picking fresh blueberries. from our yard. they are SO good this year!
this video. seriously, the sweetest few minutes you will spend today. the Dandy Warhols music is just a plus.
iced tea. Tejava sent this over recently, and it was perfect on a warm evening sitting by the pool. I like iced tea but have only made it once in my life – not a big fan of making my own, and this is one of the best bottled teas I’ve had. Micro-brewed Tejava is 100% natural, unsweetened and calorie free – simply pure and refreshing black tea. You can find it at Trader Joes and World Market.
Way Too Much Portland - a website showcasing all that is unique and quirky about Portland. like this. LOVE this.
hello kitty “duck” tape. yes, we bought some. giving it as a joke to a friend. who does it remind you of?
midnight snacks. this was blended strawberries and banana. that’s all.
learning all the manual settings. the midnight snack photo was taken in a completely dark kitchen. 
Les Schwab. if you are in the Pacific Northwest, you’re familiar with Les Schwab and his awesome tire stores. actually what is awesome is the premium customer service. Jason had a flat tire the other day, and he drove it in to Les Schwab, telling the guy he wanted a set of four tires. the guy joked and said “great!” like, easy sale! after looking at the flat, he told Jason nope, it’s just a nail, he patched it, the tires have another 10,000 miles! no charge. so awesome. this is why we only buy tires from Les.
receiving flowers for no reason at all. which is the best reason.
What are your favorite things lately?
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m sooooo jealous that you have blueberry bushes! Organic blueberries less than the cost of a spleen have been hard to come by lately in my neck of the woods! Boo!
Haha! I totally thought of Katie too with that duct tape! Too cute!
I bought my camera off a friend…so no owner’s manual! I can’t believe you took that picture in the dark! Teach me your ways woman!!
Things I’ve been loving lately: Gingerade kombucha, Pandora radio set to Cat Power, and the new Bodypump routine at the gym! Can’t wait for class tonight!
I know, I feel incredibly lucky to have (SIX!) blueberry bushes… we’ve been enjoying them in smoothies every morning this week. as far as my camera – this isn’t the manual that came with, I don’t look at that one much – this one I bought and it’s great – you could probably find one for yours too! I’m more of a DOER than a reader, but it is good if I’m stuck. and there’s always google
as far as shooting in the dark, it’s a matter of ISO and exposure settings – this was ISO 1600 with 10 second exposure.
Mmm, gingerade is a GOOD one! have a great class tonight!
Oh those blueberries are calling my name. I used to not care for them if you can believe that one. That tape cracks me up
if I can believe you don’t really care for chocolate, I can believe anything
Blueberry bushes would be delightful!
Right now my favorite things are: cashews, avocados, bananas, babby blabbers, The Office marathon we’re having right now & our garden.
oh, I LOVE this list!! and baby blabbers? you mean all those cuties talking to you all day? how fun!
and The Office. probably my top 5 shows ever! I love everything about it, especially Creed. 
My favorite things right now: 1. nap time, 2. eating breakfast on the deck with the lake as clear as glass (I’m on vacation) 3. wild blueberries (don’t have them at home–but up here in northern Michigan we are enjoying them like crazy!) 4. floating in the lake. with the not-too-hot sun beating down on me. I want to stay on vacation forever.
Right now my favorite things… long bike rides in the crisp air, a nice contrast to the deathly humid air we had last week. iced coffee with cream in the quiet morning before anyone else in the house is up. my new lens I just received in the mail… have been practicing with it and I love it!
Those roses are gorgeous!!!
Favorite things: an ice cold kombucha at work, planning a vacation for next week, coming home and seeing Jason cleaned (yes!!!), reading posts (like this one) that leave me smiling!
green tea wasabi peanuts = nice!
learning manual settings = you go girl!
I totally shot on manual about 95% of my trip this week and feel so empowered! A lightbulb moment went off for me and now I can continue growing in that way!
wow you got so many blueberries! We have some…buried beneath the ever-growing raspberries. Just need to remember they’re there and pick ‘em!
Ah Les Schwab…my late MIL ALWAYS took her care there for service. They treated her and her car well, which is nice.
Nice work on the midnight shot! I do not know my camera that well but could be because I’m mostly a point-n-shoot type of gal
But that’s okay, I need a new one soon.
I’ve always been curious about Tejava…may have to try it sometime. Thanks for the review.
That Hello Kitty tape cracked me up for sure
One of my favorite things currently is our new sofa! Can’t get enough of it!!
Awesome on the darkened kitchen shot! Wish you were in SP to teach me how to use my camera… I cracked the book today and wish I had a real, live teacher instead!
I’m loving gut-instinct today. Does that count?
aahh, YES that counts!!
HA! The manual settings at midnight? I’m VERY impressed! Flowers for no reason? sigh…. Fresh blueberries from your yard? Amazing. I love how these are simple and all touch on the senses and heart – so lovely!
thank you!! yes, the photo in the dark was pretty fun! as were the flowers… I’m kinda lucky, he’s a good guy
hope you had a FANTASTIC birthday weekend, my friend!! XO
Now that is a beautiful picture – and taken at night!!! Even better
We are still learning to take night time pictures well. And it sad – I have never picked my own blueberries before 
I know – hopefully one day I will get to!!
I love this list! I’m super jealous of the blueberries! I just finished eating the ones I had…unfortunately, I hae to buy them.
We are definitely on the same wave length because I have a similar post in my drafts that I’ve been putting together this week.
I’ve always wanted to pick fresh berries, and I hope I get the chance someday soon. Blueberries are a big treat because they are so expensive here. I could eat them by the pound!
Love those blueberries. Love that you have your very own bushes. Love your photos. Thanks for sharing.
I can’t get enough freshly picked, local blueberries lately. You can’t get any more local than your backyard, though – I’m so jealous!! (in the best possible way, of course.)
And good for you for learning all the manual settings! it definitely makes you muuuch more powerful behind the camera, and being able to really get the most out of your equipment.
I love the tape! I saw that at target and I wanted to buy it, lol! I just didn’t know what I could use it for anytime soon!
I am so jealous you pick fresh blueberries from your backyard, that is amazing! You should make some kind of yummy blueberry dessert ; )
Mamma Chia is so good! Thanks for the heads up on the giveaway! Im excited!
xoxo Happy Weekend to you!
Right now my favorite thing is being able to continue my education this semester. Without trying to place blame on anyone or any institutions lets just say my funding was taken away from me at the last minute and I had some very awesomely fantastic people in my life step in and help me pay for my tuition and books.
It also made me very happy that another grown-up is proudly a Hello Kitty fan, I have 3 Hello Kitty tattoos, a giraffe from the 2003 Hello Kitty Hello Colors calendar (the month of June was yellow), and the original Sanrio logo from the movie poster for A Mouse and His Child…ok nerd moment over =) you ladies are awesome!
yay Hello Kitty friends! I love Sanrio! and Oh My STARS I love A Mouse and His Child!! I still have that book from childhood – it was one I couldn’t get rid of!
I’m glad things are working out with school! XO
I love the Hello Kitty tape, and I love to have blueberry bushes because I love blueberries!
My favorite things of lately …
Food-wise: chicken (duh), savoy cabbage (I only se the outer, dark green leaves that are a nice substitute for kale because I can’t get kale over here
), coconut oil (new!), almonds (still), carrots, nectarines (in season 
), cilantro (heh)
Life-wise: plotting and gathering ideas for the novel, Chopin’s E-minor waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-UOUvcgvUk&feature=fvst (currently playing, but not that fast)
I enjoyed your list – well, you know, except the chicken and then cilantro
when we cook together: no chicken, cilantro, quinoa, peanut butter, or tofu. 
Wow on that photo being taken in completely dark kitchen! I must learn my manual settings for sure.
Now I remember I have blueberries I must use. Things I love … quiet morning walks with Sonny (quiet except for birds, deer, squirrels, etc. … lots of people are still sleeping) … recipes that taste far better cold right out of the fridge than heated up (like Steph O’Dea’s Brown Sugar Chicken) … cocktails like an icy Lemon Drop Martini … doing some chores, etc. early on weekend mornings and then going back to bed, which I am doing right now!! 
xo,
Shirley
oh Shirley I LOVE that idea of getting up early and being productive, then going back to bed!! a nap is a lovely thing! I enjoyed your whole list – Basil and I love our quiet walks too – lots of squirrels and ducks around here!
have a great week, Shirley! xo
Les Schwab is the best! I will only go there.
indeed – such great service!
Blueberries are amazing right now. I am with you flowers for no reason at all are the best!! The pessismistic side of me is always like ‘what did you do’ lol. I need to stop that!
I had The Best RASPBERRIES this weekend – I thought my blueberries were good (they are!), but these were amazing! I can’t wait to get back to the farmer’s market next weekend to get more!
TOTALLY jealous of picking berries from your own yard!!
it is one of my favorite things about living where we do…