Our host this week, Patti, challenges us to show some of our own favorite things! They may be old or new – but all of us have favorites…
Many favorites have their own story, and some of my favorites are living things. In the header, a precious tulip I got from a collector, a friend of mine who sold his garden last year – he and his wife are now in their 80’s, and found it too hard to maintain it all.
Voltaire had Candide concluding, after all his travels around the world: Il faut cultiver notre jardin – ”We must cultivate our garden”.
And in my garden, I find the peace and magic I need when life gets too busy. I guess he was right, the old Voltaire…
Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. ― Anatole France
My best friends ( maybe not ”things”… but…) – Totti and Milo – belong to my family, and therefore they are also my favorites, together with my other children. I grew up with animals – so living without them would be impossible.
The orchid is Mother Nature’s masterpiece. – Robyn.
I have kept my grandmother’s geraniums for more than 30 years, and they are my favorites as well. I can see her loving smile whenever I tend to them. The same feeling is there for other flowers I once got from old friends and relatives, now gone. But the orchids are something extra when it comes to beauty – first and foremost this delicate Cattleya, which has lived here for quite some years now. A glorious treat when in flower, filling the rooms with a delicious scent.
Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.
―
Not to forget – books and pencils, of course… Favorites for reading, writing and sketching. Preferably outside of a dog…
Welcome to join in the fun! Remember to link your post here and tag it ”Lens-Artists” to help us find your post in the WP Reader.
Next week, it’s my, Ann Christine’s, turn to host the challenge, so be sure to visit!
Leya 
Love the story about your grandmother. It seems flowers that have lived past one’s life that owned them is so special. I’ve featured a couple of flower blogs in the past month honoring people who have died close to me and how they make me or my family members feel. Beautiful photos.
Thank you so much – I’ll have to visit your blog to read about them!
The opening photo (with the tulip) reminds me of Cezanne! Excellent use of light and color!
robert
Thank you kindly!
What a lovely post … ah those beautiful dogs living without them sure would be impossible
Thank you so much – and yes, impossible to live without them.
So lovely. Everything single thing!
Thank you so much – glad you enjoyed this post!
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I love the notebook, Anne-Christine. I still have one a d always bring it wherever I go. Despite the development of technology, I found that handwritten story is still touching and special.
And so do I. Glad you love it too!
I love the tulip, Leya. I’ve received tulips as gifts but have never grown them.
All of your favorite things seem quite special to you including those cute little curly haired dogs. Have a wonderful week …
Isadora 😎
Thank you for your comments and I wish you a lovely week as well!
Poetic post in both words and images. Lovely … just lovely.
Thank you, Viveka!
As you know … my pleasure.
That Marx quote is a hoot – or a woof !
And nice take on the challenge – cheers to your favs –
Haha – love that quote too ;-D and thank you for a lovely comment! Cheers!
☀️😊
I like your photos but I love your quote –
”Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”― Groucho Marx.
That’s going to stick with me.
Hehe, I love that one too…;-D
It’s lovely to see some of your favourites and learn about the stories behind them. The dogs look very sweet. Are the geraniums indoor or outdoor ones?
Indoor ones they are. And about 50 years old – but of course grand grand grand children to the originals!
I am with you on all of those things Leya. I have a Christmas cactus from my Great Aunt. I have no idea how old it is now but I have had it for 14 years. It is precious, as her spirit lives with it. Beautiful photos.
💚❤💖
Ah, an expected Ann Christine set of favourite things, but lovely all the same!
Hehe, I know I am predictable – my preferences are not easily changed! Glad you like them anyway!
😊
Beautiful photos of your favorite things, AC! Taking care of your grandma’s geraniums for 30 years… I am so touched. Lovely post, 💗
Thank you, Amy! Just giving back some of her love!
I love all your choices, and am so impressed you have your grandmother’s flowers.
Just continuing to love them – then they will answer you back. And they do.
So beautiful! 💕🌸
Glad you like them! Thanks for commenting.
I love the heart behind all these choices, A-C. The passing down of the flowers is special and I love the beautiful notebooks! I love paper and pens. 🙂
janet
Mmm, thank you, Janet. My daughter tells me she will continue when I am gone, so I have marked their names and where the plants come from. There are about 10 of them.
This is a lovely collection of favorites.
Glad you like them, Anne.!
Beautiful photos. Beautiful thoughts. 🙂 ❤
♥
Beautiful. But your best friends take the cake.
They almost always do…;-D Thank you, Michael.
Loved your beautiful choices this week Ann-Christine. I was especially touched that you still have your grandmother’s orchids. I can’t seem to keep mine longer than a few weeks. Black thumb ☹️
Happy you liked my choices, Tina! And yes, my grandmother taught me how to manage geraniums when I was a kid, so I knew from early years…And it was what she worked with – gardening and selling garden products. She had all the green thumbs you can have…. Maybe I have inherited one of them? Thank you for teaching me about ”black thumb” – you always learn new things being a blogger ;-D.
I’m the same as you, Tina…sad, as my mother had very green fingers!
But we inherit different things – some good some not that good. In the end it will all come out well.
Most upbeat of you, AC!
🙂
My mom’s were worse than mine, and that’s really saying something Sue!! At least I know where it came from 😊. My dad, on the other hand, was a master and loved his gardens. Go figure!
😳😧
🙂
Beautiful photos, even the notebooks. Who can argue with the wisdom of Groucho Marx!
Haha – no one! And I’m glad you liked my favorite things, John!
Gorgeous and touching post, Ann-Christine. Your shots are beautiful. I knew your dogs would be included, as well as your family! It’s wonderful that you have family plants in your garden and they remind you of loved ones. The shot with the books and the pen with your name on it is fabulous. 🙂 🙂
Glad you liked my take on it – I had to choose only a tiny bit of all my favorite things… Thank you for a great challenge, and it will be fun to see all the different favorites!