Patti challenges us this morning with a request to see our Favorite Things. Here’s a glimpse of me enjoying my favorite thing —
Yesterday, I was volunteering at the Riveredge Nature Center in a classroom of 5th Graders learning about Pond Interactions.
“Who can define ‘interaction’? The way two things engage with each other – excellent! Now, who knows what we call things that are living or were once living? Good – ‘biotic’ is the right word. What do we call something that was never alive? ‘Abiotic’ – that’s probably not a very familiar word. What do you see here that’s ‘abiotic’? The eyeglasses on my face is a good example. And how do I engage with them? I carry them around on my ears and they help me see. Exactly.”
My favorite things are not things. They are biotic and abiotic energies. Living beings and non-living elements like water, air, warmth, and rock.
In my highest tier of living Favorites would be the family that I helped create. My late husband, who kissed me for the first time exactly 41 years ago today, and the four children that we loved into being.
And because I have four children, I am not practiced at playing favorites and picking out specific individuals for special affection. So I have to say that also in that highest tier is My Favorite Planet – Earth. The whole thing. My favorite part of Earth is that interaction of biotic and abiotic energy that has not been dominated by human technology. Things like water vapor and trees…
March
…and rock and air and plants…
…and wild animals in their natural habitat.
scillagrace 
Absolutely gorgeous post, Priscilla. It is very touching too. I love how you selected your family and this amazing planet as your favorites. I keep returning to your shot of the bison and your joyful expression at the end of the post. How wonderful to have 4 children!
Thanks, Patti! I can’t help favoring my children. They are truly wonderful, IMHO!
Oooh, I like that closing thought Priscilla. And the rest of your post as well of course. how special that you know the date your husband first kissed you :-). And the phrase that you “loved your children into being” – perfect. Well done
Thanks, Tina. I can’t forget June 8, 1978 at about 8:00 a.m. PST. I was 15; my world exploded. 🙂
🙂 My goodness, you WERE an early bloomer!!
Yup. High School sweethearts. Married 5 1/2 years after that kiss.
Superb.
Thanks, John! That’s a great compliment.
Priscilla …try
Try…to judge? Okay, well I will say that greed and dishonesty and cruelty are definitely out of my favor. But I don’t really think of them as Things but as Human Ways of Behaving. Yeah, that I will judge. But spiders and kittens are equally awesome, in my mind.
Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful family photos with us! Wonderful stories, Priscilla. 💗
My pleasure, Amy. Literally, this post was all about my pleasure!
What is that little animal curled up in the tree? I’m guessing a bat?
Yes, a bat, sleeping soundly in a bush in Death Valley.
Wonderful post – I cannot but agree on your choices. Love your finish of it!
Thanks, Ann-Christine! I am not surprised that we share some of the same favorites. 🙂
😀