B is for........

It's been a little over a week, time for the next Personal Alphabet post. (And apropros of nothing, I finally have something new to see over on my art blog. Not something I made, mind you, but at least a new post.)

babies - I love babies. I wanted to be a midwife for many years, not to mention having several babies of my own.

breastfeeding - I was a La Leche League Leader, as well as nursed my babies for.... accumulatively, I was probably a nursing mom for a decade

brownies - love 'em. The kind you eat, that is. Although, I'm not really adverse to the other kind if any of them want to come clean my house or mend my shoes. Anyway, the dessert kind. Chocolate. Like the blonde ones too. Don't eat them too much any more but there was a time... when I was in my last trimester pregnant with Sam, had a two year old, and my husband was threatening to leave me, I baked and ate an entire pan of fudge brownies every night for about six weeks. Probably not the best way to deal with stress, but it did help get me through a tough time.

Barbara - my mother's name

brainy - that's me, a real smarty pants

Buck - my big ol' shaggy dog

beach - note the name of this blog. My favorite place to be.

backrubs - love'em

bratwurst - love these too. They remind me of Wisconsin, and my father

buttons - I collect them. Not the kind you keep your shirt closed with, but the kind that has amusing, political, or witty sayings on

butterflies - I was more of a dragonfly kinda gal, until my son died and I had a seriously up close, incredible encounter with a big ol' swallowtail

Buffy - huge Whedon fan. And just for the record, I'm in the Buffy/Spike camp.

bagels - doughnuts, thumbs down. Bagels, thumbs up.

bay laurel - my favorite tree. Love the smell.

bandana - back before it was a gang thing, my two best friends and I spent most of our high school years wearing bandanas. It was an "us" thing and anyone who tried to be cool and imitate us got the "look". Most quickly pulled the bandana off their head and slunk away in embarrassment. After high school I moved to northern California, back-to-the-lander hippy girl, and the bandanas continued. I still have an entire dresser drawer full of them, mostly for use in the car or camping these days.

bed - ties with the beach as my favorite place to be

bifocals - I'm old and bifocaled

bibliophile - so many books, so little time

bookworm - so many books, so little shelf space

books - so many books, so.... see above

birth - I already mentioned wanting to be a midwife. Beyond that, I've been an assistant, photographer, helper, doula, vet, or in some other capacity had the honor of attending many births. Also, I'm one of those odd women who liked giving birth. Not that I'd want to do it every day, mind you! But as an experience, definitely not one to be missed.

bittersweet - I like the word, the emotion, and the colorfully seeded autumn plant

blessings - I have many. I try to remember to always count them.

branches - I have this thing about seeing branches out my bedroom window. Not that I have always had branches out my bedroom window, but usually I have. The different shapes of the branches tend to imprint in my brain so that I recognize them, make them my own, like I do the assorted ridgetops and mountain ranges I have lived beneath as well

Brussel sprouts - a favorite vegetable.

Brigadoon - a favorite old musical

Bazooka Joe - one of the few nicknames I had as a child

bohemian - my lifestyle might not be overtly bohemian, but my brain is definitely wired that way

boys - I like boys. Baby boys with milky smiles that fall asleep in my arms. Toddler boys dressed in overalls that pretend all their toys make a sound that goes "Vroooom". Little boys in muddy shoes and baseball caps. Pre-adolescent boys all gangly arms and legs and puppy dog energy. Teen boys tough and cool on the outside and tenderhearted and easily hurt on the inside.

baba yaga - the old Russian Witch who lives in a chicken legged hut. Don't know why, just like the story.

Brigid - a Celtic Goddess. She has many different associations but the one I am fond of is Brigid who tends the hearth and stirs the cauldron. She embodies both the best of the homebody - keeper of the flame, who looks out over her family and loved ones, and the best of the individual - stirs the cauldron, always creating, manifesting, stirring up life and making things happen

black - one of my three favorite colors to wear

blackberries - for many years I've collected blackberry fabric. Don't know what I'm gonna do with it. It just calls to me.

burritos - this is actually a William "B" word, but since I'm the one that supplies him - William eats bean and cheese burritos every single day of his life

Beanie Babies - another William word. He got us started and the entire family lived and breathed these soft little creatures for many years.

Bliss - I try to follow it as often as I can.