I have one of those mini-books you find in the book store by the counters. It’s tiny, maybe 3″ by 3″. I don’t know why I bought it. It must have been my Writers’ ADHD (WADD–if it’s not an actual affliction, it ought to be!). I hate waiting in lines, and my eyes are always going to the racks of things they place strategically close to the counters for impulse buys. It has a sparkly cover, so I was sunk. This little treasure is entitled, The Woman’s Book of Simple Delights.
So, I’m going to open the book at random and pick out a “simple delight”. I need something to take my mind off what’s coming. Today’s going to be stressful. My mother decided to host the local art guild Plein Air event—it’s an outdoor event where painters set up their easels and paint the day away. It’s kind of like a writers’ “write-in” only writers are smarter. We meet at a coffee shop with AC running. These poor artists will be trying to find shade in 90 degree weather to paint their masterpieces. Okay, I’m not being snide. I think it’s really nice. I just can’t imagine taking my laptop outside on a day like today, but to each his or her own.
Let’s see, a simple delight… Okay, here’s one. Practice writing your name repeatedly with a fountain pen. Huh? I collect fountain pens, so that part’s nice. But what delight do I get from writing my name? Maybe when I was ten years old and dotting my I’s with hearts!
Can you think of some better simple delights? Maybe we should collect our own favorite secret delights and publish them ourselves!
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Sitting on the front porch swing, sipping a cold drink and watching people.
Curled up in the corner of the couch with a good book and the house to yourself.
A surprise trip to the dairy bar for an ice cream cone.
Those were just a few that I could think of off the top of my head. 🙂
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Tracey! Nice list. I’d especially love to try #2 right about now!
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Look for 4 leaf clovers.
Enjoy fresh ice tea flavored with fresh pureed fruit (peaches, strawberries, berries…)
Aim water from a hose up in the air right above you–and stay there.
Just a couple…
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Petting the dog(s).
Holding/cuddling a baby, kitten, puppy.
Swinging on a swing set or tire swing.
Hot cocoa with whipped cream (since I can’t have chocolate, this one is more than a simple pleasure for me).
Reading a book to a child or singing a song with a child.
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Cindy! I love water. Sprinklers, pools, spray from a hose. Yes!
Lisa, nice choices too. Makes me want to hang a tire from a tree in the yard. Used to have one…
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Don’t knock practicing writing with a fountain pen. Lovely LEGIBLE handwriting got me through high school since I couldn’t type to save my life. (The typing teacher begged me to drop the class before he HAD to flunk me.) That name writting was practice for autographing your books, you just didn’t know it yet. I’ve got a number of fountain pens and dip pens, even a goose quill pen.
Simple pleasure: Finding a comfy corner and pulling out my crocheting. You can meet some nice people that way and you become invisible to the not-so-nice people.
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Taking random pictures. Of anything that catches my eye.
Cuddling with my kids….who seem to have out grown it..
I remember writting my name over and over again. Playing with different ways to sign my name. I think I got bored with that one.
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Clean sheets 🙂 I especially love this when coming home after a trip, and it’s even more lovely if someone else has made the bed for me 😀
A surprise hug from the kids (they’re older now but this is still lovely when it happens ;)) And I do still occasionally pick up my youngest for a cuddle, just because I still can. For now.
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I like to sit in silence. Then I breath very slowly and allow my mind to empty. Sometimes I fall asleep for a few minutes and sometimes I remember something I was supposed to do but I find it very theraputic. Sometimes, I ditch the family for an hour or so and I drive through the countryside near our house. I love all of the wide open spaces!
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Simple pleasures that are what I love the most and have many.
One of my favorites is just to have clean sheets on my sisters bed when she comes home from a business trip in NC.
I love to have a quiet morning sipping an ice coffee out side in the sunshine with just me and the dogs listening to music or reading a good book.
Even siting out side and writing where it does not matter what I write or how it comes out. Just to get the ideas out and then feel better in control.
Working in flower beds pulling weeds or in the garden.
Following a lead in our family tree and finding something interesting enough to talk to dad about what I found out.
Sitting in the house on a very hot day with ac going, feet up and reading a good book.
This is just a small list. LOL
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One simple delight I enjoy is going out to the garden, cutting some flowers & then bringing them in to arrange in beautiful vases.
Writing out my name would just annoy me. Potato/potato???
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Sitting on your deck/porch at night with an ice cold beer and staring at the stars.
Sitting by a bombfire with an ice cold beer and doing nothing but watching the fire dance.
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Hearing the jingle of the ice cream truck coming around the corner.
Sunset. Because I sure don’t see many sunrises.
A bath.
Watching the blue birds in the back yard build their nest.