Five Things I Love

I've been tagged!!

I was just tagged by Susan to make a list of 5 things I love. Please go by her blog to see the wonderful things that really get her going! From there you can see who tagged her and so on!

I'm tagging the following people, but everyone can participate. I'm asking that you post your list, link your post back to mine and leave me a comment so I can visit your blog. Have fun!

Kara at Hip Chick's Home

Becca of Bluebirds and Roses

Marian at Just Me ~ A Dutch Girl

Emily of A Beautiful Life

Oodles and Oodles

In addition to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit,
the Bible, and my family near and far, here are


5 THINGS I LOVE

1)I am an Anglophile. I love all things British.

I am a tea enthusiast and love to plan parties. My favorite books are Scottish historical fiction and non. My favorite movies are those of the great English authors, Jane Austin, and the Brontes.

2)Related to my love of all things British, I also am very much into all things medieval. I love a terrific fondness for knights, the whole chivalry thing gives me goose bumps! I read everything I can about the Templars. I find their story so fascinating and tragic. This led me to my keen interest in Scottish history and lore. I've read all of Lynn Kuland's books which are medieval time travel which I truly love! It is no small delight to me that the Armor of God is so knight-like. Due to this I have incorporated this in my living room decor.The cross is reminscient of the knight's cross and the shield picture actually depicts the armor of God. The painting on the far wall was painted by my dear art teacher. It is of a famous British landmark-Waltham Abbey. Fits right in doesn't it?Because of my family genealogy and heraldry being Blair, I have an affinity for Scottish history and geography which will be my #3 love.

3. I love Scotland and must spend some quality time there before I pass on to glory. I have been planning a lengthy sojourn there for some time now. Aw! When my dear Lynn retires and if costs haven't completely gone out of sight, I'll make it, I pray! Whether it is a Scottish city or magnificent craggy shore Scotland calls out to me! I am crazy about the music, the accent, the food, the rainy weather, the dreary skies!
. If I could I'd live there in a small village in a small cottage and live a very quiet life around my aga stove and grow my own veggies and flowers! Did I mention I also love Rosamund Pilcher's stories very much! I relate!


4. I love music. I have to have music going all the time. I play the piano, although not as much now as when I was younger. Bifocals have interferred with my ability to see what I am doing!. Anyway, being able to make music has always been very important to me. So Amanda was also given the opportunity to play piano and another instrument as well.
When she was 15 she went professional by joining a quartet playing at weddings and cultural events. She met her future husband, Joshua, seen there beside her, and they continue to play professionally on a much grander scale today! They also,continue to make beautiful music together in life!And she has continued to take piano at college and is quite accomplished with that as well. We are so proud of them both!
Therefore you must know that I love the classics, especially violin concertos.
For example, Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
But I also love what can only be called New Age music to play around the house. Its dreamy wafting airs are quite conducive to my day-dreamy reveries. I enjoy them while I read.
Or how about this beautiful piano piece?
But my all-time favorite music is celtic music. I started listening to an online Irish station years ago, and fell in love with several artists. I love Donal Lunny!
But my favorite Celtic artist is of course, Dougie Maclean!

5) I love to paint. I didn't pick up a paint brush until I was retired 5 years ago, but it just felt right. My teacher was 87 when I started painting with her. She stopped about 3 years later, but her simple rules will always stick with me. "Paint what you see, not what you know is there. Put light where it is light, dark where it is dark." My first piece was this simple waterscape,and I painted several pieces that I then gave away, before I decided to paint Amanda. As an empty nester, it helped to relieve my anguish of the tomb I seemed to be living in. When I feel the need to dabble in a class setting I do a Bob Ross class like one of these.I also love to draw. I am finding release now drawing the birds that I see in the yard in my bluebird journal. I am starting a collection of "oil" birds.(Sorry, I am having a hard time with the sizing down of a couple of photos! Argh!!Will have to come back to that later!)