Thursday, December 31, 2015

365 Days of #EveryBrilliantThing

This year I've kept a virtual gratitude list, inspired by the play Every Brilliant Thing. Here's my post about it. 

 And since this is the last day of 2015, here is my complete list!
JANUARY

Lays Chocolate covered potato chips.
Pink shoelaces.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.
The sky – always different, always the same.
Flip-flops.
Ruby's neverending enthusiasm for the headless rubber chicken.
My fabric stash.
Fuzzy socks on a cold morning.
Stained glass windows.
Sunday morning Jazzercise.
Small notebooks for recording big ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Trees in winter.
Baby pictures.
Scarves.
Bento box.
Chocolate milk.
Being the only one awake in the house on a dark, quiet morning.
Self-checkout at Walmart.
Dancing with Kyle Abraham; Otis Brown; Eric (at the Carver Theatre).
Velcro poetry.
Sunshine.
“The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight.” -Julia Cameron
Doodling.
Free books.
Being the last one out of bed.
Little boys in overalls exploring the world.
Proof that spring will come. [pic of daffodil shoots]
Decorating with cotton.
Tiny books.
Going to the movies with my husband on a random Friday afternoon.
Gel pens.

FEBRUARY

Sunday afternoon siesta.
Live streaming when you can't be there.
When someone compliments my outfit.
Daily conversations with my father who is ill and lives 1500 miles away.
Sisters.
Mama's roast beef.
Scrapbooking!
King cake.
Bumper stickers.
Morning conversations with Eric on the drive to school.
Mrs. Fattig. 3rd Grade.
Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate brownie dough.
Books hand-picked for me by my father.
Skype visits.
Plaid.
Lighthouses.
Breakfast for supper.
Stuffed animals.
Cooking with an iron skillet.
Umbrellas.
Movie trailers.
#Oscars2015 pajama party.
Chapstick.
This cookie from Whole Foods.
“A broken heart is an open heart.” -@jandynelson, I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN
Yesterday's no-Snow Day and today's snow-dusted delay.
Poetry Friday.


MARCH

Robin eggs. [the candy]
Waking to the sound of rain and birdsong.
Old-fashioned personal mail found in the mailbox.
Fifth grade friends.
The fact that Eric spent 7 hours today working on a song.
Buttons.
Boys in pink shirts.
Hot air balloon.
Fresh grapefruit juice.
Hats.
Induction of Kathryn Tucker Windham into Alabama Women's Hall of Fame
The art of storytelling.
Seafood supper.
Traveling with JuliAnna Dykes.
Mozart.
Salt mines.
Freedom. (after visiting Dachau concentration camp)
Crazy long distance phone calls when cell phone won't work and you're missing loved ones so much.
The Swiss alps.
Chocolate fondue
Heidelberg, Germany.
Brock Colyar's suitcase still in one piece.
Not having to pay to use the public restroom.
Vegetables.
My own bed.
Taco night.
In Vienna, you can Dial-a-Poem.
Coca-Cola's “Make a Move” short.
Spring Break.
Patience.
People who explain things by using metaphor.


APRIL

Walking the neighborhood in the early morning dark.
Azaleas in bloom.
Polka-dots. Especially Eric in polka-dots.
Fried oysters.
That bird outside my window singing so happily in the dark.
When I set a goal for 5 pages and end up with 7 instead.
Morning drive with @bensollee.
Wisdom at morning @jazzerciseinc : “If you can't hide it, decorate it.”
New plants in old pots.
The way Ruby barks at thunder.
Fortune cookies.
Tree art.
Tree Change Dolls.
Elephants.
Breakfast with Papa.
LISTEN, SLOWLY by Thanhha Lai.
Art by @brianandreas.
Mints at Olive Garden.
Friends who say just the right thing. Looking at you, @mattarnett!
Writing in the parking lot.
Those jar grip thingies.
Aprons.
Clouds.
Patio dining.
Metal dresses by Chris Beck at Magic City Art Connection.
That scene when Forrest Gump just stops running.
Restaurant in Atlanta overlooking Oakland Cemetery named Six Feet Under.
Books on hold for me at the library.
Mermaids.
Hot tea on a rainy morning.

MAY

“Hooray, it's May!”
Airport reunions.
Rivers.
Kentucky Derby.
Paper clips.
Murals.
Helpers.
“Scars prove that you're still here.” - @ashparso STILL WATERS.
Baby ducks.
Andrew giving me a birthday cake shake from Zaxby's for Mother's Day.
Sunday night suppers at Chuy's with Eric.
Banana pancakes with cinnamon and sugar on top.
Andrew doing his own laundry.
Maggie our cat giving herself a bath.
Cookie cake.
Papa's binder where he lists all the books he's read.
People who are passionate about what they do.
Boys in tuxedos.
Don Draper's new idea. #MadMen
Typing “THE END” on the first draft of a novel.
She-crab soup.
Spanish moss.
Live music on the pier.
Road-tripping with Paul.
My own bed.
Quilts on a clothesline.
The color aqua.
Thrift stores.
Having an imaginary friend.
Hay rides.


JUNE

Air conditioning.
All my boys in one place.
Mimosa trees.
The word “precious.”
Hacksaws.
Red walls.
Sourdough bread.
Cell phone camera.
Beta readers.
My writing chair.
Heardmont Park.
Snowball hydrangeas.
Fried pork chops.
Night walks.
Cello.
Baby tigers.
The beach at night.
Screened in porches.
Quilt shows.
Monte Cristo hotdogs.
Doctors who say, “it's not going to kill you.”
A friend reaching out.
Reaching back.
Sliced tomatoes.
KFC Original.
Blue bowls.
Harry Potter.
Fresh ground pepper.
Starfish.
Rearranging the furniture.


JULY

Styrofoam.
Homemade whipped cream.
Spraypaint.
Farmers' market with Paul.
Microchip dog ID.
Baking a cake.
Summer Poetry Swap.
Camp Buttercup.
Bandaids.
Jacuzzi tubs.
The scent of basil.
First day of a new job.
Drive-thru pharmacy.
Harry Potter.
Twilight movie marathon with Eric.
Friday Night Lights.
Sisters.
French braids.
Bobbie's old office chair.
My Authur Umlauf sculpture.
Writer-friend phone therapy.
Night storms.
So quiet I can hear the clock ticking.
Audiobooks.
Planning a vacation.
Revision notes.
Poetry Friday community.
Wild ponies of Assateague.
Dancers.
Luxury bed sheets.
Coming home.

AUGUST

Naps.
Red suitcase.
Exercise ball.
Roman shades.
The Bird Girl.
Sweet and sour sauce.
Early morning walk on the trail.
Digital scrapbooking.
Fabric in the mail.
Book signed by author.
Reuseable grocery bags.
Sea bands.
Tinted moisturizer.
Catching fish.
Walking on the beach.
Easy as Sunday morning.
First day of school.
Antibiotics.
Used book stores.
Lunch on the back porch.
Supper on the back porch.
Double-yolk egg.
Rick Springfield singing Katy Perry's ROAR.
Dancing in moonlight.
Empty highway.
Finishing a quilt.
Baby wipes.
High school football.
Fresh cantaloupe.
Cello teacher saying I'm becoming a “sturdy” player.
Octopuses.


SEPTEMBER

Sunflowers.
Wrapping paper.
Upside down yellow maple leaf on the walking trail.
Birds on a wire.
Caterpillars turning into monarch butterflies.
Walking.
Papa writing stories.
Internet shopping.
Kissing.
The audio version of ECHO by Pam Munoz Ryan.
Sitting in Sandra Bullock's chair at historic, delicious Bright Star Restaurant.
Me, Paul, Daniel & Amalee sitting around the kitchen table.
E-books.
Black cat in my lap.
New sculpture at BJCC.
How empty the streets during an Alabama game.
The Lebanese food festival.
Kantha quilts.
Armadillo necklace.
Fog.
Fire hydrants.
The wet world.
10th Annual My Favorite Poem.
Clocks.
Made-up words.
Drive-in theaters.
Jumper cables.
Little red wagons.
Claw-foot furniture.
Dice.

OCTOBER

This #OutandAboutDress by @sewcaroline.
Love notes.
Old houses.
Frogs.
Boys with long hair.
The Martian.
Costume jewelry.
Zentangle.
Lemon thyme.
Tiki mosquito torches.
Looking through old scrapbooks.
Graphic novels.
Zentangle pumpkin.
Mercy.
Swinging.
NEVER BROKEN by Jewel.
Dreams that hold horses.
The new Harry Potter play.
Halloween decorations.
Archways.
Thank you notes.
Rosemary.
Sugar maples in fall.
Dry creekbed.
Glue gun.
Moonrise.
Getting new book contract from Lerner and F&G's from WordSong in the mail on the same day.
Sharing a secret.
Saying thank you.
Hearing thank you.
Paula Deen's bacon-wrapped chicken bites.

NOVEMBER

Rain.
Daylight Savings time.
Starfish.
Nesting dolls.
Eric on drumset.
Cabin in the woods.
Early morning rain in the woods.
#wild blogging friends.
Taking a mental health day.
Trying a new recipe.
Peanut butter balls.
Colored pencils.
Pistachios.
Sacred harp music.
Sunshine on a cool day.
Rain boots.
Electricity.
Kid art on display.
Fresh paint.
Fiestaware.
Almond butter.
Hot chocolate.
Friday night football.
Mashed potatoes.
Leaf quilt.
Self-timer setting on camera.
Movies that are also books.
Time spent with my sister.
70 degrees in November.
How you an reinvent yourself with a new haircut.



DECEMBER

Sticky notes.
Being 19.
Cookie cutters.
Online shopping.
Bell towers.
Rumi.
Phone call from a friend.
Christmas lights.
Rivers.
Fleece.
“If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.” -Toni Morrison
Ribbon.
Kindness.
Gifts in the mail.
Keyhole tree.
Jingle bells.
Elves.
Johnny's in Homewood.
Grapefruit juice.
Fuzzy socks.
Turtles.
Baking.
My miniature tea party tree.
Gochujang.
The Force.
Ladders.
Sacagawea.
The sound of rain.
Swinging.
Blanket with sleeves.
Harney & Sons Paris tea.



Posted by at

3 comments:

Your thoughts?

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)