Ten Movies I Love

   The general idea of curling up under a blanket, bowl of popcorn in hand, and watching a movie while it rains outdoors has always sounded like a good time and lately since this May weather has been depressingly dismal I have had a lot of time to do just exactly that.

  There are certain movies that I love completely. While watching these my mind can be found wandering past the immediate images of the movies and digging a little deeper. Somewhere along the the line I have formed an attachment to each of those movies. Just hearing their names being spoken my mind flies back to when I was laughing (or crying) while watching them.

  Today I have decided (as you might have guessed from the title of this post) to list 10 of my all time favorite movies. They are as follows.


Ten movies I love


1. The Princess Diaries

2. The Princess Diaries 2. A Royal Engagement

3.  Tangled

4. The Hobbit Movies

5. The Lord of the Rings Movies

6. Cinderella (The one with Lily James)

7. Eloise At Christmas Time

8. The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

9. The Sound of Music

10. Pride and Prejudice (The one with Keira Knightly)


  There are two strange facts about me when it comes to me watching movies. #1. I find I always tilt my head slightly to the left when watching a movie. #2. When watching a sad or scary part in a movie I hide behind a blanket with only my eyes peeping out.

Liebster Award

   I am still quite new to the whole award business but I believe the first thing I shall do before getting into this post is to ..........  Thank you Nicola Burggraf for nominating me!

  I shall now proceed to answer the questions that Nicola has left for me.


  Which of the following would you choose and why?


#1. Printed books or E-books?
  This can be easily answered for you, I love "real" books that I can actually page and smell the paper.

#2. Cinema or Theatre?
  I could not answer this because I have never been to (or seen) either.

#3. Cities or Countryside?
  I love the Countryside. Hearing the birds chirp early morning, where playing in a waterfall is not unusual, seeing the woods, hills, grasses. I never want to leave the country!

#4. Cows or sheep?
  Even considering the fact that I have been chased by more than one angry cow I still like cows better. I suppose it's because seeing them means I'm home.

#5.  Superman or Batman?
  I suppose I will say Superman, just because bats freak me.

#6. Driver or passenger?
  I'm afraid to say what exactly would happen if someone put me behind the steering wheel. I'll stick with being a passenger for a few more years, thank you very much.

#7.  Sweet or Savory?
  I easily say Savory. Sweets aren't really as awesome as I used to think they were when I was six.

#8.  Thriller or Romance?
  This is a hard choice! I love a good thriller but also a sweet romance story. I suppose I will go with thriller though. I have recently read a book called "The Neighbor" It had a sweet romance wrapped up in it even though it was a murder mystery book. Let me warn you though, walking through my house at night has never been the same since reading that book. Just looking at a hammer gives me the creeps!

#9. Sandals with socks, or without socks?
  Ick! I hate sandals with socks, it feels gross, looks gross, and in general is just avoided by me!

#10. Sunbathing on the beach or by the pool?
  I don't really do either or prefer either. Every time I'm at a beach or by a pool I can be found in the water.

#11. Justin Timberlake or Justin Bieber?
  I really can't stand either. I don't like the Pop genre so listening to either of them is not what I'd call a picnic.


Now that I've answered the questions Nicola left I shall list eleven random facts about me (since it is the required stage two of this award.)


11 random facts about me.

• I used to stub my toe so often when I was younger that my Mom wrote a poem about it.
• The weather affects my mood. Sunny = Happy me. Rainy = Blah me.
• I name all of my journals and then write in them as if I was addressing a real person.
• I constantly sing in French to myself.
• I stepped on a live mouse when I was younger.
• My favorite bird is an owl, my favorite animal is a wolf.
• I used to love shrimp until one squeaked between my teeth. (I'm not the same anymore.)
• I sprawled onto the parking lot in front of Eldon's boss when I was riding my scooter.
• I have been karate kicked by one of my Aunts.
• I have fallen smack into our creek several times.
• I have already climbed onto our massive barn's roof where I felt like a powerful, invincible, formidable,....... bunny (duh, did you forget that I'm me after all?!)

  Official rules

(These are the rules you need to follow for accepting the Liebster Award.)

• Thank the person that nominated you, and post a link to their blog in your post. ~ Check!

•   Display the award on your blog - by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a "Widget" or a "Gadget." ~ Check!
• Answer 11 questions about yourself which will be provided by the person that nominated you. ~ Check! 

• Provide 11 random facts about yourself. ~ Check!

•   Nominate 5-11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, that have less than 1,000 followers. Coming up!
• Create a new list of 11 questions for the nominees to answer. Coming up!

  These are some of the blogs that I read, and love, and I feel deserve the Award.


Just Me and Random Stuff

Pepper in my Pie

The Optimistic Antelope

Rosie's Ramblings

Calico Sisters

The Girl in Red Rubber Boots

Dreaming of Dragonflies

Now to all that accept the award, here are the eleven questions from me.


 
1.  What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

2. What is your dream job and why?

3. What is your favorite movie and why?

4. Would you rather be as tall as you are wide, or as wide as you are tall? Why?

5. Have you ever been on a real adventure? If so, what happened?

6. Olives or mushrooms?

7. What is your favorite scent?

8. If you could have your dream vacation where would it be, and why?

9. Gloves or mittens? Why?

10. What is your favorite season and why?

11. Who is your favorite celebrity and why?


  This was a lot of fun and I hope you all enjoy it too!  Until a later day, Adieu!

Awkward Shopping Experience

  There are a number of Amish stores in our area. We don't visit them often, but occasionally my Mom needs something not available in normal stores. When that happens she will drive to the store and then stay in the van while either my brother Eldon or I go in to buy what ever it is she needed. (It's all part of growing up in a family where the parents are being shunned by the Amish.)

  The following is the account of the first time I was the one responsible for doing the purchasing:

  Last summer we made frequent visits to a little Amish store where we would proceed to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. One particular time I was sent to go do the buying of a broom, peaches, and corn. I took a deep breath, straightened my skirt, and stepped right out into the unknown depths of awkwardness.

  I looked around searching for someone to help with my purchasing. My eyes found nothing and quietness almost deafened me. A movement caught my eye and I found a woman in a produce shed arranging boxes. "I would like a broom" I said, awkwardly approaching her. She eyed me strangely and then started walking to a tiny trailer. I followed her, just happy to have something to do. Inside, the trailer smelled like dust and old jello. She led me towards a bin of brooms and asked "Which one." I smiled and went for a purple broom. This was easy. Gaining confidence with every step I told her I would like half a peck of peaches. Once again I was inclined to follow her as she silently the way.

  Once inside of her produce shed I was left to hold my broom and inspect their ceiling as she quietly counted peach after peach into a bag. My eyes grew bigger and bigger as one after another peach filled a bulging paper bag. She straightened up and handed the heavy bag to me. Grimacing I took the bag thinking it was going to burst any minute spewing peaches all over the floor and my pride. "And 2 dozen corn" I said concentrating on carrying my awkward load.

  This time she led me outdoors towards where my Mom's minivan was parked. I ignored my family's snickering faces and followed her to a massive bin of corn where she proceeded to fill bag after bag of corn. I shifted my broom, shoving it under my arm and hoisted my bag of peaches to try and make room for all those bags of corn. She eyed my load uncertainly then heaped the bags of corn into my hands too. Then she stood there looking at her feet while she waited for me to pay her. Obviously I wasn't in any position to get my wallet and pay her at the moment so I struggled and dragged, clanged, huffed, and stumbled my way over to the trunk of my Mom's minivan where I disposed of my load.

  Drawing up the last scraps of what was left of my dignity I took my wallet and sheepishly paid her. She counted the money and nodded towards me and we both went our separate ways.

  Finally I was free to collapse into the minivan where I was bombarded with supportive snickers and outright laughter. My only comfort was that she had been every bit as uncomfortable as I had been.

Biking Adventures.

  Since I lived (and still do) in the country, most of my adventures were had on my bike. My first bike was a small, pink, Barbie bike that I loved to no end. It has actually come through a lot during my younger years and now lays in pieces out in my Dad's garage.

  Today I will be describing in short paragraphs the adventures I have had on that bike.

#1.  My brother and I were of the competitive sort when we were little kids so we could be easily found racing our bikes down our long driveway, or perhaps showing off some new stunt in front of our parents. One particular day Eldon and I had called Mom to look at our new stunt as we raced to the mail box. After Mom had arrived Eldon and I each wanted to be the most epic. I don't really know how it happened other than probably trying to watch Mom to see how impressed she was with our stunts instead of paying attention to what we were doing, but the next thing I know Eldon and my bike smack into each other and we go crashing to the ground. We weren't hurt but I don't think we were as eager to show off anymore.

#2.  Soon after we moved to where we live now, Eldon and I took our bikes determined to face the challenge presented by the massive hill that was behind our barn. I can still see us sweating our bikes up that long field lane thinking that our struggles would never end. Somehow we reached the top of the hill and Eldon and I positioned our bikes, looked at each other as if daring the other to try and beat him, and went flying down that hill. I can tell you, I have never been more afraid for my life than that ride. My feet had flown off of the pedals which were spinning so fast that I couldn't regain my footing. Let me paint a picture for you. There I was, a little girl on a pink bike, flying down a hill with her feet shooting out on either side of her, a horrified expression on her face as she bounced over rocks, screaming as she flew in and out of the ditch. Finally at the bottom I went flying over a water trench before managing to stop myself. Sadly Eldon won, which was really all I was upset with.

#3.  For the longest time I wore dresses when I went biking and for several weeks I could be found speeding through our yard with my skirts billowing in the wind. Then one day my dress got caught in my bike chain. Which wasn't that horrible unless you count me having to stand helplessly attached to my bike while Eldon ran into the to get my Mom. She tried to free me, but the dress was caught really badly. She finally went into the house and got a big bath towel. With it wrapped around me, I left my dress with my hungry bike and ran to the house.  I'm still a little sad that my favorite blue dress got destroyed that day, even though I would have outgrown it a long time by now.

Ten Things I do Every Day

  One thing I find I love to read on other people's blogs is how they spend their average day. Not to sound creepy but it's kind of fun seeing what things I have in common with a complete stranger.

  Because I know I'd like to read this on someone's blog I will be making a list of ten things I do every day. Besides, you never know when you might stumble upon a kindred spirit.


Ten things I do every day.


Drink a cup of tea.

Write in my diary (The thought that someday I'll have every day of my life recorded on paper sounds cool.)

Sing in french (It annoys my sister, but I can't help but get those songs stuck in my head.)

Shower, brush teeth, etc.

Struggle through Algebra. (Who truly cares what the Range of "X" is anyways?!)

Practice Calligraphy (I'm determined to master this beautiful form of art.)

Cook lunch. (I love cooking.)

Do yoga. (I don't do the whole meditating bit, I just appreciate how energetic I feel every time I'm finished.)

Do some sort of a project. (I abhor having idle hands.)

And for the tenth thing I do every day, Daydream to my heart's content.

  Since I'm only sharing ten things this is obviously the end of my list even though there's some more things I could add. And since I'm not quite sure how to end this post I will proceed to end it a time tested way.  The End.

Favorite Thing Thursday

  So often I have written over and over again what some of my favorite things were. It is a bit exasperating trying to get my favorite things written down because to put it quite frankly, I have so many favorite things that to list them all in one post I'm afraid you would be at your computer all day long wondering when my post is ever going to come to an end.

  A few days ago I came across an idea that seemed superb in listing my favorites. Why not just focus on one of them each week?

  Today I will focus on just one of my favorite things.

  The Octopus Claw.

  My hair does not cooperate on most days and because of that I find having a claw nearby is most helpful. But there was one annoying thing about using a claw. The "gripping" part of the claw always managed to scratch my head. It was always a nuisance wanting to put your head on a pillow with having forgotten you were wearing a claw and being smacked firmly in the noggin by a persistent hair accessory.

  Several months ago my Mom purchased an Octopus claw for me, which is pretty much just a regular claw except that the "gripping" part of it is flattened so that it rests comfortably against my head. I was delighted and still am, no longer do I struggle with noggin knots and scalp scrapings.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. What's something fun you're looking forward to on your May calendar? 

     Something fun that I'm looking forward to on my May schedule is going to a Celtic Concert next week with my Mom. I can hardly wait!

2. What are some images that come to mind when you hear the word mother?

  My Mom and Ma from Little House on the Prairie.

3. What's something beautiful you own or have seen that's made of glass? 

   When I was a little girl my Uncle gave me a beautiful ivory, heart shaped, glass, trinket box, with hand carved, glass roses on the lid, I was thrilled.

4. Was today typical? If not what made it unusual? 

  I don't think I have lived enough of today to make that decision yet, but as of this morning..... I woke up with unusually sore muscles (thanks to doing some difficult exercises yesterday.)

5. What is a quality you wish you could have more of?

  Now this is easy, Patience. My Mom always told me "Patience is a virtue" and I was ironically never patient enough to discover the true meaning of that phrase.

6. What's the next major purchase you need to make? Will it happen in the month of May? 

  Unless buying a new Christmas tree in December counts, I'm stumped. (No pun intended.)

7. What responsibility/job/work did you dislike while growing up but has proved helpful to you as an adult?

  I am technically not an adult yet. But a chore I  dislike now is doing the laundry. I guess knowing how to avoid turning all white clothes, pink will be helpful.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

   I don't think there is a prettier sound in nature than the hundreds of clear and cheery bird songs joined into one harmonious melody in the early morning light before the birds get busy feeding their young and building their nests.

Bucket List

  I have come to the conclusion that life is way too short to just fritter away all of my time doing nothing but dreaming of what I will "someday" accomplish. And because of that conclusion I have created a bucket list and am working on completing it.

  As all of you have probably guessed by now, today I will be sharing my bucket list with you.


My Bucket List.

Complete a scrapbook.

See a Broadway musical.

Go on a sleigh ride.

Make my own recipe book.

Jump off of a waterfall.

Visit the Eiffel Tower.

Smash a pie in someone's face.

Throw a dart at a map and travel to where ever it lands. .

Go to a concert.

Make every thing in a cookbook.

Get my driver's license.

Shop in Paris.

Say "Yes" for a whole day.

Go ziplining.

Learn how to swim.

Become a professional baker.

Become fluent in French.  


  I have already accomplished several of my previous bucket list goals and I am working on several others right now. Thanks to one of my readers I will be attending a concert very soon and therefore complete another lifetime goal!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today.... May 2, 2016

Looking out my window.... I see the early morning sun stealing up over the hills, making all the raindrops still clinging to the trees and blades of grass glisten in its light.

I am thinking.... That "Misty Mountains Cold" is a beautiful song.

I am thankful.... That even though I enjoyed the A-Z challenge, it is kind of a relief to have it successfully behind me.

One of my favorite things.... Waking up to a sunny day.

I am wearing.... A brown Aeropostale t-shirt, and a denim midi skirt.

I am creating.... A purple sashay scarf.

I am reading.... Emma, by Jane Austen.

I am hoping.... To finish reading Emma before I die of boredom.

I am learning.... The language of French. It is harder than I thought it would be, but I love the language so much that somehow I manage to keep plowing through my studies.

In the kitchen.... The remnants of breakfast preparation await my help. 

Picture thought....  Sometimes the best way to spend a birthday is going on a picnic.