When my friend Kaarina Dillabough wrote her blog post “99 Thing I Love – The Challenge” and sent me a tweet challenging me to it, I thought “no way, I cannot do this in 10 minutes” and sent her a reply “I’ve got 99 things to take care of IRL”.
But send a bone my way and I will eagerly catch it, so here goes:
My list of 99 things I love
1. My daughter
2. My family
3. Family harmony
4. my first cup of coffee in the morning
5. watching the sun go up
6. watching the sun go down
7. rolling sea waves
8. the smell of slow cooked food
9. eating
10. drinking wine
11. the colour RED
12. Italy (especially southern Tuscany)
13. taking the dog out for a walk
14. cuddling my dog
15. driving my car
16. reading a book (and nobody disturbs me)
17. watching a movie in a real movie theatre
18. smoking (yes, I KNOW)
19. Thailand
20. An inspiring discussion
21. Taking pictures
22. Writing
23. Watching the full moon
24. The smell of freshly mown grass
25. The smell of hay
26. Cows, pigs – all animals
27. Getting snail mail
28. Cooking
29. Inventing recipes
30. Candle making
31. Composing fragrances
32. Selling my handmade products
33. Pasta with a rich sugo bolognese
34. Getting comments on my blog posts
35. Compliments
36. Being nice to other people
37. Eating out
38. Wine tastings
39. Discover new food
40. Discover new wines
41. Meeting friends in town
42. Taking the ferry to cross the river Rhein
43. Playing games
44. Puzzles
45. Writing a blog post in 15 minutes
46. local farmer markets
47. Talking to strangers
48. Getting together with my old school friends
49. Helping somebody
50. Asian food
51. Mastering a new language
52. Playing music
53. Giving presents
54. Writing letters (or e-mails these days) to friends and family
55. Lovely clothes, shoes and bags
56. Travelling
57. Mango
58. The smell of sun heated trees
59. Lights on dark winter nights
60. Gardening
61. Visiting historical parks and gardens
62. The smell of the sea
63. A clean house and tidy basement (if only my daughter would read this!)
64. Reflections in the water
65. Catch 22
66. Ernst Lubitsch
67. Going for a walk in the woods
68. Breathing in snow air and watching snow fall from a dry spot
69. Herbs
70. Spices
71. Seeing the garden awaken after a long winter
72. Harvesting my own figs
73. Taking care of my orchids (they need very little!)
74. My talents
75. Being in charge
76. Having enough money to give away to those in need
77. Eating out (I have said that before – sorry!) in a newly opened restaurant (here we go!)
78. The bright colours of autumn leaves
79. Pigs taking a mud bath
80. Swimming
81. A quiet moment when my brains shut up
82. An unexpected call from a friend
83. Smooth running of my computer
84. Learning new skills
85. Hitting the PUBLISH button on a new post
86. Knitting and sewing
87. Designing my own clothes
88. The first bite of a creamy black truffle and the first sip of a fine single malt whisky
89. Art
90. Moving into a new home
91. Making friends online through social media marketing
92. Music
93. Concerts
94. Childhood memories of drinking cool creek water on a hot summer day
95. Finding mushrooms
96. Eating white truffle
97. Snuggling under down comforters on a cold winter night
98. Coming in from the cold to a blazing fire
99. Singing
It has taken me more than 10 minutes and I have found it very inspiring and revealing: it has shown me that I am an olfactory, hands-on and quietly ambitious person who finds delight in family and friends on- and offline.
To all my friends overseas: Happy Thanksgiving and to us all: take some time to ponder the things you love but most important celebrate the love for your family and friends and let them know.
Are you game for some fun and revelation?
Will you write your own list of 99 things you love?
Comments 14
wow, 10 minutes is not a long time but well done on listing 99 things! I am always grateful for the abundance in my life 🙂
Ah my kindred spirit…I see us drinking wine in Tuscany, and single malt in the evening. Watching reflections dance off water as the sun rises or sets, and the moon presents itself in all its glory. Coupled with walks in the woods, I can see it all now. Delighted you took up the challenge, my friend. Cheers! Kaarina
tandysinclair Hi, Tandy, thanks for stopping by. 10 minutes is really not that long, I agree, best to take some time beforehand to think about all the things that you love (and I admitted to cheating above). Also, I had to resist the temptation to group my list. And now that I am going back to the other challengers I find myself nodding my head, yes I love this as well and that and that …
Will you take up the challenge, Tandy?
KDillabough Too good to resist, Kaarina! We are lucky that we will be surrounded by woods (teaming with boars) and a beautiful pineta down at the sea. Ah, I can smell it!
Maybe you will make some Finnish pancakes one nice morning for the two of us?
Have a wonderful weekend and safe driving! Hope there is no snow on the road.
What a nice post, Barbara! You certainly were up for the challenge. I enjoyed reading your diverse list of things you love! Great job!
robindavidman Thank you so much, Robin, it was a fun thing to do and yet it is rather telling, do you not think so?
Do come in and have a glass of mulled wine! It is freezing cold here in Basel and I should be going out soon for some pre-Christmas apero …
I’d love to read about the things you hold dear. Certainly music will be featured in your list. Have a wonderful weekend, Robin!
A woman after my own heart, Barbara! A few years after I finished my MBA (in strategic planning and finance) from the Wharton School, I got back in contact with a Finance professor. I told him I had gone on to turn around a Belgian chocolate company and was now working at a Cognac company in Jarnac, France. He said, “Well, I guess you could say you went from high tech to high taste!” He was right! 😉
sharonoday Good morning to you, Sharon, what a lovely story “from high tech to high taste”, I’d go for that anytime!
How are you spending the long weekend?
I am off now to another event I have organised: a wine tasting in combination with my products, luckily it will be indoors as there is snow in the air …
I”ve been far too busy if I missed this Barbara! What a great list! But this doesn’t surprise me. You have a wonderful ability to see the beauty in things and to make the things you write about beautiful!
That snowflake is amazing. I loved Catch 22 too! 🙂
Lori
I might just take up the challenge!
Do, Janine, it is fun and rather revealing!
Lori Ah, Lori, you make my day! Taking pictures has taught me so much: being aware of small things existing or happening around you and memorizing them, what you see is but your interpretation of reality (that’s a good one, no?) like there is not one truth.
Thank you so much and I do look forward seeing your 99 things and see what we have in common!
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