The Sunshine List

Another cold, late winter weekend in Oberfranken. The clouds hung dark and heavy over Coburg all weekend and we never made it above freezing. Despite the fact that we have seen a few the first hints of Spring--little green sprouts, more and more sunny days--this weekend has made winter feel never ending. I am starting to fantasize about the smell of green grass, the loud, excited song of the birds, and the never ending sea of colors of spring flowers. So, with my blooming daffodils on every window sill, I am starting spring early this year. From now on, I will be celebrating spring! Bring on the color and sunshine.

Here is a list of things that I love and that bring me color and sunshine (no matter how evil German weather is trying to be). Make your own list. I promise it will make you feel lucky as a leprechaun. :-)

1. Weekends or any day that I get to hang out with Peter. He's fun, funny and always leaves a smile on my face. I could cook and eat all day everyday with him!

2. My family. The best ever. Enough said.

3. Animals - I LOVE National Geographic Wild, and the pictures you get when searching "baby animals" on Google, and my dog J.J., and all dogs ever.

4. Fresh food and healthy eating. Peter and I have really been on a health kick lately. We are cooking a lot and trying to use as many fresh/healthy ingredients as possible. Our latest amazing dishes have included middle eastern chicken with hummos, salad and flat bread, flavorful turkey burgers with baked sweet potato fries, and delicious breakfasts of yogurt and fruit or whole wheat english muffins with my new love, hard boiled eggs. What is not to love about treating your body right? (For exceptions see #9.)

Continuing on that theme...

5. Yoga. Okay, it's not ballet or jazz or lyrical (my true passions) but, it is a nice, inexpensive second considering my resources right now. I have no money and have tons of yoga dvds downloaded on to my computer. Yoga keeps me fit and relaxed, from the comfort of my living room, for the cheap price of 0 Euros a month.

6. Pastels, my newest art medium. I suck at them but they are fun and don't require the set up that painting does. I can use them when I only have a half an hour extra time.

7. King of Queens. Hilarious and sweet. Now that I have a live-in-boyfriend, I get what those marriage sitcoms are all about.

8. Loose leaf green tea.

9. Krapfen (Berliner) the best baked good the Germans ever made (basically a jelly-filled doughnut).

10. Reading and writing my journal.

Despite the steel gray clouds that have kept the sun away all weekend long, this Sunshine List makes my mood feel full of color, happiness and love. Circumstances only get you down if you let them. And here is to not letting them.