Published on 12, July, 2020
For me it's various things, some of which are (in no particular order):
Quietude in myself, quiet in my surroundings
Being alone or being with people I care about (preferably one at a time)
Being with animals and insects, especially studying how they spend their days
Being at home, in my bedroom, reading a novel
Being in nature away from the noise made by people
Watching a bird flying high in the sky, especially a raptor
Looking at the moon
Being creative
Painting and drawing. Sometimes though it can end up being a little too much like work, as now I want to enter galleries and shows on a more professional basis. I like working with colour and pattern, sometimes with layers blending more and more complexity.
One thing I really miss from my earlier life is beach combing. Finding a semi-precious stone, or a beautiful sea shell. A sea shell with its exquisite pattern is like a small miracle, a cathedral of nature.
You can get that with plants, too. There is a garden centre near me, and when you look at cacti for example, it's again like looking at a tiny miracle.
My cats bring me great joy.
Coming a good meal in the evening with a glass of decent red wine. That's a simple enough pleasure.
At one time I used to get a lot of books and music to review in the post for free as I used to write stuff for an amateur fanzine. Now I get book files to read, music alas no. I used to listen to music a lot more than I do now, though.