My List of Things to be Happy About

Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" is definately one of my favorite movies. I can't count the number of times I've watched it over the years, but I never tire of seeing Jimmy Stewart as "George Bailey" and Donna Reed as "Mary". There is also one requirement that I insist on when watching this movie is that it MUST be viewed in black and white. When Ted Turner colorized this movie it just really took something special away from it in my opinion. Frank Capra directed this movie to be filmed in Black and White and this was his vision. I think that it's important to keep the original intent in mind and not tamper with a brilliant movie! Just my humble opinion...

This was one of my favorite books as a child. It's definately a must read with your kids too!

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. " ~C.S. Lewis

"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles onions on a sesame seed bun!" Do you remember that? When I was a kid the Big Mac song was all the rage and all the neighborhood kids would try to say it as fast as they could.

It was also the big thing as to what was actually in the secret sauce? Many speculated that it was just Thousand Island Dressing but here is the real recipe for McDonalds Famous Big Mac secret sauce!

Bon Apetite!

1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/3 cup French dressing
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
1 teaspoon Dry minced onion

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Chill in refrigerator for one hour (at least) for flavors to blend.

makes 1.75 cups

I can almost smell it now as I type....mmmmmmmmm

Origami is a cheap and fun way to spend time playing with your kids! It's also therapeutic for you too!

This is truly one of my favorite things to do. There is nothing more fun than finding some wonderful treasure and getting a great deal for it. I think that's why the show Antiques Road Show is so popular on PBS. It's really exciting to hear a story about someone dumpster diving or paying 2 bucks for a painting at winds up being an original Jackson Pollack! My best find is a vintage Mickey Mouse Alarm Clock that has brass bells and feet and it's in near mint condiion. I'm guessing it's probably from the late forties early fifties. Actually I don't really care what it's worth because I would never sell it but I did pay only $5.00 for it about 25 year ago. I have a feeling it's probably worth a little more now.

My Purple Iris in my garden is very special to me. When we bought our house I dug up some bulbs from my mothers garden who had in turn brought them from our nice landlady's garden where we lived when I was 4 four years old. I remember she had the most beautiful flower beds, all around the Apartments where we lived. I loved playing in the huge back yard filled with beautiful climbing red roses, Lily of the Valley, all different colors of Iris, tulips, and beautiful yellow daffodils, she also had huge hedges of forsythia, and big lilac bushes. To a four year old it was an enchanted place and everytime my Iris bloom with their familar sweet smell, it takesme right back to that innocent time when life was worry free and dandilions were beautiful yellow flowers and not weeds!

Unfortunately with two very active boys, I have had to put my Colbalt blue glass away until we reach a point when they will not be at risk of getting smashed by a random baseball flying about the house but I still love it and look forward to someday collecting it again.

I am always amazed when I take the time to look and see the smallest miracles all around me. To be able to see the universe in a single raindrop is a precious precious gift from God.

I am always amazed when I find a new and funny picture of where a cat has chosen to sleep. I frankly think I need to put a lens together about how cats will sleep anywhere!

Even though I have to admit that Van Gogh was not a very happy soul for the most part, his art makes me happy. I have been lucky enough to see "Starry Night" in real life, In my opinion it's quite different from what you see in a print. The canvas was not primed with gesso before he painted his most famous painting, and you can actually see the raw canvas coming through in many places. You can also see the build up of paint along with the bold brush stokes. I'm so glad that I can check this one off my things to do and see before I die.

In a interview/article by Alice Schroeder Warren Buffet shared 10 Key Stratedgies he has used to become one of the richest people in the world, I wanted to share #10 since it really brings home my message I want to share with this lens. One other footnote in the Photo included here Warren Buffet is enjoying a Hot Fudge Sundae from Dairy Queen. I definately think that needs to be included as a favorite thing too!

10. Know What Success Really Means: Despite his wealth, Warren Buffett does not measure success by dollars. In 2006, he pledged to give away almost his entire fortune to charities, primarily the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He's adamant about not funding monuments to himself -- no Warren Buffett buildings or halls. "I know people who have a lot of money," he says, "and they get testimonial dinners and hospital wings named after them. But the truth is that nobody in the world loves them. When you get to my age, you'll measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you. That's the ultimate test of how you've lived your life."

This makes me smile before I even type a word because I can't think of this game without thinking about one of my best college friends from West Virginia Wesleyan. Lisa and I used to go to the game room and spend hours wasting our laundry quarters playing Frogger trying to beat each others high scores. Now over 25 years later and living on opposite coasts, we still exchange little frog trinkets remembering our fun college days. I recently visited the college campus for the first time since 1983 and our beloved video arcade has since been made into an internet cafe. A stupid internet cafe I tell Ya! Alas we will always have the memories of Frogger in our hearts!

The Italian Renaissance was one of the most creative periods of all time, and my dream someday is to be able to visit Italy and see in person many of the incredible works of art created during that period. For me Leonardo Davinci is the epitome of this incredible time and I love to study his sketches. I have only had the opportunity to see his horse sketches in person, it was almost a religous experience to see them. With the exception of Michangelo, I have never seen drawings as amazing. So this is why I choose Leonardo's sketches as #23 in my list of things to be happy about.

OK I'll be the first to admit that this particular form of happiness does not come cheap but hey, it is Godiva! 'nuff said.