These are a Few of My Favorite Things...

by Francine Puckly

December is a busy month for all, and with holiday hubbub, time spent with family and friends, and reruns of The Sound of Music reminding me to hold on tight to my favorite things, I made a list of some of the things I enjoy:




PASSIONS:
Family and friends, traveling, scribbling, gardening, walking, baking

LIFE MOTTO: 
“I’m fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world.”
(Quote by Leigh Standley of Curly Girl Design)  

WRITING IS BETTER WITH:
Sid and Cora (the family cats), dark chocolate, and a steaming mug of Celestial Seasons Morning Thunder or Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme. Once I've finished writing, I enjoy seltzer with lemon or a big, fat glass of Riesling (summer) or Pinot Noir (the rest of the year).

BON APPETIT: 
I believe food is mood and weather dependent, but I've never turned down mangoes or blackberries, grilled portabellas, eggplant parmigiana, her mom’s cream puffs, spinach artichoke dip, Georgia’s espinaca or her Aunt Margaret’s pound cake, cinnamon rolls, or a good New York style cheesecake with cherries on top...to name just a few. 

LISTEN UP! 
On the music front, I love everything from jazz to current pop to new age to 80’s dance music. When I'm particularly stressed, Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” plays over and over--any season of the year--until the nerves and anxiety have settled, and my day almost always ends with Dan Gilbson’s “Seaside Piano”. 

WATCH OUT! 
My favorite movies tend to be ones that make me laugh or leave me with a sense of hope and happiness, so the list is topped with Elf, The Wizard of Oz, The Help, The Book Thief, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Somewhat recent favorites are Cinderella, Bad Moms (because a woman needs a little senseless humor the day after she drops her first child at college), and Hidden Figures. Our DVR is programmed to record every last Modern Family and Black-ish. I was rather addicted to Downton Abbey in its day, and now I get my "passionate period drama" fix with Poldark and The Crown. 

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