101 sensual pleasures

[jim]

Being one who can resist anything except temptation I thought perhaps we might share ishy sybarritic delights. (Remembering, of course, that this is a family oriented site!) Therefore, the pleasures must be simple ...

1. Tucked up, warm and snug, with my lady snoring beside me, the rain lashing the windows and the wind blowing a hooligan outside.
2. Wiggling bare toes in cool, watery sand, whilst foraging for clams on a summer afternoon at Hillhead Beach.
3. The smell of a newly struck match.
4. The 1st glass of wine to celebrate Friday evening.
5. Feet safely encased in stout walking boots at the start of a hike.
6. Taking stout walking boots off at the end of a hike.
7. The two of us sat by the wood burner, full of gathered driftwood, anticipating the pot of garden soup cooking on top of it.
8. Swifts screaming as they swoop at top speed four feet above the long straight of Southampton Rd in August.
9. The hope felt when planting.
10 The satisfaction felt when harvesting.
11. Wind whipping my hair around as we stand on top of the South Downs surveying the scenery.
12. Giving and receiving massage at the end of a long hard day. (I shan't continue down this line of thought!)

Come on, there is plenty of life affirming, simple, fun to be had!

Love and Peace
Jim

[StripyPixieSocks]

13. HUGE hugs... for no reason apart from a huge, warm hug!
14. The smell of freshly baked bread
15. The smell of freshly brewed coffee
16. The smell of the sea
17. Sitting in the sun, somewhere green and lush feeling that warmth on your skin
18. Big mug of tea and hot buttered toast
19. The smell of rain (or just before rain)
20. Reading a crisp, new, book
21. Sitting by an open fire when it's snowing outside with the candles lit and listening to Enya
22. Watching the wildlife and then it stopping to watch you back!
23. Kisses

... ahhh I could go on forever here

[Milims]

24 Sitting down to a quick lunch of eggy bread and tomato ketchup and knowing that every last bit is home made
25 The first taste of home made elderflower cordial - and knowing that you have several bottles to drink
26 Watching for the bats
27 Feeling excited waiting for the delivery of a veg box - not quite knowing what's going to be in it
28 Opening the cupboard to find it full of home made jam etc
29 Having friends drop by unexpectedly and being able to present them with a filling meal of home made and grown fare
30 Having someone say "you must be a zillionaire" when you describe your lifestyle
31 Feeling as rich as a zillionaire without worrying that you don't have 2 pennies to rub together
32 Looking out into the garden and wondering if you'll actually be able to eat all the stuff that you've grown
33 Looking forward to the post coming because you just know that it's not going to bring a huge credit card bill, but rather a book that you've just made a swap for

Think I'd better stop now and give someone else a turn!

[Annpan]

34. Lying on your back in your own garden looking at the sky.

[Millymollymandy]

35. Eating the first strawberry and first raspberry of the season
36. Watching the swallows soaring over my garden and swooping down to drink from my lake
37. Just staring at my flower beds when they are in full flower and looking particularly good
38. Watching butterflies (except cabbage whites!)
39. Finding swallowtail caterpillars on my dill (I grow it for them)
40. Fruit blossom in all its glory
41. When my husband says "I'm really proud of you" talking about my veggies or flower beds
42. When I 'let' my husband sow some radishes or carrots and watching him get all excited like a little kid when first they germinate and then finally when he gets to harvest his own veggies
43. Walking in my woodland after it's rained smelling that lovely earthy smell
44. Talking to my chooks and ducks
45. Opening that first pot of home made jam/jelly/chutney and finding it has set/tastes delicious cos you were never quite sure
46. Home made compost or leaf mould when it finally gets to the stage of looking like something you pay to buy!

I could go on but over to the next person....

Edited to say: forgot this was 101 SENSUAL pleasures, so perhaps not the talking to my ducks and hens!

[StripyPixieSocks]

47. Growing stuff despite not having a garden and them growing well!
48. Having the ability to watch nature do it's 'thing'
49. Eating home made things like bread or cream cheese
50. Standing on the top of a cliff with the waves pounding the rock face and feeling the earth shaking
51. Listening to summer bird song
52. The Blackbirds song after huge thunderstorms and rain
53. The dawn chorus
54. Being in a forest and having that almost soundproof type quiet in the middle of all the beautiful trees (Macclesfield was good for this as it has a soft spongy floor because of all the pine needles)
55. Early morning mist hanging low over fields or in the branches of forests / woods... completely surreal feeling and fantastic!
56. Fresh, white, crisp snow...
57. Warm sand beneath your feet
58. The feeling of the water running over your feet in the sea or a river
59. Freshly mown grass smell
60. Making something and feeling proud of yourself for doing it!!

[Mrs Moustoir]

61. Listening to skylarks singing on a summer afternoon
62. Biting into a warm scone topped with cool clotted cream and a dollop of stawberry jam
63. Coming in from the cold and warming your cheeks in front of a roaring open fire
64. Lying on a beach listening to waves lapping the shore
65. Stepping from hot sand into cool sea
66. Holding your OH's hand
67. The feel of a smooth pebble

[the.fee.fairy]

68. Waking up in a tent
69. Taking the dog for a walk in the woods
70. Fresh salad crunching when i eat it
71. The flavour of the first peas
72. The flavour of the first strawberries

[Ellendra]

73. Watching the garden closely so you can spot those first tiny little leaves as they emerge.

[HennyPenny]

74. Getting into a freshly made bed
75. Long lingering bath with delicious smelling essential oils, reading a good book and a glass of wine.
76. the sound and spectacle of thunderstorms when youre safely tucked up in your house
77. waking to the sound of silence after a heavy snowfall overnight (rare treat)

[ajs88]

78. my feet feeling truly pampered after a good soak, scrub and lots of almond oil
79. my skin after cleansing
80. my little dog pouncing on me in the mourning with a massive grin
81. morning snuggles with the OH
82. first cup of tea or coffee of the day
83. a farmers market egg with a huge golden yolk and fried mushrooms
84. being looked after when ill
85. a good walk or swim

[Milims]

I just wanted to say;
It's lovely to read all you posts. It goes to show that living this life style gives us the ability to find great joy in the simplest of things and clearly makes the senses more receptive! Keep up the good work guys!

[MuddyWitch]

79 (but perhaps should have been no 1)Knowing that, no matter what life throws at you, there are good folk on ISH to cheer you up!

MW

[red]

nice thread
86 the feel of a warm egg, just picked up out of the nest box
87 the smell of compost
88 smell of woodsmoke in your hair after a bonfire
89 the first glass of elderflower champagne
90 taking a mouthful of wine by mistaken when racking it.. and realising its great!
91 the smell of the greenhouse
92 zabaglione
93 seeing a shooting star, and sharing the moment with your OH

[Anne A]

92, the smell of line dried sheets on a fresh made bed
93, the small of night scented stock next to your back door
94, the smell of puppies
95, the touch of a freshly picked pea pod
96, the feeling of relaxation when you turn the alarm clock off and roll over to sleep again
97, the sound of sleeping children
98, the taste of mackerel, cooked on the beach
99, the sound of frogs plopping lazily into the pond