Today is the birthday of Dr. Seuss.  The day has become "Read Across America Day," and the entire month of March is National Reading Month, so it's a great time to discuss the joy of books. Books are something that's always given me joy. My mother made sure I had a library card before I … Continue reading Joie 9 – Books!

I've kept a journal for years. Sometimes, it's more of a diary of what happened that day, sometimes it's more of "hey, I noticed this and it was cool," sometimes it's a list of things that inspired feelings of gratitude in me. Sometimes it's in paragraph form, sometimes it's a bullet-point list. Right now, I … Continue reading Joie 8 – Simplifying

Mid-to-late February is seldom my favorite time of the year. In North Carolina, it tends to be a dreary, wet, grey time, suitable for hunkering down and doing little, but it doesn't really lend itself to that - we're not in holiday time. Instead, this is a work-work-work time of year which makes respites all … Continue reading Joie 7 – Mardi Gras!

One of my true joys can, I think, be traced back to my childhood experiences with auctions. It's a running joke in my family that my dad's hobby was setting up housekeeping for three children via amazing buys at estate sales and auctions. I distinctly remember sitting in the living room of my very first … Continue reading Joie 6 – Upcycling!

Now that I'm a month in to my "Year of Joy," I'm ready to say that keeping a brief daily journal is a must. It lets me succinctly note splashes of joy that I come across during my day. I'm a True Believer in the notion of "as ye seek, so shall you find" and … Continue reading Joie 5 – Stretching!

I remember there used to be a bumper sticker that said, "My taste is simple. I only want the best." I also remember that I thought that was eye-rollingly arrogant and self-absorbed. (Then again, it's basically an Oscar Wilde quote, so . . . ) I still do, but I also sort of see the … Continue reading Joie 4 – Personal Best

One thing that I can always count on to bring me joy is the notion of celebration. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a holiday, right? Special foods, special clothes, special ceremonies . . . holidays are the flash of gold brocade in a basket of muslin days. (I'm paraphrasing someone there, but so help me, I'm … Continue reading Joie 3 – Celebration

For this "Joie" post, I want to focus on something we don't have nearly enough of - idle time.  This is VERY different from planned down time - vacations are wonderful things (and the average American doesn't use anywhere near all their paid vacation time, which I'm pretty sure is a sign of a deeply … Continue reading Joie 2 – Idle Time

For this, my very first "Joie" post for this "year of joy," I want to focus on two things - the joy I get from movies/television and my plan to broaden my "food base." First off - movies and TV. Like many people, I found a lot of comfort during the "plague year" of 2020 … Continue reading Joie 1 – Movies & Roasting!

Now that the "Year of Roses" and the month of "December Delights" have come to a close (you can find all of those by simply searching for "roses" or "delights" in the search bar), I took a little time to sit quietly and think about both what I'd learned and where I wanted to go … Continue reading 2021 – Une Année de Joie