Friday Favorite, Music, Winter

Friday Favorites: March 4

47 Comments

I’ve decided to bring back Friday Favorites, where I highlight some of the things that have made me happy during the week—music, TV shows, movies, podcasts, food, nature. On the third Friday of the month, I’ll feature books I’ve read and tie in with Donna at Retirement Reflections, who is one of the hosts of the monthly “What’s on Your Bookshelf?”

Each Friday, I’ll provide a short list of nifty blog posts from some of my lovely blogging friends. Let me tell you, it’s not easy to winnow the list down to a few choices. So many good posts from blogging friends near and far. But never fear! I will get to everyone eventually.

In the comments section, if you are so moved, feel free to let me know what has made you happy this week. It doesn’t have to be anything grand or exciting. I’m especially fond of simple pleasures, and I always enjoy getting suggestions of what to read, watch, or notice.

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This week I watched—all right binged—the delightful sitcom Abbott Elementary, a mockumentary about a group of teachers and the challenges they face in an inner city school in Philadelphia. The humor is gentle rather than uproarious, and this a show with warmth and heart. The ensemble acting is fabulous, and each of the actors shines like a tiny jewel.  Abbot Elementary is an ABC show that’s also available on Hulu.

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Nifty Posts from a Few of the Lovely Blogs I follow

The Sydney Opera House aglow with Ukraine’s colors. Birds, gardens, kangeroos. Gerrie, of Canberra’s Green Spaces, features them all in a recent post. As always, this Mainer is agog over the beauty of Australia.

On the blog Now I’m Sixty-Four, Platypus Man takes us on a tour of the Burghley Sculpture Garden. Oh, be still my trembling heart. I have always loved sculpture gardens but had never articulated why. Platypus Man hits it right on the piton—as we Franco-Americans would say. He writes “In galleries and museums sculpture is contained, hemmed in by walls and ceilings, often difficult to fully appreciate. In sculpture gardens and parks however, sculpture sits comfortably within a spacious, natural environment, with room to breathe. And the sculptures and the landscape in which they sit enhance one another: the gardens and parks frame the sculptures, while the sculptures become visual anchors within their surroundings.” Yes, Indeed!

On Going Batty in Wales, there’s a recent post about the kindness and generosity of a blogging friend from far away. This line really struck me: “I never thought that writing about my simple life in this rural backwater would result in my having wonderful friends all over the world.” Same, same, same. And what a delight!

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This incredible performance of songs from the Broadway musical  Hadestown was recorded on NPR in the “Before Times,” as Stephen Thompson put it—just before Covid cracked down on the world. Wonderful, wonderful music, and the last chilling, thrilling song, “Why We Build the Wall” is especially relevant.

 

 

47 thoughts on “Friday Favorites: March 4”

  3. Thank you for the kind mention, Laurie. While I was crafting my piece I didn’t for one moment realise I was hitting a piton too…I’m plainly a man of many talents 🙂 As you will have guessed, that particular turn of phrase isn’t familiar on this side of the Pond, although the meaning is fairly clear (I’ve never climbed a rock or mountain in my life, but have watched plenty of movies in which desperate climbers can be seen hammering away at their pitons as the avalanche hurtles towards them!)

  4. I appreciate you highlighting bloggers from around the world (good work, everyone!). And like Wales, I’m astonished and delighted by the friendships I’ve made through this form of connection.

    Thanks for telling us about Abbott Elementary. I’ll watch it.

    My simple pleasure this week: walking in to my coffee shop and being greeted by a barista who recalled our conversation last week about a tea drink called “London Fog.” I felt warm and snuggly because of his kindness, even without taking a sip of my drink!

  5. I feel like Carol Ann – astonished and delighted at the amazing people I have ‘met’ through blogging. You can ask my husband how often he has heard me say ‘one of my blogging friends says…..’.

    My simple pleasure is my Saturday morning breakfast, when I will make eggs, have two cups of tea, and catch up on reading blog posts like this one.

  6. Ah Laurie, positive thoughts and pockets of happiness are greatly needed right now, so I am glad you are helping to spread some around. I have enjoyed a few happy moments such as being applauded for my part in the reading of a Shakespeare play; seeing a rainbow over town (even though we didn’t actually get the rain!); receiving photographs of my daughter’s new house; and coming across a herd of sixteen water buck close to the country road I was driving along yesterday afternoon.

  8. Hi, Laurie – Hooray for the return of Friday Favourites. Thank you for including a monthly linkup with ‘What’s on Your Bookshelf?’ I especially like today’s Tiny Desk Concert. My feet are currently tapping to the tune!

  10. “I never thought that writing about my simple life in this rural backwater would result in my having wonderful friends all over the world.” Same, same, same. I echo that.

  11. Thanks for the mention Laurie, it is very much appreciated. I agree with Carol Ann, I never expected to meet so many like minded people and become friends through blogging, it is a lovely addition to my life.
    I’m glad you’ve decided to bring back Friday Favourites, just recently I thought how much I had enjoyed your Friday F. during Covid times.
    Best wishes and keep warm!

  12. My favorite this week was the return of sunshine and relative warmth. It’s so much more enjoyable to go to work wearing only jeans and a shirt, rather than long underwear on top of long underwear!

    As for blogging friends, another blogger and I discovered a few years ago that we live only blocks from one another! We’d been commenting on each other’s blogs, and finally realized we were posting photos of the same thing. I ended up being a cat-sitter for their family!

  13. I need to check out Abbott Elementary in one of those freakishly spare moments in my insane life. My gratitude this week is we finally identified the cause of the dog’s (excuse me if this is gross) peeing blood, and he lost his crown jewels on Wednesday and there will be no adorable little Juniors, but he will live to an old age, I hope. Thankful for good veterinary care (that we can afford). And my sweet Junior to cuddle with once more.

  14. Thank you so much for the link Laurie! It seems my experience of blogging making me international friends has hit a spot (our saying here!) with a number of others. My Happiness this week was breakfast this morning – a croissant with homemade blackberry seedless jam and a cup of coffee made in my espresso pot. Today a friend is coming and Laura is working an extra day so we can fell some trees by the road. It will be hard work but good fun with good company and the day is set to be cold but sunny – perfect.

      1. We fiinished the trees off today and are now all three of us very tired but hed such fun!

  15. What a lovely uplifting post. I feel the same as other commenters about each element and about making friends around the world through blogging. I will savour dipping into each feature once it gets dark – but now the garden is calling. 🙂

  16. What a good idea to focus on things that make you happy. I’m trying to. It’s a discipline. Since Covid started, I try to think of different things every day that I am grateful for, the smaller the better.

  18. Wonderful to see the return of Friday Favorites and enjoyed your selection!!🙂 I’ve really enjoyed our sharing of tv shows the last few weeks and trying to convince myself it felt like spring this week because of the sunshine only to realize I was freezing by the end of each walk because I dressed for spring and not winter.🙂

  20. Wonderful and varied post, Laurie! Today, I’m glad that it is 60 degrees, even if for just a day. I’m looking forward to spring, and being able to get out and about more easily.
    Regarding tv: two series I’ve enjoyed: First, “The Repair Shop”, where amazingly talented English craftspeople work on recycling interesting objects, instead of throwing them out. So heartening to see people working for the joy of it, no contest involved.
    The second is a new (probably BritBox) mystery with Roger Allam, “Murder in Provence”. It features a moral couple trying to do good work….it can be such a treat to watch just plain old sincere people these days, IMHO.
    Just my two cents!
    Cheers,
    Julie

    1. Many thanks, Julie! We’ve watched “Repair Shop” and like it very much. Haven’t seen “Murder in Provence” but will be keeping an eye out for it.

  21. Hurray for Friday Favourites! I love your renewed format and look forward to all your favourite recommendations!

    Finished both seasons of “Sweet Magnolias” on Netflix – brought me right back to living in the South.

    1. Thanks, Ju-Lyn! I’ll be checking out “Sweet Magnolias.” I noticed that Brooke Elliot is in it. She was wonderful in “Drop Dead Diva.” Have you ever seen this?

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