10 (ish) Things I Love!! ♥

Hello Friends!  Happy Monday! ♥

I hope you all had a nice weekend!  As usual, it went by too fast.  We relaxed most of the weekend.  We did manage to fit in the Panera run on Saturday I told you about.  It was nice to get out and treat ourselves to coffee and a couple of chocolate croissants.  Panera has the best ones!  For the rest of the weekend we relaxed, I baked cookies and bread, repotted two plants, did some housework, and that's about it.  The weather was (and still is) hot and humid, so we have pretty much been hibernating indoors which is ok by me.  Today it's back to work and here I am at the computer in my cozy little home office.  I bet you wish you lead as exciting a life as I do! hahaha! 

My friend Jen is traveling with her husband through Europe this summer (ha...but is she going to Panera like me??? Nope : ).  A few minutes ago she sent me this gorgeous picture from France.  She's in a lavender field somewhere in Provence.  Is this even real??  I'm swooning.  I told her I could practically smell the lavender from here.  It got me thinking, is it possible to love a place you've never been to? The answer is yes.  I love this place.  And I've never even been there.  

I think it's time for a "10 Things I Love" post.  It's been a while since I've done one and it's been on my mind lately.  I enjoy these posts because they are strictly off the the top of my head.  I'm going to call this one "Ten Things I Love: Old Lady Edition". I mean that in the most loving way and only because sometimes I feel like my likes are way beyond my years.  And to be honest,  I love that about myself!  

So here we go.  Here are 10 Things I Love: Old Lady Edition! ♥

1. Lavender fields in France (you knew that was coming!) and other far away places like London, Paris, and Venice, that I've never been to but dream of one day.  I'll get there ♥

2. Typewriters, rotary phones, old fashioned sugar & creamer sets, salt & pepper shakers, cast iron cookware, long dresses with buttons and pretty collars, aprons, wooden spoons, cannisters that say "coffee" and "tea" on them, old fashion radios in the kitchen, café style curtains, anything with a blue & white pattern, classic Disney films ♥

3. Libraries with card catalogs, going to museums by myself, antique stores, flea markets, general stores with creaky wood floors, little coffee shops, going to my local farmers market with a cloth bag over my shoulder and filling it up with fruits, veggies, and cheese, cherry vanilla ice cream ♥

4. Floral pattern dishes, wallpaper, bouquets of flowers in the kitchen, toast with honey and a cup of tea on a rainy day, lots of blankets, candles, piles of books, old tv shows, vinyl records ♥

5. Quilts, table runners and table clothes, embroidered doilies like my grandmother made, tea towels that say "tea time" on them, anything British, the FALL, pumpkin everything, afternoon naps, pancakes, pearl earrings ♥

6. Puzzles, crossword puzzles, Wordle (my new obsession), card games, board games, trivia, The Game Show Channel/Buzzer, old game shows like Match Game and Family Feud (Richard Dawson edition).  I also love that I know who Richard Dawson is AND recognize pretty much every old timey star who's appeared on Match Game and Hollywood squares (I grew up watching TV : ), snow days, Halloween candy, whip cream in my coffee  ♥

7.  Cooking things from scratch like bread and pie dough, making homemade pasta and sauce on a Sunday after church, feeding my family makes me happy, decorating cakes, making cinnamon rolls and how the smell when they are baking reminds me of Christmastime.  The best. Cardigans, cozy socks, twinkle lights around my kitchen window, pink lipstick and makeup that makes my skin look glowy, Loves Baby Soft (yes, it still exists!!) ♥

8. Road trips to see our friends, going out for ice cream, sipping coffee on the deck, telling stories around the fire, making smores in the summer, feeling grateful ♥

9. Evenings at the beach (see my previous post :),  having hot tea before bed, watching my favorite YouTube channels and getting inspired, songs by Dean Martin, Perry Como, & Doris Day, the golden age of Hollywood, pressed flowers, hand written thank you cards, journaling ♥

10. This blog which holds a special place in my heart, all the friends I've met here and on Instagram - we are kindred spirits and my favorite of all!! ♥

Wow. Ok that was way more than 10 things but once I started I couldn't stop! And I realize not everything on here is "old lady-ish" but being the nerd that I am, I like to think that it is! 

 Reading this back I realized this is pretty much my entire personality in one post! 

In a world of absolute madness, it makes my heart full to make these list and be reminded that even the smallest things can make me happy.  A simple life full of simple pleasures is all I need.  

Have a wonderful day, my friends! Thank you for being here! xoxo