a much different use for this area, especially in the back of the park through the woods. I call it appropriately my "happy place."

Nestled in this area is a very magical area with a running stream that flows through several ornate rocks and timber. I love to come here, close my eyes, and simple take in the beauty of stillness and do absolutely nothing but bask in the treasure known as nature. 

Places like this often remind me of places my cousins and I used to go when we were children: fighting dragons with sword-branches and blowing dandelions to cast spells like wizards. We would get our feet so muddy, but we didn't care. It was all for the greater good of killing ogres and saving princesses. 

Too often, we get so caught up in the everyday rigor and rhyme of things that we forget of the solitude created by running waterfalls and the whistling tunes of birds. Out here, there are no bills to pay or deadlines to meet. The only things we have to do is take a deep breath and simple be grateful to be alive.

All this world's grief will be waiting for us tomorrow. So, for now, let's find a good watering hole. Let's kick off our shoes, wade in the water, and zap evil sorcerers with wands we made out of broken sticks. And the best part? We do this until nightfall tells us we get to do it all again tomorrow. :) 

The choice is yours and mine.

THE "UPSIDE-DOWN" FOR ADULTS

OK, this isn't STRANGER THINGS when I talk about the "upside-down," but I think in a way we can all relate. God knows I could.

The alarm clock rings at 6:20AM. We open our eyes and stagger out of bed. We take a shower, pour our coffee cups full, wear our most appropriate work attire and head out the door.

We go to a job we are not thrilled about and pretend to love it so we can have paychecks. We then take those paycheck
s, spend 7/8 of that paycheck just so we can live to work, while the 1/8 we spend in hopes we can actually have a some sort of life. The day ends with us plopping on the couch, sipping iced tea or wine, and harshly re-examine our lives. Then, we go to bed and do it all again the very next day,

Then and suddenly, somewhere in the quietness of it all, we hear a still small voice crying out to us.
We ignore it at first but then listen, and the more we listen the voice gets louder, and louder...and louder...until we can't shut it off and we heed its beaconed call. We surrender to its siren song, get off the couch and walk toward something unfamiliar.

We begin to fill our front yards full of carved pumpkins, sip hot cocoa, and bake pumpkin pie while not giving a damn how much sugar or butter we use. And then in the midst of it all, our work life becomes what our present used to be: pushed to the side while we finally live. And the best part about this is we don't have to wait until it beacons us. It's there and always have been. We just have to listen and do, 

True story. :) 

My Cup Runneth Spooktacularly Over

Fall officially arrived in Tennessee a few days ago. The air is a crisp 60°, signs of fall are everywhere, and I pour a steaming cup of coffee with pumpkin spice creamer.

As most of you know I'm a huge Halloween fanatic. I literally count down the days and weeks until that Spooktacular time of the year comes in to play and everything comes out in full fallish fashion, especially the beautiful leaves.

And as always, I dragged out my favorite coffee cup and sit out on the front porch and watch all the beauty of autumn take place. It's good to know in a world full of things we can't change and hate and malice, there's always a nice cup of coffee and a front porch filled with two kittens who play with one another waiting for us.

Hopefully if they will cooperate I'll get to show you pictures of the two kittens who have now grown into a beautiful young cats. But like I said, if they cooperate. :-)

Stay tuned

PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS EVERYWHERE! (EDGAR)

Yes, Halloween t'is near and many pumpkins are entering my humble abode and sitting up residence.

This one sits in my kitchen. I call him Edgar, because of the raven sitting atop his head. And also as a tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. Being the daydreamer I am, I like to pretend the raven is perched above Edgar's head and is squawking, "Nevermore."

Then again, who says he isn't? :) 

AT THE GARDEN'S END

We've been rather lax on decorating this year, as I used to designate the first Saturday after Autumn to begin decorating. Although I would cheat and decorate the mantle the weekend of Labor Day, decorating for seasons is a tradition in my home.

This year I wanted to do something different. In the next couple weeks, I am going to turn our back garden into a pumpkin patch...or...Jack O' Patch, for use of a better term. These beautiful orange and white pumpkins will be carved and bring a magical, creature-like flair to our little home.

Hopefully, the squirrels and other critters will cooperate and not make a meal out of the pumpkins. Then again, maybe they're just helping me carve the pumpkins. Who knows? Stay tuned and tell me how you decorate for this-most "spook"tacular time of the year.  

THE WELCOME MAT

As promised, I'm sticking to my beloved blog. And honestly, I'm very grateful to feel the excitement of blogging again. Tennessee has finally reached autumn temps: lower 70's and cool, so what better reason do I need? 

For the past few days, I've been calling this month "HOTober" and for good reason. But seeing the leaves finally fall and a brisk chill in the air truly gets my senses tingling. With the leaves falling, I also noticed leaves beginning to cover my welcome mat. Usually, I grab a broom and sweep them away, but this time felt different. I wasn't in too big of a hurry to sweep, as I have missed autumn like an old familiar friend. It's the same friend you look forward to his or her arrival once a year. 

So yes, I could have swept the fallish debris away, but I didn't. To me, the dried, dead leaves give birth and character to the welcome mat. And not in the form of appearance, but rather what's truly on the inside. What a cool concept! And that's a lot how life is. Just when we think there's nothing but death all around us, if we take another outlook on things there's always life waiting to welcome us back to the land of the living.

NOW, BACK TO OUR REGULARLY-SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING...

August 3, 2018: It was the last entry I made to this blog. It was about Halloween candy showing up around the first of the August month in stores.

Sometimes, we prodigal bloggers mean well. We truly do, but life sometimes gets in the way of our wanting to blog. Believe me when I say I think about this blog every single day of my life, especially when September of next year will mark its tenth anniversary. It's my baby,and the more I endure the hardships of life the more I also realize it's my saving grace.

And believe me when I say so much has changed. First of all, let's start with something simple, yet highly-favored. I wanted to show you awesome folks one of the first of many ornaments going up throughout this month. PBE had this for years and we hang it up as part of tradition. More decorations to come.

Where have I been? Well, let me tell you a few things: First of all, I got married last year. That within itself was awesome. We got married in a cave. Yes, my blogger friends, an actual cave but it was gorgeous!

Second of all, we are the proud parents of not only four dogs, but also a mother cat named Tom-Tom and her two babies from a litter of six: a black kitten named Onyx and a gray chubby kitten named Oopsie. I will show you pics of them later.

Third, and most unimportant, I died my beard. I'm 42 and fully gray. I look I rode in a haunted car. BUT...that's neither here nor there. Moving on...

I think the thing that happened recently that forever changed me was something tragic. Windy, one of my best friends, was found dead due to an apparent suicide. What's worse is a few years before she died we had a huge argument, and I told her I never wanted to speak to her again. When I learned of her death it forever changed me.

As of three weeks ago, I learned to forgive more and hate less. I went on a personal crusade to ask anyone I may have wronged, no matter how big or little, to forgive me. A couple were like, "mehhhhh..." and the rest welcomed me back with opened arms. I even got a couple apologies, which I didn't expect. To be honest, I felt entirely liberated and free.

I decided to focus on all-things that are favored by me, and to revived this blog. I have to. It's my home and the place I've resided for such a while now. Keep in mind: my posts may not be but one sentence long with a picture, but I will be more devoted to this blog even if that's the case. It's been my happy place for such a long time now, and I love reading your all's blogs as well. So, I hope you can stand more of me and welcome me back, like this pumpkin pic, for example. :)

But yes, dear friends. Love one another. Encourage one another. And most of all, never say anything you will eventually have to take back. I've finally learned that lesson, and it only took me 42 years.

AND SO IT BEGINS...

Hey, everyone! Look toward the bottom of this photo.

Is it true?

Could it be?

Yes, indeed! Halloween-Goodies-in-stores season has officially begun!

THE WONDER OF "THE BIG BLUE WHEEL"

It’s that time of year: carnival time! It’s the one time of the year an empty, barren lot transforms into one spectacular event remembered for generations to come. There’s something so magical about a summer carnival. The smell of buttery kettle corn and rich caramel apples, roaring laughter coming from both the young and old alike, and most of all the lights that magically take you away from the normalcy known as life.

When I was a kid, my cousins and I always stood in a lengthy line and purchased our tickets. Before we purchased cotton candy and all those “goodie things” that ruined our suppers, we rode the “big blue wheel.” It may have seemed like just another ferris wheel, but to us kids who were frightened by the mere sight of such a colossal wonder riding such a huge wheel that appeared to have stretched to the heaven was considered “bragging rights” that lasted for the remainder of summer vacation from school.

And even though the grounds will empty when the school bells ring again and the glories of autumn arrive, we will enjoy our memories until the big blue wheel arrives in town again next summer.

A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

I know, I know…bad, BAD blogger. But I’m not going to make excuses. Instead, I’m just going to own it and go on.

But anyway, on a happier note let me tell you where we went to over the weekend. There’s this awesome place called Cruze Farms. It’s only ten minutes from my house and believe me when I say it’s like stepping into a time machine and going back many years.

It all begins with going into a quaint little restaurant on the premises called, “The Pizza Barn.” When you first walk in, all these posters and portraits of old-fashioned farm life hang everywhere. Even a portrait of a cow’s head hung proudly above the front door. After you finish eating pizza, you then go to the ice cream parlor and dairy market that is held inside an old historical home from the late 1800’s.

Grant it, a tiny part of me wanted to stay there forever: to sit under an old oak tree, eat ice cream and whistle the glorious day away. But I couldn't. Instead, I decided to call it a day and do it all again soon where I sit outside on the front porch, listen to a tune being played on an old piano, and be grateful for the little things.

MY GROWN-UP CHRISTMAS LIST

Someone asked me what I wanted for Christmas.

Quite honestly, I can't think of a thing. Instead, this is what I want: a traditional Christmas.

I want a Christmas that's beautiful where everyone comes together and the real meaning overshadows commercialism. It was how it was when I was a child. Brightly-wrapped boxes that contained my presents were always great and intriguing, but to me it was the lights, the Saturday Christmas Parades, the church Christmas plays, and the togetherness of family.

So, if you ask, this is what I want for Christmas. I want each and every one of you well, and healthy, and doing well financially. I want us all to love one another and remember that anything is possible. Yes, this is what I want, and quite honestly I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Who wants to join me?

A WINTER'S MULLING

I have a new favorite winter tradition to share with you awesome guys and gals.

Since it's cold outside, my household every December, and even on into January, is filled with the smell of mulling spices: squeezed oranges, their juices and rinds, dried cranberries, cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground pumpkin spice, and ground allspice all soaking in a black pot of boiling-hot water.

How does it smell? Oh, so good!

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER

Christmastime is very special around the Favorite Things House. 

If I'm not getting together last-minute ornaments to put on the tree, my wonderful fiance is decorating everything: from the mantle to our front door. Yes, everything is always done bright and cheerful in sincere yuletide spirit.

There's something about this time of year I always felt was magical. It's like you can't help but wonder what comes to life when every one's gone to bed. I think it's the congregation of yuletide birds that adorn my mantle. If you listen closely while tucked in bed you almost hear them humming a Christmas tune...or perhaps they're resting before they retreat to their nests, or perhaps they're talking about the fierce Winter...or maybe they're discussing where they bought their clothes.

Who knows?

All I know is they look pretty-darn cute and festive on my mantle. Don't you think?

MY AFFAIR WITH SIMPLICITY

Today was such a pretty day, and as usual I got caught up in the norm called "life." I think many of you know what I mean by "the norm": paperwork, appointments, errands and all those other goodies that have to be done to live just so we can die when it's all over.

For the past year, life has taught me a lot--both good and bad. The first piece of good news is I'm getting married in October to the love of my life. We've been together ten years. I joked and said my beloved's parents were waiting for my dowry check to clear. Ha! Ha! But nevertheless, I am beyond excited to have my Fall wedding.

Anyway...Something drew me back to my blog, THE FAVORITE THINGS GUY. Each time I come back here, a smile is always brought to my face. I can't help but see posts about Tina the Llama or Halloween or even the fictional town of Lymword I created. It all made me smile.

Therefore, without thought and not know how often I would post ever, I grabbed my camera and went outside in the 60-something degree weather. The beauty of Spring came to my house: all those bright colors and budding blooms in the trees. Yes, Spring is only three weeks away but it's coming.

So, with camera-in-hand I took pictures and got caught up in the love of simplicity; of yellow hues of daffodils and rick greens of lavender lilacs that will arrive in the next few weeks to come. Suddenly, I smiled. Despite a tumultuous political standpoint and all the craziness going on in the world, it's always good to know there's things that are greater than the stress of everyday life, like Springtime, fun in the Summer sand and firefly catching, the beauty of Autumn in all it's "spook"tacular glory, and the chill of Christmas where everyone comes together and remember old memories of those long gone while also creating new ones with the generations to come.

Life is a cycle, dear friends. Instead, I think I'll call this particular cycle a "bicycle" and simply enjoy the ride. I worried at first I wasn't but perhaps I always have. the splendor of it all was simply waiting for me to take my foot off the pavement and simple peddle.