Happy List: #416

Hi! Welcome to this week’s Happy List. I am delighted you are here.

This week on the blog, I talked about nuts. That was a first. I had fun decorating with in-shell nuts this year and shared five ways you can decorate with nuts for the holidays.

I also shared pictures of our 2025 Christmas tree. I’m calling it the blue and metallic tree for lack of a better name. It is full of handmade ornaments and clippings from our property.

Thank you so much for choosing to spend a few minutes of your day here with me. I hope you have fun and leave feeling inspired. It makes my day to connect with you. If you want to reach out, please comment on this blog post or email me here. You can also direct message me on Instagram or Facebook.

Here’s the Happy List!

SO CHARMING

This view from Lauren of Bless’er Home‘s house is so charming. The light, the garland, the paint color…it’s wonderful.

I like her tip for hanging garland over a doorway or window, too. That’s something I’ve never done.

(image: Bless’er Home)

PICKET FENCE

This is the most darling use for popsicle sticks that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. How cute are these ornaments made by Live Laugh Rowe? The mini wreaths were the cherry on this ornament sundae.

Directions here.

(image: Live Laugh Rowe)

MAP OF FUNGI

This Map of Fungi from Domain of Science is so informative. I watched the accompanying YouTube video that explains the entire map. I kept saying to myself, “No way!” I learned so much.

The map is available as a print.

(image: Domain of Science)

GIFT IDEA

One thing New Jersey is known for is terrible traffic. Lovely, I know. Handy Husband always has a driving story from his commute to share, and none of them are good stories.

I know he’s been wanting a dash cam for his vehicle for a while now, but hasn’t made it a priority, so I got him one for Christmas. This one was recommended by Young House Love and comes with great reviews. It seems like one of those gadgets that you hope you don’t ever actually need, but if something happens, you’ll probably be glad you had it running.

(image: Amazon)

P.S. It’s the year of ‘things that record’ because I also got him this endoscopic camera that can go down pipes and inside walls. We have SO many nooks and crannies we’d like to explore in this house.

I also got him this belt with a magnetic clasp. It’s more than I’ve ever spent on a belt, but it has over 23,000 reviews, so it seemed like a safe bet that people like it and it lasts longer than the ones I’ve been buying for him at TJMaxx.

PLATE WREATH

Have you ever seen a wreath like this plate wreath made by Suzanne Zingg? It is a stunner!

Kelly Elko explains how Suzanne made it in this blog post. You don’t have to damage any plates.

(image: via Kelly Elko)

WATCHED, READ, LISTENED

Red crabs migrate over bridges on Christmas Island. Also, crabs live in forests! (YouTube)

The skin under your elbow is called what?!?! I’m never telling my kids this. (Wikipedia)

Virtual reality is used to teach biology at Arizona State. I want to go back to school now. (Podcast)

NINA SIMONE

Nina Simone’s childhood home (1933-1937) has been preserved by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It doesn’t sound like the home will operate as a traditional museum, but will, in some way, be used to engage the public. It is located in Tryon, North Carolina.

You can see photos of the home and learn more about the preservation here.

(image: National Trust for Historic Preservation)

SIX SEVEN

For the kid who says “six seven” multiple times every day, I present the 6-7 mug. The hand gestures are spot on.

P.S. I’m halfway embarrassed to tell you I bought this mug for a certain high schooler in my life. It’s arriving tomorrow. I figured it would be a nice hot chocolate mug, and we’d all have a good laugh over it.

SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH MAPLE GLAZE

I made Pinch of Yum‘s Soft Gingerbread Cookies last week. Handy Husband said they were some of the best cookies I had ever made, and asked if I would make them again.

This is a problem because I was thinking I should never make them again. They were wreaking havoc on my self-control!

(image: Pinch of Yum)

P.S. You don’t have to chill this dough before baking it, which was SO nice. I usually neglect to read that little detail before trying a new cookie recipe. Really messes with the timing, you know?

POETRY MOMENT

There You Are by Victoria Adukwei Bulley

There you are
this cold day
boiling the water on the stove
pouring the herbs into the pot
hawthorn, rose;
buying the tulips
& looking at them, holding
your heart in your hands at the table
saying please, please, to nobody else
here in the kitchen with you.
How hard, how heavy this all is.
How beautiful, these things you do,
in case they help, these things you do
which, although you haven’t said it yet,
say that you want to live.

Thank you for reading this week’s Happy List.

Be good to yourself and others this weekend.

I’ll see you back here on Monday!

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