Ten Things That Made Me Smile This Week

1.  The book Wild.  I know a while back I said I loved the movie, but I am loving the book even more.  The language makes me feel like I am talking to a best friend and she is recounting her amazing story with me.  Really...you should read it.  Y'all know I love me some great memoirs, so if you have a suggestion for a book I need to read this summer, please leave it in the comments, PM me, or email me!

2. Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Black Lava Sea Salt with activated charcoal.  Yeah...none of the chemically processed crap, just pure black salt and activated charcoal to give you all the benefits of the sodium our bodies need and the detox value of activated charcoal.  LOVE IT.  Besides being great for your bod, it also looks beautiful garnishing your food.  I buy mine from a gallery where I show some of my art, The Gallery at 122 Main in Elkton, Maryland, but you can buy it at health food stores or online.  Be sure the company is reputable and you are not getting less than stellar products!  **Please store your salt in a glass or ceramic container as it can react with metal and change the chemical composition of the salt!

3.  My library.  Seriously, libraries have come a LONG way and I absolutely love mine.  Harford County Library offers so many wonderful programs for  adults and kids (Science Cafe being one of my new favorites), so many digital connections including access to streaming movies, downloading ebooks, access to online magazines, obtaining free digital music (for keeps!), and more!  There are themed learning kits and American Girl dolls, books, and accessories you can borrow for kids, book club bags for adults, a special teacher collection (great for homeschooling!), and MORE!  They also make it so easy for me to obtain the materials as I just log on to the website, find the materials I want and request it be sent to my local (very rural) library so I don't have to drive to several branches to collect all my stuff! In a few days they text me telling me it is available to pick up and I go the one mile to my local library to grab my stash!  How much easier can it be???  I am on a first name basis with all the staff there and I just adore them.  They are always so helpful and kind to me and my kids.

4.  These bright, bold, graphic illustrations from artist Marina Esmeraldo.  They simply make me smile and they speak to me.  This one and this one are two of my favorites.

5.  Non GMO tomato plants!!  So for Mother's Day, my kids got me tomato plants to grow in large containers.  Tomato plants are special to me because I used to help my father grow them when I was a little tyke.  I also love to eat fresh tomatoes.  So, anyway, I was so excited to plant them and get them going and then I read the tag in the plant...you know the one...the plastic tag that tells you the type and care instructions.  And guess what...on the tag it said "modified" tomato plants...in other words, GMO!  Ach!  I don't want to grow GMO tomatoes!  I want REAL tomatoes!  So, after an exhaustive search, we found real tomato plants and have them in their pots ready to go now.  Who knew it would be so difficult to find non-GMO tomato plants?  Scary, people!  Here is an article that can help you sort the difference between heirloom, hybrid, and GMO varieties.

6.  Concrete- They poured the concrete floor for the garage, wrap-around porch, mudroom, storage room, and the exercise room!  This is the step we have been waiting for so we can move forward with the rest of the construction.  Hopefully next week doors will go in, the rest of the rough-in for electric will go in, and the plumbing will be moving along.  I really would like this finished by fall!

7.  Rain-  Yes, I was thrilled it rained this week.  I could have done without the massive downpour, but the soft, gentle, steady rain soothes me and also waters our pastures (for our horse) and my above mentioned tomato plants.  We needed this rain after about 3 weeks of very dry weather.

8.  This cat-  Ok, ok...so this is my own cat, Oreo.  Yes, she has her own Instagram account.  Don't judge.  :)  Go ahead, you know you want to follow my little darling.

9.  Agros Raw Greek Honey- Their website only lists their olive oils, which are delicious and amazing too, but I buy their honey from The Gallery at 112 Main!  It is so delicious and the kids beg for it on toast all the time.  Really...you must try it!  Amazing flavor.

10.  Office Supplies- I know, I'm weird.  I've blogged about his obsession before, but now that I've decided to homeschool (shhhhh...I haven't told many people yet!), the obsession has kicked in overdrive!  Pencils, pens, paper, planners, you-name-it-I-love-it!  These pencils are my all time favorite and I have a hard time keeping them around...my teens are just as obsessed with them as I am and steal mine all the time!  I can not wait for my office/studio to be finished so I can get organized and ready to homeschool my 2nd graders!  Eeeek!  Excitement! And the art curriculum...it is inspiring me to create more than ever!