Some of My Favorite Things ... From Bounty to Wickles

I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite things ... not the usual things I think of when I think of "favorite things," like my piano or a favorite outfit or shoes ... but just random everyday things.

Diane at A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words, recently wrote about a couple of her favorite cleaning products, one of which is a Swiffer mop. I think I have everything Swiffer has ever made, except for the vacuum cleaner, but my favorite Swiffer product is their "Swiffer Dusters with the Extension Wand." It's perfect for baseboards, tops of door frames, and all those little hard to reach nooks and crannies into which mops and vacuum cleaners can't fit.

I have to confess that I am addicted to my next favorite thing -- Bounty Paper Towels. And believe me, "addicted" is an accurate description.

I buy the package of eight jumbo rolls that equals 12 of the regular rolls (which, by the way, seem to be shrinking, like everything else these days).

I'm never far from a roll of Bounty ... they're beside the kitchen sink, beside the sink in my laundry room, and under the counters in all the bathrooms in the house. I use them for everything -- washing dishes, drying dishes, wiping up spills -- and feel that they are cleaner and more germ-free than damp dish cloths, sponges (yuck!), or dish towels. Next to my phobia about running out of Dr. Peppers, I guess my "running out of Bounty" phobia comes in second.

And, speaking of "germ-free" ... another one of my favorite cleaning products is Clorox Wipes. I don't know if it's true or not, but it just makes me feel better to think that I'm destroying 99.9% of the germs lurking in my house with just a swipe of a Clorox Wipe!

When thinking about favorite things, favorite foods always come to mind, and I'd like to share some of those, too.

If you like spicy pickles and haven't tried "Wickles Pickles," I hope you will.

Made by Sims Foods, of Dadeville, Alabama, the recipe is a family secret that until a few years ago was just used for family and friends who were lucky enough to get a jar. Their friends shared Wickles with their friends, and soon people from all over were calling to see where they might get some.

Wickles are a unique blend of dill, garlic, and sweetness, with just enough spice to keep you reaching for more. I love them, but it's true -- you can't eat just one!

Another favorite is Sister Schubert's Yeast Dinner Rolls ...

I first discovered these delicious little rolls at our favorite restaurant when I made a comment to our waitress about how good they were. She leaned over and whispered, "They're Sister Schubert's!" ... and I was delighted. I've been serving them ever since. They're a little flatter and heavier than regular dinner rolls, but are so good and pretty to serve, too.

For years, I cooked rice "the old-fashioned way," by bringing it to a boil and then covering it for 14 minutes and letting it sit. Nine times out of ten, it came out sticky and not very appetizing. And then, about a year ago I finally got smart and tried Minute Rice, and was so excited about it (it doesn't take much to excite me).

I kept reading the directions, thinking that there had to be more to it than that, but discovered that after about five minutes, I had a pot full of fluffy rice that didn't come out in big clumps when I served it. I've even converted my mother, who cooked her first pot of Minute Rice last week and said she'd never go back to "the old-fashioned way," which is the way she taught me. Gotta love it!

On another subject, one of my most favorite things is my camera. It's Canon's new EOS Rebel XSi/450D, and literally does all the work for me.

My husband also bought a telephoto lens for me, and it's amazing the difference it makes -- it opens up a whole new world of photo opportunities. For example, this picture I took of our little hummingbird friend [click on picture to enlarge it] ...

My newest favorite author is one I discovered about a month ago -- Anne Rivers Siddons.

I was browsing in Barnes and Noble and came across her newest book, Off Season, and bought the audio cd set, plus two of her paperbacks which are in reprint (The House Next Door and Peachtree Road). I've almost finished listening to Off Season, and have almost finished reading The House Next Door.

Ms. Siddons was raised as a "southern belle" on the outskirts of Atlanta, and I love the way she writes. I'm so glad I discovered her books and look forward to reading more of them. Don't you just love good books with pretty covers!

And last, but not least, my newest favorite thing is my new computer.
It's a Dell T3400, with a 24" monitor, and I just sit and stare in amazement as I zip from one blog to another and don't have to wait for pictures to load, or for the little hourglass to stop spinning.

I've transferred most of my files from my old computer, except for my outdated Photoshop Elements 2 program. I've pre-ordered the latest Elements 7 version, but it won't be available until next week. Editing pictures is one of my favorite things to do, and I can't wait to see all the new features available.

In closing, I've enjoyed sharing some of my favorite things and invite you to share some of yours.

Sincerely,