Thanks for sharing some of your things, Cathy. I really wish I could have a cat here… And yes, I forgot how good it feels to see a new bud or flower on something in our gardens… And the sky! So many good ones here. I’m going to need to extend my list, lol.
Love this Louise thanks for sharing! And I'm glad you've made having the Substack app a part of your joy :)
My list didn't include nearly enough outside activities, so I'll add here that I've started going outside barefoot first thing in the morning and feeling the cold ground. I love it. A few deep breaths of fresh air and some sunshine in my eyes if Scotland's weather is gracious enough to show me any 😂
Ha, that sounds brave and wonderful! Hope the sun shines for you over the rest of the summer and thanks again for the inspiration for this one - it was a fun exercise to catalogue all these small things. I think we get some points for self-care!
Your fudge recipe makes me giddy with happiness. I can't eat sugar (migraines), so I'm used to unsweetened chocolate, but I've found very few dessert recipes I can easily adapt for my diet. I've already made this once (omitting sweetener) and I basically started making another batch right after finishing the first (which, ahem, didn't last very long). Thank you for sharing it!
Oh that’s wonderful, thanks for letting me know! So you can’t have honey or maple syrup I guess? I tried making the fudge honey/maple-free once but it was too bitter for me. How did you make it taste nice, or are you just used to unsweetened things now and able to enjoy them? And yes, too much sugar in most processed chocolate for me too; if I do have any I get a big sugar crash after the instant sugar high!
Occasional small amounts of honey/maple syrup are okay, but it's better for me to stay away from them. I added extra vanilla and the peanut butter and chopped nuts made it sweeter for me (I'm very used to unsweetened things now, including 100% cacao, which I know would not be to everyone's taste :).
Yes, and migraines must be a good motivator (I get mild optic migraines but I have friends who get the full deal and it sounds really awful). Extra vanilla is a good tip. I've been reducing the amount of maple syrup I use in the fudge, I use 1/4 cup now instead of the 1/3 cup in the recipe, but I think I can go lower! I also add cranberries or sultanas to add a bit of sweetness if I use less maple syrup...
Pain in general is a big motivator (so sorry about the optical migraines for you). It definitely took me awhile to get used to no sugar (I still love sweeter tasting foods), but sugar itself now tastes like a chemical to me, so I don't miss it. I'm looking forward to experimenting with the fudge: shredded coconut, blueberries, strawberries, so many possibilities!
I just recently found your substack, and your posts are a real balm for me. Thank you for writing.
You've inspired me to tweak my fudge recipe in a few ways, and thank you so much for the kind words about my substack, that means a lot. I love writing here - it's a balm for me too. Thanks for reading :-)
Louise, thanks so much for your beautiful article. I also love to sing and volunteer/sing weekly at a nursing home which is free, fun, and brings joy to the residents!
These are lovely, thanks for sharing Jenny. (I decided not to include friends and family in my list so I could focus on “small” things, and I don’t have any family around but yes, cuppas with friends definitely make me happy!)
Haha, maybe it’s the coming solstice! So true that time to just be and to scribble in notebooks is important. I’m so glad more people are realising this…
Loved this list! I love walking my dog, listening to podcasts, simple gardening tasks, making dinner in the evening after work, endless cups of tea and also try to read a few pages every night tucked in with a hot water bottle!
Suggest you adopt a cat or dog (or both) for the company, the snuggles and mostly how them become entangled in your day to day life. Also, if you haven’t…please try a fountain pen.
Thanks for the advice, K.A., if I lived in a city apartment I’d definitely have another cat, but I can’t have pets on the land I’m renting in my tiny house. (You might not know I live in a tiny house!) My writing implement of choice is actually pencils - cheap, tactile and not made of plastic :-)
Being alone, except for my cat.
Summer; the long light nights.
Spending g time in the garden.
Getting excited when a new leaf or flower is in the courgette/chilli/tomato/strawberry plants.
Looking at the sky. - the golden hour/sunrises/sunsets/moon/stars.
Seeing wildlife in its natural habitat.
The funny video of the Norwegian football team "rowing" up an escalator !
Ditto the Jordian team dancing !
Art and stories on Substack.
Linda Symonds' Letters from the Soul and Woolgathering Wisdom (both on Substack.
Thanks for sharing some of your things, Cathy. I really wish I could have a cat here… And yes, I forgot how good it feels to see a new bud or flower on something in our gardens… And the sky! So many good ones here. I’m going to need to extend my list, lol.
I forget to add that all the seasons have their own charm, and finally at age 70 I embrace all of them instead of getting depressed in Autumn/Winter !
Love this Louise thanks for sharing! And I'm glad you've made having the Substack app a part of your joy :)
My list didn't include nearly enough outside activities, so I'll add here that I've started going outside barefoot first thing in the morning and feeling the cold ground. I love it. A few deep breaths of fresh air and some sunshine in my eyes if Scotland's weather is gracious enough to show me any 😂
Ha, that sounds brave and wonderful! Hope the sun shines for you over the rest of the summer and thanks again for the inspiration for this one - it was a fun exercise to catalogue all these small things. I think we get some points for self-care!
Winter in Queensland = Magic :) Great article!
Thanks Greg, glad you enjoyed it. Enjoy winter in Qld (presume you were referring to your situation; I’m in NSW)
Hahahaa! No... it looks like a classic Qld beach scene though!
Close, I’m in northern NSW so you weren’t far off :-)
Your fudge recipe makes me giddy with happiness. I can't eat sugar (migraines), so I'm used to unsweetened chocolate, but I've found very few dessert recipes I can easily adapt for my diet. I've already made this once (omitting sweetener) and I basically started making another batch right after finishing the first (which, ahem, didn't last very long). Thank you for sharing it!
Oh that’s wonderful, thanks for letting me know! So you can’t have honey or maple syrup I guess? I tried making the fudge honey/maple-free once but it was too bitter for me. How did you make it taste nice, or are you just used to unsweetened things now and able to enjoy them? And yes, too much sugar in most processed chocolate for me too; if I do have any I get a big sugar crash after the instant sugar high!
Occasional small amounts of honey/maple syrup are okay, but it's better for me to stay away from them. I added extra vanilla and the peanut butter and chopped nuts made it sweeter for me (I'm very used to unsweetened things now, including 100% cacao, which I know would not be to everyone's taste :).
Yes, and migraines must be a good motivator (I get mild optic migraines but I have friends who get the full deal and it sounds really awful). Extra vanilla is a good tip. I've been reducing the amount of maple syrup I use in the fudge, I use 1/4 cup now instead of the 1/3 cup in the recipe, but I think I can go lower! I also add cranberries or sultanas to add a bit of sweetness if I use less maple syrup...
Pain in general is a big motivator (so sorry about the optical migraines for you). It definitely took me awhile to get used to no sugar (I still love sweeter tasting foods), but sugar itself now tastes like a chemical to me, so I don't miss it. I'm looking forward to experimenting with the fudge: shredded coconut, blueberries, strawberries, so many possibilities!
I just recently found your substack, and your posts are a real balm for me. Thank you for writing.
You've inspired me to tweak my fudge recipe in a few ways, and thank you so much for the kind words about my substack, that means a lot. I love writing here - it's a balm for me too. Thanks for reading :-)
Louise, thanks so much for your beautiful article. I also love to sing and volunteer/sing weekly at a nursing home which is free, fun, and brings joy to the residents!
Thanks, Mary, and that sounds wonderful. What a beautiful and generous thing to do. Free, fun and brings joy - ticks all the boxes!
Love this Lou. If nothing else it made me smile and I realised I was taking slow deep breaths just thinking about what you wrote. Thank you x
Thanks Al, that’s made my day. I think I need to re-read what I wrote and take some slow deep breaths too. You’re welcome :-)
Things I enjoy include spending time with my grandchildren, having dinner with my family, enjoying a cuppa with a friend and visiting my Mum.
These are lovely, thanks for sharing Jenny. (I decided not to include friends and family in my list so I could focus on “small” things, and I don’t have any family around but yes, cuppas with friends definitely make me happy!)
Drinking coffee with my husband while reading a book.
Sounds like heaven.
There must be something in the air as I am publishing a list of "things" I like this coming Saturday 😀.
I am also a hot chocolate fan and drink decaf tea and coffee.
I love walking and sitting in coffee shops just being, observing and scribbling ideas in tiny notebooks.
Haha, maybe it’s the coming solstice! So true that time to just be and to scribble in notebooks is important. I’m so glad more people are realising this…
Love this!
Thank you for the great suggestions!♥️
Loved this list! I love walking my dog, listening to podcasts, simple gardening tasks, making dinner in the evening after work, endless cups of tea and also try to read a few pages every night tucked in with a hot water bottle!
Thank you! Love your happy things, too, and I’m glad I’ve found another hot water bottle-lover. Such a cosy way to read, and so comforting.
Suggest you adopt a cat or dog (or both) for the company, the snuggles and mostly how them become entangled in your day to day life. Also, if you haven’t…please try a fountain pen.
Thanks for the advice, K.A., if I lived in a city apartment I’d definitely have another cat, but I can’t have pets on the land I’m renting in my tiny house. (You might not know I live in a tiny house!) My writing implement of choice is actually pencils - cheap, tactile and not made of plastic :-)
Will keep my finger crossed and a candle burning… maybe someday 😊