happy thoughts

becoming a storyteller

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0000

becoming a storyteller · the sound of boats rocking in their berths · the perfume-making process · a bare sea-shell of a cottage · celery and cream cheese · understanding the American West by reading Wallace Stegner · a lavender orchid · burger presses · the main color and markings of an amphibian’s skin produced by three different pigment cells — white, yellow, and brown-black · the plumpness of big, open red roses · getting away from it all · most fish having a well-developed sense of smell, many have taste buds and can see well, those that swim near the surface even have color vision · forgetting the main dish and vegetables, and having a dessert buffet for dinner · an evenly-lighted room to reduce eyestrain · the masterpieces of your favorite artist · cozy firesides · learning English in fun ways other than workbooks and essays · many happy returns · holly · gliding past fleeting mirror images of yourself · relative dating, in which the order of certain events is determined, used in archaeology unless tied to historical records – where absolute dating can be used · scribomania · the definition of the size of sports balls · a season’s worth of tennis balls · a bike ride to the gym · preserving your sanity · acrobatics in the school hallways · soft raspberry tones · ages and eras of history

a tiny glass of sherry by the fireplace

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

a tiny glass of sherry by the fireplace · things that just seem to click · 7-year-old showoffs · loving burnt food · Sniglets books · staying away from your own scrutiny · the lonely sound of a train horn · becoming a judge · a photo scavenger hunt, in which you (working alone or in a group) seek out scenes and objects and capture them on camera · a laid-back barefoot hideaway · low-calorie food · seeing a jazz funeral in New Orleans · a wheelbarrow for joyful rides · a gate so the cats can go out on the deck · politely inviting yourself to a party · a fast bath for a baby · fan etiquette · the chatter of swallows · rhubarb = advice · understanding the Buddhist “feeding the hungry ghost” · singing hymns · boutique hotels · loving as you desire to be loved · hash houses & golden arches · tulips closing their shutters at night · almond extract · blueberry pails · ambient music creating an atmosphere · nuclear disarmament · singing to get yourself in the holiday spirit

magnificent closets

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

magnificent closets · going to yard sales early on summer mornings · ZZZ – the sound of a person snoring · the extravagant literary gift of a Shakespeare · letting others know when they have invaded your territory · a great old bank turned into an office · butter cookies · an early start · meeting a lover through a Personals ad · England’s half of the island of Great Britain · out-of-control curly hair · going for a sunset sail · sci-fi classics · ballroom dancing · the moon lighting a room · free stuff in the hotel bathroom · when the movie theater lights come up · the afternoon shade of the apple tree · lying in bed and ruminating · colorful markets · mosquito netting to ensure peaceful slumber · a family photo · drowning your sorrows in a cup of hot chocolate and Toll-house cookies · retracing the Pacific voyages of Captain Cook in your own sailboat · mentally pulling sounds toward you · war reenactors · stories of a great age · sleeping late · semidecayed leaves making a rich humus · earlobes

attending the Cottonwoods Festival in Casper, Wyoming

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

attending the Cottonwoods Festival in Casper, Wyoming · delicate honeysuckle ice cream · a bit of seaweed · a writer’s sanctuary · digging a hole in mashed potatoes to keep the gravy in · a weeklong Buddhist retreat · stocking up on takeout · Patton (movie) · controlling office rumors · blackberry flummery · not feeling bloated · kid-tested, mom-approved · a room under the eaves of a farmhouse · age, like wine, growing richer and more complex with the years · cold crisp winters when the fingers go numb and the nose red · ginger ale, saltines, soup

doubling the temperature and adding 30 to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

doubling the temperature and adding 30 to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit · hills of pillows · picking a passion flower · the whole concatenation of wild and artificial things · butterscotch-colored straw hats · sun decks · old travel and movie posters · a stunning view · trompe l’oeil bookshelves · the freedom of being 11 years old · moonlight inspiring a serenade · sinking a three-pointer in a basketball game · how old you feel · spending a romantic weekend in a luxury hotel on the French Riviera · beauty in a single night sky · watching your words · aye, aye captain! · hotdogging on skis · keeping the scorebook · removing the storm windows · cheesecloth · winsome watercolors · the side of a paper bag · when your eyes stop watering from pollen · lying on a warm turf · “What a tale my thoughts could tell” · the birds and bees · reading an interesting article · a star following you home · pizza Arizona (chipotle salsa, chili powder)

heavy green glass jugs with natural cork tops

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

heavy green glass jugs with natural cork tops · the best beauty product: to have a life, a real life · ocean kayaking · arctic hares growing a thicker coat · traveling to the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand · fixing an impression forever in our memories · distemper shots · sweater dresses · cat races through the house · January, the month for being a homebody, plowing through thick novels, trying new recipes for savory soups and yeasty breads · the cycle of the seasons · a deluxe three-dimensional edition of Clue · billboards · contour drawing – drawing while looking at your subject, not the paper · harem skirts · passive Buddhas · a heartfelt hug · Leap Day babies · a concerto of crickets · a kitchen remodeling · burning 26 calories by kissing for one minute · kisses of pure affection · favors or party bags · finding your sense of humor if it was lost · supplication · attending a service in Washington’s National Cathedral · tree farms · your favorite painting at a museum · cleaning out the toy boxes · an albatross

sitting up straight

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

sitting up straight · hiking the Long Trail of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada · blackboards and chalk · the smell of sage on the mesa · fine snow in the air · the high voice used when summoning a cat · a “practice run” in your head · a person who makes a noise asking another to be quiet · refreshments · checking out Halloween masks · notes on big sheets of paper, on menus, on back of letters · asparagus season · a bowl of gumdrops · the Coney Island Polar Bears First Dip on New Year’s Day · the first bite of a meal · White House dinner invitations · eating Oreo cookies and then looking at your teeth · scooping coffee into the filter · Bohle, German wedding punch · Finnish crystal martini glasses · match point · being able to reach the towel · T-shirts · a teacher saying you are special · mailboxes suffering from malnutrition · framed family photos · a simmering, long list of things to do · baking powder · a safe descent from a tree climb · your secret morning time before anyone else is up

flamed orange sauce

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

flamed orange sauce · Macoun apples · a nadir · gumball machine charms · the ache of sudden memory · cutting quesadillas with a pizza cutter · a slight kink or twist · a cloze test in which a person must fill in missing words to measure their comprehension of text · beautifully made sandwiches · pineapple sage · the emulsions of beauty creams · pinked-apricot color · soft white furs of snow color · encountering a friendly giant manta ray · raising kids to believe they are writers · subtle comedy · ergology · a class that you have to take that you end up enjoying · the gamut of sake flavors and textures · a box of mementos · a really good waiter · landscapes soaked in memory · Plato’s “idea forms”, the patterns existing in the pure mind (Theory of Forms) · an aspirin for the flowers · Greek drama · a bar with a piano and a dance floor · the axis to which other parts are connected · giving yourself a Mother’s Day gift · all the complexions of bark · the cleanup hitter

snow filtering past the street light

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

an encouraging or optimistic horoscope · the majestic indigo of a lake · loading the gear into the car · Queen Anne-style vanity stools · italic writing · loving what you do · your visual memory · the Blue Hen chicken and the peach · the week in August when they don’t charge sales tax · making lists · lemonade ice cream · gypsy spirit · fireside conversations · “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” · prolonging enjoyment · champagne in a rowboat · a good classical music station · the highest track number at Grand Central Station · harvesting the pumpkins · owning a really good reading lamp · monstrous muffelettas in New Orleans · egg rolling · underwater windows in a swimming pool that look out at the Mediterranean · fashion photography · blueberry, ginger pecan, date, raisin, and honey muffins · the edging on sliced baloney and other deli meats · a long chain of cause-and effect · a primping mirror · anesthetic for dogs

the main idea – to be inspired to do things on your own, to create, to share

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0000

the main idea – to be inspired to do things on your own, to create, to share · a deliciously drowsy invitation · looking at old photos together · hammocks and books · the weird film of top of cocoa or soup that has sat for a while · a ride on the Orient Express · being on your way to the mailbox · glass panes ornamented with fantastic heraldry · the hub of the universe · having breakfast very late at night · winning the Nobel Peace Prize · not counting your chickens before they cross the road · the glistening handlebars of a new bike · obi sashes · mothers sitting amid piles of wet towels and thermoses · Friday-night pizza · a Twinkie exploding in the microwave · roses plucked from 18th century Flemish tapestry · gondolas · being pulled up by the bootstraps · peace · a welcome cocktail of oxygen and endorphins · ham and farm cheese butter-fried sandwiches · quizzing yourself on everything you were supposed to learn in elementary school · family junk that piles up in attics and basements · night · double-decker buses and costumed soldiers · outsmarting your opponent · crossing a line you haven’t crossed before · fizzy science experiments