Photo Friday: Unexpected Loves

This is actually a really hard one for me. It all stemmed from a post at Creating Motherhood that I read....this is apparently what triggered this week's theme. Read it...it's fabulous. Because it's all about tangential thinking which is completely the way I think. Someday I shall give you some examples. Anyway, "unexpected loves" is this weeks' theme and I've been trying to think about that all week.

I'm not usually surprised by the things I adore. But there are a few, I guess, so here goes!

1. The desert. I mean, I hardcore love it. Granted, there are some areas that are just bleak, but during most of the seasons, it is full of life, the most unexpected life. I grew up in Green Green Green, and when I left it for Africa, I missed it. I felt like I dried up a bit. Then I came back and didn't feel at home again until I hit the Southwest. So, desert. I crave it. And its variety. This particular photo isn't even the best one I had, but it illustrates the bleakness that most see, but the diversity that I see. Now that I'm back in the land of green I miss the desert (and mountains) so much that I realize now how unexpectedly I fell for it.

1. Crocheting. I was never crafty. Not really. A number of years ago I was working in Southern California at a camp and someone was making a hat. And I had nothing better to do, so I bought a skein of yarn and a hook, and learned. Before I knew it, I was hooked. (Tee hee, pun intended). I learned to read patterns, put together projects, and have created some beautiful gifts. I will be posting more of my work soon. But I despise Martha Stewart, etc. I did not think I would like something so...well, grandma. LOL. But I have my own shelving unit for yarn, bags of projects in various stages, and too many ideas to keep straight. The one above was a birthday present for my sister....messenger bag, lined and all. And when I give these gifts, the personalization of them is special to the receiver, and the obvious work that goes into them. Making someone smile makes me smile. Creating something with my own hands that is beautiful makes me smile. My hands, they ache, but it's worth it.

3. Spicy food and cooking. It was a joke growing up how much I could not cook and how picky I was. Something snapped in college, and all of a sudden I was Julia F'in Childs. I can throw together ANYTHING with what's in your fridge and cupboards. It might be a little strange, but it will taste good. And I can't stand bland anymore. Hot peppers and I are good friends now, very good friends. I have two bunches ("ristras") hanging in my house now - spice = life. I have oodles of cookbooks, but mainly, I make shit up. And for someone who doesn't eat meat, I make some mean meat dishes. I love the smiles, the contentment, the SILENCE caused by the consumption of good food. And I love that I can make that happen.

So there are 3 of my unexpected loves, things that bring me joy, contentment (tho can be a bain of my existence mid-project), and peace.