Hooked!

Thanks Sara, for honoring my bloggy little heart by saying you are Hooked on My Blog!
The rules state that I must list 6 Things That Make Me Happy and Five Blogs I’m Hooked On.

1. Thrift Shops- Must be my inherited New England frugality, but I LOVE thrift shopping. I have a few favorites for the quality clothing , and others still for their treasures of milk glass or old furniture crying out to be redone. Thrifting also speaks to my ever-growing desire to care for our earth, for in using hand-offs, I am not feeding into the production machine. Even on the worst days, finding a Coldwater Creek sweater for $4 can make me grin like an idiot!

2. A Crackling Fire- I've mentioned our fireplace a lot on my blog, but I really have a passion for fire in general. Its heat, its flickering, gentle light, and its snaps and pops touch something very primal in my nature. We have a chimera on our patio that we light in the evenings in summer as well.

3. Girl Power- I am forever amazed at the confident girl my daughter has grown into as a young teen. She possesses a truth and wisdom that continually teaches me. She speaks out against peer pressure, and encourages her friends to love themselves. She even encourages me to do the same. I feel constantly blessed that we have hit the teen years and we are now standing side by side, looking outward together.

4. Handmade Treasures- I am a sucker for the handcrafted. Pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, you name it. There is something innately more pleasurable about drinking tea from a mug crafted by a young potter, or decorating the house with a needlepoint made by a dear aunt. I think it must be that in even the smallest handicraft flows creativity, and I love that!

5. Crocs- I know this might seem ridiculous to include here, but I couldn't live without my Crocs. For years, I have suffered with debilitating arthritis across the tops of my feet. It didn't matter how much money I invested in high quality shoes, nothing helped enough to let me stand for more than 4-6 hours at a time without terrible pain. It wasn't a tremendous hindrance, as a homeschooler I could spend most days barefoot!

But after putting on my first pair of Crocs two years ago, I have found the answer to my prayers. I can stay on my feet for 10+ hours and cover miles without the old pain. They are the most beautiful ugly shoe ever!

6. Intellectual Challenge- I live for this. I love ideas, books, and friends that will share ideas that encourage me to step outside my comfort zone and grow. Blogging does this for me in a very profound way, and I know that my friendships here have truly shaped me as much as the great books.

Now the difficult part. I have to pick 5 blogs (only five!?). I read close to forty on a regular basis! The task is eased in that many of my Fab Forty have already be tagged by others. One of the best things about these memes is learning about some special blog that offers tidbits of gold and inspiration that I wasn't aware of before. In that vein...some of my favorite blog buddies...

1. In These Hills- Sarah is a Waldorf inspired mom living in VT. She and her girls are wonderfully crafty, and weave days of inspiration in their hills.

2. Harmony Valley Homeschool- Lisa Anne is one of the most amazing ladies I know. She not only homeschoolers her darling daughter, but runs an organic farm in PA. Her waldorf lessons and garden wisdom keeps me coming back for more!

3. Camp Creek Blog- I stumbled across this blog about a year ago, as it is full of the most fabulous nature study ideas. The writer has shared many ideas and techniques based in Reggio, which until then I had never studied. I have been intrigued and inspired here!

4. Farm School- There is no better source for literature and poetry on the web than Becky's site. Not only that, but she finds a way to also post the most interesting political articles around. I readily admit that my children have developed a love of poetry simply by my sharing her weekly posts! I am forever indebted to her.

5. Twice Bloomed Wisteria-Though she hasn't posted much in the last weeks, Wisteria has always been a favorite of mine. She touches the inner farm girl in me each and every time she shares tales of her life, and usually with the most lovely photos. (I am secretly hoping this will encourage her to come back to blogging more often, as she is sorely missed! )